Some tid-bits

Ian and I laughed last night said that we're pretty much to the point in the trip where it seems like all we do is eat and sleep.  I'm so amazingly disoriented with what day it is, both here and back home.  It also is confusing because I can't access Fireworks and Fireflies directly, so I don't have a good way to go back and see what I've covered ~ or add details as I think about them.  I've thanked her privately, but I do have to give my friend Glenda a huge shout out for posting so much for me.  When she volunteered (as did several other friends, and I thank all of you for having been willing) I think she had no idea how many times I'd be sending her a message...

Anyway, a few small things that I've forgotten to cover that have been fun bonus things on the trip.  Not last night, but the night before (I think that was Friday...) we had a group dinner at a Malaysian restaurant very near our hotel.  Not only did we have some fabulous food, but we also got to meet both Kelly and Angela of Ladybugs 'N Love!  Kelly was here adopting a beautiful girl who turns 14 today, and Angela was with her to translate and help her out.  Both were delightful and Angela even remembered Darcy!  When I told her that I had contacted her in August to get an update she remembered her Chinese name and her orphanage!  It is so obvious that she LOVES what she does.  And on top of that, we got to meet a couple (and I'm embarrassed to say that right now I can't recall their names) who live at New Day Foster home.  We found out that a month long (or even summer long) trip when the kids get a little older to volunteer would be welcomed.  What a great dinner!

Then yesterday when we went back to have Darcy's TB test read at the medical clinic, we ran into this familiar face.

 

Rosa (one of our guides from Caleb's trip) with the kids and I.  

America World has a group of folks here right now and Maggie and Rosa were with them at the medical clinic.  It was so nice to see them again.  They gently scolded us for not sending pictures of Caleb and asked us to do so this time!  By the way, Darcy's test got a score of a zero!  There was no redness or swelling at all.  Praise God for that one.  I guess this is one of the only times you want your child to majorly fail a test...

Yesterday when we were shopping at Jessco we decided to stock back up on some noodles for quick meals in the room.  The sheer volume of selection is slightly daunting.  QingYou (I'm learning how to pronounce it better, more like "Chi-yo" ~ we're still using her Chinese name but are now adding Darcy to the end of it.  She actually calls herself "Chi-yo Darcy" and her little voice is so darn cute!) and I are trying to select some out of the kiddie section (with princesses and mickey and winnie the pooh).  This picture shows about 1/4 of the aisle, and that was just the side with the noodles in the cups ~ necessary for eating in our room.  The other side was the side with the ones wrapped in plastic.  Crazy!

  

How do you pick when there is no English labeling?  You want pink princesses or yellow princesses?
 

And we also spent some time in our hotel garden the same night we had the Malay dinner.  I'd say that the kids were amazed at our waterfall, but that would be leaving out that Ian and I thought it was pretty cool too.  I think I got some better pictures this morning, but I don't have time to try to view them via thumbnails and then enlarging each one individually right now. 

Our bridge over the coi pond ~ and some pretty darn cute kids!

And on the adjustment side.  Darcy is doing amazingly well.  My biggest issue with her right now continues to be curbing her independence just a bit.  She wants to do everything herself.  The thing is that she really does so much well and it is really hard to keep in mind that she is only two.  But we are making progress, last night she actually relaxed and let me hold her sippy cup as I held her like a baby and gave her a cup of formula.  She's a doll and I can't wait for friends and family at home to meet her in person!