China Day 4: Travel to Guangzhou...

This morning we left the Shangri-La in a taxi bound for the train station.  The staff at the Shangri-La treated us like royalty our entire stay.  As soon as stepped off the elevator with 9 pieces of luggage, FOUR people came sprinting across the lobby to help us.  They looked completely SHOCKED that we would handle our luggage instead of call the bell boy.  They immediately took our luggage, waited for us to check out, loaded it into the taxi, told the driver exactly where to take us and sent us on our way with a smile on their face.  WOW!  America could learn a thing or two about hospitality from the Chinese.

Please note the fact that our three large suitcases would not completely fit into the trunk of the taxi.  Apparently it is perfectly acceptable to leave the trunk up and strap the luggage in with a bungee cord.  Thankfully all three weigh about a million pounds so they were safe... 

Once we arrived to Hung Hom train station we spotted a familiar site.  This is the McDonald's we grabbed dinner on the night before we came home with Mei Mei.  She had her very first cheeseburger and fries from THIS restaurant in the train station.  We've come a LOOOONNNNGGG way baby!!

Wild Man didn't think it would be right if he couldn't commemorate the occasion for her.  They even had Hello Kitty chicken nuggets.  Our girls would LOVE this...

And just in case Hello Kitty chicken nuggets isn't enough for my girls at age 6 and 4, perhaps some day they can have McDonald's cater their weddings...

After lunch with our friends, we headed off to catch the 12:14 train to Guangzhou...

Here are a few photos I snapped along the two hour ride.  They are not the greatest photos but I think they tell a story words can not describe...

We arrived around 2:30 pm and met our guide Elvin.  What a nice guy!  I think we're going to love him.  He checked us in to the Garden Hotel.  What an AMAZING hotel to spend the next ten nights! 

After this Momma bird built her nest, we ran out for a quick dinner with my friend Kim, her husband Carlos and their new daughter M.  It was so fun to finally meet her.  Amy C... we forgot to get a picture but I promise I will get one before Wednesday.  :) 

We are all settled in, the CRIB has been delivered and we talked to our girls at home.  Today is complete and we are ready for the big day tomorrow.  We meet Little Buddy on Monday afternoon at 2:30 pm (Monday morning 1:30 am at home).  This time tomorrow night there will be four of us sleeping in this room.  One of which, at THIS moment, is spending his last night as an orphan.  Tomorrow night he will officially be our beloved little buddy.  What a difference one day can make. 

I am filled with emotion tonight as I watch Sunday morning service at our home church on the other side of the world.  As I listened to our pastor say, "You are a person of God's choosing" I couldn't help but think of our new son.  You, Little Buddy, are a person of God's choosing.  I know He has an amazing plan for your life.  Tomorrow is a new beginning and I am honored to take a front row seat as your forever Mommy.

14 hours...but who's counting????