~ THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME ~

We made it home safe and sound...exhausted, but we're HOME!

We had a nice 15 hour turbulent plane ride home - it was so nice to touch ground! After passing through many, many check points and customs; where a nice guard said, "welcome home" we drove 1 1/2 hours to our H-O-M-E!

We were greeted by friends and family who decorated the house ~ it was so sweet to come home to such a great welcome! The topper was seeing our boys ~ Anthony threw himself into the car for a huge hug :) My Eddie seemed to have grown a foot or two - I keep referring to him as the jolly green giant - he looks huge!!!

Mia is adjusting slowly and seems confused and a little "off". Anthony worked so hard yesterday to win her over - and he did!!! All he wanted to do was hug her and hold her and kiss her, etc. She didn't know what to make of him, but he gave her some time and played with her and made her laugh and slowly, but surely she couldn't resist hime :) Eddie just "hangs" out with her and takes it all in stride - he doesn't seem overly jealous (yet) and I am hoping that doesn't come until I"m less jet-lagged and can handle the turmol better...keep your finger crossed!!

Not going to sugar coat it at all - its hard, exhausting and emotional; but we are home and with our family!!!

Will post soon, but there is so much to do!!!

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!

~ HOMESICK & HONG KONG ~

SEPT 12TH, WED: We check out of the White Swan and say good-gye to some wonderful people who will be friends for a lifetime ~ that was hard.. next stop - Hong Kong for a day!

































Mia helps Daddy check out of the White Swan






























I'm on a plane to where now???

Hotel in Hong Kong (Novotel Citygate) ~ VERY

modern...almost too modern, we couldn't figure out

how to open the door and the lights !!

We took a tram to the "sky terrace" or it's also
called "Victorias Peak" ~ some view!!
















Mia slept thru most of it (wish I could have too ~I
was beyond exhausted and just wanted to go HOME!)
















On the tram on our way back down...

Party pooper, exhausted & not in

the mood ~ I want to go HOME!!!

**Sorry for the downer of a post ~ as you may have guessed I was very homesick at this point ~ don't get me wrong Hong Kong was gorgeous and the people spoke more English here. I was just beyond tired and worn out from our trip!

~ LAST DAY IN GUANGZHOU ~

We are heading into the home stretch and spent our last day here with our new buddies, the Lynchs! More shopping and picking up some last minute items and then we headed out to lunch and ended up at the Thai Restautant from last night. We basically ordered what we had the night before (to keep it safe, no chicken feet or pigs toes for us!)

We had to meet downstairs to go to the U.S. Consulate for our oath taking at 2:45pm and we dressed Mia in her patriotic attire! She is always so happy and giggly and such a joy to be around ~ we are so very blessed.

Mia, Mommy & Daddy at the White Swan Waterfall










































Mia loves when Daddy flies her around!







































And now she likes his shoulder rides ~ it took a few days!








































Last lunch with Michelle, Lia & Daivd

Packing for Hong Kong ~ Mia is ready to fly out again (with dolly and thumb!) We will spend tomorrow in Hong Kong and next day we fly out for New York - HOME!!! We are so ready!

Good-bye dinner with Michelle, Lia, David, Tim,

Nicole, Abbey (&us). We ate outside at a BBQ place

overlooking the water. It was beautiful, fun and

memorable. We are the original Guangxi families and

we have a bond thru our girls ~ what special people ~

we will miss you all!

~ SHOPPING & RED COUCH ~

MONDAY, SEPT 10TH:
Today is one week since Mia walked into our lives ~ it feels like we've known her so much longer and yet we still have so much to learn about each other.

We had our usual buffet breakfast here at the White Swan - our favorites are the french toast and banana bread. Mia still enjoys, you guessed it, congee! I have been trying different foods and sometimes she'll try them and other times all she wants is the Cheerios or congee. She has been drinking out of the water bottle cap (not an easy way to give a drink, but for now that's what I have to do).

We walked around and shopped some more - we are tired of the store owners coaxing us in and asking the same questions over and over , "how old is she?", "where is she from?", "where are you from?", blah, blah, blah!

















Good morning!

Mia is so tiny, I had to change this outfit for another!

Am I ready now?

Mia goes next door to call for Lia ~ let's shop!

