Day 11

Day 11:

"Wednesday

Woke up and prayed immediately for A. He was about to start his Eagle Scout
interview in Texas. Went to brunch. We are so blessed by a fantastic buffet. Visited
with others on our team. Received a text that we have an Eagle Scout!!!!! Yeah and
what an answer to prayer. A is a such a fine young man. We are so proud.
Went to the zoo with our team. Good zoo. Two pandas were out and active
and walking around their pens. Lots of other animals, too. The boys were
impressed, and told Rosa, our guide, that they had been to a zoo before. We spent
about 3 hours walking around, then bus ride home, and McDonald’s for lunch. I was
starved.
Less than 84 hours till we’ll be home. It doesn’t seem so long to me when it is
broken down into hours.
Experienced our first meltdown from Precious Bundle after lunch. He cried
and cried and didn’t want any loving. Finally and slowly he allowed me to hold him.
He is such a brave young man. This has been a long time waiting to fly to America
and living out of a suitcase, and trying to live with parents that can barely
communicate with him. So we loved on him and encouraged him, then we all went
swimming. The water was very cold, but the sun was shining. The boys swam for
about 25 minutes or so; then we worked out in the weight room.
Next they watched an Ultra Man video while dad and I finished our books.
Don’t know what I’m going to read on the flight home!!!
Now we are in the lobby sending this email and the boys are playing on the
ipod. Sometimes electronic devices are a needed part of parenthood. They call the
ipod, so ji!! And do they ask for it!
Everyone except for one mom and her baby leave tomorrow at 2:30 to go to
Hong Kong. Then they fly home Friday. We leave Friday for Beijing, then fly home
Saturday early. Right now we’ll be home in less than 80 hours!!! Can you tell I am so
ready to be home? This sitting around and waiting to leave is tiring. We could shop,
but the boys get so tired of walking around looking in shops. So we swim and play
fooseball. Praise God for that fooseball table. It has been such a blessing to us. More
in a little while.
Went out to dinner in the little alley outside our hotel. Mama wanted noodles
for dinner. The little woman taking our order spoke halting English. Of course the
boys could order what they wanted – no language problem there. Daddy ordered
joudze and Mama ordered noodles. They were ok. Then we watched a little ESPN
about the Rangers and the World Series. Then met the other families up at the pool/
fooseball area. Everyone is so nice and get along so well.
Now it’s shower and bedtime.
More in the morning. Tomorrow is our last full day here. Then we leave for
the airport at 2pm on Friday. (Most of our team leaves tomorrow at 2:30 for a bus
ride to Hong Kong.)"