red shoes

The blog of our China trip wouldn't be complete unless I share the story of the red shoes. Brooklin came to us wearing a pair of sandals that didn't fit well along with a tshirt and shorts that all smelled of moth balls. I am sure the orphanage holds these items of donation for child delivery days. The day we visited Shaoman Island shops I wanted to find her a pair of shoes that fit her. We tried on several before deciding on these. Brooklin wore them the rest of the day. That night Paul put her to bed, I went to check on her and felt something hard so I pulled back the covers and there were her shoes. She had gotten out of bed to put the shoes in bed with her. We watched her and she would lift up the covers and peek at her shoes. Next she was kissing the shoes. So we just let her sleep with her new treasure. It makes me realize how important her new shoes are to her. We take for granted shoes and just put them on each day. Brooklin clearly had never owned a pair of shoes before. Her feet are hard and callused. She has now been with us for 43 days. She is a joy a very happy girl that is always smiling. She now has more than her red shoes but they are truly her favorite pair. How very blessed we are to have this happy little girl in our home.

Boeme Garden

Brooklin's Chinese Dress

day 8

Today we had to go back to the medical clinic and have the TB site checked, she passed.  Kathy our guide is so good, all these families come walking in and she just say hurry this way please and we are in and out before any of the other families have even figured out what line they are supposed to get it.
We then headed out to Bomain Gardens.  It was so beautiful.  It was originally built years ago but burned down.  It was rebuilt in 1995.  There are coy carp ponds and streams throughout the botanical garden.  The kids can buy an aquarium and fish net and anything they catch they can take home.  Brynlee wanted to catch some and add them to the fish pond here at the hotel.  I'm not sure the hotel would appreciate that so the answer was no. The museum was nice, we really enjoyed endless case filled with jade jewelery which was a thousand years old. Throughout the gardens are covered pathways which is a great relief to the sun and humidity. Kathy bought the girls a big bag of fish food and they loved feeding the fish.  Brynlee said today was her favorite day.  At the end there is a great big pool where you can go swimming.  Brooklin's face beamed she so wanted to swim, as we walked past she kept looking back at the pool  We had a great day.
On our drive to the hotel, 1 hour drive, we narrowly avoided being in a wreck.  It made me laugh because as our driver slamed on the brakes he and Kathy are yelling in Chinese at the top of their lungs.  It was too funny.  They were asking if we were ok and we were laughing so I'm sure they thought dumb Americans don't even know when to be scared.  
Back at the hotel we took Brooklin swimming, she truly loves swimming.  Brynlee has her kicking her feet and  moving her arms.  The hotel has a blow up kiddie pool and she loves splashing and kicking in there as well.  We got back to the room and showered and she promptly fell asleep.  I think we truly wore her out.
Paul and Brian went to the Great Wall today and they said they hiked for 2 1/2 hours, when they returned to the guide she said, "no one ever hikes that long" well she doesn't know Paul too well.  They are off the the Summer Palace then back here tonight.

Day 7

Today we sent Paul and Brian off to Beijing for sightseeing.  We spent the day swimming,   coloring and playing at the playground.    By the way I do know how to write complete sentences but when I publish post some mysterious force puts words in where there were none and some sentences are just plain gone.  Oh well I know what I wrote.  Brooklin began counting  crayons that was fun to listen to.  I am sooo ready to go home.  Tomorrow she goes back for her TB test results and then we are off to Boamain botanical garden.

Day 6

Today we went to the Guangzhou zoo, I didn't have many expectations based on our last experience at the zoo of Changshau.  The zoo was great!  It was very good the grounds were very well kept, I loved the plants and flowers amazing.  Brooklin was very intereted in the bears.  I never knew there were so many kinds of bears.  It was raining which was a blessing because the temperature dropped.  After the zoo we went to the village or willage as Kathy would say.  I have never been so HOT in my life the humidity is unbearable, Brynlee and I are hot dry girls and don't do well with the humidity.  Brooklin doesn't even break a sweat.
After getting back to the hotel my favorite part of the day happened.  We all had a nap, no that isn't it, Brooklin woke and was playing with her toys on the bed and started singing in chinese, I tried to carefully reach for the video to capture the moment before she forgets this part of her life but I didn't get to it before she spied me fiddling with the video.  Darn I will try again if it happen again which would be great.  Blake wants me to video her speaking chinese, which she only does in her sleep.

Day 5

Today was Brooklin's medical exam and she passed.  When we walked into the medical building the memory of being there 8 years ago came flooding back.  The day we took Brynlee it was so hot and humid and the line seemed endless.  Today there was air conditioning and the doctor was so nice and explained any questions we had.  I told him about our previous visit and he told us they will be moving to a new facility in February.  I am so glad we got to return today to remind us of our last visit.  After we went to do visa stuff. We visited some shops and it was incredibly hot, Brooklin found a paper on the floor and folded it into a fan and began fanning herself.  The lady at the shop thought she was sooo cute she gave her a bracelet and one for her sister.  We have met some really kind people here.  Here are my beautiful girls in their new nighties.

Li Jin

At the hotel