Home at Last

We are happy to be home, after a trip of about 30 hours. Our luggage got sidelined in Chicago, but caught up to us about an hour ago. We are busy unpacking and doing laundry. Lacey became an American citizen as soon as she got off the plane in Chicago. We got home around 11 p.m. Last night, we were out on the swing set at midnight. The girls went to sleep around 1 a.m. but were up at 4:30 a.m. It will take us all several days to adjust to the time difference.


Now that we’re home, I can access the blog myself! Thanks for all the warm comments. Thanks also to the people who emailed me about the blog. It’s been fun sharing news this way and we’ll probably update it periodically to share family news. Thanks especially to my sister, Susan, for helping us with the updates.

Cassie and I came up with some “Top 10 Lists” that we have to share.



The Top 10 Things We’ll Miss About China

Our facilitator, Shiyan , and the American families who traveled with us;

The friendly Chinese people;

The cheap and efficient laundry service;

Not having to wash dishes;

Swimming pools right outside our door;

The doorman at the White Swan who held the door with a smile, no matter how many times we entered and exited the building each day;

1001 miscellaneous shops, each one about 12 by 20 feet;

The beautiful parks and landscaping;

The variety of interesting statues; and

Lucy’s Restaurant.





The Top 10 Things We Won’t Miss About China


The smell of China in the morning;

The undersized, extra hard beds;

The pushy salespeople;

Ancient Chinese men wearing Speedos, and men who combat the heat by rolling up their shirts and letting their bellies hang out;

The semi-toxic drinking water;

The endless dining out;

The masses of screaming, sweating, pushing people, especially in elevators;

The endless bus rides;

The babies without diapers; and

Not being able to use ice in our drinks.

The children adopted from Shanghai

American girls

Lacey's first glimps of her bedroom