Loving Guangzhou!

Sat. Aug 15, 10:32 p.m. China Time

Jer and I are in heaven. I am sitting here BY MYSELF at the computer while he is out BY HIMSELF purchasing necessities for the night (chocolate, cold drinks, and chocolate). How are we by ourselves??? Well, we originally booked a suite here at the Victory. We stayed in it last night, and awoke bright and early to the sounds of construction going on right outside our room. We knew immediately that the noise was not going to work for us, so we asked about trading rooms. Turns out the only other available suites were on the smoking floor. Instead, we got two adjoining rooms and we LOVE it! The kids were so excited to have their “own room,” and we are even more excited for ours! We leave the connecting doors open all of the time, but are enjoying the space and little moments of peace and quiet. (:

Our sweet Xu Chu is still just perfect! He is a blast—full of fun and personality, with the right blend of sweetness and seriousness too. We continue to fall more in love with him each day. This morning Jeremy took him for his physical. Because we are a Hague family (this is not worth explaining), poor Xander had to get SIX shots and a TB test. I think that’s pretty over-the-top, considering he has already had his immunizations. The whole Hague thing can really get me going. Right now there is a family that had to leave their child (newly adopted) in China because she tested positive for TB, even though she passed the sputum tests and was therefore deemed not contagious by a whole panel of doctors. The child will have to stay here for at least 2 months, going through tests EVERY DAY. The parents were unable to stay here with her as they both have jobs and more children at home. It is such a tragedy. So there is a little part of me that is worried he won’t pass his TB test—what a mess that could be. We’ll find out Monday.

Besides the physical, we haven’t had much going on today. Jeremy did more paperwork with our guide while I stayed with the kiddos. We went to Lucy’s for dinner—yummy—and took a stroll along the water. I love Guangzhou. The area our hotel is located on (Shaiman Island) really caters to adoptive families and has all kinds of little shops. It’s great. The only negative thing is the heat and humidity. We are all sweaty messes by the time we walk a block. The evenings aren’t as bad, so we try to venture out more then.

Earlier today I was playing with Xander in the bed—wrestling and being silly. He was all wound up and giggling a ton. I got up for just a couple of minutes to check my e-mail, and when I turned around, he was all cozied up in the bed, fast asleep. He slept over two hours before I woke him up. I think the doctor’s visit had been a bit traumatic for him.

Tonight Jeremy told him that in 6 days we were going to America and he was going to see his brothers. Xander TOTALLY lit up and starting clapping and grinning. We talk to them pretty much every day (thank-you Skype) and he loves seeing them. I can’t wait to have them together!! Graci and Jesi have been so so cute with him, and he with them. I am surprised that we haven’t really had sibling issues yet—YAY!

Well, Jeremy’s back with our treats, and I am therefore done! (: Goodnight to all!

--Christi

P.S. I can’t find the USB cord to download our pictures—but we’ll find it tomorrow and post some for sure—we have some super fun ones! Holly, there should be quite a few pictures on our blog—even of Gotcha Day, so try looking again! (:

Editor's note - Holly - the pictures are there - just keep scrolling down!! I'm a tad frustrated with blogger and image limitations - but hey, it's an imperfect world!

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