Home at last

Thursday March 15 at 5:00 pm a van arrives at our hotel in Guangzhou to escort us to our Hong Kong hotel where we will spend the night before catching our morning flight home. It was quite amusing to watch them try and pack our mountain of luggage in this van and still have room for us! We were willing to sit on each others lap if we had to just to get one step closer to home.




So off we go for our three hour drive to Hong Kong. Sarah Grace in the very back with the luggage, Hannah in Kim's lap, Jacob in the middle and me in the back seat. Stephen sat in the front seat with the driver who he tried to make conversation with only to discover he either did not speak English or just didn't want to talk. Actually he was texting a friend while he was weaving in and out of traffic which was a little unnerving. No car seats for the kiddies and crazy drivers on the road really increased our prayer time. Even though Hong Kong is part of China, which they don't like to claim, we had to cross a border when we got to Hong Kong. As we arrive at the border the driver stops the car and first points us in the direction of the public bathroom then tells us to go inside and tells us he will meet us on the other side. We look at each other and follow his instructions a little hesitantly wondering if we will ever see him or our stuff again! We get our passports out, get in line and are processed. We walk out the door on the opposite side and thank you Lord, there is our driver. Back in the car and drive a little further to another check point where we actually stay in the car but they point this gadget at us that supposedly takes each of our temperatures. We had already been tipped off about this so we had all taken Tylenol because we did not want ANYTHING to detain us from our destination. If any of us had a temperature they would not have let us cross the border. Now we arrive in Hong Kong and get checked into our hotel. We all order grilled cheese and French fries from room service and Stephen scopes out a place downstairs for a steak and also figures out exactly where we go in the morning as the hotel was right at the airport. We did not want to do anything that would cause any delays! We woke up even before the alarm sounded and rallied the kids and we were on our way to catch our flight. We all got comfy in our seats (well as comfortable as you can get:) and to our pleasant surprise it was ONLY a 14 hour flight this time instead of 16 which sounded good to us. I don't know if the plane went faster or took a different route but we didn't really care. We all set in for our movie marathon and lowered our expectations about our yummy meals. There were many adoptive babies returning on this flight and they took turns crying but everyone took that in stride and just put their headphones on and took into consideration this was not only their first flight but everything they do at this point is new to them. We arrive in Detroit and were just happy to be on American soil! We had to go through customs, etc. We then went to Wendy's for frosty's and hamburgers. So nice to speak our language and be able to communicate again. After a three hour layover we board our little commuter plane for our short flight to Birmingham. As we arrive poor Sarah Grace throws up right in the isle from coughing so hard. Everyone just looks and won't move on. We get off the plane, clean up a little and run to see family who are anxiously waiting to meet Hannah! What a wonderful homecoming it was! Balloons (which Hannah loved), signs, stuffed animals, flowers, cameras...it was great! She just smiled and soaked it all in! She is now united with her Forever Family which includes many cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents! Next order of business was home, eat and bed. There is no place like home!
Thank you Lord for this incredible God Adventure! We recognized your presence every step of the way!

Bags are packed!

Bags are packed and we are sitting on GO! It is 11:00 Thursday morning here and had another tasty fried egg and toast accompanied by apple juice this morning. Line for waffles was too long, definitely the favorite! Also my Starbucks tall vanilla latte delivered to my doorstep by my thoughtful son-in-law! Met an Amish family this morning that recently arrived with older daughters and they had adopted a 13 year old girl. Wish we could all have a reunion someday...maybe we will! You really develop a bond with these folks. Just waiting now for Hannah Marie Xia Miller's visa to be delivered and we are out the door for a 3 1/2 van ride to Hong Kong. We are staying in a hotel right at the airport so won't have to rush too much in the morning. Our 16 hour plane adventure begins at 9:45 am tomorrow which is Friday morning for us but Thursday night for y'all so please include us in your bedtime prayers (especially the pilots;) My plan for travel this time may include Xanax so I don't care what I eat and anything I do will be fun!!! I cannot wait for you to meet Hannah, she is so sweet you just want to take a bite out of her. Can't wait to see everyone especially my honey!
Not sure I will have Internet when I leave hotel so love to all and see you SOON!!!! XOXOXOX



Official document!

Meal of the day

Breakfast is one of the best and most reliable meals of the day. They seem to speak and understand English and they offer food for every culture. Americans line up for waffles, eggs, bacon, potatoes, sweet rolls, muffins, yogurt, bananas and juice. (we usually save the banana and yogurt for lunch). They also serve stir fry, all kinds of meat concoctions using all kinds of meat, congee flavored in a variety of ways among other things! I actually saw some one eating what appeared to be baked beans, guess another way to get your morning fiber! We stick with what we know! The tables are nicely set with a fresh flower on every table. Which by the way they have the most beautiful fresh flower arrangements all over the hotel especially in the lobby. I have really enjoyed passing by them. They also have a bowl of water outside each elevator with a flower floating in it. We still do not know it's purpose. Kim said she saw some one spit in it but we really don't know if that is what it is for.

The best part of breakfast though is seeing all of the adoptive families with their children both biological and adopted. The parents and children are a wide range of ages. It is such a heart warming experience to see them and even get to know some of them. It is the spirit of the Lord amplified!! You can't help but smile...God's love is apparent in volumes! As we were boarding one of the buses yesterday one of the lifeline guides said this was the largest group since she has been here in the last ten years! I do hope this is a trend! That would be wonderful.




