Inconsistent Ramblings

Happy Birthday Mom/Granny!!!!!
~~~~~~~~
April 8, 2005
We are still in Hangzhou for one more night. Today we went to the
Notary and received all the final key pieces of paper - the
abandonment decree, the adoption decree and birth certificates.
Slightly important papers.

For lunch we returned to the restaurant where we ate yesterday -
again very yummy. Then we visited a temple that was built over 1000
years ago by folks from India. It was amazing - there was one Buddha
(huge) carved from a single piece of camphor wood. Some of the
similarities to Christianity were interesting. TA was a movie star
again! Old ladies were taking off his hat and rubbing his hair.
they even pushed up his sleeve and rubbed his arm. He just laughed
and smiled.

I also got to talk with John Droste. He helped start the foster
system at Hangzhou Social Welfare Institute. He is from the USA, but
lives here now. He had some interesting stories to tell about the
orphanage and also shared some photos of TA when he was younger. I
will post those tonight.

It was a very warm day, but the hotel finally saw fit to turn on the
AC - tonight we will sleep with a comfortable temperature. Maybe the
bed won't seem so hard.

More tomorrow. We are all tired and ready to return to a normal
routine and a place where drivers aren't quite so crazy. One more
week. The girls and TA are all showing their fatigue with more
whining and eye rubbing. But they are all troopers.

love and hugs
C