Only a Couple of Days to Go!

These past two days here in Guangzhou have been relaxing. The weather is beautiful (about 80 degrees today)so we can walk around the island without coats, which is such a relief after being in Wulumuqi where it was so cold. Yesterday our guide took us and two other WACAP families sightseeing in the morning. We went to a Buddhist temple and a Chinese folk art museum. We had the option of going shopping after that, but Daniel was getting a bit antsy so we passed on that and came back to the hotel. There is a play room here in the hotel that they call the Swan Room and Daniel loves going down to it where he has room to move around and play. There is a toy there that he especially likes that makes all kinds of different noises. There are also balls to kick and throw, which he loves to do. Today has been a free day. It is nice to not have to rush off to appointments, but it is also a little difficult to keep Daniel occupied. We have relented a few times and let him watch a movie on the DVD player. He has grown very fond of The Land Before Time. He calls it the dinosaur movie.

This morning Neil took Daniel for a walk and gave me a little break. Then later we all took another walk to an outdoor playground. Then we had lunch at a small deli near the hotel and came back for nap time. Daniel must have been exhausted from all the fresh air because he fell right to sleep.

We are encouraged by a couple of things that Daniel is doing. He is walking a lot, not with the walker we brought all the way from the U.S., but with the stroller that we borrowed from a laundry near the hotel. He loves to push the stroller around and it is good exercise for his legs. This activity seems to be an outlet for him to work off some energy. The other thing is that he is using the potty sometimes, which is really exciting! It's not something that he initiates on his own but when it is time to change his diaper he will ask to sit on the potty and then he usually goes. We are hoping that with some work and patience we can actually get him potty trained.

He is sleeping better and longer at night now. This hotel room has a crib and since that is what he was used to in the foster home, he seems more comfortable. We're not sure how he'll do in his twin bed at home but I guess time will tell. At least for now he is more rested. It has been interesting to watch him go through the stages of adjusting to us and to his new life. During the first few days with us he was very compliant. Then, as he got to know us better he began to test us, apparently to determine who was in charge. The past couple of days have been challenging as we have tried to determine which behaviors to address and which to ignore. Today he seems a little more quiet and sad and I wonder what is going through his little head. This must all be very confusing to him and I wish we were better able to communicate with him. If you think of us today please pray for wisdom, discernment and patience for us. Thanks.

Tomorrow is our last full day here and then Wednesday morning we will leave the hotel at 7:15 a.m. to catch a 10:00flight to Beijing. That will begin our long trek home. I keep fretting over what the trip home will be like, but Neil tells me to just not think about it. I know he is right. God will give us what we need to endure the hours of travel. See you all in just a few days!!!