Guiyang Day 6 - Step by step

Me again :>)  I guess I should start by explaining why I have blog duty :>)  Mainly, it gives Lois some time to wind down from the day and rest and do things she can't get down while the kids are awake :>)  She does read and approve all the posts before they are published, though :>)

Today was a really good day for everyone.  It started bright and early at 6:30, but that's 15 minutes later than yesterday :>)  I don't think Lois or I woke up at all during the night, and neither did the kids, in fact Andrew woke both of us up at 6:30 when he started moving around ...  We decide to let Hannah sleep a little so we spent a few moments with Andrew this morning after he woke up.  He really loves Mama and prefers her to me - which is fine.  He needs to bond with her, and that appears to be happening, slowly ...  We had breakfast, then played in the play room for a few minutes - have I mentioned how much we have enjoyed this play room?  It's not much, but it has been great for the kids to run around and play - here are a few pictures from this morning :>)
 

Andrew riding a rocking lamb



Andrew and Hannah playing with the wooden blocks



Can you say "focused"?  Not like anyone I know :>)



By far, the favorite thing in the play room :>)  They chase each other around from slide to stairs, over and over again ...



Ahhhh :>)  Brother and Sister



We are truly blessed!

After breakfast, we skyped with the grandparents (and my sister) - their first opportunity to see Andrew live and up close (I mean really close - he enjoyed sticking his face right in the camera and yelling "Ahhhhhh" :>)  It was a lot of fun seeing him beginning to make connections with our family half-way around the world; sometimes technology can be a really cool thing :>)  And of course the grandparents needed their "Hannah" fix as well :>)

Our guide wanted to take us to a park today, so we chose to go back to Monkey Park (the previous time, we didn't have Andrew yet).  It was cloudy and misty today, but not raining; and because it was cloudy, it was cool.  We started up the trail when Andrew spotted the small collection of Amusement park rides - so we indulged ourselves and the kids and had some Family fun time ...

The Merry-go-'round, starts kind-of slow ...

 

but always brings smiles :>)



The squirt-the-water-pistol at the Aliens ride :>)

 

"Look at me!"



The flying pink, ummm, goose?



The red flying figher



Final group picture - can you tell Andrew and Hannah are "done"?

The only unfortunate thing about the park, is that we stayed about 45 minutes too late ...  Hannah and Andrew were both "d", "o", "n", "e" done by the time we got back to the van and started heading back to the Hotel.  Because of the time and the "doneness" of the kids, we decided to grab a quick lunch at KFC, which went OK, but neither Hannah nor Andrew really ate well (except the french fries - I guess all kids love french fries).  We'll probably skip the KFC in Guangzhou ...  And for those that are wondering, no, Guiyang does not have a McDonalds :>(  Molly and Wu Yi had to go back home today - we were really sad to see them leave, and will really miss them; they have been such a blessing and a tremendous help, as we have transitioned to a family of four ...  One final picture of the kids sporting their matching spiderman shirts that Molly brought as presents :>)

A few final thoughts on the day.  As we climbed the seemingly endless stairs to the ancient Buddhist Temple at the top of the mountain, I was reminded that our journey to Andrew started with one small step way back in February of 2011; there have been many steps since that one (and many of those seemed pretty endless).  And now, as a family of four, our journey continues, one step at a time.  Today was a really fun day, and Andrew is slowly, step-by-step, beginning to learn what it means to have a forever family ...

Tomorrow at 9AM we will travel to Anshun, where Andrew spent the first 3.5+ years of his life.  I am pretty sure we will not be able to visit the orphanage, but we can take pictures of the outside :>)  We will also visit his finding place (the south hall of the Anshun City Bus Station), and take pictures, as well as anything else we can find that might have significance to Andrew one day ...  It is a long journey, but one we feel is worth the time and expense, just to help complete the picture for Andrew one day ...

Thanks again for all of your comments and prayers - we read all of the comments every day; they are really encouraging!