Guangzhou

Falling in LOVE with this boy more and more every day!

Ok, let's get it out of the way.....WAR EAGLE!  Yes, Trace did get up at 445 to turn CBS.com on and I, shortly after, and Micah actually even woke up SUPER early that morning (not planned), to cheer our tigers on to VICTORY!  It was so fun, and a special blessing to be able to watch the game here!  We have a fun picture, but it's on my camera, and I don't know how to get them off right now:)

First bath to actually SIT down!  Victory!  

We have made it to Guangzhou, the second half of our trip!  Someone said it feels like we were living in black and white and it turned to color.  That is SO TRUE!  I had been to Chongqing several years ago, so I knew someone to expect in terms of the gloominess, nasty different smells, craziness on the roads and cheer busyiness.  But I had not visited too many other citiies.  So when we got to Guangzhou on Friday night, we arrived at our amazing hotel, and hit the hay immediately, but we woke up to SUNSHINE!  While Chongqing will always have a very special place in my heart, being the place where my son was born, and spent 3.5 years of his life, sunshine was welcomed.  It was almost like we were a hop closer to home.
Micah is opening up more and more to us each day.  I feel like he is starting to get the feeling, these people aren't going away!  We are learning his personality, and let me tell you, this kid is so full of life. He is a giver, he loves his friends, and he is pretty passionate about any emotion he feels!  When he isn't happy about something, he just becomes a wet, limp noodle.  Doesn't matter what surface he crumbles to, he just crumbles and slaps on the floor.  It scared me half to death one day, because Micah dropped a small piece of food, and Trace picked it up off the ground before he would eat it.  Micah is still learning that his food is not limited.  So he was very hurt when that food was picked up, he just melted and fell flat on the tile floor, face first.  No screams, no crying when he does this, just limps.  I thought for sure he had knocked a tooth out.  Nope!  We have figured this must be a defense mechanism for him when he is upset, scared or feels out of control.  He was very limpy when we first met him and picked him up last week.  He snaps out of it very quickly, usually, and is back to his normal self.  We are thankful though for seeing these patterns, so that we know what to expect!
When we tell him we love him, he says it right back.  He has said it in English once, but for now it's "Wo ai ni."  I'll take it:)  It is music to my ears.  He is slowly showing us more and more affection.  The other kids on the trip were giving hugs and kisses early, and just yesterday I got my first kiss!  Trace got one first a few days ago!:)  He reaches for our hand frequently, and now loves to hold my face and make silly eyes.  Again, I'll take it!:)

Chen Chen and Fei Fei (Micah and Bekah Fei)

We have made quick friends with the families on our trip.  So thankful to be walking this road with them, and traveling with them.  It's made for some sweet community.  Back in June, when they sent us videos and pictures of his birthday party, and saw he shared a birthday with another little girl.  Come to find out, she is another little girl in our group!  This precious little girl, named Fei Fei, has his same Chinese family name (bc they were found in the same province and were taken to the same orphanage), she has the same birthday, and you ready.... their cribs were next to each other at Love Manor.  These little buddies have something special.  I get emotional thinking about it.  Micah LOVES her.  If he even faintly hears her from a distant, immediately he yells....Quay Quay!!1  (that's how it sounds coming out him) These precious souls have lived life together since they were 6 months old.  They look out for each other.  If Fei Fei is crying, Micah, says, from wherever he is, Quay Quay!  This little boy is a protector, and one thing I do know, is he has taken care of this precious girl, and she has been a precious companion to him.  He is constantly giving her food, and looking for her.  They beam when they are together.   They have such a precious history together that we and her parents will, to an extent, never know.  What we do know, is we live only about 2.5 hours from each other!  I see many planned play dates in our future.  They also have a 7 year old daughter and 3 year old son.


We had his medical appointment yesterday, we saw a nurse, an ENT, and he got blood taken for a TB test.  If we don't hear anything from the test, he's good!  If we get a call, we go back for x-rays and possibly stay SIX more weeks.  It's highly unlikely that will happen, but praying against it!  He did great for the physical.  We were there with about 20 other adoptive families, some with us, some with other agencies.  It was chaotic!  Thankful they had us all in and out within about 1.5 hours.

We went to a great place for pizza last night.  For a split second, I forgot we were in China.  It was delicious!  This story is topping the charts, for Guangzhou at least.  We were sitting in a booth next to this PRECIOUS young Chinese couple.  I was about 2 feet across from the girl.  I maybe wanted to ask take a picture with them after dinner they were so cute...I refrained.  I mean, the guy had mocossins on, and she had her patent leather heels on!  They were OUT on the town, and so cute.   They giggled off and on the whole meal, Trace and I figured it was probably date 4.  They flirted about who was going to pay.  Hilarious.  Anyway, about midway through the meal, Micah has been known to on occasion throw crumbs of his food....he thinks its funny:)  (cayden, your food throwing competitor is on his way)  So he goes and CHUNKS this small piece of crust and it lands in HER HAIR!  Yes, the cute girl, who has curled the ends of her hair for her admirer.  I'm sure my chin dropped to the floor and my face turned the color of lava.  But neither one of them noticed!  They both just keep gazing into each others eyes and giggling!  Trace told me I had to tell her, i just kept laughing uncontrollably trying to figure out how in the world I was going to tell this Chinese girl (who doesn't speak English) that my son, (who does speak chinese) just chunked a piece of food, and now it's in your hair.
Thankfully, it fell to her lap.  Phew.  But it made for a very enjoyable dinner.  Probably our favorite out yet.

We have quite a few sightseeing trips in Guangzhou as we wait for our consulate appointment on Wednesday.  We have been shopping, and to an ancient dynasty house so far, and visit the Botanical Gardens tomorrow....and to complete the day tomorrow, we have a "Boat Cruise."  Thankful we have things to fill our time though!  We are becoming very homesick, and can't wait to come home and our family be complete.  We are able to FaceTime with the kids almost every day, but it's not enough for this mama!  The second we step off the escalator at Hartsfield International Airport, and I see those beautiful faces, is climbing the charts in my book of top moments in my life...and it hasn't even happened yet.  Longing for them in my arms!

Silly Boy!!

Be looking for a post about what to expect when we come home!  We canNOT wait to introduce our new son to you, but he will need several weeks to adapt to his forever home, and forever family.  We know this is a process, and we are going to take his cues on when to branch out of the house further.  But I will share details with you soon!  We do welcome anybody who wants to come to the airport when we get home to come!  We've seen several families who have come home have these "airThis is an earthly homecoming for this precious son of ours, and I can't WAIT to step off that escalator with him and hold all 4 of my babies in my arms, together.