Someday we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny.

I thinks some of you know where that line comes from, and it seems rather apropos as we sit in our hotel, ready to go home, but having to hang out here another week.

So good morning, New Jersey. April 3rd and we were off to take care of Ben's medical check-up in the morning and then assorted important document filling out and preparing in the afternoon. The check-up went quick and because he's under 2, he didn't need the TB test. A blessing.

After the visit, we decided to check out a park nearby. What a difference from Nanjing. The people we met were friendly, most smiled (mostly at Ben), and were over all pleasant. Given how many adopting couple come through here, the locals are used to it. There were a lot of folks out kicking around a shuttlecock (like as in badminton, but larger) much the way "kids" kick around the hacky-sack (is that even a noun?). I even got a kick in, which drew laughter from the older folk. It was wonderful to see many elderly people out, playing, doing Tai Chi and being a part of society. Of course, many pictures were taken.

Back at the hotel it was grilled chicken sandwiches from The Deli. Turns out there's a CD store between the hotel and the café, so I'll be stopping for a few CDs before I leave. Also, there's a men's clothing shop, so I may stop in there, as I saw some shirts I liked.

Can you believe there are places that do your laundry for you? These aren't laundry shops, but stores that must have washers in the back. So I brought all our dirty laundry over to a place called Michael's today and I pray it's not some astronomical amount like 1,000 Yuan (or RMB as they call their currency). To do the math, just multiply our dollar times seven, so that something that's 70 RMB is $10 US dollars. Makes life easy.

The afternoon was paperwork and planning for our little group of couples for the rest of our stay, including a group dinner tonight at La Dolce Vida, an excellent Italian restaurant owned by an Italian chef. I think we're going to the Guangzhou Zoo and Safari Park on Tuesday if the weather's good. Looking forward to seeing Ben see his first panda (there are 10 at the park).

Here we are, 11:23 pm. It's the same, only in the morning in the eastern US. Good mornin' to ya!

If anyone's looking for a good read in the science fiction/fantasy/urban fantasy genre, check out Simon Green's Nightside series. I just finished book 1, Something From The Nightside, and really liked it.

The view across the Pearl River is awesome, especially at night, when the neon's lit. Even the ferries have streaming neon lights.

So Ben's taken to tantrum's before falling asleep. Tonight's was around nine minutes before he fell asleep. It's a tough balance to know what's sadness over his transition, the uncertainty of waking up in a strange place, and just plain crankiness, fighting sleep. We try to figure it out, but it's not so easy. Is it best to let him cry it out? Comfort him with the potential to set a bad precedent? We play his quiet time CD that we sent to the orphanage, but it doesn't always work so well. Next we'll try Rush and see if that works. If not, there's always Dylan; he puts me to sleep.

He's a great kid otherwise, full of smiles and curiosity, eager to learn and play. I'm glad he's ours and I can't wait to come home to show him off to y'all. I'm somehow in full daddy-mode without trying very hard. I had no idea it would be this cool. Granted, there will be bad moments, but that's part of life. Easy to say now, when things are pretty calm!

In the meantime, it's time for bed. Tomorrow is church, lunch, and then the pearl and jade shopping expedition. If the price is right, I may be coming home with a small (tiny?) jade dragon. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Hope all is well with alla y'all. We'll talk to you and see ya soon!

Signing off from the White Swan Hotel, Guangzhou, China…
Gary . . .