The Pool!

Today we finally got a chance to go to the pool. The water was a little cold but after awhile Shuya seemed to really enjoy it. She stayed in for a long time. She didn't like to get her face wet and after she slipped walking around in the pool and got her face in the water she stayed real close to me. We had fun playing with her new friend Eden and the rubber ducks! Lying in the lounge chair next to the pool it finally felt like I was on vacation for a few minutes, instead of on a different trip. Now we are back to the hotel room for a nap.


Tonight we will have a big group dinner at 5 because we need to get up early for the physicals tomorrow (7:45 AM appointments). We need these for the Visa applications which will be submitted tomorrow. In the afternoon we will take our oaths to care for these children. We should get the Visas the following day. We will go to Shaoxing for 4 nights and then spend the last 2 nights in Shanghai before flying back to the states.

-posted by Dan

Bonding

Today was a relaxing day and a good day for bonding with Shuya. We got a pretty good night's sleep. Shuya got up a couple of times in the night but as soon as she was reassured that we were nearby she went back to sleep quickly.

This morning we had breakfast in our room. I dripped my own coffee (Starbucks) and we had sweet breads from the little bakery shop at Beatrice's grocery store. We went shopping with Todd and Kim. We brought them to the same shop we went the other day and Wenguo found some more things cheap 10 Yuan per top or bottom, and a nice sweater for 20 Yuan. Todd and Kim went back to the hotel and Wenguo and I went to the restaurant that her friends brought us to the other night and we had some really good dim sum. We came back to the hotel after lunch and took a 2 hour nap! Wenguo and Shuya were still sleeping when I went out to Starbucks for a cup of coffee, and stopped at Beatrice's grocery for a couple of bananas for Shuya. We went to dinner at the Chinese Restaurant in the Victory hotel. We got a room and enjoyed the company of Anthony, Yvonne, Sophia, and Isabella. We ate light. It was very good. Just a little more expensive than some in Guangzhou, but not really expensive.

We agreed to meet Anthony and Yvonne and the kids in the Swan room after dinner. they were going to Beatrice's so we went back by Starbucks. I bought a half-pound of coffee (95yuan) and had them grind it for my drip filter. We shared a Mocha and stopped at Andy's on the way back where Wenguo got a doll with mei mei to remember this trip by. I asked for the one with the bright red silk dress. There's just something about the Chinese red silk that I really like.

Anthony found us browsing in another shop and said that they had already been to the Swan room and that he was just running back to Beatrice's for another item. We made a beeline to the Swan room where we eventually wound up with a most of the families and spent a couple hours playing with the kids. I got some video and will try to pick some to post.

We are back in the room getting ready for bed.

-posted by Dan