Day 3 in China

We love to receive your emails and loving thoughts. I value your comments so much! I
couldn't write much last night before we went to bed so I'm expanding on that. I've
attached several pictures. Some were taken at the panda research center here (where some panda's were moved after the earth quake in Chengdu last year) and some were taken at a Chinese tea house.

We are traveling here with another adoptive family from California who are wonderful
people to travel with. They have 4 biological children and this is their 3rd adoption from China as well. Jiaming is a little boy who is about 3.5 years old with limb deficiencies who is absolutely smart as a whip. He keeps us in stitches as the guide interprets what he's saying. Our guide coaches us on speaking Mandarin as we travel around and Jiaming thinks our Chinese lessons are hysterical. We are learning phrases to ask the boys if they have to "pee" or "poo", to tell them to
"wait", or "come here", or "good boy" or "NO" (like boo she), "eat", "drink" and"more". Jiaming threw in a little age appropriate bathroom humor when we were learning the bathroom phrases so I guess bathroom humor is universal in toddlers. We laugh a lot when we're with the Wong family. Thank goodness we've found that shushing someone and shaking our heads no is universal as well. The Wongs left 2 days after they found out they could travel and toured Beijing with their two oldest children who are 13 and 11.

Interestingly enough the Wongs also experienced their dryer breaking and things breaking prior to their trip as we did. I guess when you get the devil's attention, it means you're on the right track. :-)

We've discovered that Wyatt loves being in a stroller which is fortunate because touring means a lot of walking and he's a heavy little tyke. This is a tropical climate here with high temps and humidity, palm trees and towering mountains surrounding us. The panda exhibit was interesting in that it ended in us seeing a video about the pandas (that they show to all visitors). Two things about the video struck me. The first is that it was totally Darwinian in world view and the second is that it was x-rated as it went into graphic detail about natural mating and then artificial insemination. Whew...the kids got quite a lesson from that video!

We then went to a tea room where we toured the dwelling of a famous gentleman in China during the Opium Wars and then were taken through a tea ceremony by the hostess. Its very elaborate and reminds me a little of what a wine tasting would be like as we went through many different varieties of teas. We had to smell the leaves first, then they would be passed back, rinsed, brewed, ceremonially poured into small saucers and we would sip it. Gulping was not allowed. I was an easy sell as I bought a whole bunch of Ulong green tea which is really fantastic stuff.

We have found that we are much more the center of attention on this trip than on any
other trip. It has some to do with the fact that both families are adopting boys and
mostly to do with their fear of S.F. We are being very closely scrutinized and so must be absolutely healthy and fever free at all times. We also must not have been exposed to anyone who has recently been ill. We are hearing that other adoptive families are having to stay in the country several weeks due to this issue.

This leads me to my stomach/gut issues. It turns out that all food here in Fuzhou is
fried in peanut oil. As luck would have it, I am allergic to peanut oil which may account for my gastric distress. I have started taking Claritin as a matter of course and my guide made me a slip of paper to give to waitresses indicating my allergies to peanuts and shellfish. I hate feeling like a special case on that, but my gut needs a break and I can't risk needing medical care. One thing I knew you'd appreciate is that I went looking for Saltine Crackers which they have here but not without special stuff in them. I had to settle for the version containing seaweed. Mike's grossed out by them but Wyatt loves them and I say any port in a storm will do. I think I'm losing a lot of weight BTW, but this is not how I planned on doing it. :-)

We walked along the lakefront last night and were treated to a massive water fountain show. The boardwalk was very crowded with locals and their children strolling along or dancing to folk music or line dancing to modern Chinese pop music. We kept it moving because when we'd stop, we'd soon be surrounded by several stone faced, staring locals who were very curious about us having Chinese boys. One couple asked in English if we were European and did not react happily when I told them we were American. This is a new experience for us as we have always previously been warmly received by the people here.

Wyatt is making great strides in adjusting. His grieving is most acute at night when he holds the little photo album I made him and points to his "ahyee" (a picture of
his special nanny and him) and asks for her. My heart breaks for him but my hope for his future is strong. On the flip side, he is a very playful, happy little fellow at other times. I think he has been very well cared for as we all prayed he would be. PTL

We appreciate you guys and your prayers!