Catching up

Let's pray I can get this post up while the internet and blogger are both playing nice.

We finished up our time in nanning by going to the museum, which included meeting a fabulous women who makes the balls that you find in the region. She uses a stool that is 4 generations old.  She has taught her daughter how to make the balls as well as a few other students.  The balls she makes cost about 1000 rub and take 2-3 days for her to make.  She was beautiful and I was surprised she was 70 years old.

On Friday we flew to Guangzhou - getting in late in the evening. Momma mistake in not getting food at either airport and everything was closed by the time we got to the hotel.  Luckily I had some crackers and snacks and there was fruit in the room.  Dawson did fairly well - although we are in swing the orphanage fidget and the touching of everything in site.  I finally gave him the info card when he refused to keep his seatbelt on and the tray table up.  He likes to test the waters by saying no to me, but I give him the stern look and he is fairly cooperative.  I did tell him by translator if he didn't follow the rules the stewardess would make him get off.  Later I found out he was up periodically in the night playing the ipad or nabi (brahm saw him, I never heard anything even though we were in a small room.  So we learned 2 things - this boy needs his sleep or he is harder to handle, and we made it clear that I am in charge of electronics including the tv (he likes to switch channels constantly which makes everyone crazy.)

We had to take a bus to the the Tarmac and go up stairs that was fun with the crowd. 

Regardless, his reality is heartbreaking.  He came with so much stuff from the orphanage we went to walmart to buy him a,large yellow suitcase that is packed all of his possessions in.  When we got to the airport he almost was in a panic as that yellow suitcase was placed on the conveyor and it suddenly disappeared.  Luckily the guide was still there to explain we would get it once in GZ.  You could see the relief on his face as that bright yellow suitcase rounded the curve on the baggage claim area!

Checking into the china hotel - marriott I did realize that booking my points online and upgrading at that time saved me almost $20 off the upgrade fee over doing it at the front desk.

We also were given a rollaway bed, although truthfully they are both small enough to sleep on the coaches (brahm has claimed the settee for himself - the little dork!)

Like the weight and measurement with his shoes in!

Our first day here we went to the medical appointment.  We saw lots of other families and met some new ones - including a family with a little girl the same age as Tao - and has dwarfism!!

Dawson did awesome including his math problem lol. Then it was to trustmart for some supplies and shamanism island for laundry and a little shopping!

Today - Sunday we went to the church on shamanism island, and picked up the laundry.  It is raining but really it's a bit of a treat because it's a nice warm rain.  Many of the shops on shamain island are closed, and the people are not interested in making a ton of deals - which really I just don't understand the mentality.  It's almost April and already hot-  how many other people will be over to buy winter jackets in the next 6 mos.?!?  Ultimately we got pretty good deals on North Face knock off jackets for all of our littles.

We spent the past 2 days with our friend Claire who we met last year getting Tao.  She adopts children with albinism like I adopt kids with dwarfism lol. The boys are all close in age and get along great (for the most part).  Of course they Re 4 boys so they are loud but fairly well behaved for the circumstances!

This afternoon we are watching tv in the room as it is a torrential rain pour lol.  As I type brahm and Dawson are wrestling so I think it's time to find a new activity.