Our Feet Are Hurtin'!

We are still here! It has been a NON-STOP day of touring! A day with MANY firsts for us...we saw the Forbidden City, Tian an men Square, The Great Wall, and finally WAL-MART! Everything is SO different I don't even know how to describe it all! Steve hiked to the top of the Great Wall...I made it like a 1/4 of the way...the steps are really uneven and it was NOT like my Elliptical machine! At least, that is the story I am sticking too! The GW was almost indescribable! It was Awesome...and you would really have to see it in person to appreciate the enormity of it!
The Chinese people are super nice and VERY curious! I have been told it doesn't help that I have blond hair...apparently that is a "cool" and unusual thing for them...it has drawn quite a lot of attention! I am now used to being stared at and talked about CONTINUALLY! We have been asked to take pictures with random strangers (by the random stranger!), we have been stopped for students to "practice their English" and we have been "circled" by curious bystanders MANY times today! And there are security soldiers at all times and EVERYWHERE! They are really cool to watch and we were told NOT to take pictures "head on" of them! If we wanted to take pictures of them it had to be from far away...I tried to get a few of the groups we saw! When you see them marching in groups, or standing around guarding places you are reminded that you are in a Communist country.
The culture hear is AMAZING and very interesting...there are 16 million people in Beijing-16 million! People everywhere! And they just walk around you, through you, over you...very fast always trying to get where ever it is they are going! It is kind of like a Chinese New York City! And there are no speeding rules for drivers! SCARY! I would be dead if I had to drive here...I wouldn't last 5 seconds behind the wheel with the Chinese drivers on the same road with me!
The women are beautiful! I really haven't ever been a minority like this and it is a weird feeling! But, as much as they stare at me, I find myself staring at them! The beauty in the Asian faces is really astounding! In other words...our daughter is gonna be one hot chick!
So, the highlights of the day really were not the major wonders of the world that we saw (although those were AMAZINGLY awesome!) ...but, the meal we were served for lunch! Wow...ummmm...hmmmm...I don't really know how to describe it other than interesting! They eat "family" style...everything at the table in the center and you serve yourself from that. Our guide ordered for us...and it was different to say the least! The fish that was put down in front of us...was very large and "alive" looking! The tail of the fish hit all of our plates and glasses when the lazy susan (which is how they eat here!) spun around...it was freaky! And, no, we didn't try it! In fact, we just finished our dinner of Peanut Butter sandwiches here in the room! We ate alot of white rice for lunch!!!
It was also a first for me...I used a "squat pot" for the first time today! The hotel toilets are like our toilets...out in the general public they use "squat pots"...I included a picture for everyone to understand (of the toilet, not me using the toilet!)! It is just like camping...only camping might be a little more sanitary! It is something I have dreaded doing, and it really wasn't that bad! FYI to families that haven't traveled yet-bring your own toilet paper! They don't have it here...except for the hotel room! Another "first" over with!
Tomorrow we fly to Nanchung in the morning and we get Taryn at our hotel (in the lobby no less!) around 4:30 pm! I can't wait! We have been told, however, that the attention we have received will triple when we get our baby! I don't know if it is because there will be two Americans with a Chinese baby...or that there really aren't to many babies out and about! In fact, kids are scarce! I know they are out there, but because of the "one child rule" the adults out number the kids and it is obvious!
Anyway, enjoy the pictures! I had fun taking them! We can't wait to meet Taryn and we can't wait to introduce her to everyone!
Wesley and Garrett...we miss you! What about the funny picture of your Daddy eating the fish!
Two more thing's...no one in our group has access to our email! So, you can contact me with this blog...but, I am NOT getting emails! I will have 5000 of them when I get home! Also, the top two blogs on my blog list are couples that are over here right now as well. One couple (Jem China) are in our travel group and the other (Andy and Susie) are just a cool couple we sat with on the plane that are here adopting with another agency. Just thought those of you who are "waiting" and watching, might want to check those out as well!

We Have Arrived!

