The Wild Animal Park

We went to the Wild Animal Park today, or better known in the US at the zoo. I met a family staying at our hotel and we discussed going together. I'm so glad we did. I think it was very good to see another family like us. Kelly is a single mom adopting her son. She brought her mother and her youngest daughter too who also was adopted from China. Both the son and daughter are around 3. In the adoption world this is considered virtual twins. Many people do not plan this, but fall in love with a child on a waiting child list and ta da they have virtual twins. And I've digressed again. :-) We went with her guide since they had already planned for the trip and had a van. I think this was also good for Anna Lin. She needed a little distance from our guide, who is absolutely wonderful but AL has taken a serious liking to her and probably wishes Jane could take her home instead of us. :-) Jane looks like her and speaks her language, and has been with her throughout the whole ordeal. She even met AL before we did, so there's a connection.

Anyway, as I said today was good. It was hot too! But nothing I wasn't used to living in the South. Ric and I brought moisture wicking clothes. I'm glad we did. By the time we finished at the zoo my shirt was damp all over. It was a light weight cotton which was quite comfortable. But we were there for quite some time and it was hot, hot, hot. My shorts were truly moisture wicking and were fine. Anna Lin wore her new dress again, after sleeping in it too. It was soaked too. (You don't know how happy I was that she spilled her noodle broth on that dress in the hotel room later in the day. It gave me an excuse to give her a bath and put clothes on her. She now is wearing an outfit I brought, though she won't be able to wear it in a month if she continues to eat as well as she is now!) Well we got the stares again, but at least we weren't alone this time. I have to tell you that I totally understand the staring. Hey there are no other Caucasians around, then you see this Caucasian couple with an Asian girl and we get double the stares (with whisper maybe too). :-) It makes me long for our home where there is some diversity.

There were school kids there who wanted to practice English on us, along with some adults. One little girl with her mother said hello sheepishly after I passed her. Too cute. We met a Chinese American who lives in Atlanta and Kelly chatted with him a bit. (AL and I had to visit the potty (squatty potty!), so missed out on most of the conversation.) A group of adults came up to our families as we rested and gave us the thumbs up! I was watching earnestly as they approached. A man who was walking with a young couple had come really close to Anna Lin earlier saying something, and again when Ric was holding her. AL didn't seem to appreciate him and I personally didn't like the looks of his manner. I was talking with Sarah the guide when he came up the second time and told her about him. He's lucky he walked off because I was ready to send her over there to see what he was saying. Anyway, the group of older adults was very nice and gave us the thumbs up. They could tell our kids were 'different.' I saw her put her hand over her eye as she talked about AL. They told Sarah to tell us thank you for taking the kids into our families and taking care of them. It was very nice. AL seemed to be listening to the lady. She became real quiet and serious. However, when it was time to move on she did not hesitate to jump up demanding 'ba ba' carry her flashing a big smile.

As I said earlier, today was a good day for the most part. We saw the zoo, AL made a friend with Marion the other little girl. Of course they didn't start to connect a little until we had to leave, but hey it was something. We came back to the hotel, popped open the bowl of noodles (ramen style), then had the bath, and all was right in the world. ...Well until she decided to tear a part a pair of sunglasses we bought her and mom told her no. Then she tried to push it and mom took the glasses away. ...Well you can probably fill in the picture. Needless to say she had a fit and eventually got over it. Then we finally get her down for a nap, again all is right in the world...when housekeeping rings the doorbell and she wakes up. Oooooo! It wasn't pretty. She was mad. You know that "toddler nap time interruption mad!" Thank goodness I'm aware of that type of mad. I plopped her back in the bed and bounced away. (Again we have the Hello Kitty soothing music playing in the background thanks to the laptop!) Hallelujah! (sp?)

Oh that reminds me. Anna Lin is picking up English here and there. Today when we got back to the van, it was sooooo nice and air conditioned in it that I said, "Hallelujah!' when I sat down. Then Anna Lin said it. It was so cute. She understands "up" now and says it. She also has said "I Love You" repeating her Ling doll that says that when you push a heart on her leg. She says it in Mandarin and English. She's a bright kid! Both guides have said this also and that she has a lovely personality. We are very lucky. And boys...(meaning my guys: Zak, Spencer & Noah) she likes to burp and fart, and laugh about it. Now you know your father was not thrilled about this aspect and sincerely hopes you will not exploit this when she comes home! So you better not show her the fart song on the Internet!

Just had to add that for my guys. I miss you all terribly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And cried my eyes out last night when I had my little post adoption blues issue and missing home issues. Speaking of missing home. You're dad said he would die for a hamburger right now! :-) I wonder if we'll end up at McDonalds China soon? Ooooo! And your dad got an adventurous streak today. We needed some water and other drinks. So we went across the street with AL by ourselves to buy them. (Crossing the street is an adventure in itself!) The lady remembered us from the other day with our guide and just showed us the amount needed on the calculator. And ta da! We had bought something on our own outside of the hotel. Well that is enough adventure for one day.

-Angi
Again I am not responsible for any spelling oversights in this post. My editor is asleep, like the princess, and I'm enjoying the quiet way too much!