Monday, June 29, 2009

Last Days in China!

Whew! Have our lives changed! Up until a couple of days ago, I was having to schedule a bathroom break with the "nap fairy"! It's virtually impossible to go to the bathroom while holding an 11 month old!
Luckily she can be put down without screaming..but I'll save the update for the next blog.
Here are some pictures of our last few days in China, when Blogger was COMPLETELY blocked!


A View of The Pearl River from the Breakfast Bar






This is an amazing sculpture made out of a tusk. There were many shops at The White Swan Hotel that sold exquisite items.
From Drop Box

We passed this beautiful picture several times in the hallway of the White Swan, and didn't realize until later that it is all made out of Butterfly Wings...
From Drop Box
Solid Jade Boat Sculpture. Huge.
From Drop Box
Alec in the Shopping area of Guangzhou...we didn't go there often
From Drop Box
I spy a Papa Johns. McDonalds, KFC. Yep. This made the 5-days left a breeze for Alec ~ definitely his saving grace!!!

From Drop Box
"Mommy's" Saving Grace
From Drop Box


The Pearl Market
From Drop Box

..in the 5-STORY Jewelry Mall...didn't really know fear until on the4th escalator of this mall holding a baby....
From Drop Box
A Lady tying off the pearls and adding a fastener to the pink pearls we got for Addie Grace's Sweet 16th
From Drop Box
view from our room at the White Swan...The Pearl River. It totally came alive at night! It was Beautiful!
From Drop Box
The Waterfall inside the White Swan Hotel
From Drop Box

ok...ok...blablabla...More Addie Grace Pictures comin' up!
Me with my 2 sweeties! Alec & Addie before we went to the Oath Ceremony at the US Consulate
From Drop Box
She LOVES her big Brother!

From Drop Box
Her smile is Golden!
From Drop Box
After 25 hours of traveling back to America...We were rushing through the Chicago airport to make our plane on time, after clearing immigration and customs....to find my parents AT THE GATE to meet us in CHICAGO!!! They had flown to Chicago the previous night to meet us at the airport and to fly back home with us!
That was the best gift ever...even though the plane was taking off in a few moments after we arrived at the gate, we made it! (I think one of the security officers heard me praying out loud in line ~ I did that alot... and let us go through a closed gate to get through security faster!) me and Addie Grace sat with mom, Jeff sat with Alec. It was a refreshing and welcoming sight to see them! Addie Grace fell asleep as I ran at the fastest speed possible through O'Hare bouncing her all over the place...I'll remember that when she is having a hard time sleeping in the future!
From Drop Box
Ahhhhh...America, America God shed his Grace on Thee...
I've never been so happy to be home in my whole life. Talk about a new perspective. I would've kissed the ground had I not just put on lip gloss!
Even though our bags didn't make it...we did. And that's all I cared about!

We had so many welcoming friends at the gate, and I had already cried enough, so I held it together long enough to hug everyone and pass Addie Grace off to anyone that would hold her. Unfortunately, the cameras were put away, so I have no pics...but it was an amazing thing to have been met by so many of our precious precious friends.

25 hours later....Home at Last!
From Drop Box

2 of Your AMAZING Comments Here!:

Shannon Johnson said...

So happy to see this update! I've been checking to see more pics! :) Can't wait to meet her on Friday. We look forward to time with ya'll - however brief it may be. Love you girl. Praying over you daily.

Melissa said...

Is that Faith Hill in that last picture? Sure looks like it! :o)