Are we "Home" yet?

We made it to Guangzhou around 11:00 Friday night. There were 9 adoptive families following our interpreter with all of our luggage but the airport exit rules had changed. The hotel bus was unable to pick us up in front of the airport. Our group went up and down 5 elevators and ended up exactly where we started. Different employees kept sending us in different directions and it took over 45 minutes to finally connect with our ride. Needless to say we were very tired by the time we checked into our hotel room.

It doesn't feel right because we are staying at the White Swan Hotel which seems like "Disney World" to me. It is a very nice 5 star hotel located on an island resort. We have a wonderful view out of our window of the Pearl River.

On Saturday, Hope and I went to have her final medical exam in China, that will allow her to enter the USA. It was a very small place with two doctors and about 50 families trying to get their final check-up as well. Hope did a wonderful job by listening well, following directions and was very patient throughout the entire process.

However, all day long we knew Hope was acting different and we were concerned with her melancholy attitude. Our interpreter asked Hope why she was so sad and it was as exactly as we had thought. Hope believed the plane ride from Beijing to Guangzhou was the flight "home" and she woke up in another hotel room in China. She was very disappointed that we were still in China and is ready to go home to the USA. The interpreter told her that we have one more week and we will travel on 3 more planes before we will be "Home". She smiled and has been her jolly, singing, dancing self ever sense.


That afternoon Abigail and I went window shopping. We met the store owner who said he would write our new daughter's name in Chinese Calligraphy for free. When we told him her name was Hope he asked if it was from the Bible. When we responded "Yes" he said he was a Christian!

This morning we traveled to a folk museum. It was very historic and we got another taste of Chinese culture. The facility originally was a school for higher education that trained ancient Chinese Scholars. When the Communist took over they changed it into a printing factory but today it has been restored and it is a school for aspiring artist.

This afternoon we went to a local playground along the waterfront. The children had a wonderful time playing and walking along the river front. We had dinner at a local diner called Lucy's which serves American food. We ate with two other adoptive families who have become our friends on this journey.

Every night when we pray, Hope will follow our lead and kneel beside the bed with her fingers crossed. She will say thank you Jesus for Mama, Baba, JeiJei and GuhGuh.

We can't thank God enough for this special little girl He has blessed us with.