Thursday, September
20, 2007
WHAT DAY IS IT?
Well, she's still amazing. But after Multiple Major
Meltdown, momma needs a break and is spending that time in the
most peaceful of activities: bathing Nola. Nothing calms that
kid like time in the warm tub playing with bubbles and bath
beads. So in her absence, this update is from Darling Husband.
Our work here in GuiYang is essentially finished, so we took the
free-time opportunity today to take a road trip to the
Huangguoshu Falls. It's about an hour and a half drive from the
city through cornfields, rice paddies, limestone mountains,
ancient hillside gravesites, and water buffalo plowing rice
fields.
Upon arrival at the Huangguoshu site, we found ourselves in the
midst of a wonderful bonsai garden with over 1000 examples laid
out among bamboo, huge chunks of limestone, choi-filled lilly
ponds and pagodas. A walk of about an hour through the forest
led us to the base of the falls, churning out waves of mist
pushed uphill to recondense on the hillside opposite and create
streams trickling down the hillside. The climb up toward the
waterfall led to a cave running behind the falls, giving us a
close up of the falls as a water curtain. Pretty cool for a trip
with "no sight seeing"!
Remarkably, Nola slept through this entire walk. This was the
first day she spent in the Ergo baby carrier strapped to Momma's
side and she took to it quite well. She was even receptive
enough to be convinced to leave the sun-bonnet on her head,
which she really needed in the summer sun.
Last night was a big one for dad, as Nola finally slept next to
her father. It wasn't without her usual internal fight against
such closeness, the one that wrenches our hearts to watch. But
up until this point this was always reserved for mom. Now dad is
allowed a little closer.
On the car ride home from the falls, she also allowed herself to
be set in daddy's lap. This hasn't happened since day one, right
after her foster parents pushed her into my arms for the last
time, turned around, and left for good. Her sleeping against my
chest on the bumpy ride home is a huge concession on her part
and is so exciting to see her progressing toward acceptance of
us.
At the end of our day we said goodbye to our wonderful guide
Michael. He has guided us every day so far so that our journey
could be about Nola and not deciphering menus or street signs.
Thanks Micheal!
I decided this evening that we're too cool for room service. I'd
go to the local restaurant and order some take out to bring back
to the room for dinner. An excellent plan, and one executed to
perfection, except that none of the food was edible by anyone
(except me) due to the amount of chilis involved. Next stop,
room service. Just an hour or two too late. Oops.
Well, bathtime has done it's job. Nola is calm. Time for some
stacking cups until we can't keep our eyelids open. Tomorrow
we'll receive Nola's passport, and in the evening we fly to
Guangzhou where we'll stay for a week to take care of the rest
of the formalities: doctors checkup, and Nola's visa for entry
to the U.S. |
Drive to Huangguoshu Falls
Nola in the bamboo
Bonsai garden
Huangguoshu Falls
Family at the falls |
