July 27, 2011

Last full day in Guangzhou!  This seemed like a very long day as we had nothing planned.  In the morning we went to the park and played.  We went shopping to pick up a Calabash flute for school.  Kristi looked at things, and when we said no and put them away - she stomped her feet but did not throw a tantrum.  Maybe she is learning that they don't work on us? (although she will probably continue to test it out in each new situation just to be sure!).   We went back to Lucy's for lunch - Kristi is very fond of ketchup and french fries.  Anyway, when we got there, we showed Kristi her seat (the inside seat where she can not get up and walk around).  She decided she did not want to sit there.  She wanted to sit where mom or dad was sitting.  She started to screech loudly at us so I picked her up and placed her in her seat.  She then continued to yell at me and started to hit.  So I took her hand and said, Boo (no) - you stop now or we will go bye-bye to the hotel.   And Kristi looked at me and then stopped.  Hmmm - think she catches more than she lets on??

She was pretty funny at supper.  She had been given a sucker by the lady at the store by the lobby.  She really wanted that sucker and so proceeded to show us she was done eating her noodles.  She then looked up at us hopefully and mimicked licking her sucker.  We said no, so she went back to another forkful of noodles and tried it again!  I am happy to report that Babba is now on equal ground with Mama in Kristi's estimation.  She went for a walk with him after supper so Kim could pack.  She has no problem having Paul give her a bath and make bubbles for her in the tub.  The evenings seem to be her best time.  She is very happy then - but not so much in the morning (sound familiar Lindsey??)  We enjoyed walking around seeing the lights of Shamian Island and across the Pearl River for one last time.

We are so ready to go home!  Unfortunately for Kristi, though, things will probably get worse before they get better.  At least now she can still understand some of what people are saying, the food is familiar and the people look like her.  Soon everything will be strange.  She will continue to need our prayers as she progresses through the grieving process, and that she will learn to communicate and speak English.  Pray for us as we begin the last leg of our journey - the travel home.  Tomorrow morning we take the train to Hong Kong.  We have to go through immigration and customs there even though it is still China.  We will not have a guide to get us on the train or to the taxi and hotel, so we are praying that everything will go smoothly.  We will spend the night in Hong Kong and take a 9AM flight out on Friday morning.  Our flight will be over 15 hours, then an 8 hour layover in Detroit where we will have to go through customs and immigration.  Finally we will catch a  flight to Bloomington and the drive home.  It will be an endless day - literally as we go backward in time.  We will leave around 9AM Hong Kong time and arrive home the same day around 10 PM Springfield time.  Please pray that Kristi will be able to sleep some on the plane even though it will seem like the daytime to us as we are flying.  (Actually, we could all use prayers on that one!)  Not sure if we will be able to get on-line tomorrow night in Hong Kong, so maybe no update then....