Guangzhou At Last

We have had a long day. Little Miss woke up with us at 6:30 a.m. for our early flight out of Xian, and Did. NOT. Nap. till we got here to the White Swan at 3-ish. She did great on the flight however, laughing and making friends all around us. She was enthralled with the tiny baby across the aisle. I swear, that little guy was the size of LadyBug's baby dolls! She kept pointing and saying "Wah Wah" which our guide in Xian told us means baby. Incidentally, she also points to the baby food jars and says that. And then tries to kiss the wah wah on the jar. While I'm feeding her. Makes for some messy jars!

So, we are here. We settled in, re-connected with Brittany and Bayley (our LH friends from Beijing) and went with them for a great American meal at Lucy's (yes, it's as fun and full of Americans as my forum friends all said it would be!). We also visited the play room here in the hotel. We've already met two other Christian families from the West Coast while our babies all played. And now we are taking showers and getting to bed early for some real sleep. Tomorrow is our medical exam, where the doctors check Aidan's records and clear her for the final steps with the US Consulate. We'll also have to re-stock on things like diapers and formula and wipes. I'll be able to share more later about the hotel, Guangzhou, and Shamian Island (where the hotel is situated).

Before I forget, several of you have emailed me to ask about the formula that Aidan is using. We had gotten the report in July that she was on stage 2 Nestle formula, so that is what we brought from the States with us and also what we re-stocked with in Xian. It does not appear that this formula is among the tainted milk products. However, because of the nature of Aidan's special need, we have renal testing and evaluations on tap for her future anyway.

You see, when a baby is developing in utero, the ears and the kidneys form and grow at the same stage. Because Aidan's right ear is not fully formed, the doctors at CHOP will do a complete examination of both of her ears as well as extensive reviews of her kidney function. In fact, her first appointment with the International Adoption program will be within a week of returning home to the States. From that appointment, we will work with the docs to chart the course for any medical treatment or testing she will need. Plus, we've been in touch with our doc quite often these past 4 days, with how stuffy and cough-y Aidan had been.

So, thanks for the kind inquiries and prayers for her safety. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such a community of support. Even on the days when there were multiple distractions and oppositions leading up to this trip, we felt such prayer covering by all of you. When the milk recalls were being announced, I was of course concerned (and quite a few of my blogging friends are being effected by this), but I felt such peace and safety in knowing that My Father has His hands on all of this story.

And because I know you can't stand a day without pictures, I'm throwing this one in for ya, free of charge. She shows all the signs of being well-loved and cared for by her foster parents, and gives out these sloppy open-mouthed kisses rather freely. Additionally, she is showing all the signs of being another Daddy's girl, just like her big sister :)