My roommates! They have done remarkably well.












These folks are from Huntsville, Al and this is their third time here to adopt.

Shamian Island

This afternoon was our last outing and we visited Shamian Island which looked more like Savannah, Ga. It was a comfortable place to walk around and enjoy the scenery and do a little more shopping. Even had a real grilled cheese sandwich at a place called Lucy's. Kids got to run free on a nice playground by the river.







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Pearl River Dinner Cruise

Finished this evening off with a dinner cruise down the Pearl River complete with a clown act for the kids which we also enjoyed! Every bridge we went under was lit up with beautiful lights as well as just about every building we passed. It was quite a sight to see. I think the locals on board thought we were a sight to see, they were lining up to have their pictures made with the 3 year old little blonde headed girl that was with our group. As we exited our bus to get on the boat they rushed up and were trying to touch the kids faces and hair...it was kind of creepy.



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Yes that is pop corn on the table and it wasn't half bad. When we find something like that we devour it.





A little dinner and a little dancing
























And Sarah Grace conquered the squatty potty. She came out of the bathroom and said "Grandma I think I peed on the floor" I told her I don't think it really matters! In public places that is your ONLY option and you better have your own tissue with you cause they don't supply it. Thank goodness we have only had to pee. Kim has even mastered going while having Hannah strapped to the front of her. I do well just holding myself in place. Ok...TMI

Guangzhou Zoo

Early start this morning. Make a brief stop at clinic to recheck the little ones TB tests (which Hannah did not have to have since she is under two) and then on to the Zoo. We all really enjoyed the Zoo, especially the kids. It was pristine, clean and green. Yes the zoo was the cleanest place we have been...go figure!


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Taking care of business

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Night on the town

Last night we decided to venture out on our own to an Irish Pub which we had heard good things about. It was a short walk from our hotel and we all could use a little exercise and fresh air. As we arrive we are greeted by an Asian girl with an Irish accent and a great personality. This was quite refreshing and we were able to communicate with her which was another plus! Unfortunately we never saw her again. We scan the menu for something "safe" to eat. Kim and I settle on grilled cheese without the tomato that was offered with it. The kids get cheese pizza which is pretty much the standby for them. Stephen took a chance on a cheese burger! Our food arrives and our grilled cheese was actually a pile of lettuce ( which we are not suppose to eat) and we had to look for the cheese. So needless to say we didn't touch it:( I also got chicken noodle soup which was a nice change of pace. I ate the broth and noodles but left the chicken behind even though it didn't look to bad. Kim ends up eating cheese pizza and Stephen is still ok after his cheese burger, of course he washed it down with a Heineken ( maybe the alcohol kills the bacteria). We kept asking our waiter for our tab but apparently they want you to spend the whole evening there.
As we are strolling back to the hotel this bicycle with a wide load comes right down the middle of a narrow sidewalk and a bus is coming up the road should we decide to step out of the way so a game of chicken is on with the bicycle...I put one foot in the road and one foot on the sidewalk and Sarah Grace and I escaped unscathed. I promise I am not making this stuff up! Pedestrians have NO right of way, It is every man for himself. When you cross the street it is a little unnerving. We finally run into some familiar faces from our group and they know where there is a Haagen Danz Ice cream parlor so we follow them. What we keep expecting is something like home but we are on the other side of the world. They have all of these employees with very elaborate uniforms on, they greet you and seat you and give you warm water with a slice of lemon and then just stand around. After visiting the ladies room (aka squatty potty) I think they could send at least one employee in to check cleanliness of the bathrooms. The ice cream was good though even if you didn't get exactly what you ordered. Always feels good to get back to the hotel.
Today was our shopping adventure and an adventure it was. We went to the local mall which went on forever. I bought a few local treasures like pearl jewelry, beautiful embroidered items and cheap DVD's. Then lunch time rolls around and we go to Pizza Hut in the food court. We sit down and the menu selection is huge! It includes delectables like rice balls and octopus, I am not kidding. They laid the order pad on our table and never came back so we ate our protein bars and our bananas we get for breakfast and thanked them for the use of the table. This mall was full of bargains but also a " germafobes" worse nightmare. Can you imagine walking through the Galleria and someone hocking a loogie on the floor...not uncommon here. The stores are the size of walk-in closets. It is like buying out of the back of a truck. What must they think when they come to our country? We have to just laugh, they look at us like we are from outer space. Arrive back at hotel... SHOWER. Stephen looking for a hazmat suit before our next outing;)
Finishing the day with a taste of home...peanut butter and jelly, thanks Kim! McDonalds for Stephen...closest thing he can get to a steak. We still would not trade the experience or WHY we are here in the first place. Hannah is a gift from God and we cannot wait to bring her home. She has been absolutely precious. She plays in the hotel room with all her little toys and eats whatever Kim feeds her. She is more reserved when we go out and stays in the carrier close to her Mommy and just grins. Jacob is happy as long as he has a cartoon to watch or his daddy's phone to play games on. Sarah Grace found a shoe store today and has some new shoes to add to her collection. They have whined a lot less than the adults:)




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Not uncommon to see...very fuel efficient! Not the bike that almost ran us down but you get the idea.