Are you my mother??

I decided I was tired of people asking me if she was a boy or a girl so today there should be no question (thanks Aunt Mabel for the dress and Marilee for the headband - and Hannah for handing them down). But sure enough a lady on the elevator (after Abby had pulled off the headband) said "boy or girl" actually she really said "boy and girl" but we knew what she meant. Is it that hard to tell??



We are happily in Guangzhou today. After the abrupt entry late last night we had a good rest and woke up to a place really different from Changsha. We took Abby to get her Visa photos and then to the medical clinic where they examine all adopted babies for immigration purposes, making sure they don't have any contagious diseases, etc. We found out that she weighs, fully clothed, a whopping 15 pounds. That puts her just under the 25% on the Chinese growth chart and not even on the US chart. She doesn't look malnourished though - her skin is good, she has a little fat on her teeny tiny bones and you can even see some muscles in her arms and legs. She is extremely alert and many people have commented about how "smart" she is - she studies faces and knows who is a stranger. Until just today anytime we were holding her if she was facing out she would turn around and look every little bit just to check our faces. The first few days she would look at us and cry - which broke my heart but she doesn't do that anymore. She doesn't like to be held facing in which we are working on - tonight I tricked her by having a toothbrush in my mouth and she was so fascinated she forgot to push away so I'd have to hold her facing out. I'm sure it will come with time.

We spent some time walking around this little place called Shaiman Island. All of the American families who adopt babies from China have to come to this place because they have to go to the American Consulate to get their baby's Visa. Thus, the shops, hotels, and restaurants all cater to adoptive families. There are many many shops within walking distance with good prices - we didn't buy anything today I just needed to have the overview and then divide and conquer. Oh, if only I had a larger luggage allowance and more money I could really spend some cash here.

Three other great things about Guangzhou:

one, the sidewalks are really only for pedestrians. In Changsha I felt like I was always watching my back because there are bikes, mopeds and cars always driving on the sidewalks. They have big walkways which double as access roads to parking spaces for the cars, etc. but it is totally unnerving to be walking on the sidewalk and have a scooter or car come up behind and honk at you to move - or worse to sail past rather quickly and much too close.

two, we've been to 2 restaurants already that have menus in English and have "normal" food. We went to a Thai restaurant tonight and it was quite tasty. I love to try the local cuisine but some of it was too adventurous (read stomach churning) for me.

third, there are tons of adoptive families roaming around this place. We've been here one day and I've seen some people we met on the airplane to Beijing, people we met in Changsha, and lots of others. The most fabulous thing is that they all have these little Chinese babies (although I haven't seen any as little as ours), and children - even up to 10 years old. It is sad to know that they are all going through varying degrees of trauma as they adjust to their new families but it is so thrilling to know that they have families! It makes me teary to see a sweet little child who has spent their life in an orphanage have 1 to 3 or more doting adults - parents, grandparents, aunts, whoever. It is heart warming to think that they are seeing the same faces every morning when they wake up and having the same people to love and care for them. And although leaving the culture of their birth is sad it is infinitely happier to think of having a family.



And in the midst of all of these children how did we get the child that is just right for us??? in all honesty we really do know how and will be forever grateful since we know Who is ultimately in charge of this process. We are humbled and so grateful to the Father of us all who has seen fit to allow another beautiful little spirit into our family along with the 4 that we already completely adore. We're falling in love with her more every day and it is hard to believe it has only been 1 week since she has been with us. The miracle of adoption.