late post-home safe and sound

Hi to all,
Sorry this post has been a long time coming. The jet lag has been horrendous. I finally feel today the fog is lifting. The time difference in China is 12 hours.
The girls and I got home after 22 1/2 hours of travelling. We made our connecting flight in Vancouver with 15 min to spare. Brian and Zhi flew home last saturday in the Beijing storm. The Beijing airport closed stranding 80,000 people. It was the heaviest rain in over 60 years. They were 3 hours late and we were glad they got home safe and sound. Here are a couple pictures of our first week at home:

We are slowly adjusting to a family of 5. Zhi loves his sisters, not sure about our cat Pickle Juice and is a crazy 4 year old boy. I think he has the 4 of us wrapped around his little finger!!

Bachelors in Beijing

Bachelors in Beijing
We awoke this morning to a call from our agency reporting that the Canadian Embassy system for issuing visas was down. Bottom line, Zhi was going nowhere. Changing all of our flights would cost way too much. So Zhi and Baba are bachelors in Beijing. As I post this, I am imagining my three girls flying over the Bering Strait. Send kind thoughts their way. As for us, we watched cartoons, ate candy and dined on Japanese cuisine with another late leaving family. Tomorrow we will buy some more toys. Hoping for a call tomorrow saying we have a green light, because we are booked for a Saturday flight, and I am getting sick of the breakfast Muzak playlist. I never want to hear kissed by a rose ever again.

home??? or not???

so we have had yet another change of plans. The embassy's computer system is down and they are unable to give Zhi a visa until Saturday. Due to a lot of factors we have decided Myself, Lia and Ami are flying home as planned and then Brian and Zhi will be home on Sat evening. It really really sucks to leave Zhi and Brian even for two day but thats life so we shall carry on.

we are coming home!!!

Yeah!! Zhi's passport is arriving or has arrived in Beijing this evening. The embasssy will have his visa ready by 1pm tomorrow so we will pick it up just in time on our way to the airport!! Yeah. Its been a great trip but a long one. Packing is almost done. Now we just need to keep any sugar away from Zhi as he seems to go crazy with any sugar. I can only take so much La La La La La singing from the top of his lungs funny boy. Cross your fingers for no vomit on tomorrows flights!!
 
Tricia and the gang

ready to come home!!

Today we had a day to ourselves. I am tired and ready to come home. We still do not have any word on Zhi's passport, sigh. Please send positive thoughts are way so we can come home on Thursday as planned. We are really to the last minute now.
 
We did some shopping at the Tianye market. The kids bought lots of toys. The kids had fun making funny faces for my camera while they were having lollipops. Not only did Zhi go swimming but he also had a shower AND a bath, all in one day. He loves the water, he is now super clean and in clean underwear AND clothes. For those of you who may not have visited China, bathing caps are mandatory in the pools!! A great day!!
 
Tricia and the gang

The Zoo

Hi to All,

Today we went to the zoo. The girls loved seeing the pandas again while Zhi slept in his stroller!! We are still without his passport and are waiting to see when it will be ready in Hangzhou and couriered to us in Beijing. Brian and I are getting really anxious. Zhi loves the camera and making funny faces. It keeps him busy during bus rides. 

Tricia and the gang

The Great Wall

Hi All,

Today we went to the Great Wall. It is always a favourite of mine. It was really really busy and HOT. We also visited the jade factory and had a great lunch.

Lia was having a bath tonight and was showing Zhi the shampoo (we still have not gotten him in the bath or shower). She said "Zhi, this is shampoo but not poo". It was great, he then said something to her in Mandarin. 

Operation underwear has been a success. Zhi was in new clothes today and then tonight when I was doing laundry in the bathroom he let me again wash his underwear. I then offered him a new pair and he put them on along with a pair of new pyjamas!! Yeah!!

Brian and Ami have taught Zhi a new word….bologna. He now goes around saying "hello bologna".  He has a great laugh. 

Tricia and the gang