Sept. 19 - Guangzhou

Let me get this off my chest - it is STINKING 100 degrees here and humidity that you just can't cut through. Ok - I won't mention that again but had to get it out there. Joe wants to go out and take pictures - walk around - and I am thinking - bum leg, slow going, NO WAY!!! I hate to be a party pooper, but oh my word! That said, we are still enjoying ourselves - the best part of Guangzhou are all the families - you can talk to people again - you feel more normal and don't get stared at all the time. Guangzhou is very different this time though - there are SO many special needs children - not just all babies like last time. I sat at breakfast this morning and literally cried. I can not believe the children that are set aside because they are imperfect. Just breaks my heart - I can only help one, but I am so grateful for these other families that have seen fit to help others. What big hearts people have.

We went and had our shots today and medical check. Jada had to have 7 shots - more than any others in our group - I have no clue why, but that girl was SO tough. She sat there and watched about 4 of them - not making a peep - then for the last 3 she just lost it. Enough was enough and I don't blame her. It is ridiculous really - and most of these will have to be redone in the U.S. So sad. And our guide reminded us - this isn't China's rule - this is the U.S.'s rule. Some big guy needs to come here and see what a joke this is and then decide if it is really necessary. There are just hundreds of families packed into one building. You have to go through 4 or 5 stations - you wait forever and babies are screaming - I'm sure you get the point. All for a one-eyed lady (yes, the same one here 4 years ago) to shine a flashlight in their eyes and another doctor to shake a rattle by their ears - don't worry though - if they don't turn to the sound - the doctor will move their head to the sound! They all pass!! :) It sounds so cynical - but it is amazing - we just shake our heads and say - even if one was sick - no one would ever find it. In fact, the one-eyed lady got reprimanded for not finding Jada's eye problem - she didn't write it on the sheet and her boss just chewed her out. Our guide told us all of this - she actually passed Jada and would have moved her on. There goes her raise!! Oh dear. But we made it - came back and made Jada some noodles and had a banana and now she is napping. She is SO consistent with her schedule - last night she got in bed late and this morning she was almost impossible to get up. She LIKES her sleep - but hey, so does her momma!! :)

Joe is out shopping at the moment - don't let him tell you that I spent all the Yuan! Nope - he's out today! We plan to meet some travel mates for dinner at Lucy's and not sure what else - Guangzhou is a great landing place - we enjoy it here and it really caters to the westerners. Now if it would just COOL DOWN!!!

We find out on Monday about the TB - our guide says it is NOT good if it is positive - very hard to convince the U.S. - we know that - we've followed stories that could scare a person. But we are praying - God knows and He has us in the palm of His hand.Check out all those bandaids - 2 in each arm, 1 in each leg (with one leg with 2), plus the TB in the arm as well. And these weren't given like at home - three nurses at one time - nope, they are one by one here.People keep asking us - they do not believe she's only 3 - poor thing - they don't believe she's a girl - now they don't believe she's 3!!! She is VERY tall. And look at her little legs - COVERED in bug bites - it scared us at first, but that is what they are - each little leg is just covered.