Six Banyan Temple, Victory Play Room, and the Krause Family.

Well we certainly enjoyed our last day in China.  I just can't believe we're going home with our DAUGHTER tomorrow morning!!!  We started the day off by going to the Six Banyan Temple with our guide and small tour group.  I am constantly amazed at the beauty of the buildings and statues around China.  The history is amazing and it's really neat to see and learn about things that are literally thousands of years old.  It makes America seem like such a young country . . . well because it IS a young country.  Anything that is only 200-300 years old around here is considered "new."  We do not have anything truly "ancient" in American the way China does.  I asked our guide if pictures were acceptable at the temple and he said they encourage them even.  Later after lunch and Emmy's nap we met up with the Krause's  and their adorable little guy Joshua (one of the other Wuhan cuties) to play in the play room of the hotel and eat supper one last time at Lucy's.  Thanks to Courtney for sharing her pictures as I left mine in the backpack back in the room with Aaron. It was a great way to end our trip.  Now . . . on to packing!!!  This will probably be one of the last, if not THE last blog post in China.  Our guide picks us up tomorrow morning at 10:30 to head to the airport.  We're staying the night Thursday night in Denver after our plane lands at 7:30 pm.  We'll FINALLY be headed home Friday morning.   I can't wait to see my parents and my boys.  It will feel so good to finally have Amelia Fanshuang home.

The entrance to the temple.

This pagoda is 8 stories high and in ancient times was the tallest building in Guangzhou for hundreds and hundreds of years.

Some of the monks.

Love my girl!

An incense burner.

The flowers at the temple were all real and they were GORGEOUS.  They were so perfect I thought they were silk until I looked closer.

People worshiping in the temple.

 

An amazing rock formation.

Our amazing guide Elvin with Amelia Fanshuang

Emmy playing with one of the little girls in our group.  They were so cute together.

 

Emmy found every puddle she could to splash in.

Our two little "Wuhanians."  Joshua is a total crack up!

After months of correspondence it was so nice to finally meet Courtney and get to spend some time with her.  I feel so blessed to have gotten to meet Joshua in person too.  From the get-go we've always thought Josh and Emmy looked so similar they could almost be siblings.  Baby pictures are very close in resemblance.   Someday we might have to investigate that further if we still see the same traits.

I saw something great today!  I left the playroom for just a few minutes to wash bubble mixture off my hands.  I didn't think Emmy would even notice I was gone because she was so busy.  Anne said as soon as I left she got a bit frantic and was looking for me.  Anne picked her up to comfort me, but she was so happy to see me come back.  I know this seems like a normal thing for a child her age, but it's HUGE for a newly adopted toddler.  I really think we're starting to bond and attach to each other.  WOOO HOOOO, God is GOOD!

Such a little cutie!

Our last dinner at Lucy's.  Maybe we'll bring the whole family back someday!

From left to right: Leslie (a family friend of the Krause's who actually lives in Nebraska), Anne, Courtney, and Joshua.  The Krause's lived in Lincoln up until about 6 years ago when they moved to Arizona.