Daddy and Mia take a walk

After lunch at Lucy's with Lia and family, we headed

upstairs to change for the red couch photos!

Mia and Lia are ready for the photo shoot!

I feel pretty!

Guangxi girls: Lia, Mia & Abbey

Too many pictures where taken & not a good one

to speak of - it's a lot harder than people make it look!!!

Mia is always on the go

I can't stand still!

Lia & Mia by the waterfall

Mia is sitting pretty!

Back at the room ,Mia finds her baby!

We're done now, Mom ~ can we play?

Tonight we go to a Thai Restaurant, the Cow & Bridge - we've heard so much about it and look forward to another yummy dinner. (The food is sooooo much better than I thought and I am eating about 90% of it and enjoying it - all us Guangxi families feel that the food in Nanning was better so far)

*Kisses to my boys - we are coming home so soon - can't wait guys!!!

ANOTHER DAY IN GUANGZHOU

SUNDAY, SEPT 9TH:
Today we had to be up and ready to shop at the jade store and pearl market! Mia woke up around 7am and was hungry as usual. As we made her bottle she munched on her very favorite Cheerios ~ I don't know what I would do without them. If Mia isn't sleeping, she is eating - and she gets testy if she doesn't get what she wants!!


















Mia is up and dressed for the day with her dolly
and thumb! (This is the doll from the care package!!)
















Yummy Cheerios!















Love my Cheerios...no, really I LOVE them!



We enjoyed our outing and bought some real nice pieces ~ we got some Pappa John's pizza to bring back to the hotel when we were done shopping. We walked around and hung out with our buddies, Michelle, David and Lia and had a great time as usual! It is so nice to have made such great friends and we cannot believe we met only a week ago!

Then, we brought the girls to the Swan Room again to play. Mia just has a blast. It is so nice to see her so happy. I wonder all the time what her life was before us. I don't think she has ever seen a rug, as she is fasinated by them and when the tile turns to rug as she is walking, she has to squat down and lift her foot "over" onto the rug - it is so funny! She also touches and feels everything as if it is the first time!














Found the ball again!














She lights up the room!



We met for a group dinner again at a Cantonese Restaurant. We took up two tables, as we are 9 families. Mia had her staple: congee! I better learn how to make this because she just adores it! I hope she likes pastina (my Italian friends know of this dish) because I am a pro at that....but congee - oh boy!














Daddy, Mia and Mommy at the restaurant
(Daddy tried duck ~ don't tell Madison!)




















I turned to look at Mia and she had
fallen asleep - too much shopping?!
Never!!!

We left shortly after and returned to

the hotel; however, Miss Mia is talking

and joking in her crib as I type?!

*Anthony and Eddie: I hope you are having a good weekend. We are so busy here with your sister, but think about you ALL the time: what you are doing and where you are at that moment. I miss you both so much I can't stand it! You boys are just the best, funniest, cutest, sweetest guys around and you are going to have a ball with your sister! I am blowing you kisses 1/2 way around the world at this moment...catch them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MORE GUANGZHOU PHOTOS

Tonight we had a group dinner at Lucy's Restaurant; which has western style food and is nearby the White Swan Hotel.

Ed finds a new woman on the way into Lucy's:

After dinner we walked for a bit and ran into "Kitty".

She is from Mia's Province and we spoke with her for

a while. She told us the girls from Guangxi cry a lot,

they are sensitive and they are very feminine. That's

our girl!! She knew that many of the girls from the

country are abandoned and seemed hesitant to say it

is because they want a boy...but when asked why, "she

said, yes everyone wants a boy!"

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Daddy was tired of Mia giving him the cold shoulder so he held her and fed her (she's like a little bird!). He showed her the fish in the pond and the waterfall ~ all inside the White Swan Hotel ~ just so beautiful! She is doing better with him, but will try to put her arms out to me - I just say "keep feeding her", "keep her occupied" and then she is fine. She will stare at him and then turn her head when he looks her way - she's curious, but very unsure.

I forgot to add these to the previous post; they are photos from inside Nanning airport before we boarded the plane for Guangzhou. The girls had a good time walking around getting into trouble! Here are the three Guangxi girls: Abbey, Mia and Lia shopping up a storm!

Also a pic of Miss Mia, who will find the stair where ever we go!