Our Final (Full) Day in China!!!

 

Now that's what I'm talking about!! This boy has all his papers and is ready for travel..
It's a bitter sweet day for all of us.
We have waited anxiously to get the word we can come home with Luke but as we walked the streets of China on our last day we all felt mixed emotions.
Who knows if the Lord will ever set our path hear again.
We have enjoyed most of our days in China and will miss it..
But,,,It will be a good miss I think.

So the last of our worries was the consulate computers getting locked up and not being able to issue visas,
and the typhoon that was supposed to hit Hong Kong.
You guys prayed us through both.
(sounds like you got the typhoon back in Ky.)

We made one last run to the park today.
We all had a lot of nervous energy while sitting around waiting for Lukes visa.
 It didn't show up till about 4:30

We carved Elizabeths initials in a tree here so she is rooted forever in China.
She tells us that it doesn't matter if we ever come back here again because when she gets married this it where she wants to get her kids:)
Of course so much can change in the years ahead for her. (but I love her heart!)

 

This was the place we had our final meal in China. a Local hole in the wall that we were originally afraid to try but ended up going back again and again.
Best fried rice we ever had, and dumplins and chicken and Chinese hamburgers and oops,,,we tried squid there too. but that was an accident...
The first time we ate there we ordered almost twice as much as we needed but that's what happens when you can only point and make hand gestures....but even then it only cost us all around $10 to eat and drink...
Hmmm,,maybe that's why dad liked it so much :)

So for those of you keeping up, We are supposed to be up at 5 ready for a 3 hour ride to Hong Kong.
Make it through customs, then around a 15 hour flight (a little over) to Chicago (fly out around 11:30 am here on Saturday, Then arrive in Chicago around 2:30pm Saturday....(We gain 13 hours coming home)

Everybody wanted to do the blog tonight but I had to tell the kids they have to wait till we get home...
We need to be in bed early So those of you that want to hear from them again will have to tune in and hear about life at home with there little brother....

Thank you again so much for all the prayers that were sent on the Dunnings behalf.
We feel so unworthy to have friends like you that we can call on in our time of need to lift us up to the Creator of all things.
Without it I don't believe things could have ever went so smoothly ...

We love you all dearly and can't wait to see each and every one of you....
Love ,,,Luke, Hannah, Elizabeth, Andrew, Holly , and Sam
THE DUNNINGS
 

The Consolate and the zoo....Andrews day to blog

Today we visited the CONSULATE it took forever.........

kidding, kidding it only took about 40 minutes because we were first in line

WE WERE LUCKY!

 

 

Well after that we had some fun and

WE WENT TO THE ZOO !!!

We saw...

SOME MONKEYS!!!

                                                                           

A CHINESE BEAR AND A GRIZZLY

A FEW KIDS FISHING WITH THERE HANDS IN A POOL OF WATER

HIP! HIP! FOR THE HIPPOS
(and Baby)

HANNAH WITH A OWL THAT LOOKS LIKE HER
STUFFED OWL, OWLY, AT HOME

HANNAH IS WITH THE PANDAS
(P.S, THEY'RE NOT REAL)

BEHOLD THE REAL PANDAS
YOU CANT REALLY SEE THEM
THEY ARE INSIDE BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY REALLY
HOT
 

HANNAH  MUST  LIKE THEESE STATUES BEACAUSE
SHE IS LIKE IN EVERY PICTURE WITH A STATUE .
WELL THIS GIRLS NAME IS ADDIE. HANNAH MET HER
IN BEJING AND THEY HAVE BEEN FRIENDS EVER SINCE.
ADDIE HAS A 14 YEAR OLD BROTHER WHOS NAME IS CHRISTIN WHO I PLAYED BASKETBALL WITH.

MADDOX THEASE PICTURES ARE MAINLY FOR YOU!

WE ALL FED THE GIRAFFES EXCEPT MOM AND LUKE.
(P.S LUKE FELL ASLEEP)
ELIZABETH FED THEM.

I FED THEM

HANNAH WAS KINDA SCARED SO DAD HELPED HER

OK SO WHAT DO YOU CALL IT WHEN YOU TIE TWO GIRAFFES TOGETHER?
HA                 HA       
HA
   HA                  HA

A NECK TIE!!!!!

WE PETTED THEM

ELEPHANTS!!!!!



A REAR VIEW

WE GOT BACKTO THE HOTEL
AND LUKE WAS SATISFIED
WITH A PLASTIC BOTTLE 

THE END!

No deep thoughts just a few pictures tonight, Enjoy

As I look back on the things we used to write here I feel a little guilty just barely giving updates and posting pictures  of our journey to get Luke. But back when we first started it was just Holly and me on an adventure. Now as a family of 6 (I can't believe it) it is harder to think deep thoughts much less write them down.

 

To bed early tonight, Up at the crack of dawn and heading for the US consulate...

 

We are so close to home we can almost taste it. (If a place can have a taste, and after living here for a few weeks I think it's safe to say it can)

So again a few pictures for your enjoyment...

 

Hannah enjoying some floor time with her little brother

Andrews highlight for the week,,,,a souvenir sword 

exploring another local park

amazed at all the huge goldfish

all these youngsters playing hacky sack...It seems like the older generations national pass time

going on a log ride

a ribbon tree

 

read the sign yourself

pat a cake with big brother

family photo on the stairs of our hotel

group photo of the people in our group

Luke in his silks

Andrew and I went exploring, got lost but found this cool 5 ram statue

Everybody needs a little phone time

more pictures of the star

The smolder

The end

Love you guys :)

To Market to Market to buy a .....

Just a quick update.

 I'm sure you guys are as bored with this trip as we are but we are almost to the end.

Only one more appointment for us and that is the big one with the US consulate.

They have had some major issues there in the last month with computer problems and delays. So if we could ask you to pray with us just a little longer.

We have enjoyed our trip here but certainly don't want to be delayed.

So, US consulate Thursday, Receive Lukes Visa Friday (we pray) and fly home Saturday...

We can hardly wait. 

 

There is a lot of downtime between appointments this week. So while waiting, there is a tradition among adoptive families to go to the pearl market here in Guangzhou.

We didn't make that trip when we were here to get Hannah back in 2011 and regretted it ever since.

Today we rectified that and I have to say enjoyed it. I Think Holly might have been surprised that I was actually willing to spend money there.

But hey, what's life without a little adventure:)

 

 

You see bags and bags of pearls in the background.
Not the prettiest way to display them but whatever it takes to get a deal I always say :)

It did concern me a little at how excited the lady was that we bought the pearls from.
She even wanted to have her picture taken with us.
Probably having a good laugh with her friends this evening.
Oh well, all my girls are happy so what do I care.

Just some big metal sculptures out in the square.
Had to get Elizabeths picture with the big rooster.

These 2 pictures are pretty much for Uncle Derek. Thought he would enjoy the minions in Mcdonalds
and seeing the Mcdonalds delivery guy again.
It is so close to our hotel that we won't be using him this time.

Andrew, Elizabeth, and I went out exploring the streets during nap time today. Probably can't see very well but we were deep in the streets of the city.

Luke, sitting at the famous Lucys restaurant.

Here you can finally see a little of his cleft issue.
His lip hides it most of the time.

And this guy was painting Lukes name in Chinese for us (We think:)

We hear there is major flooding at home. As I recall there was also flooding in 2011 When we got Hannah and when we were in Kazakhstan on 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit.
I plan on giving you guys a break in the major weather events and calling our family complete.....
(For Now)