Almost Home

I met with our guides tonight and it seems real now that we are on the way home. Our guides are absolutely amazing - they take care of every little detail, including filling out our customs forms. All we need to do is sign things. Then every few days they meet with us individually to give/collect documents and go over our expenditures and we reimburse them.

Tomorrow afternoon is our US Consulatate Appointment. It is a ceremony where at the end we receive the children's visas so they can leave the country. Then Thursday morning we will travel to Hong Kong, and Friday morning we are on the plane home!

Josie is doing well, still adjusting to a new lfe and new formula - both big issues. I can't wait to get her in one place that she'll stay in forever! Aileen and I have also been having fun doing some souvenir shopping and enjoying the Chinese culture - by that I mean massage. We went to an authentic massage parlor this afternoon. It was such a wonderful experience - the entire building was so neat to see - and smell with the insence they were burning. It was actually called a medical clinic. They do consulting and stuff but we had already decided we wanted a foot massage. The shortest appointment they have lasts for 90 minutes and cost 68 yuen, which is about 10 us dollars. We couldn't imagine that they could massage your feet for 90 minutes, but they first soaked our feet in chinese herbs as they massaged our neck and back, then arms. Then we got out foot massage. We are going back tomorrow for a body massage - This one is more expensive, like $12 for 90 minutes!?!?!?!

I can't wait to get home and see Jim. Josie has been talking to him on the phone. Tonight the funniest thing happened: Josie has been super tired but refusing to go to sleep (i.e. crabby.) I decided to put her in my kozy carrier because she kept falling asleep in my arms but screaming whenever I put her down. So I was walking around wearing her and talking to Jim. She was pretty relaxed but still not sleeping. I asked him to tell his daughter that she needed to go to sleep. I put the phone next to her ear and I could hear him say,"Listen up young lady. Your mama needs you to go to sleep, and you need to get some rest..." She shot straight up and her eyes got so big! She looked at the phone incredulously! It was so hilarious I busted out laughing - no one talksto her like that around here! Aileen and I just keep telling her what an adorable little princess she is! I laughed so hard, and Josie started laughing too. It was so cute!