Chimelong Safari Park!

Today was a day we've been waiting on forever (the kids anyway). This Safari park is like a zoo on steroids - like something produced by Disney.

We had a fantastic time, yet it was so so exhausting because we are all running on fumes. Evie, you sat well in the stroller again! They made us throw away our mandarin oranges and bananas we packed for lunch! That was awful to do.. the food there is very expensive and not good food at all!!!! You like stuffed animals more than life.. the only problem with this park is that after each exhibit, you have to strategically walk through a small gift shop filled to the brim with hats (your other favorite) and stuffed items! You had a meltdown that we wouldn't buy a panda, flat-billed baseball type cap.. (what a sight on you!). You cried alligator tears and threw down for a few moments.. we got you together and kept touring... then we noticed the backpack was gone of yours. I panicked. I went back alone and didn't realize it, but it was probably 1/2 mile back and then I had to catch up - Blisters from my stupid boots! Last time we were here, we all took our adopted kids through the Dino exhibition. It was a big fail.... 5 kids that we had adopted that we couldn't communicate with to tell them they were no real! These creatures are lifelike, noisy and move! At one point there is one that spits water.. the kids this time LOVED it.. even you! Last time was a disaster.. we all ran out with screaming kids. You have to go through a dark cave with a MASSIVE T-Rex that roars unbelievably and then at the end spits a stream of mist. You loved it. How? Anna and I were terrified! You just go with the flow! The mist shocked you and you jumped out of your skin, but you liked it and laughed and laughed afterwards. We got lots of stares today as usual.. but I'm sure we stare just as much lol. We rode the trolley through the safari part and it was so relaxing and fun. We met elephants that waved when you said "hello" and we fed them bananas. We fed giraffes and we watched koi eat from a bottle! This is such a cool place to go! We left utterly exhausted and you even fell asleep sitting up. Will you stay with me forever please, Evie Li? I can't bear the thought of you all growing up and moving away... some days I can, but not today. Each day is so special. I am exhausted and probably very snappy.. I apologize a lot.. and you all always give me grace.. thank you, sweethearts. You were very overwhelmed today. It broke my heart and my mind went wandering on what your life may look like. Then, when we get to the room you started fake sneezing to get me to laugh. It totally worked. I did NOT see that coming. So I fake sneezed and you stuck your pointer finger under my nose! You're so smart!

We got back to the room and Baba took Anna and Ezra to eat Oggie's pizza and they brought you, me and eli back some. That was some DELICIOUS pizza! Wow!

We also got your visa today! Cutest little visa ever with your big, black eyes! You will be home very soon!!!!

The child outside of your natural environment isn't really "you". You are the one that snuggles deeply and rolls to your left side when you're ready to sleep. You're the child that lightly strokes my face as to say "I can't believe you finally came." You're the one that smiles from ear to ear when I tell you "wo ai ni". You're the one who gives me the look of "you have no idea what you're in for" when you are about to run away! You're the one who reaches to hold my hand.

You're not the one one who is in your own world in an overwhelming environment. You're not the one that shakes your head left to right as you try to walk straight. You're not the one who grunts and cries when you can't have your way. You're not the one who pulls us and collapses to the ground.

Two very different children are wrapped up inside of you right now. This will change. Your world in the country will settle. You will get to feel all the grass you want, get to pick up as many leaves as you can muster.. you'll get to smell as many flowers as your heart desires. You will not be locked behind four walls any longer. No more neglect. No more lonely. "God sets the lonely in families" is now the most powerful verse that makes me not cry, but sob.. because I've seen it. And I've seen other lonely that He will hopefully place with families. Children that are begging for a mom and dad to call their own. I've seen the big, sad eyes and the ravaging of my person because they've not had enough interactions. I've seen lonely and it isn't pretty, but His story always is beautiful. And I trust Him.. but I have to remember that I am His hands and feet. If not me then who?

Thank God for His story, Evie.

Mama