Ni Hao! We made it through what was, quiet frankly, the longest plane ride I have ever experienced! We are going on 28 hours of NO SLEEP! It has been crazy! We weren't really able to sleep on the plane or in the airport (6 hour layover), and then we didn't sleep the night before we left but maybe 2 hours! So, if this post makes no sense it is simply because my brain is making no sense right now! We are getting ready to sleep soon...after we call our boys! They should be waking up for school very soon and we can't wait to talk with them! Already we miss them very much, and we are just getting started!
So, we were joking that we now know what Hell must be like...one would be exposed to a never ending plane ride...where they NEVER land in there destination! Not only that, they wouldn't be able to sleep; babies would be crying non-stop; they would be served ramen noodles with freeze dried fish that expanded when exposed to water (Seriously gross!); there would be nothing to watch but Disney's Phinneas and Ferb (which the boys would love!) and finally, the entire never ending flight would smell like warm, old, fish! That sums up our 14 hour plane flight in so many words! Hope that painted a vivid mental picture for everyone!
So, to recap, we have learned what? That we are SO THANKFUL we aren't going to ever go to Hell...because we got a small "taste" of it today...literally!!!!
So far we haven't seen very much of China. We are in Beijing until Sunday and we went straight from the airport (that looked like any other airport!) straight to our hotel room...which is very nice and clean! The room has all the amenities of a 5 star hotel, including 2 gas masks, for what I don't know! It is ALWAYS good to have a few gas masks laying around I have always said! LOL! There is a Subway...where we ate for dinner (I think it was our 6th meal in 28 hours...we have lost count!). There is also an ice skating rink in our hotel...very cool!
Tomorrow we "tour" all day...the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Tienanmen Square, and Olympic sites...
One of the pictures is of our travel group. There are 6 couples in all, three of the couples (us included) have babies in the same orphanage. So, we will be together the whole time! We meet Taryn on Sunday and take her with us for the remainder of the trip! Yeah!
BTW...we were told NOT to drink the water...we both forgot and have brushed our teeth not once, but TWICE using sink water! We are so tired it is almost unsafe! So, we are scared any "ill" effects will hit us right when we are climbing the Great Wall...nice...
So, until next time...goodnight America!

One More Day!!!!

I am so crazy busy that I can't believe I am taking the time to blog! But, sadly, I am ADDICTED to it! Packing is nuts...hopefully I will get some pics posted tomorrow...but right now, everything looks insanely messy! We have so much still to do! At this point we are scheduled to leave Lexington at 6:30am on Thursday morning...and, somehow, with the magic of time travel...we will arrive a mere 19 hours later in Beijing and it will be 4:30pm on the 27th! Can't explain it...that is just what the ticket says...
We are scheduled to get Taryn on Sunday evening. Amazing. I won't believe it until it happens! Steve has been practicing with the video camera so the entire blogger world can watch me cry - again! Hopefully we will get it up and running for everyone to "enjoy". If not, there will still be pictures...just not all of the "drama"!
I am so tired right now...which is funny, because I know it is only gonna get worse as the days turn into sleepless nights! I KNOW, that I know, it will all be totally worth it!
So, unless I post crazy "packing" pics tomorrow...then I will catch everyone on the other side of the world! Peace!

The Great Unveiling Of Taryn's Room AND My Blog!

FINALLY! We are finished! I have been collecting items for almost 4 years and have been so pre-occupied (lazy-cough,cough) that I am just now getting her room finished. Thanks to my highly motivated sister (props to Bethaney!)...it is now the CUTEST ROOM EVER! I am very pleased with it. I know it seems a tad "impractical" for a baby...but I promise things will be moved when she starts moving! All we need is a rocker...and that is on it's way! I wanted to share it with everyone because I am SO VERY GLAD it is finished!
And what about my new "tricked out" blog? I really loved my old blog (Melissa!), but I wanted to add a few more "features" and had been a part of "The Story of You" website for almost 3 years now. So, Tina, TSOY "owner", helped me get this newer blog up and running. I am equally as pleased with it! Hope you all like it! BTW...if you waiting parents haven't checked out the above mentioned site...you should! It is ton's of fun watching other families get there babies...and it helped me see an "end" could be in site for the "patient" waiters!
So, on a "different" note! We LEAVE IN 7 DAYS!!! I can't even believe that! All of our planning, waiting, stressing, worrying, tears, prayers, highs, lows, ups, downs, laughs, and yes-stress eating-will be over soon! I don't think Steve and I will breath until we are taking off in the plane heading for China!
I sure do hope everyone joins us in our journey! It wouldn't be the same without you!

China Bound!

Holy Schamoly! We got our TA today!!! We will be leaving a week earlier than we were originally told! We are leaving on February 26th thru March 11th! Wow...just 3 weeks away! 20 days! OMG! Pressure! We wait for almost 3 years and then get a 3 week notice on travel! I'm not gonna complain however...we want her home ASAP! Seriously, her sad little picture makes a momma want to hold her ALL of the time! So, as I get updates on travel I will be blogging them! Remember to pray for us as we travel...for safety and a quick return with a healthy baby girl! WooHoo!!!