Homeward Bound

Tomorrow at around 12:30 our flight leaves Hong Kong and we are homeward bound. Tonight we are getting the last bath/shower we will have for about 36 hours. We are packing every last thing (well, there's a little more to do in the a.m.) and we are going to be on our way.

We will be so glad to get home to the normal food, normal smells, normal sounds, etc. Of course, the Chinese feel the same way I'm sure when they come to America. Normal is all relative. One of the other cute phrases from the trip was from AnnaLi. One day she said, "What's that smell?" Ummmm, let me see, it could be a number of unusual smells that we've smelled while here.

Tonight we took a taxi back to the hotel. MaiLin was asking about rules at a red light. Chris said it might be different here. I whispered to MaiLIn that I didn't think they had any rules and she said, "they have them, they just don't follow them." Sounds about like how they treat our rules sometimes. The taxi was going super fast back to the hotel and we said it was quicker than the bus we took this a.m. MaiLin said, "and it's faster than the train." The sad part is that she is right.

This has definitely been a trip to remember. Some things were great memories and others not so much. We always are ready to leave but we feel a sense of leaving a part of ourselves and a part of our children behind as we leave their homeland. We do know however that the L has ordained every part of their lives before they were born and ours as well. It is all part of his plan. This time I leave China with a peace that this may be the last adoption trip that we will make. However, man's ways are not G's ways. We will always hold loosely to our ideas of what our family should look like or be like. If he calls us back, he will equip us with what it takes to do it again. But, Chris is on his own next time :). However, I said that the last time too.

We can't wait to get home and let you meet this little bundle of joy, energy, life, happiness, friendly little guy. Of course, when you see him at the airport he is going to be more than overwhelmed. We may or may not let him down because we don't want him to feel insecure. Please know that we are not trying to be stingy with him but it is important that we keep strangers somewhat at a distance right now as not to confuse him. However, I think he is already pretty attached. Even in the midst of the Hong Kong crowds he would always come back to us. He finds security in us and being with us. That is such a G thing. He takes things as they come pretty well and he may be telling everyone hello just like a little politician. Sometimes he is outgoing and sometimes he acts like the stranger is not even there. All that to say, please be patient and understanding of all that in the beginning. Many of you who have traveled this road before know all about this.

We would love for anyone who wants to meet us at the airport to come on. The more the merrier. It is always such a comfort to get off that plane and see some home folks. Our flight is scheduled to arrive at around 8 p.m. Sat night. It is a United flight coming from Chicago. I will be talking with Kaye R. during this time
to give her updates. She will contact Leslie and Deanna and Karen. Any of you who want information should call her. Hopefully there will be no delays. Thank you all for your prayers and support. We definitely felt them!!!

So, we will see you all on Saturday.