This and That...

My men watching some manly war movie.....

The Five Goat Statue, symbol of Guangzhou--I forget why! I believe they "watch" the city.

At the Gaungzhou Museum, Joshua LOVED the computer!

Russell the "Rockstar Dad" interviewed by the lovely college students about the "unique" English translations of Chinese signage!

Oh, yeah! Cannons are COOL!

Joshua makes a call--Mary says he was asking about where his Baba (daddy) was!

Well, as I was putting the pictures on the blog, my computer "phone" rang and we had a nice, unexpected chat with everybody at home! Isn't tehnology awesome when it works--or you know how to work it may be more appropriate in my case! :>) Anyway, there is some good that comes from waking at 4:00 in the morning! It is SO good to know that all is well at home and we have no concerns about what is going on there!

I ran out of steam and the blog was getting kind of long yesterday before I could finish up about our trip to Shenzhen, and the SWI, so thought I would finish it up today, as yesterday we just visited a park and Mary and I did some shopping--well, I shopped, Mary translated and led the way!!! She is just the nicest person--it really is like being here with a good friend. I so appreciate all that she does for us. I know that many families do not have guides like we do. In fact, my observation both here in person and on the various discussion boards, is that many are kind of left on their own outside of the "official" business of the trip and I can't imagine not having somebody to show us the ropes, fill us in on local customs, and most importantly, help Joshua understand what is going on. What she does outside of the official stuff is HUGE to our experience here and making it a positive one in our sons' birth country, and we will always treasure our time here in China because of Mary...

Back to Friday... and I just deleted the rest of what I wrote because the thought occured to me that some of the things I wrote may inadvertantly harm Judene's ministry if read by others than intended. We have such a western mindset, that we forget others do not enjoy the same freedoms we do..... She provides a wonderful service to the children, shared both some very good and some very sad news, and we were glad to meet her and learn about what she does. I would love to share more later--and I am sure that Iwill!

About the factories that I had mentioned yesterday--probably falls in similar category, so I will tread lightly... You all know that Wal-Mart is one of MY favorite shopping places--big family, low prices, all that!!! But to actually drive by and see the factories and dorms that the workers live in who actually produce some of those things is sobering. The worst things you may have seen on news reports, etc.--true, over, and over and over again.... The local newspaper reported yesterday that the workers in WalMarts in Shenzhen (where Joshua is from) just negotiated a 9% raise to $147 per MONTH. It also reported parents who were crippled or whose (1) child was crippled in the earthquake would be allowed to have one more child to provide for their old age.... It is a very different world here..........

When we are out and about, we get LOTS of stares--the Chinese are not shy about showing their feelings, that is for sure!!! :>) :>) As we came down out of the museum yesterday, there were probably 30 ladies sitting on picnic tables just openly staring at us--no attempts ot be subtle here!!! I told Mary that sometimes I feel like a circus sideshow here and she said just pretend like we're stars or something--Julia Roberts, you know!!! She said they don't bring the older adopted girls to large public places, as it is very upsetting to them to have the "attention", as seems it is not "positive energy" they are sending, although there are a few exceptions.... You know what I think when they are staring? I HOPE they are seeing the hands and feet of Christ--such as we are....It may frustrate them, anger them or just be a curiousity as to why anyone would want these kids that they consider "disposable", but I hope that no matter how they label it, they recognize the glory goes to a soveriegn God who sets these kids in families despite man's intentions.... How cool and humbling to play even the tiniest roll in that! :>) :>)

Joshua shares his brother's love of music, especially "elevator music", as he CONSTANTLY puts the T.V. on the hotel menu station which palys the SAME 1950ish song over and over and over!!!!! We got a DVD of CHinese kids songs, and he loves those--sings along, dances, etc., and also enjoyed the music at church today very much too, clapping along happily the whole time! (Sermon, not so much interest!) I had Mary ask him if he had ever been to church, and he said no, so another new experience for him.

We went to the same church we went to with Jeremy, the Shamian Christ Church, which is, as far as we know a state sponsored Christian church... They do a service in both Chinese and English, and I think something may be "lost in translation", but the sermon was about being a watchman for our brothers in Christ. (They have problems with Powerpoint too, by the way!) The church itself was small, but several hundred people packed in and standing outside; new linoleum floors since we were there last, (as opposed to plain cement); still the same ancient wooden pews packed together. Then they have time for testimonies and the end, and the gentleman had a rather lengthy story to share--too long for several of the members and Joshua as well, I'm afraid!

Tomorrow we are on a mission to find some things to entertain this boy for twenty-some hours on a plane and then we will take a cruise on the Pearl River. It looks and smells pretty, uh, intersting during the day, but we have seen pictures of the night cruise, which makes it look very nice. We shall see.

Had to give up on the mission to find teeny waisted pants to last the next two years for the boys, as 1) It is July in a tropical climate--duh, there are virtually NO pants to be found!!!!! and 2) The few we did find are the REALLY baggy kind, kind of gansta style, so not so suited for Freeburg, IL!!!! :>) :>) Guess I will have to break down and get out the sewing machine! :>) :>)

Calling it a night....... Take care!