The White Swan Hotel

We have arrived at the famous (or should I say "faymerse"... as our local guide pronounces it) White Swan Hotel. All who adopt from China end up here. It has become almost a part of adoption tradition. A nice hotel on Shaiman Island that is very near the US Consolate in Guangzhou. This is where we will get approval for Gwen's US citizenship on Wedensday afternoon. In the mean time, it provides a great place for further bonding for Mom and Dad and baby. When we arrived in Beijing 8 days ago, we were with nearly 40 families adopting through Children's Hope International (CHI). We all went our separate ways on the 2nd day, everyone in different sized groups to the province where their baby was waiting. Now we have all congregated back here at the White Swan. So, it is a reunion of sorts. We arrived this afternoon at 2:30 PM local time and immediately took to the streets of Shaiman, with merely a t-shirt and no jacket since it is 70 degrees here. Lots of local shopping, a nice park, some western style restaurants and seemingly everywhere you looked you saw families with newly adopted little girls. We also enjoyed a nice sunset over the Pearl River after dinner.

Now we have settled back in our room. Gwen is getting her nightly bath... and Lynne her corresponding nightly shower from the splashing. We had a quick stop at the health clinic here and have gotten some medicine for Gwen's congestion and for her slight rash. It should allow her to continue to heal even faster. She really is doing well. She is communicating more and more. In fact this evening at dinner she was talking quite loud to the waitress. We are not sure what she was saying, but it may have had something to do with how much she liked the mashed potatoes. She is very very happy, and she has an amazing smile that should probably win awards some day... not to mention a young man's heart. Lord knows, she has already taken mine.

Thank you to everyone that is taking the time to think of us and pray for us while we are here. We do not take it for granted. Our prayer is that this Christmas, you are each able to experience the kind of love that we are experiencing this week. It comes from giving without any condition... and when we do receive what appears to be a return, it inspires us to give more.

Caleb, Seth and Madelyn - We miss you guys dearly and so wish you were here. We will have to all return someday. You will love it here. Tonight we saw a group of people playing what appeared to be hacky-sack. However, it was with an oversized birdie, like you would use in a badminton game, except the bottom was a stack of metal rings, instead of a rubber stopper. Very strange and different. But it works. I will have to buy one and bring it home. Will be a fun game for our cul-de-sac.

Pictures from our day-

Leaving the airport in Chengdu - Goodbye to our local guide, Joan.


Gwen finds a new favorite spot in our new hotel room... after this hotel, home sweet home.


After dinner exercise with Mommy.


Sunset over the Pearl River with Daddy.


Playing with Daddy-


That winning smile with Mommy-