Our last day in Guangzhou!!

We are finally at the point where coming home seems sooooo close!!! I can't tell you how excited we are to come home. We miss Kaylee and Eli dearly (the rest of you too of course :) and really want to hold ALL of our babies!!! Here is our flight information just in case you missed it and want to join the fun at the airport! If you can't make it but would like to come visit, please feel free to give us a call. We welcome visitors!

We depart on our flight from Hong Kong to Detroit at 10:30 AM and arrive in Kansas City at 4:57 PM on Friday, December 16th. Our flight number from Detroit to KC is Delta flight 1214. 

Wednesday
Yesterday we had our US Consulate appointment where we took care of our Visa paperwork to bring Jesiah back into the country (he still has a China passport as he is still as Chinese citizen until we touch down in the United States). We also had an opportunity to visit the island one last time. I'm really going to miss it but am hoping to live vicariously through the Sanders when they travel here in a few months! :)

Last trip to Shamian Island

Our family with the Palmbergs. I'm so thankful for such great new friends!

Little Miss Liana feeling so much better!!

Such a loon! 

Thursday 
Today, we LEAVE! We just sent our baggage down to be packed on the bus and we will leave with our visas about 4:30. We will take a train ride (about two hours) to Hong Kong and will stay overnight at a hotel right at the airport. We are thrilled to be so close!!!

Our amazing Holt travel group!

A few thoughts and lessons I've learned as we leave China....
1. I'm very thankful to have survived crossing the streets here in China. There are no rules and hitting a pedestrian seems to be fairly legal and acceptable :).
2. I never thought I'd be so thankful to be able to SIT on the toilet again. Goodbye "squatty potties" :).
3. A man on the street told Jesiah, after pointing to a "tiger like fur" he had that he was selling, that it was T-I-G-G-E-R. I'm so thankful Jesiah doesn't understand enough to be totally mortified. His Winnie the Pooh ball might have mystified him had he known that Tigger was no longer.
4. We learned that in China, if you eat spicy food while it is hot outside, you will get a bloody nose. This is not tried and true, we were just told this :).
5. CHICKEN on a menu doesn't mean MEAT. 
6. I wish I had been prepared for a son that wanted to "squat" on the western toilets. I had several days where I was afraid he might swim in his socks...
7. Taxi drivers think we are stupid. However, we have learned that if you shake your head, play dumb and hand them less money.. they take it, grumble, and drive off :). (we were paying them fairly.. I promise!)
8. It feels nice to be famous once in awhile.
9. Customer service here is an interesting thing. A customer, it seems, is never right.
10. Holt is an amazing agency and I'm so thankful we used them.
11. Holt China staff don't get paid enough for the hours upon hours that they labor for their families.
12. Jesiah is leaving China with his "baba and dada" (yes.. he called me "mama" once, I rejoiced, and he stopped :).
13. If you are adopting, bring a water gun. It is SO helpful during baths!!! 
14. We are blessed with amazing family and friends. When we leave for our NEXT adoption, things are definitely in good hands (JUST KIDDING.. at least for now :).
15.  God has blessed us beyond belief and I'm so thankful to have been on this journey with HIM.