Every day just seems better than the next. We're so grateful to have Jack as part of our family. It feels like he's been here for years. We're actually on the eve of our one month anniversary. We've learned so much about Jack. We know the meaning of his little noises and his non-verbal gesturing. I can't wait to find out what his surgery will hold. I know his bravery and our love will give him the strength to do just about anything he needs.
A thoughtful moment inside the giant toy truck. Jack shows us his driving skills. He has the Chinese driver's daring for sure. He spins the steering wheel around and around!
It's hard to believe that two weeks ago we were packing our suitcases to head home from China. Jack is filled with a joy that is contagious. We're grateful to have him as part of our family. He makes everyone around him smile. He's spent his days with "BaBa" - Cantonese for father. They have developed good routines for each day. They start the morning with a trip to Starbucks, followed by a walk on the beach. Jack has adapted to the house and his surrounds much better than Craig and I did in China. Children are so incredible.
Yesterday and today have blurred a little for us. We didn't do much significant yesterday other than shop. We did a full day of hunting for bargins (and things we thought people would actually like). We went to the toy market, which was like being trapped in a multi-story Dollar Store/Flea Market. Then we went to the electronics market, where Jack and I ducked into a corner while Craig shopped. He ended up not purchasing anything because of concerns about warranties.
This morning we took a cab about an hour outside Guangzhou to see the Lotus Hill Stone Forest. The weather has gotten unexpectedly cold. Today's high was 43F. Last night when we learned it was going to get cold we bought Jack a coat. I picked up a coat for myself this morning outside the hotel for $8US. Brrrrrrrrrr - Jack got very bundled up.
[HAWK'S SNEAK PEEK AT A PRESENT: Here is an artisan making a present for you Hunter. I wonder what it could be??]
This statue of the "Sea Goddess of Mercy" is the world's largest foil covered bronze statue. Its 40.88 meters tall or about 134 feet.
This is a wishing tree. People have taken red ribbons and written their wished on them. They are then tossed into the tree to grant them.
Craig made a few wishes for our family. Getting them to stay in the tree was harder than it looked. In this picture you can see a little knot tied at the end to give it some weight. It took about six tries. I told him he was earning his wishes.
Here is Mr. Grumpy waking up prematurely from a stroller snooze. He didn't cheer up until we left a few hours later.
Jack insisted on being carried. This picture summarizes the entire park. It was all stairs, so the stroller didn't help.
A brief moment of quiet in the stone forest. By this point my legs were vibrating from walking up and down the stairs. He doesn't hold on to me like Hunter would. He's like carrying a sack of potatoes.
Despite his fussing, it really was a beautiful place to walk.
Built in the 1450s, its is one of the best precserved historical monuments in China. The ancient architecture contrasts sharply with the modern sky-scrapers that surround it.
A monk at the temple bestowed a blessing on Jack. He chanted and sprinkled something on Jack's forehead.
Just after the monk posed for this picture, his cell phone rang. Craig insists that his ringer was the Mexican Hat Dance or the Dukes of Hazzard song.
We enjoyed walking around Shamian Island. We found a cute little park that Jack loved. Kids from the nearby school liked playing with him.
He is a sliding man!
Another smile caught on camera when he wasn't looking.
This park is enjoyed by children as well as adults. After we had played on this swivel seat for awhile I noticed a woman was waiting her turn. We had to share with the grown ups too.
We did it! We captured the smile on film. Jack smiles all the time, but he gets very upset every time we get the camera out. We've heard similiar things from other families. We were in a Thai restaurant on Shamian Island near the White Swan hotel.
Today was Jack's Visa medical check up, which is required to issue him the visa to enter the US. Once he gets to the US he will be a citizen. In this picture, Craig is carrying him on the bridge to Shamian Island where the medical center is located. First we got a quick picture taken for the visa paperwork.
The medical check up stinks. There is no way to make it sound any good. You are cramped up in a tiny room with three medical stations. There is no order (because there are no "real" lines in China). So, each station is just a free-for-all of who gets the paper into the doctor's hand first. Jack was weighed - 25 lbs. and measured for height. The doctor didn't have a long enough measuring device for Jack. All we know is that he is over 85 cm. He also had his hearing and vision checked.
Last was the full body exam where they had to take off his little outfit. He hated that part, but was quick to recover.
Recovery for Kempfs means....STARBUCKS!!!!
And now, your moment of Zen.
"Dignity, thy name is 'Chinese dude in a metal chicken suit with a horn and tiny hat'."
"Jack and his Porsche Boxster car he picked out at the 'Woman & Baby Store' while Caroline dreams of a land without poop smell."
"This is one of the only wild birds we've seen. It was on the rooftop garden at our hotel in Guangzhou."
After dinner we saw all the people preparing for the Lantern Festival, which we believe is similiar to Valentine's Day in the US. In Pizza Hut they were playing the Wedding March on a loop. (good times).
This is the government center in Nanning. We've learned that people gather here and do different outdoor activities like roller blading, badmitton and kite flying.
