LAST NIGHT IN NANCHANG

It is about 4:15 in the afternoon. Emma is sleeping and Erik is doing the paper work. I really didn't want to do it. It is supposed to be easier if the person that did all of the adoption paper work to do this final one today. I am the one that did all of it and I just didn't want to sit in a room for two hours. Plus, I think they would kick me out anyway for too much talking. So Erik said that he would do it. I can't imagine sitting there doing paper work for two hours.

Like I said Emma is sleeping and I decided to start packing. We leave tomorrow afternoon for Guangzhou. It is going to be hard to take Emma away from her birth place. All that we got to experience here has been an incredible journey. We have so much to share with Emma as she gets older. We have pictures, stories and so many memories that we will be able to tell her about. We can tell her what the countryside looked, what her orphanage was like, even tell her that we meet her Nannie who took care of her, her whole life. I know that her life will be so much better coming to the states but, I just can't help thinking that this is the place that she was born and we are taking her away from it. I want her to be very proud of her heritage.

Today we went to a little village outside Nanchang. It was another wonderful experience. Everyone bought candy and little presents for the children in the village. I didn't have a chance to get anything. I had a few lollipops so Melissa shared her candy with me.

As we are walking down the streets most of every ones doors are open. You can see right inside and watch them cooking. We continued walking down the street and the children would come out with either their parent or grandparent. We would give them candy or little presents and they would get so excited. It was like trick or treating backwards. The people in the village were so grateful. It was such a rewarding time. Just to see how they live and know that they are very happy, is just amazing. They are very proud people.

The village had a very small street and chickens and dogs were just roaming the streets. Some people had little pig pens right along side their house. Some buildings were just very old brick house and some were a little newer ones that were mad of cement. I feel like I'm telling The The Little Pigs story. There was actually piles of straw. Anyway, you would go from really old home that date back to who knows when to the newer cement ones. Some homes had rice spread out in front on the street to let it dry. It just was a great day.

Emma is getting funnier everyday. She loves to hum and sing as I have said before. She is just opening up. Today was the first day that she put her arms up so that I would pick her up. It was just so cute. Now that's all she does. At first she liked sitting on Erik's lap more than mine and now when he takes her she puts her arms out for me to take her. I just melt. She is just so happy all the time. Although when she wants something she really lets you know. She is just the sweetest little thing. She goes to sleep so easy. You just put her down and there is no fusing. Well, she fused a little this afternoon for about 30 seconds and I said no in Chinese twice and she was asleep in about 3 minutes. It's amazing.

So I just want to say that we will see everyone in Guangzhou. This is my last post from Nanchang. Don't worry if you don't hear from us until maybe Fri. night your time. Signing off from Nanchang.

Enjoy the pictures.