Medical Exams, Visa Photos and Pearls!
This morning we feasted on a wonderful breakfast buffet here at the White Swan hotel. It was nice to see some foods that we recognized! The Sheraton in Xian served traditional Chinese fare on their breakfast buffet including rice, dumplings, eggs, noodles and fruit.
Afterwards we walked to the medical exam biulding. Each child being adopted is required to pass a medical exam in order to enter the USA. We were shocked when the doctor said that he couldn't hear a murmur of any kind in Brea's heart. Of course, we're not sure how he would have heard anything since there were dozens of screaming babies in the buildiung. Needless to say, we will still be seeing our Pediatric Cardiologist when we get home next week. Brea weighed in at a hefty 14.6 pounds fully dressed.
We also had to have Visa photos taken and later our guide took us to the pearl market. It was amazing to see all the beautiful peals. We watched as the workers hand tied each pearl and I made a few special purchases for the future.
We are amazed at how each child in our travel group seems so perfect for their new family. One of the families that we are traveling with had a break through with their newly adopted 2 year old yesterday on the plane when she started to laugh and play with them for the first time. Danny and I were sitting a few rows back and very much enjoyed watching thier interaction. It was so good to see the smile on her face but even sweeter to see the relief on her new parents faces.
We'd like to thank each and every one of you who have left a message on our guest book. We are able to read them each night but since we do not have email access here we have not been able to check emails. We will be printing the messages for Brea's baby book and I think it is so sweet that someday she will read those messages and know how much she was wanted and prayed for before her little feet ever touched the ground in America. We feel that Brea belongs to so many more people than just us because there have been so many people praying for her and following our journey over the last two years. We are grateful for each of those prayers and believe we have witnessed the power of prayer as we watch our precious little girl blossom each day.
Each day we pinch ourselves to make sure we are really here in China and that this sweet little baby is really in our arms. The two year wait is almost a distant memory and we feel like Brea has been with us since birth. There is no way to explain the instant love that a parent feels for their child or the new understanding that we have for the concept of God adopting us and loving us as His own. It is truly a miracle and I am so thankful that we have been given the opportunity to be part of it. We have been blessed beyond measure with three beautiful children. Each of them entrusted to us by God and it is our prayer that we will be the parents that He would have us to be.
Good night from Guangzhou!
