did you miss us? 9/1 & 9/2 update (we'll post more pix in a little while)

We needed to get out of Changsha to maintain our sanity, so on Saturday our guide Peter took us to the countryside, a little under an hour from the city. It was really cool, we saw the rice paddies and farms, and then we stopped at a farm where people come for lunch. It was a little early for lunch, plus when Tracey saw the farmer carrying a live chicken to the back, lunch there was no longer an option. They had 2 dogs which Mia enjoyed seeing as well as a chicken which was still enjoying life. We sat and had tea with the farmer and 2 policeman who came for lunch. They thanked us for adopting Mia and taking her to a new life.

So that was our last day in Changsha. For the Northerners reading this, picture the amount of traffic and people in NY City and multiply by about 100 - Charlotte multiply by at least 1000. There is no quiet area in the city.

On Sunday we got to the airport about 9am for Mia's first plane ride. She did great (and so did her Mom). We kept her entertained with Post-It Notes and some of her little stuffed animals. We were hoping to get to cut the line and get on first, but that is not Chinese practice - they didn't give a hoot that we were toting a baby and 3 carry-ons.

We arrived in Guangzhou around 11am and our guide and driver had us sit for a while waiting for the other family who we had met in Beijing to arrive on their flight. Abbey, Sean, and Jin-Jin are in a couple of pictures. Jin-Jin is 8 and has been living with a foster family.

Guangzhou is very nice. It is quieter and more touristy. We'll tell you more about it with our next post.

Today we do some official stuff - Mia's physical included. Then some touring.

Speak to y'all soon.

Mia, Tracey and Eric