If you want an Arnold Schwarzenegger portrait........

We explored Guangzhou today. There are a lot of people here and it was hot! I know it was hot in Nebraska as well but factor in the huge amounts of people and it was a bit insane out and about today. Adam and I were talking on the train to Guangzhou yesterday about how many people live in the area that we passed through, 50 million! Basically that would be 50 million people living within a 90 mile radius of Omaha. We traveled by subway today to a couple of shopping areas and it was pretty amazing how many people that mass transit moved.

Subway ticket purchasing area at 3pm on a Sunday afternoon- people were out and about!

We did end up finding some jade while we were out and I got some face cream from Sephora here. Sounds weird but when I was here last time I got it and it was amazing. They don't sell it in the US, probably because it contains something they can't sell in the US. I live on the edge. Also did some thrifty negotiating for a couple dresses for the girls for Chinese New Year. Found this gem on the street market.

Don't think it will fit in our suitcases, very disappointing. We ate at the Chinese restaurant here at the hotel. We had some delicious fried chicken wings and noodles.

Settling in to our hotel room for
the night now to relax a bit. These were also in our nightstands when we got here. I don't remember them last time.

I'm assuming these are a major over precaution. The pollution has actually been quite less here than the last time. Went to our favorite 7-11 right by the hotel and purchased a 6 pack of Tsing Tao. Felt pretty classy carrying that 6 pack through the fancy hotel shops and to our room. Not many ladies can say they enjoyed a beer the night before they became a mom again. A celebratory drink for what we are about to embark on tomorrow.

This sits empty for the last time in our hotel room tonight. Our long wait ends in about 18 hours and Hattie will be officially part of our family. I am much more nervous than I thought I would be. The first time parent jitters aren't there. The surviving having a kid in a china hotel room aren't there, sort of.  A different nervous than last time. I've felt a bit between two worlds since our last night in Omaha. I remember walking to Hattie's room to grab something to pack in her suitcase that night and then walking past Naomi asleep in her room. I knew that was the last time that room would be empty and just Naomi in our home. I knew Naomi's relationship with us will be at least a little changed. And I love it so much now. Part of the nervousness comes from the fact this decision is beyond affecting just Adam and I, it will affect Naomi as well for the rest of her life. Of course we thought of this before, in fact her having a sibling from China was a definite reason for bringing Hattie home. The process that happens tomorrow turns our family trajectory a completely new way. That is a bit scary and exciting at the same time. I have no idea what to expect tomorrow, like I said before we have been more in the dark on Hattie than Naomi. We shift to the hard work tomorrow of making Hattie feel loved and the understanding of what a family is. Remembering to meet her where she is at and that attachment will take time. We receive another amazing blessing tomorrow, and I can't wait.