Here's the LINK TO THE PICTURES.
We got up nice and early this morning to pack up for our flight to Eme's home province, Zhengzhou (zeng zsh ow). We packed and brought out stuff down to the main desk and left it there and ate with David and Valerie for the last time in Beijing. I'll miss that buffet. We then met Forrest and our 3rd couple, Joe and Shouhong. They are from Columbus and are adopting a girl with cleft lip and palate just like us!!! HOW COOL IS THAT? Their daughter is about the same age as Eme too! And get this, Shouhong (I'm spelling that wrong I'm sure. I'm going to ask her to spell it for me later) is from Beijing and speaks both languages beautifully. It has proven to be a HUGE relief many times today. Joe comes from a software engineering background so that's very cool for me.
Well we were off for one last time in the Smokeymobile to the airport. It was a surprisingly short trip as the traffic was very very light. Forrest bustled us to the counter and got us semi-checked in and was off. I was sad to see him go. But we all have his email address which I look forward to using when I get home.
Checking into the flight and going through security was just a little nerve wracking but not awful. Our bags were just the right weight! woot!
So we got on the flight but not without some good chat time beforehand at the gate. We got to know the new couple a bit and they are so very cool. It's going to be great having another couple going through all the same things we are so close. Eme having someone her age from her home province 90 min away is such a God thing. I am amazed that every step of this trip is just full of provision.
The flight took off and unfortunately the flight, lack of normal sleep, and smog/cigarette smoke is getting to Erin today. When we landed, the Zhengzhou airport was literally cloudy inside between the cigarette smoke and outside fumes from the runway. My throat is raw. Pray for her.
Well we then met our 4th family. Ross, Ann and their 3 kids. Two teen boys and Lizzie their little girl they adopted from china a few years ago. Again, an awesome family. Lizzie was a cleft lip/palate baby as well so they've been through it so we'll pump them for info too.
All of us met our guide Rita and were off to the hotel to check in, get a quick lunch (awesome by the way), then off to the bank for some quick money exchanging and then to ... Wal-mart.
On the way to the hotel we got a sheet of common questions that Rita gave Eme's orphanage to answer. We found out what, how and when she eats, how she plays, and a few more bits of information. Never enough but some is great. She's a quiet girl who keeps herself occupied. She is crawling but not standing on her own. She is still only on formula. I'm freaking psyched to get her.
If you think Wal-mart in the US is chaotic, you've seen nothing. You enter and get on a people mover (moving ramp) that goes up into the store. The carts have magnetic wheels that lock it to the ramp as you go up and down. The place is packed. So. Dang. Packed.
We bought some necessities and several of us bought a cheap stroller. I'm sure it looked odd, us all waking back to the hotel with empty strollers.
Now we're in our room, relaxing and unpacking into the room. Our crib just arrived for tomorrow.
Tomorrow we'll go with the other 3 couples and Rita in our bus (big ole' bus btw) to the registration office where I'll film reactions and then we'll come back to the hotel and Eme should meet us there! Her orphanage is too far away so they bring her to us. So there's no chance of us seeing her orphanage which I have mixed feelings about.
Tomorrow is the big day. I can't wait. I know it's not going to be easy. She's going to cry... alot. Pray for all of us. But I still can't wait to hold my little girl.
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