Asleep in their beds.....

At the end of a very long day, the title says it all!  Everyone is all tucked in their beds for what is hopefully a good nights sleep.

The day started early with everyone up just after 5:00 am local time.  The excitement of the travel to Nanning along with the excitement of the coming day had us all on edge, so there was just no sleeping!   Ann Marie spent the morning repacking our suitcases and organizing the donations we brought with us, I worked on some computer items and got the TV set up to play movies for the kids, and the kids.....well, they just did kid things!

After a couple of hours we broke out of the hotel for exploring the local area as much as we could in a steady torrential rain.  We got some breakfast at the KFC where Aiden and Savannah discovered an indoor play place and some special items on the KFC menu that we are sure are no where to be found in the United States!  After breakfast we shopped at the local Walmart (thanks Mr. Walton!), perused the local mall (where we found out that prices here are not what they used to be!) and then returned back to the hotel to prepare for Declan's arrival.

After a late lunch we were watching a movie when we received a call from Bob, our guide, stating that due to the rain Declan would be meeting us at our hotel rather then us traveling to meet him!  We were totally ecstatic and hurriedly prepared our paperwork and gifts for the meeting that was to take place in less than 30 minutes!  A flush of giddiness and anticipation came over each of us knowing that the time for Declan to join our family was near!

At a little after 3:00 we were in the lobby with Bob when we saw Declan and his attendants approaching though the lobby of the Marriott. Cute as a button in his red button down and trousers he cautiously approached us with that look of "Hey, I know these people", but also with a bit of apprehension. After a short meeting in the lobby, we all retreated to the 18th floor where our room is to complete the paperwork and continue the bonding process. Cookies were shared, books were surveyed and toys were played with....a fitting way to start a lifetime together.

When the formalities were over, the attendants left with only a few tears shed by Declan, at which time Declan, the rest of the family and Bob retreated to our room where the kids began a fast friendship over a Thomas movie and some playtime.  After an hour or so we left for dinner at a local Hunan resturant where we enjoyed a dinner of pork with peppers, beef and vegetables, sweet potato noodles, beef sauerkraut and buns, rice and drinks. A great meal on a special day and we really thank Bob for taking us on this culinary adventure! We also found out that there are many more restaurants on the streets behind the hotel!  Oh boy!

After dinner, another trip to Walmart for some necessities, we retired to the room bedtime.  All three kids were playing well, but the boys took it to another gear while Savannah was in the bath!  When it got to be a little too much, I had to invoke some quick Chinese language lessons and pulled out the phrase "ān jìng yí xià" which means Quiet down please. I knew it worked when Declan both quieted down and repeated it back to me several times! The kids were dressed and prepared for bed and all was going well, right until it was time to go to sleep. Declan's warm bubbly playful self turned to shy and reserved and all he was saying was "No" as we asked him to get into bed and we were replying "Yes", all in Chinese! This went on until he was finally coaxed into bed with a cell phone to play with and then we turned on a Thomas the Tank Engine movie as I laid down in bed with him. Suddenly this was not all that bad and in less than 15 minutes we had one fast asleep little boy!

Now we are all ready for a good nights sleep and another long day tomorrow as we complete all the paperwork!  Now the hard part begins.....the countdown until we bring out little boy home!  So tell everyone that the Kennedy's are one stronger as of today!  12 more days before we land at RDU! But who's counting..........

So until then.........

Mike (Do they have congee at KFC in Raleigh?), Ann Marie (I love Walmart in China!), Savannah (These don't look like Lo-Mien noodles!), Aiden (Why is he wearing my pajamas?) and Declan (wǒ xiǎng hé nǐ jiǎng zhōngwén!)

Thank goodness for housekeeping.....lets see how this looks tomorrow! 

Hey, do not take my fudge stripe cookies Mom!

You see, this is how you do level 74 in Cover Orange.... 

Just pop in a DVD and its instant control! 

Don't worry Bob, that replacement Seminole T-Shirt is in the mail!