Sunday, July 17, 2011

We have safely landed!

  We left Fort Myers at 9:15am for the airport and took off at 11:30am.  We flew from Ft. Myers to Detroit had a couple hours layover and then took off on our 14 hour flight to Shanghai, China.  I was able to ask in Detroit for a Bulk head seat and it was available so we were able to have extra  leg room on our long flight. 

The girls did great!  After a while I was encouraging them to sleep and Sarah kept looking out saying, “but it is not night time.  It never was night time for us on the flight.  The girls were able to sleep awhile so that was great!  Mom and Dad not so much as Anna was laying in our lap and she is a wiggle worm!  I was walking around and looked out the window and saw beautiful snow capped mountains; I asked where we were as we were almost over Siberia!  Wow that sounds familiar as about 6.5 years ago to bring Sarah home.  We probably went over Kazakhstan too.  When we landed in Shanghai the customs was very seamless and then we had a four hours layover.  It was very interesting being in deep China.  Sue had told me the people would be very interested in seeing and touching Sarah and Anna, she was right.  We felt like celebrities.  Several ladies reached out to hold the girls hands.  We felt very welcomed and the people were very inviting. 

While we were waiting in Shanghai the girls found two sisters and a little boy (who was very funny) to play with.  It is very surprising how many people speak some English.  Even the little 11 year old girl had very good English.  They are very proud of this.

Our hotel is nice on the inside, much like a Marriott.  We were glad to see the breakfast buffet this morning.  Matt and Sarah tried the noodle in broth, it was a big hit!! Anna and Mommy stuck to American cuisine.  They must have thought we were starved because we put away quite a bit of food.  It was rainy today so we took advantage of our day of rest.  The pollution is very bad and we have been told that Nanjing is one city in China where you can sometime see blue skies now and then-not today.  I can’t imagine not seeing blue skies.  There is a very tall tower, looks like the space needle, right outside the window of our hotel.  The pollution is so bad we have only been able to see it all a few times today.   Everyone here must have vit. D defiency, good I brought our Vit. D supplement.

Everyone took a nap today, a much needed nap I must say.  Matt has the DVD player hooked up to the TV so the girls have been enjoying watching new videos.  I also brought a blow-up beach ball and we had fun playing ball.  I filled each of the girl’s backpacks with new toys and all has been a hit.  Especially Sarah’s Polly Pockets.  Thank you to the Perez family for Anna’s Dora little backpack!!!  It has travel to China with us and she is very attached to it!  You all really showered her for her birthday along with Sonia and our families, thank you everyone for making her day special. 

Tomorrow is GOTCHA DAY!   We are a little nervous.  Samantha will have a long and busy morning as they have said she will have to leave on the train from her city around 6:00am.  They said she may not have eaten so I should bring food.  I have a list of questions that they will answer for us.  When I asked Sarah what else I should ask she said, “ask if she bites and kicks” I hope the answer is no!  We should arrive at the civil affairs office after breakfast and a few morning errands and then they will bring her to us.  Should be interesting to say the least!  Please continue to keep us in your prayers.  We should meet her at 10:00am Monday morning which will be 10:00pm Sunday night in the US.

Love to All, Matt, Shari, Sarah and Anna