Got a little later start than I usually do on tonight’s entry, but I made it. Our room is dark and Abbie is asleep. It took her some time but she made it to dreamland. More on that in a moment.

After yesterday’s post, I bet you’re wondering how our night went last night. Rest assured it was much better. I ended up taking lead on it, not so much because I would be better (who could be better than mom?), but rather because it would have a chance of jarring the messed up sleep routine into rhythm. Why not try something new, right? Anyway, it was easy last night, she was out like a light in my arms by the time her bottle was finished and only woke up once the whole night. Man, I’m a great dad :^) Well, it was a 1½ hour wakeup but it was the only one. So, all in all, she got a much better night’s rest, and so did we.

Tonight yields a slightly different story thus far as she wasn’t asleep after her bottle and fought hard going down. Maybe I’m not the all-star dad I thought I was :^) It took about 30 minutes but she’s resting peacefully now. She’s a funny girl who doesn’t respond the way Jackson did in similar situations. I know this is to be expected – I just need to remind myself to keep thinking and trying new things if my usual methods don’t prevail. Tonight, stroking her hair finally did the trick. It occurred to me that this is probably what happened at the orphanage as every other square inch of her body was covered with four or five layers of thick clothing – one could have rubbed her back through all that, but she wouldn’t have felt it unless she was the Princess from Princess and the Pea. Anyway, I’ll try stroking her hair again at her 4am wakeup (unfortunately I’m banking on this) and see if that’s the cure to what ails us. Probably just got lucky though.

In the midst of the bedtime routine – Abbie’s crying, the crying next door, the distance between us and our loved ones – I felt sad. Don’t get me wrong, comforting Abbie is a good experience. It just struck me that both my kids were sleeping at the same time (Abbie just after sunset and Jackson just before sunrise) and how nice it would be to snuggle up by Jackson, with Abbie and Erin. Maybe we’ll have to do that when we get home! At any rate, I want us all together. I don’t ever want to be so far away from him for so long again. Pictures just don’t cut it. Videoconferencing just doesn’t cut it. Enough. Nearness will come soon. We’re now down to hours now, not days.

Which reminds me, we’ve been asked by some if it’s okay to meet us as the airport when we arrive home on Friday night (please God, get us home on time Friday night…out of Guangzhou on time…into LAX and through customs on time…and into PDX on Friday night…please). Of course, we would be honored. It has been so good knowing that you care for us and want to welcome us home. However, prayers aside, do check with Cindy before heading down to PDX to make sure that we are going to make our connection. We should know that by about 8pm Friday night (your time).

Nothing else much to write about tonight. The day came and went without any big appointments. However, if you’re reading this on Wednesday, we could use your prayers as our papers for Abbie’s visa and citizenship are being submitted to the US Consulate here in Guangzhou then. This is the second to last step and the last one remaining that leaves us with any possible hitches in this adoption process. In addition, please keep Shirley Vaughn in your prayers. We received a prayer request via email for her after she was in a pretty severe auto accident. She is going to be okay, but will healing up for a while. She is mother to Janel McCoy, Sharon Hocking, Karen Hawley, and Brenda Christensen. Janel, Sharon, and Karen are CRCCers. Thanks!

Okay, I’m signing off now. Abbie’s still asleep…must’ve done something right!!!

Shot of the day…Just Abbie being a cutiepie!

Okay…I’ll come on back!

Abbie in the playroom at the White Swan.

Another for Jackson…Just some more BIG fish that swim around in our hotel.

Just because: A water feature at our hotel.