Friday, May 16th

Friday, May 16th
Hi – it’s Crystal.
Our experiences with Madeline keep getting better and better every day. We have seen a huge change in her personality since Monday. She is no longer stoic and reserved. She is more relaxed and it is so much fun to watch her discover what is going on in the world. She is very tactile and loves anything with texture. I played with her on my lap this afternoon for at least 2 hours. Today, we were delighted as she smiled some more and as we were getting ready for bed she starting babbling and squealing with joy! It made us so happy that our little girl’s personality is starting to appear before our very eyes. She is so precious and we are treasuring every moment with her. We will see what tomorrow brings for her as it is her first birthday. We will go to the bakery next door and get her a small cupcake or something similar to that to celebrate the special occasion!
Jim is the concerned responsible parent. He is such an excellent care taker and loves Madeline so much. He is concerned if she is drinking enough formula; he does not want her to be dehydrated and wants to make sure everything is okay. It breaks his heart every time she cries. I think Madeline is doing just fine as each day passes she is drinking more, her cold symptoms are improving and my attitude is: “Well, this kid has been through a major life transition. If she is showing any signs or symptoms of failing to thrive we will just have the doctor make another house call.” Maddy already has daddy twisted around her finger.
Yesterday, as Jim posted earlier we had an excellent time at The Banyan Gardens. It was so beautiful. The foliage is so different than what we are used to seeing since we are in this subtropical region of the world. The air was cleaner than in downtown Guangzhou and it felt good to be outside for awhile. It was cooler being at a higher elevation and there was a slight breeze. I have thoroughly enjoyed site seeing and interacting with natives from the north and the south. The two parts of the country are so different. Language, food, attitudes, etc. I am so proud to say that our daughter is Cantonese.
Also, I had the best massage I have ever experienced. This massage therapist has worked here at the hotel for 25 years. She performed deep tissue work, along with acupressure and then the grand finale consisted of her massaging my back with her feet! Yes, she walked on my back. It was awesome! I think I might have to give her a go one more time before we leave for home. Her rate was so reasonable by American standards.
Today was a lovely day as Maddy and the two of us slept in this morning. We did not have to be anywhere and it was nice and relaxing. This afternoon we went The Chen Imperial Temple. The venue was absolutely gorgeous. In this part of China, they are well known for wood carvings instead of the ornate painting that one would see on buildings in the northern part of China. I was in awe of the workmanship at this place as it was so detailed oriented and elegant. I asked Joyce, our tour guide if it is still possible to order doors or windows with this style of carved wood. She said that there are some places that still do this type of trade. I think this is wonderful. Unfortunately, though, western influences have brought in high rise dwellings for natives to call home so this part of Chinese culture is fading. What a bummer. Also, Ivory carvings including fans were on display as well. Ivory carvings were done until 1989 in the south of China but it was banned for obvious reasons. Now, bone carving is the trade. I was fascinated by the craftsmanship that went into all of the different pieces. It was interesting speaking to Joyce about The Chen’s Family Temple as we talked about the Cultural Revolution and how many traditional venues were torn down all over China. It is so sad to think about how this part of Chinese culture was lost.
We decided it was time to go out on our own and enjoy some Cantonese food. We went to a highly recommended restaurant that was excellent. Jim was the only Caucasian American in the place. We had chicken and steamed vegetables. There were also many different types of delicacies displayed in the front of the restaurant fresh for dinner. Among the more exotic choices were sandworms, snake, turtles, toads and water beetles. I know these sound so appealing for those of you who watch Survivor.
We are very excited as Catherine is taking us to the restaurant that is featured in the latest version of The National Geographic Magazine - China on page 83 on Tuesday! We are going to try Crocodile! It is supposed to be very healthy for you and I say what I heck when will be able to have an opportunity to try this again? So why not just go for it and at least give it a try! I am interested to see how it will be prepared and most importantly what kind of taste and texture it will have. More updates to come regarding this new adventure!
I have been reading the newspaper and we have been watching television regarding news about the earthquake. The government is trying to keep the country’s morale up as everyday on the front page of The China Register there are stories about people who have been saved from the ruins of the earthquake. The nation has come together as an entire entity as many have donated money, time or supplies for those who are less fortunate. There are many orphans who are already being adopted by other families. Something that is very sad is that there are now parents who have lost their only child. Most families here have only one child due to the family planning policy enacted sometime in the early 1980’s. There were several schools full of hundreds of children that collapsed and the children were killed instantly. The pictures we have seen of the devastation are beyond anything I could ever imagine. In one city near the epicenter all of the buildings collapsed and only one building remains halfway standing. It is heartbreaking to us.
Tomorrow, we have a lot of official business to take care of for Madeline. We will have her visa photo taken, fill out all pertinent paperwork and have her medical examination. We may not see many smiles tomorrow after all of the above is done!