... I landed in Beijing China with my friend Ronayne (Ruby's Auntie Nayne), and didn't know WHAT to expect. I just kept thinking to myself "holy shit, I'm seriously here, I'm IN CHINA!"
No more 'dreaming about it', no more 'talking about it', no more 'waiting for it' ,
WE WERE THERE!
I WAS THERE!
We were standing with the other 14 families that made up my travel group as we waited for the bus to come get us & take us to our hotel, and I just felt like I was in a dream & perhaps someone was going to wake me up any moment.
You guys think the 'wait' is long, trust me when I tell you that the TRAVEL feels longer than any wait you've ever had to endure. One plane, then another plane, then a layover, then another plane, then more waiting then another plane etc... it takes everything you can muster to get there without losing your mind, I promise you that.
And don't get me wrong, I was psyched to finally be there, but at that moment of touchdown, after 30+ hours of straight travel, all I wanted was a BED! It didn't matter what hotel, hell I'd have even curled up on a bed that a kind man on a street corner offered me to be perfectly honest with you, I was tired, I was spent, I was emotionally drained & it hadn't even truly begun yet.
For those of you who know me, you know that I
HATE!
TO!
FLY!
Now, those of you who don't know me personally also are privvy to this tidbit of personal info, I really REALLY would much rather take a road trip ANYWHERE than take a plane.
Since that wasn't possible with China, I did what I had to do... after all, I had this cute little chubby cheeked angel waiting for me, I was going regardless of HOW MANY planes I had to get my butt on, Ruby, Momma's coming baby!
We left Boston on wed nov 16th, arrived Beijing thurs nov 17th & toured for the 18th, 19th & then flew to Ruby's province the 20th.
When I tell you that like a BAZILLION things were packed into those two days leading up to going to Jiangxi... I am not over exaggerating!
We saw the great wall, the pearl place, the jade place, the clossionne place, tienamen square, the summer palace, the this, the that... etc, etc, etc...
I JUST WANTED MY BABY!
Oh, and what they tell you about the beds in china, oh it's true. Like sleeping on a big stone block with MAYBE one teenie feather under your tush... thankfully for me God has provided me with my own personal padding that travels well, so bring on the cement beds, made no difference to this Italian girl, I was comfy. LOL
We landed in Jiangxi and my first thought was,
"OMG, I'm going to see Ruby today, HOLY SHIT!"
We piled all 14 families onto another bus with our guide & headed to the hotel we were to stay at.
My first impression of my daughters birthplace was, that it was really polluted.
It made me sad.
I mean REALLY POLLUTED, as in the air quality was so bad that within an hour or so of being there, I lost my voice & sounded like a frog.
Hmmm, maybe that's why Ruby cried when we first were united, wouldn't you?
Some lady you don't know from adam picks you up & sounds like something out of a horror movie? Nice... it's ok baby, cry it out... once you get over my horrible voice you'll see that I am also the lady with the TOYS and the BEAR and the SILLY ANTICS that would eventually (45 minutes after meeting) bring you not only out of your shell shock but produce the most glorious smile I've ever seen.
I know that today isn't the 9month anniversary of the day Ruby & I met but more the day the journey began, but I am going to share a photo with you all that I simply love! And I'm sure I may have shared this already in the past on the blog but I'm sharing it again because it's the moment after Ruby she knew she could trust me, after she knew I was going to care for her & not harm her, after I had peeled off the thousand & one layers of clothing she had on her only to put on a sweet little yellow sweatsuit that her Nanna bought for her...
... it was her first moment with Bear and she held him lovingly as if to say,
"We both get new Momma's today pal, and I'm yours..."
She was still a little guarded, I know,
but she somehow just knew that everything was going to be ok.
The shirt underneath the yellow guy was the shirt she came to me wearing, it was the bottom most layer of clothing and it was such a traumatic event taking all the other layers off her, that once I reached the shirt, I let it be & just put on her sweatsuit.
She's holding one of those 'sassy self feeder' spoons and a little ball that I bought for her.
She now uses the spoons to feed herself & never drops a bite!
The ball she still plays with but mostly the twins now enjoy it because of it's holes & ease in grabbing & holding on, even for small hands.
And we all know the love affair that happened between my daughter & that Bear of hers.
Those two are NEVER APART!
Just like her & I... it's a good fit.
It just works.
And I'm happy to announce that we're ALL IN LOVE!
Man that's a good feeling...
*smiling*