Day 7 as a family and I got kisses tonight at dinner!  Maggie was on my lap playing and laughing when she leaned in a gave me a kiss.  Several times in fact.  It was so precious!  My love tank is FULL!!!!!  She kept doing it when I would pucker my lips and say give me a kiss.   I just love this little girl.

Today we met in the lobby of the White Swan Hotel with our travel group for the famous Red Couch Pictures.  The hotel has several red couches and all the adoption families have their pictures made with their children.  The adopted children are usually dressed in Chinese outfits and Maggie looked so pretty.

After pictures we went shopping to the pearl market and mall.  Can we just say that mom and I put a lot of money into the Chinese economy today!  We stopped for lunch at KFC and that was the nastiest thing I have ever tasted!  YUCK!  No white meat chicken anywhere to be found and we ended up having a chicken burger that was processed chicken with english peas in it.  Did I say YUCK???  The shopping area was a really fun place to be - there were many many people.  It was cool to see this part of China.

We came back and Maggie and I took a nap while Gran went to get a pedicure.  She really enjoyed the pedicure but the ride back to the hotel was a nightmare for her.  The lady at the salon got her a taxi and told the driver where to take her.  She told mom not to pay more than 30 yen for the taxi.  He took mom all over the city and through the rough parts taking as long as he could to get her to the hotel.  An hour and fifteen minutes later she arrived at the hotel with a charge of 40 yen.  She was so shaken when she got back.  I felt sorry for her.  I think it scared her a little to be out there being so vulnerable.  I hate that for her but she is good now!  That glass of wine at dinner helped!

Here are some pics from today.  We are going to the botanical garden tomorrow.  I hear that it is a beautiful place!  Thanks for reading and your comments are so appreciated.  By the way, many of you have asked about our return flight.  We are leaving China on the 18th at 9:50 pm and arriving in LAX at 5:30 pm.  We will be staying in LAX for the night and leaving the next day for Birmingham.  We will be arriving in Birmingham through ATL on the Saturday, Dec. 19th on Delta 1607 coming in at 9:44 pm.  We would love to see you guys at the airport if you can come!

Thanks for reading and love to you all!

Tricia and Maggie

  Left to right:  Jennifer and Piper; Tricia and Maggie; Katie and her daughters (new to our group); and April and Willow and Eliana.
  Maggie



  Willow, Piper and Maggie - all adopted on Dec. 7, 2009 from Guangdong Province.  Willow will be two on Wednesday, Piper is 13 months and Maggie is almost 22 months.


  Great picture of Gran and Maggie on the red couch.

  All families - Patrick and April Holm, Willow and Eliana; Tricia and Maggie; Jennifer and Dupree Bingham and Piper; and Tom and Katie Marabello (sp?)

  Jennifer and Dupree Bingham and Piper - they are from Charlotte, NC

  Maggie was not cooperating in this picture.  She wanted to watch the Christmas tree and waterfall instead of looking at the camera - well who could blame her they were pretty.

  Playing in the Swan Room at the hotel.  It is sponsored by Mattel and is filled with fun toys for the kids.  This was a zebra that bounced up and down and talked to you.  Maggie loved it.

  Gran and Maggie playing in the Swan Room


 


  Look at that smile!  My kisses!