good-bye and hello

The flooding in the streets of Shamian Island receded this afternoon (but there was much clean-up going on and several shop floors were flooded). We left for the American Embassy in Guangzhou in pouring rain. That too stopped by the time we arrived at the Embassy. All of our business there was completed in a very timely manner and we were finished and back in our hotel only minutes after 5 p.m.!! Lauren has her visa now and we are packed up. We will check-out of the White Swan Hotel before 5 a.m. and head for the airport to go home in the States.

We will pack up this computer until we get home. . . .

***

Good-bye, China.

A piece of my heart will remain here . . . because this is where our beautiful, precious daughter is from. I've enjoyed meeting people in this country and enjoyed being able to communicate with most we've had contact with (either in English or via gestures, etc.). So many said Jin Lin was 'a lucky baby' . . . but the lucky ones are us! I will hold the memories close. I especially will remember the older men and women we passed in Changsha who gave us smiles and a big 'thumbs-up' when seeing Lauren.

Lauren will not remember this time - so we have to be her memory of this time, whenever she may wonder about it.

So many people loved / love her. God has blessed us through her little life already.

***

Oh, by the way, did you know that when a baby is teething it causes them to drool pools of saliva???! They also get diarrhea! Well, we figured it out today - at the American Embassy to be exact. Our flight home should be fun!