Musings of a Whimsical Realist

This is the 2nd blog post highlighting our adoption trip to China (summarized from Facebook posts made while we were in the country).  November 6, 2015 We are safely in Guangzhou.  We arrived, got all our luggage (yay!!!), and met our new guide. As soon as we stepped outside . . . BAM! Humidity! Our guide mentioned that it was "very good" weather for them, so we had high hopes that at least we could take Baby out without having to put a sweater on her or risk getting a stink-eye. We managed the 40-minute drive by playing the "Jelly Belly Guessing Game." That is where Baby fed Daddy and Mommy Jelly Belly's in the dark, and we guessed what we got. And had to eat it. Kinda like Russian Roulette, 2-year-old style. We arrived at a GORGEOUS hotel! And our suite gives us enough room to entertain a toddler for one more week away from home. The next set of flights will be taking us home in a week! Until then, more adventures in Guangzhou. November 7, 2015 After

My last blog post was EIGHT MONTHS ago!  We were on the verge of heading to China, and I switched to Facebook for posting while we were there.  What is my excuse since we got back?  I am going to go with the golden oldie – parenting 4 children.  Having enough brain power to rub two thoughts together was a lacking commodity.  Summer vacation has FINALLY arrived, and so I will start with two blog posts (condensed from the original Facebook posts) highlighting our journey to China. October 31, 2015 (China Time) After 26 hours of travel, we've arrived safely in Nanchang!  We get our little girl in 16 1/2 HOURS! November 1, 2015 We got off the elevator and walked around to the lobby. I was scanning the clusters of seats for the other adoptive family (because, let's face it, white people are easy to spot around here). Instead, I saw HER! They were already here, and I saw Baby! Heart leaped! Breath stopped. The first couple of hours were amazing in their ease. Not a single t

I've now written enough blogs about adopting that it's time to organize them for someone who may be new to my blog and wants to read the archives in order.  I've labeled the adoption blogs {#} as well as listed them below! Additionally, I have now labeled all adoption blogs under "Adoption."  If you click on that link at the bottom of this post, it will pull up all adoption blogs in newest to oldest order. Blog Post #1   -- A Journey of a Thousand Miles: The Single Step {#1} Blog Post #2   -- Stepping Further: Part One {#2} Blog Post #3   -- Stepping Further: Part Two {#3} Blog Post #4   -- Down the Road We Go! {#4} Blog Post #5   -- Tiptoe or Leap? {#5} Blog Post #6   -- Hurry Up and Wait {#6}  Blog Post #7   -- Where Did That Wall Come From? {#7}  Blog Post #8   -- The Crack in the Wall {#8} Blog Post #9 -- Fork in the Road {#9} Blog Post #10   -- Here We Stand {#10} Blog Post #11   -- Moving Forward {#11} Blog Post #12