Following Where He Leads...: Lily Kay

We continued to make progress today. Slow, but steady and sure progress. Thankfully, not even any “two steps forward, one step back” - just one step forward!

This morning, even though it was cold and drizzly, our guide took us to a “Park”. We were just about the only people at the park, the only ones crazy enough to get out in the weather. With a 6 ½ year old and an almost 4-year old, we cannot stay in the room for too long. As Noah says “we need to get our energy out!” So, it was nice just to get out of the hotel room. Whenever we leave the room now, Zibing wants to be held - which is hard, but I'm so thankful for it! I'm also very thankful that she will now let Jas hold her too!

Our guide, Jessie, then took us and the Parkers to a “Local Restaurant that serves traditional Fuzhou food.” Again, she helped us order before she left (and we took taxis back to the hotel). We ended up with Rice Noodles, Rice Soup, Pork Soup, and beef. The beef was such a hit with us 4 adults that we ended up getting a second order (are we Americans, or what? BEEF!)

As our family of 4 was attempting to catch a taxi (not always an easy thing) we came across a man selling something from a barrel on his bike (in the pictures you can't tell that he was carrying it on his bike, but he was). It looked like it would be something sweet, so we were in! You give him money, and he cuts off how much that will buy. (He also weighs it with a hand-held weight). It turned out to be some sort of doughy, slightly sweet something. Zibing wouldn't try it, Daddy wasn't crazy about it, but Elisabeth and Mama really liked it!

My three babies took a good 2-hour nap today (I've only taken one nap since we've been here, I'm just not tired!) Jas is more tired than I am because the poor thing has been staying up for several hours after we girls go to bed (at 8 p.m.) for the past several nights doing work. Like “work” work. Like “what he gets paid to do at the bank.” He has monthly reports that are due by the 10th of every month, and he has (thankfully) been able to work on them in China.

We ventured out into the streets again after nap to pick up some things we needed. The little “convenience” stores here in the city (as in other cities we've stayed in) is tiny (15”x15”?), crammed FULL, and the aisles are so narrow you have to turn sideways to get through. Zibing picked out a treat that she wanted while we were in the store: a package that had 10 wrapped “sticks” in it, and had a picture of an animated ear of corn on the front. Corn? Seemed harmless enough (as compared to the pickled chicken foot that we told her “NO!” to...I'm not even joking). You peel the plastic off this stick (no small feat, Baba has to take care of that) and it almost looks like a long, lean hot dog...but it definitely tastes “corny.” These things are so strange, but she loves them and ate 4 before she went to sleep! With things like this, I wonder if she has had it before, and knew exactly what she was getting, or not...

For supper, we tried to go to the Chinese restaurant on the 2nd floor of the hotel, but it was CRAZY crowded here last night, with two weddings (or receptions anyway) taking place. So we ended up back in our hotel room with the yummy delivered Pizza Hut cheese pizza again!

Fun tidbits:

-Zibing: “Lesha go!” (said when imitating Mei Mei's “Let's go!”)

-Have I told you how neat and orderly she is? Yesterday when we were leaving the hotel room, she made us stop and she went back and closed the laptop (like we normally do before leaving the room, but had neglected to do that time).

-Whenever this girl is not asleep, she has shoes on. I mean the minute she wakes up, jammies still on...she goes and puts on her shoes. Until today, she would only wear the cute little red shoes that came with her from the orphanage (even though they appeared too little). But after getting dressed this morning, she finally picked her new tennis shoes that we brought her as what she wanted to wear today. I think she liked them, because she picked them again after nap. (We think her red shoes were brand new on Sunday when we met her - because they were in mint condition, and after only a few days of Zibing wearing them, they are really scuffed up now.) When we stopped and thought about how she is always wearing shoes, we believe that is likely the way it is at the orphanage. Makes sense. It would be cleaner and safer to not have a bunch of children running around barefoot.

-Laundry fiasco: we turned in a bunch of laundry yesterday (it's much easier to do laundry here, than pack 4 suitcases of clothes) and knew it was ready this morning. So Jas called down and said we'd like our clean laundry back. Few minutes later, knock on the door, a man delivers some empty laundry bags to us, so that we can give them our dirty laundry. 2nd try: Jas calls down and talks to a different person (at a different number) and asks for our clean laundry. Few minutes later, knock on the door, another man delivers some empty laundry bags to us, so that we can give them our dirty laundry. We now have like 8 laundry bags – and no clean clothes (I seriously did not have a clean shirt to put on without getting our laundry back). I was laughing hysterically by now...Jas, not so much. He finally went down in person to the front desk, was able to make himself more clearly understood, and when there was a 3rd knock on our door a few minutes later – YAY! OUR LAUNDRY!

Our guide delivered to us this afternoon some very important papers from the Notary's Office: Zibing's birth certificate and abandonment certificate. Friday, we'll pick up her Chinese passport (the last bit of business we have to accomplish in Fuzhou) and then we'll be flying down to Guangzhou, Guangdong to handle the rest of the adoption paperwork that needs to be completed before we can fly home.

Meanwhile, back at home - our boys had a big time with Joshua and Kellen during their playdate on Wednesday – and this proud mama just wants to show off some more pictures of her handsome guys! Oh, how I miss them and can't wait to see them again next Friday!

Check out those cute red shoes!