We are finally to the end of this long, long trip!

I can’t wait to see our kids, but I can see how good this has been for Eyann to have Keith and I to herself during this time of so many goodbyes and changes.  She has been held and carried more in this week than probably all four of our other kids have ever been carried in their lifetime.  And she is not “fine”, but she is finally coming out of that sadness that consumed most of her every moment.

Eyann spent LOTS of time tonight showing us her Kung Fu moves.  She took turns wooping Keith and I and cracking up when we were “hurt”.  Zeke and Baz, I know you have been learning Tai Kwan Do, but be warned.  She might have been taught by a Kung Fu master.  Her moves are unmistakably good.  (She thinks so anyway….)

We feel like we’ve finally figured out how to trek through China, and now it is almost time to go home.  The guides tend to take you to places that the “American families will love”.  We figured out that usually means expensive.  With time, we found the shops that weren’t for tourists and we finally found a side-street, back-alley, family-run restaurant that we’ve been to twice now and that we wish we had found earlier.  I think it cost us $5 for the three of us to eat there, as opposed to the $20-30 we have been spending on each meal.   And their food is the best we’ve found so far.  We are never sure what we are ordering, exactly, because the words are not in English (unlike the touristy places), but they have all the meals pictured on their wall, and we point at them, hoping that what looks like chicken really is.  I guess if it is anything else, it still tastes good enough for us to hope to make it back there for lunch before we leave. 

Tomorrow, we take a train to Hong Kong.  The next morning,  we get on the plane at 1130 am, and we arrive in Chicago at 1130 am the same day. We will drive from Chicago to Grand Rapids, and Eyann will finally be able to meet her family; all of whose names we practiced tonight.  She has tried to memorize all of her brothers’ names, but she does not call September by her name.  She will only call her Mei Mei (May May), which is sister in Chinese.  I guess September is too hard to say, or else she is just really excited to have a new big sister. 

Can’t wait to get home!  This will probably be the last update until then.  We’ve got lots of traveling to do!  If you think of it, throw up a quick prayer for our plan ride home.  That’s a LONG 14 hours to be quiet and still for me; much less a five year old!  We might BOTH be crying for our mamas by the end of that flight!