Norma, Who Needs Toys?

Well, Patrick and Cindy are in Hong Kong right now getting ready to fly back to the US soon. They did their stint in the famous White Swan hotel. I had to smile at the pictures because they are just the quintessential first time parents, still measuring time in days. Like I have said before, it is one of the blessings of this job to see families being made. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy that.

I guess I never got it before, but you really don't need to buy toys for toddlers -- they get the biggest kick out of playing with a Vick's Vapor Rub Box and your cell phone. In less than a week and a half, Norma is already putting the phone to her ear and saying "Whey." (Chinese phone greeting meaning "hello." ). She loves her Daddy and you will see in the pictures that they have found the hospitality suite in our hotels.Yesterday our adoption was made official on the US side of things -- In Guangzhou we went to the American Consulate and there was this swearing in "ceremony" of sorts. We took a train today to Hong Kong. Pat was chuckling at the amount of luggage we have -- we never traveled with so much stuff! Be careful who you make fun of -- for the past 20 years Pat has called my brother and sister-in-law the "Wong Family" because of the luggage they bring when they come to visit... just one of the many bites of crow to come.The baby continues to lull us into this false sense of security -- she slept most of the way to Hong Kong and is sawing major logs as we speak tonight...today she officially called for her "da da." Pat has devised all kinds of games with her -- the pillow dropping game, the swing game, the climbing game, the elevator opening game, the escalator riding game... he is very clever and its amazing how she has blossomed after 10 days...xo, Cin

Life, Love and Laughter,

Amanda

Starfish Foster Home

Xian, China