A walk in the Park

Once we left the Adoption Affairs office, we headed to the Carrefoure to get a few supplies.  Course we didn't realize we would be shopping so were a bit short on cash.  But we got a few of Guohua's favorite foods, picked up a jacket for her and I hit a bonanza on books that she will be able to read (and share with you GuoYuan!).  

Once at the hotel, we walked around the downtown area.  There are a hundred people selling things on the side of the street making for a colorful tapestry as you walk along.  The traffic here is just as I remember it in Beijing 6 years ago - crazy as bicycles, cars and pedestrians vie for the right of way.  We stopped along the way for lunch (do you know how handy it is to have a son and a daughter who speak Chinese?)  It was delicious and cost just a couple of dollars a piece.  We continued on and went into the Children's Park.  It is a mixture of an old amusement park and walking area. Not very crowded - you just pay as you go.  The girls were laughing on the merry go round and the octopus and swings.  But it was the bumper cars where we were all just laughing and couldn't stop.  We walked by many groups of older men playing cards or go and then the two girls were hanging on parallel bars and flipping around.  Anna was really good - Guohua was trying to keep up climbing up on them too.

By the time we got home, we were seeing lots of smiles.  Anna is in little sister heaven - she just plops in Guohua's lap and hugs her telling her that she loves her.  The two of them were playing hide and seek in the hotel room and tackling and tickling.  Guohua mixed us up dinner (some type of Ramen noodles in a bowl we got at the store) and seems to be doing well.  It is just so amazing to take the first steps into family.  I'll put up a few of these pictures if I can convince Eric he can part with his intellectual property!