Day #2

Emily is doing great.  Well...maybe I should clarify that.  She has nasty, horrid diarhea.  The clothing situation would be dire if our guide hadn't taken some to the laundry for us.  She eats anything, drinks anything, sleeps solidly, LOVES being outside, is quiet and watchful.  Where Kaitlyn is our ask and deal with it girl, cry if necessary, Emily appears to be more still-waters-run-deep.  She was going to everyone this morning.  THEN...

 

We went to provincial affairs to sign our names and make promises regarding Emily's future and sign our names and make thumb prints, and sign our names and take pictures, and sign our names and talk to some people and ....yep, sign our names x 100.   If Alzheimers is in my future, thanks to China I bet I'll be able to sign my name right up to the end.  We met with the SWI staff this morning.  Everyone had a camera except the director and notary.  We took pictures with every conceivable combination of people.   My mom made the girls matching jumpers and they were a HUGE hit.  The staff took pictures and more pictures all while Kenton and I were signing our names over and over again.   

 

Emily's nanny was there.  At first she didn't want to take Emily.  I think she was afraid it would be too hard for them both.  Eventually she couldn't resist.  The parting was hard on all of us but I'm so glad that they both had one last opportunity.  Emily's cry is soft and heartbreaking.  Now if we're out of the hotel room she doesn't want anything to do with anyone but mom. 

 

As a family of seven gallivanting around China we are a spectacle.  It's a good thing God doesn't have us here permanently.  Every move the kids make is noticed by someone.  Today Kenton was leading the way with the boys.  Megan was behind him and I was trailing her by a bit.  A lady grabbed her and pulled her through an alley.  She just wanted to show Megan to her husband but it scared us both a bit.  She desperately wanted to hold Emily but Emily gave her hands a good shove and said, "BO!"  The lady laughed but took her out of my arms anyway.  Em wasn't having anything to do with her.  She reached for me, cried, and kicked.  Sometimes it's hard to know the correct response.  Most people are curious  Many are kind.  It's awkward being the center of attention. 

 

Yesterday while we were out walking a lady had a fire hose on the sidewalk.  Davis wanted to watch what she was doing so we all stopped.  The lady gestured to us to keep moving.  Turns out she was going to use that firehose to clean.  In the process she nailed the side of a public restroom.  All of a sudden, this man came scrambling out, head swinging both ways as he tried to figure out what had hit the side of his bathroom.  We are still chuckling about his face.  It was priceless.

 

The lovely lady at the business center just thoughtfully brought me a glass of steaming hot water.  It's lovely of her...but how does one swig down a glass of hot water?  According to our guide this is to cool the insides.  Not sure how that works.    

 

Our guide is efficient, fun, thoughtful, and her English is pretty good although she says, "My English is like my boyfriend, I love it but I can't control it."  Fortunately, Kenton and I seem to be tag teaming understanding her.  What one doesn't get the other usually does. 

 

I'm sure there's more that I could say but for now I'm out of words and time.

Thank you for praying.  We feel it and are blessed. 

Holly