Great Guangzhou

Yesterday, Friday, was another traveling day.  All three kiddos played in the room while Brad and I packed all our bags up.

Cutie patootie here loves just about any and every toy we give him.  And while he is still content to sit and play, he is also starting to really be busy.  We are so grateful that he is starting to feel more comfortable with us to be himself.

His smile is quite possibly the cutest I've ever seen.  And this is his smile when he has something in his mouth...Which is most always.  Have I mentioned how much he eats?  Constantly.  Which I'm very happy about because I'd much prefer him eating lots than not eating as some children do during this stressful time.  Yet I'm also sure his is a reflection on his changing circumstances as well.  He eats all the time because he can.  At his orphanage we saw one nanny feeding lunch to all the toddlers out of one bowl.  All 5 or 6 of them stood at her feet waiting their turn for another spoonful of rice.  I do believe that James was well-fed there but that he was never secure about how much food he'd get or when it he'd get fed.

So for right now, we'll happily let him eat all he wants. :)

Ok, on to traveling.  We sat in the Chongqing airport for several hours as our flight was delayed a couple of times.

Can I just stop and brag on these two?!  This trip is not for the faint, the weary, or the wimpy.  These two have had to wait in more lines, try more new things, and have been asked to be patient more in the last 10 days that in the last 10 months.  They have done it so well and with very minimal whining.  They continue to politely pose for pictures with strangers and they truly adore their little brother.  They are really missing their own beds, space, and toys yet the continue to have fun and roll with whatever we tell them we'e doing for the day.  I'm so proud.

These two were happy about some Chinese McDonalds- our first since being here.  

We got to our hotel in Guangzhou around 11pm Friday night.  It was late and we were sooooo tired.  

It had been such a long day and late night that the girls stayed with brad while I took James to his medical exam.  This exam is conducted by Chinese government but is a required step to get our US Visa.

He has no idea what's coming. :(  

The doctor spoke Mandarin to him so he seemed to understand what he was going to do and was fine with it.  Honestly though, he was probably content because he was in my lap.  I'm so very, very thankful that James wants to be with me.  He definitely feels secure and safe when I'm holding him which is such an answered prayer.  If someone takes him away this happens....

Just look at that red face!

He didn't mind his ENT visit at all - maybe because he got to sit in my lap or Maybe because it consisted on looking into a flashlight, doctor looking in his mouth and hearing the doctor squeak that cute bunny toy on his desk.  Eyes work? Check.  Mouth work? Check. Ears work? Check. Done.

He also had to have blood drawn to test for TB which was no fun.  He held his arm up for me to kiss it the rest of the day like a little wounded solider.

We got back, went to the store, picked up fried rice for lunch and met Brad and the girls in the room.

Then I had to go to a paperwork meeting with a few other families who are here at the same time.  My friend Amy took this pic to document what really might be the LAST piece of paperwork I'll do for this adoption.  4 trees and 20 months later...we are almost DONE with paperwork! Whoop whoop!

I also have to stop and brag on James.  Can you believe that he is standing by himself listening to music on an iPod with his sister!  That sentence would have been impossible to say just 5 short days ago.  He has been so brave and so resilient as he has endured such tremendous change this week.  We can't believe how much progress he has made emotionally and physically in less than a week.   We wish all of you could be here to witness it as we do.  Now it hasn't been without challenges but we are counting everything as pure joy right now because We are amazed and so thankful with how well he is doing.

We ended the day with MEXICAN food.  I guess you could say that Mexican food is American food to our family we eat it that much.  So we were so thrilled to get super full on chips and salsa.  It was super yummy.