The Last Post from China

Well, we are about 1/3 packed and trying to decide if we can make it home
with the luggage we have. Our room is filled with piles of clothes,
souveniers and things we are leaving for Group 97, who are staying 5 more
days.

Today, the group went to White Cloud Mountain. We went to the Aviary and
the Bird Show. Since Maggie is still a Mommy's girl, I had to carry her in
the sling down the stairs and up the stairs. I was wiped out after our
visit. After the bird show we let Maggie run around a little bit and then
came back to the hotel.

Daddy and Maggie spent an hour running errands while Mommy slept. Maggie
had a semi-rough night last night and I didn't sleep much. So, the nap was
wonderful. Maggie is doing fine with Daddy when Mommy is not an option.
However, if Mommy is around, Daddy is still out of luck. Believe me,
'Project Daddy Love' will kick off as soon as we get home.

Our time in China is almost over. While I am so happy our family will be
united in 36 hours and our daughters will meet, I am also sad. China
adoption is such a magical process. You fill out some forms, wait around,
stress out, pack, repack, pack again, then fly 14 hours. Then the fireworks
begin when you are handed your child. But the beauty is while you see your
own daughter's transformation the most dramatically, you also get to see the
transformation of 20+ other incredible little girls. You learn so much
about their stories and it is so sad to know that when you get home, their
stories will continue to evolve and you will only get the cliff notes. I
hope our group stays in touch. It is really a good group. And I have
really enjoyed getting to know all the little girls and their new families.
I know that Maggie was in the orphanage with a bunch of terrific kids and
they kept hope alive for each other.

How do I know this? Maggie has a little habit. She almost always sleeps
with at least an arm or a leg outside her crib. Given the way the baby room
was configured, that means she was able to touch the girls on either side of
her. Those girls are in this group. Their names were still on the cribs
when we visited. So we know that those girls provided Maggie with the love
and comfort she needed to survive her wait. That is what makes all these
girls so special to me. Whether it is that they were crib neighbors or
playroom buddies, these girls are a part of Maggie's history and are now
apart of our history. And we hope that history continues to unfold.

I will write more once we are home. But for now, have a Happy Thanksgiving.