Busy day in the hot, hot sun

Ni Hao family and friends,

Wow, was it ever hot today! I almost died but here I am writing this blog so obviously I didn’t (I just need a shower). 

We got up early this morning and went to Martyr’s Park. It was 8:15am and hotter than the dickens. Zeb and I really just spent time sweating. The park was beautiful and it was so much fun to see all the people. They were entertained as they watched the Americans walk through as well. So many people are so very kind around here. Kailei was miserable however. She was hot and overtired so we struggled most of the way trying to get her to just sleep. She has heat rash now and a kind elderly lady scolded me and told me to take her out of the hip hammock. I promptly listened to her since she was my elder and it turns out Kailei felt a little better. She eventually did fall asleep for a short time and we were grateful for that.

After the park, we broke off from the group and went to the Hunan Provincial Museum. It was air conditioned and we just loved it. We went with two other couples. There is a mummy there that is 2100 years old. Quite fascinating.

We came back to the hotel in a taxi which is an experience in and of itself. I thought NY drivers were crazy but these taxi drives make them look calm. Zeb and I then decided to go to the supermarket and just look around. We took a taxi ride which was OK but ended up at McDonalds’s at the Apollo. Apparently we didn’t communicate correctly. So we ate at McDonalds and did some shopping at the Apollo department store since we were there. We drew quite a bit of attention when I found a bench and spent time people watching. I’m not sure who was watching who.

We had another meeting today and received our babies passport, birth certificate and adoption certificate. It gets more official each and every day. We are so lucky.

On Monday, our gotcha day, I asked the orphanage director if there was anything they needed that we could possibly assist with. He told me that they could use air conditioning for the babies room so I talked with the other Hengyang girl’s families and we decided we would provide this for them. Today we gave Daphne the money and she will get it to them. She will ask them to provide a picture for us after it is installed so we look forward to getting that and helping out the orphanage where our girls are from.

Zeb and I feel like we have been through the ringer. It is not easy to live out of a hotel and travel with a baby again. I’m not quite sure how we did it before. I’m glad we didn’t go to Beijing before this trip. I think that would have put us over the edge. Perhaps we are getting old. We are exhausted at the end of the day.

We are currently resting in our room and toying with the idea of going to Walmart. I’d love to walk around some more outside but it needs to cool off. I’m not sure if that will happen.

We leave tomorrow for Guangzhou so we will spend most of the day traveling I think. Our first plane ride with Kailei so that should be an adventure. Next time I write we will be at the famous White Swan hotel. Life is good!

We appreciate those of you commenting on the blog. It makes us feel closer to home.

Sending lots of love your way from China.