FROM CHINA TO CAROLINA: If you Can't Be at Home then you should be at DISNEY!

When leaving China it was the weirdest bittersweet feeling ever. Maran was waving bye bye and saying "Bye Bye China". I took a deep breath as we left the hotel knowing that I would hopefully never smell the Ox Beef & Stomach Skank ever again. It was the best worst smell ever... as it was my last!

At the train station I hugged our driver bye. He waved and smiled. Helen, OUR INCREDIBLE GUIDE walked us all the way in and went as far as they would let her with us. I find it funny that our last real experience with China was one that had annoyed me so much the entire time we have been gone. While in line some Chinese ladies tried to get in front of us and the man at the gate yelled at them in Chinese and told them Mo --- which means no. (Sure that isn't spelled right but I know it's the word as we have gotten to break it in a lot with Maran). I looked at him and thanked him in Chinese and he just grinned. Uncanny that one thing that annoyed us so much the entire time we were there turned around and ended in our favor. I know breaking line is not the worst thing ever but it is not acceptable and it is not acceptable to be pushed aside. As a whole and in general I am happy to say that many Americans do not do that and do not push people out of the way -- note I said "IN GENERAL".

When it came time to say Good Bye to Helen I became very emotional and very teary eyed. It hit me that the lady who had led us to our daughter once we landed in China and who had been there with us since the day we got to our province was no longer going to be there. She would speak to Maran in Chinese and explain to her things and tell her what was going on. She was a great communicator and helped us learn what we needed to know in order to communicate with our daughter. Granted we are talking the basics here but what an incredible help it was. I flashed back to having my sister Lisa with us in Guatemala when we got Luke. Of course she was not here in China with us so that meant that truly David and I were alone with our daughter with communication skills limited to what we had been able to take in. That meant it was time to step up to the plate and put on the big girl pants. We were alone with our child. We no longer had a translator and a protector. Tears rolled down my face for a few minutes. David looked at me and said "Are you OK" I said "Yes, I am over it now". He said "That was quick" I said "Yes, Maran has to go potty and it is a squatty potty so I gotta be able to balance her and me while making sure our aim is OK". He said "Well, OK then". I also read the sign that said that you couldn't take any "FOUL SMELLING ITEMS" on the train. I found that incredibly humorous as we had already been offered Ostrich Soup and some other delightfully smelly items for consumption on the train. Our seats on the train faced backwards which made me nervous as I can NOT typically ride backwards on a train, plane, car or anything. It turned out to be fine. Lil' Miss took in some scenery and was fast asleep for about 40 minutes.

When I saw the Mickey Ears noting DISNEYLAND I had a grin on my face. When we got to the hotel I told David "OK, this is good". We are stuck here till Monday. NO WAY to get back early although we tried and my boss tried so thank you Lecil for spending three hours on the phone with the Airline Carriers. We appreciate your assistance and will JOYFULLY ride to Charlotte from San Francisco in the First Class Seats you acquired for us. Despite what they say you really aren't a bad boss. JUST KIDDING!

Our new Hotel is GREAT. The wine is even better. We had another ASIAN DINNER (shocker I know) and found COKE LIGHT. If you can't have Diet Coke then Coke Light is next best with Coke Zero running a very distant third. We slept like logs on our nice and COMFY Disney Hollywood Hotel beds. We woke to a wonderful buffet (gosh we haven't had a buffet in about 24 hours) of Mickey Waffles and Smiley face potatoes and how can I forget.. MORE FRIED RICE.

The rides at the park were great. Maran got on them with NO TREPIDATION at all. Seeing her eyes light up on the carousel and It's A Small World will always be a memory. The Carousel reminded me of our recent NEW YEAR'S 2010 trip to Disney Orlando with our family. Nammy and Pop Pop treated us all to a Disney Cruise. I remember us standing in line two days after Christmas at the Carousel dancing around to Christmas Music and just giggling away. All 16 of us.

IF YOU CAN'T BE AT HOME THEN YOU SHOULD BE AT DISNEY! (preferably with your whole family though).

Countdown to Home is less than two days away. We do hope our travels are NON EVENTFUL as they were so full of events getting here. We are thankful to be nearing the end of the 'pick up journey' and happy about what the future hold for us and our growing family. Our beautiful daughter has already learned so much English. She did not fall ONE TIME today at the park (that's a HUGE improvement). We are anxious to have her legs and feet fixed so she can run without falling all the time, however, we are going to be in trouble because despite her special need she can run like a jack rabbit --- until she falls. We just pray to get home without stitches. So far we have gotten only one real scrape from a bad fall at the Zoo. Nothing slows this child down though! We can't wait to see our Luke. I can hear his voice and feel his soft hands in mine. I can hear him whispering secrets to me and talking constantly about Thomas the Tank Engine. Before we came to get Maran he asked every day "Mommy have they called us to come and get my sister yet?". I am hopeful that they will be good playmates -- as good as brother and sister can be.

OUR FIRST ICE COKE LIGHT IN 17 DAYS WAS CONSUMED TODAY!

We found an American place at Disney to eat lunch. The hamburger was processed and the pork sandwich was edible but it was not rice and it was not noodles so we were smiling like we had just done something criminal. I know we sound like we can't live without Diet Coke but when you can't have something it makes you want it even more. (We drink about one a day each -- honestly).

BESIDES LOVING AND HUGGING our family when we return we are going to find a serious piece of cow and a wedge salad for all to consume.

Off to Skype with our Snickerdoodle Luke and catch up on some e-mails. Below are some shots from today!

Our First Minnie Mouse ears with matching Minnie Mouse Outfit (See how excited she is to have those ears on? Seconds after this was shot the ears were off).