Home from China, catching up on China trip!

So, due to poor wifi connections, lack of time and the simple fact that updating our private FB “Journey to Gianna” page was a tad faster (in China) then updating our blog…well, the blog fell by the wayside!
So, I am going to do a little catch up! The last post I posted, while in China, was when we first arrived in GZ, China to finish our adoption paperwork!
So, I am going to pick up from there and give a little photo journey of each mini-adventure and stop along the way.
We were so thankful to be in GZ, it really is such a relief on the trip to finally arrive there.
The best surprise was getting to see our dear Tina…she was the one who volunteered for many months in Gianna’s Foster home. 

 We all got to spend the day shopping and sightseeing on Shamian Island and buying silks and souvenirs at Jenny’s shop with our sweet Tina! It was so awesome to have her translate what Gia was saying to us! I found out Gia was asking me to “hold her” in Chinese!!! What a blessing! It was just so incredible because the last time we were together we held a sweater between us for a picture (the sweater that Tina used to cuddle our Gia in) and this time, 4 months later, we get to hold my precious Gianna between us for a picture! What a miracle God has woven through our lives!!!

WE LOVE JENNYS SHOP!!!

SIDE NOTE:
 We were so grateful for these two, Grandma Pat and Papa Buddy We are beyond thankful that they were able to join us on this trip of a lifetime….what a HUGE blessing, support system, company and help they have been for us! They have been patient, flexible, and beyond understanding!! When things got crazy, they were always there to help calm things down! God knew we would need them, so He placed in their hearts an awesome and radical notion to join our crazy circus to China! So very glad they got crazy with us!!! What a gift! We love you Grandma Pat and papa Buddy, thank you for everything!!

STARBUCKS!! (this is the largest one!)

TAXI RIDES IN CHINA!

We had another fun and HOT HOT tour where we climbed 99 steps to see a goat statue and get a group photo of all our agency families who are here together in GZ! Then we got to participate in some fun Chinese hacky sack games! Then we rode to the island for a short time! We LOVE the island, theres never enough time to visit there, so we are hoping to go back the end of this week before we leave! And, let me tell you, IT IS HOT!! it was over 100 degrees and these kids all did so amazingly well! My Gia is just like her daddy, she can sweat buckets! She is such a good baby! We got to cool off for some time at Lucy’s with a TALL sweet TEA!! ahhhh!! We also ran into John Feng, our amazing guide from when we adopted Tahlia! It was wonderful to be able to introduce him to the whole family and for him to see how much Tahlia has bloomed! We love John!! oh, and we did have a bit of an incident. Helaina and her new friend and Tahlia were all fanning themselves with a leaf they found and come to find out, it was poisonous! ugh! They all started having itchy pain in their hands and where ever the plant leaf touched their body! So…lesson: dont touch leaves in China! You never know what they may be! Thank God we had benadryl and Corizone on hand!!! Everyone’s all good now! We are back at the hotel and cooling off and getting ready to take a swim with some other adoptive families!!

Next, today we (along with a few other friends from our agency) took our kiddies to get their required medicals done and their visa pics taken. All the babies did so good!! I am so thankful that Brian’s parents are here! They were able to keep the older kids back at the hotel, the medical place was pretty crowded and took a long while so that was a blessing they didnt need to come! Such a huge help! Of course, Big sissy Tolly wanted to come and be there to help Gia….

Any child over two has to get blood drawn for their TB test and its quite traumatic because they take your baby behind closed doors to draw the blood (away from you)….this was the really hard part . Gianna cried (as we listened on the other side of the door)  But, afterwards, daddy comforted her with a lollipop and some cuddles. She was so brave!!! I didnt feel so brave waiting for my baby, just wanted to bust through those doors and get her back! 

 Gianna and her foster brother (from harmony house), little Grant!

We made some very special memories in China…..for instance, how about riding an ELEPHANT!!!!!! And, all the kids got to do this! ….I am so proud of my Tahlia especially! She always looks at her China book (when Isabella rode an Elephant when we visited the GZ zoo while adopting her 2 years ago) and she really wanted to do it this time, but got scared! Well…she conquered her fears and was SO excited when it was all done! She ran up to daddy saying “I DID IT, I RODE AN ELEPHANT!!!” And…now, these photos will go in Gia’s China book forever! 

WE also fed some giraffes, saw pandas, fed a baby tiger and rode a safari train! So amazing!

IT WAS HOT!!!!!

 she is as chill as a panda bear on ice! ha!

CONSULATE APPOINTMENT!! She is all set to be  the NEWEST and CUTEST AMERICAN CITIZEN!
Then, BACK to THE ISLAND, one last time!!
Oh and Brian got to play bball with our guide (John, from last time) and a bunch of Chinese friends, one guy was taller than BRIAN!

 artwork in ink done with only the side of his finger and nail!

 HELAINA’S art set!

 SAYING GOOD BYE TO FOREVER FRIENDS!!! We’ve been through a lot together! Love them so much!

THE NEWEST AMERICAN CITIZEN (when we land)

NEXT STOP:
HONG KONG!!!!
Our dear friends live in Hong Kong and we stopped in to stay with them for a few days! It was so awesome and memorable, a such a time of refreshment!

What a HONG KONG adventure!! We all (with the awesome “tour guide Beth Gregory Puffenberger and her fun family) took a shuttle, taxis, three trains, a boat, a ton of escalators and another taxi all the way up to peak of Hong Kong for the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen!! It was incredible! then we ate at Hong Kong Burger King on the peak and topped it off with some ice cream and Starbucks! ….then, traveled back down the peak in a few taxis to make it for the Hong Kong light show, which was breath-taking!!! Then we took a few more taxis back home for a night-time swim! What. A. Day! The kids did amazing and Gia is a travel-champ!!! Can NOT believe we get to visit the Puffs in HK!

 HONG KONG SEEN IN DAY AND NIGHT!
So beautiful!

THEN IT WAS TIME FOR DISNEY!!!!

So thankful to Grandma Pat and Papa Buddy for taking us and treating us to Disney in Hong Kong! Such a special treat! What a wonderful way to end our time in Asia!!

LOOK AT THAT INCREDIBLE BACKGROUND!

ITS A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL!!!

What an incredible way to wrap up our China adventure!! So thankful for these memories!

SO THANKFUL!