IN CHINA - DAY 2, adoptions similarities to pregnancy

My body finally relaxed enough and I slept for 4 1/2 hours straight and
woke up at 2:30am (China time). After an hour or so I was able to go
back to sleep. Mr. Incredible had the same sleeping trouble as well.
Our bodies were screaming it's 1:30 in the afternoon, GET UP lazybones!
After breakfast this morning, I came back to our room and Zumbaed while
Mr. I prepared for his business meetings. After 30 minutes I was
dying. Don't know if it's from the overall lack of sleep, lack of
exercise while traveling, that I had eaten recently or the air pollution.
Mr. Incredible still shows no signs illness. I joked with him that he's
just one hot daddy and the Chinese thermal scans just aren't used to
that. Still rejoicing that we are NOT in quarantine after our scare
yesterday.
When we landed yesterday, we got the news that Mr. T had a fever and was
coughing. The latest update is that he is holding his own with ups and
downs. I should have known this would happen, but still I am a little
nervous for T and my parents. The closest hospital is 40 miles away.
Fortunately I remembered to pack the nebulizer this time and so there
won't be round the clock trips to the EMS station- although the
gentlemen there were very friendly and helpful.
Mr. I and myself kept commenting on the way over how this all seems so
surreal. Yesterday, after our possible quarantine scare it hit me just
how this whole process is very similar to a pregnancy.
Ovulating- God planted the desire in our heart to expand our family
through adoption.
Conception- We acted on God's leading and began this whole process.
Gestation- Though not the normal 40 weeks (I think we are at week 97) as
our time has progressed we have gone through the ups and downs of
pregnancy-- the excitement, the reality check- "What if something goes
wrong and we lose the baby?", the realization -"We are having another
one?! (Especially after having been up with sick kids all night), "Is
this the right thing?", "We are having a GIRL!!!!!!", "Will the baby be
okay?", "How will God use this if the baby is not okay?", "I am tired of
waiting, will this baby ever be born?!", having some issue near the end
that threatens the baby-abruption like with Mr. T or as was on our
arrival a possible quarantine. Yesterday I looked down and even noticed
my feet and ankles had swollen :-). Talk about similarities!
Birth- Even after being "in labor" with Mr. Z for a month, that seems
like nothing compared to the event of packing for a family of seven
(including Elizabeth since she has 1/2 of Mr. I's and mine's suitcases
and a car seat), getting ready for international travel, driving the 9
hours to my parents, being awake for all but 5 1/2 hours of the 53 hours
from when we woke in B-ville to when we finally got to bed in S-zhen,
China. AND we still don't get her for another 72+ hours. Talk about
LABOR!!!!!!!!
With adopting Elizabeth we know she is not "okay" and we are OK with
that. We know God has a mighty plan for her life and we look forward to
being a part of it. It's still surreal that this going to happen. I
tear up every time I think of how far we've come.
Well, I am enjoying my lazy Friday in the hotel room while Mr. I is
somewhere out in the city doing business stuff. The picture is of the
view out of our hotel room in S-zhen. We are on the 14th floor.
There's water about 1/2 way up from the bottom and mountains on the
other side of the water. Hope you can make 'em out through the smog.
We are heading back to Guangzhou this afternoon and hope to do some
exploring. We think we might even be just a block away from the WS- our
group's hotel- had expected two+ blocks. We ended up in the V and are
already loving the free internet and MUCH cheaper price.
P.S. I have no idea how long this post will look since we are having to
use a bypass to post and cannot access directly. Also have not been
able to update FB, not sure if that is even a possibility.