Thursday, January 30, 2014

Never Too Late

I confess it has taken a month and three days to post a trip that lasted only 16 days.  In some ways, I am grateful for the chance to stay a little longer in China without physically being there.  It was a very unique trip and much of it had to remain unbloggable.  Don't feel cheated.  You got to see some of the pictorial highlights. 

It seems fitting that we didn't know our hotel had a rooftop garden until the last day we were in China.  We made it to the roof by means of an elevator, but how we got to that particular moment and that particular hour is much harder to explain. 

The simple answer is God took us to China and He added to our family there.  How privileged we are to get to live His story for us from the foundations of the world.  Sweet Teddy has always belonged in our family, we just weren't clued in till he was six.  

Was the time wasted?

Absolutely not.  God was preparing us for Teddy and Teddy for us.

Now that Teddy is five months shy of 8, I marvel that God is most patient bringing about his plans.

 
Ben was giving me his best glamour shots' pose

The static electricity from the play equipment made a shocking good photo


 



Behind Alex there was a tennis court
 
 
 



 
 
Jumping Jehoshaphat, don't fall in the water.

Levitating in the air



Silly boy


Must be wearing special shoes.



His mischievous self


 
 In the van to Hong Kong, we watched the sun set on China and there ended one chapter of our adoption story.  The next chapters are being written and I will tell you it is a beautiful journey.  We feel less tired and more blessed than a month ago.  Teddy is adjusting very well to life in the real America.


Where Your Feet Lead You -part 2

We did a lot of walking while in Guangzhou and were very thankful for such lovely parks to spend hours exploring






The boat in the background really beckoned.


 

 The younger kids danced in the park while some musician played their guitars.


The trees were magical


We liked the little stools the gardeners sat on.



Early evening at the park







 
My Mr. Tic Tac
He loved dispensing tic tacs to us.  He would suck on his own tic tac until it was a colorless sliver and then take it out of his mouth.  Beware of the orange tic tacs, he dropped them on the ground and then put them all back in the container.  Nothing so good should be wasted.

 She went to China with gaps in her mouth but a heart filled with thoughts of Teddy.

 I never tire of looking at his thoughtful, handsome face.


One of my favorite photos of the four littles.






Exercised with the locals


Growing older