Guangzhou Day #2

So fun to see these guys smile!

This morning we had our medical exams for the kids.  Grace did great, but Reed was not much of a fan.  According to the scales, Reed weighs a whooping 21 pounds (2 more than 1 week ago when we got him!  I'm sure there is slight discrepency between two different scales, but encouraging none the less) and Grace 26!  Just 2 pounds lighter than Addie and 18 months younger.

Both of the kids passed, and Grace passed the hearing test with flying colors.  Our paperwork says she is currently registering a 40% hearing loss, but when the doctor held a large squeeky doggy toy off to the side, she turned her head at the noise.  "She hears very well" he said.  I had to surpress my giggles.  ;-)  I actually do think she hears quite well - but we'll find out next week for sure once we are home.

The rest of the day was spent napping, eating, snuggling babies, and working on some basic life long skills like the word "no".  ;-) The boys got in some good time with the babies, as well as building their skills at Subway Surf. ;-)

Grace is getting more comfortable around Daddy and will even say Dada - "Nana".  Due to her cleft (which is not fully repaired) she is limited in the sounds she can pronounce.  However, she will repeat my voice influctions when I run through our familly members, and when I say "no touch" - another skill we've been practicing.  ;-) She is energetic and fully of life.  She is also accustomed to getting her own way and not terribly happy when she does not!  She's learning her first Bible Verse - "A happy heart makes the face cheerful", and even though she can't say it, she smiles and nods her head yes for me when I tell it to her.  She's learned quite a few signs already and when she really wants something she'll start frantically doing them all at the same time - "More please, help please, drink, and thank you".

Little Reed is a snuggler and too busy eating to push any boundaries - yet.  ;-)  He and Grace are becoming buddies and love to run and laugh together in our room in the evenings.

On the cruise - Reed loves the hand sanitizer

The Canton Tower - 2nd tallest building in the world.

Tonight we got to go on a dinner cruise on the Pearl River, which runs through Zhengzhou.  Our guide had explained that the food was a bit authetic (think fish heads and chicken feet), so she ordered Papa John's to be delivered to the boat!  We told her that you could never do that in America - you would have to buy their food!

Tanna, Becky, and sweet little Jay - they live and
farm just 3 hours from us.

Anyway, it was a beautiful way to see the city and all of the buildings and bridges are lit up - many with colorful lights.  Tanna, her mom Becky, and their sweet Jay (the little guy with Spina Bifida who never stops smiling) joined us, and our guide Kathy, and we had a great time.

The above picture is the view we have from where we typicallly eat dinner.  You can't see well, but most of the porches are covered with laundry that is worn and tattered.  It's troubling to have access to unlimited food, wine, etc. for our meals and know that most of the world lives like this.  What a visible reminder of the brokeness we live in.

Only 4 more days until we are homeward bound!  This was the first thing Jackson said to us when we facetimed the other morning.  (Only then it was 6).  We can hardly wait to be back home and have all of our family together.  We miss our children at home terribly!  I have been showing their picture to just about anyone who will look.  ;-)

This is what my friend Amy (who we'll be flying home with) put on her blog in regards to the plane ride home "You can start praying now for our flight around the world.  Please start with the other people on our plane.  They will need some grace.  And maybe ear plugs.  We will need vodka.  Thanks in advance."  I laughed so hard.  Little Grace and Reed are actually pretty good travelers and fall asleep on us quite easily.  I think I am more worried about when we get home at 9:45pm.  It will be 7:45 am in China and I'm sure Travis and I will be sleep deprieved and exhausted.  I have a feeling they will be gearing up for their day - we'll see.  We'd love your continued prayers for a smooth transition!