First things first!

Just for your viewing pleasure….and to make you smile!

Did you notice that “Good Morning, Mama!” at the very end?! Right after I stopped the video, Tate then said, “Love you, Mama!”

HURRY HOME YOU THREE!!!

I took that video just a bit ago while we were visiting on Skype! The guys were just starting their Thursday…..and they will be starting their LONG journey home at about 4 p.m. their time – which is 3 a.m. tomorrow morning for us!

EEEEEEEKKKKKK!!

Ok then.

Now back to the guys Wednesday…..

At Tate’s choice, they headed to the zoo! One other family joined them as well.

These photos are from their evening dinner at Tekila’s. It is one of the favorite places for adoptive families to eat out! Yummy Mexican food in Guangzhou, China!

The guys also received the much anticipated packet of paperwork and Tate’s visa!!! Praise, praise!! After last year’s visa mess, we were extra thankful that everything went as planned!!

This envelope will make Tate a U.S. Citizen once he lands in Los Angeles Thursday evening!

The excitement on Skype this evening was pretty HUGE! There is so much going through my mind right now….so much praise, such a spirit of thankfulness, and complete AWE over all the Lord has trusted Blake and I with. Tate is the most amazing four year old, and we are so privileged to be his Baba and Mama!!

Did you hear the news??!! My three guys are just about to be on their way HOME!!!!

Let’s pray them the whole way here, OK?!

The guys started their morning with some birthday cake!

It had been delivered after Tate was in bed on Monday night.

It was fun to watch him enjoy it on Skype!!

He kept showing us that he is now four!!

And then there were some more karate moves to show us too!

Oh my goodness, sweet baby, hurry home!!!!!

Tate was wearing his USA shirt for their consulate appointment this morning. It went well! Tate’s visa should be given to the guys sometime on Wednesday.

The guys got some “take away” sandwiches from the hotel restaurant for lunch. After lunch it was time for some swimming, and then a nap for Tate. In the evening, the guys headed out with Simon and one other family to go on the Pearl River cruise!

We did this last year and really enjoyed it! There is a buffet dinner served as you ride along the Pearl River on a boat.

The sunset is SO beautiful!!!

Once it gets dark outside, there is a clown show inside the boat for the kids!

This is the same gal that entertained the kids last year.

I LOVE this photo!!!

Because the guys got back to their room so late, we did not have a lot of time on Skype with them as their Tuesday came to a close. We did just get to spend some time with them on Skype as they started their Wednesday though! When they answered our call, Tate said “Good morning!” He is learning so many new words so quickly!

The guys only have one more sleep before they start their long journey home! They are super, duper ready to come home and we are super, duper ready for them to get here!

Help us pray for them as they finish up their time in China and also as they travel home!

Today was Tate’s birthday!!!!

Our sweet little boy is now four years old!

We are pretty sure he did not understand that fact at all, but we sure did!

The guys went to Shamian Island with the travel group today.

Shamian Island is where adoptive families used to stay a few years ago, at a hotel called the White Swan. This hotel was still under construction last year when we were there, but was open this year, and the guys went inside to take a look!

Shamian is a good place for a stroll. It is just 900 meters long from east to west and 300 meters from south to north! Due to traffic control on the island, problems such as traffic jams and car pollution don’t exist there. There is a line of bars and cafes on the southwest side with views over the Pearl River. This was certainly my favorite place we visited last year in Guangzhou!

This is Simon, the guys guide. He has been a guide for adoptive families for 20 years now!

Blake and Grant had two things they were hoping to get today – some chopsticks for Tate to bring home (we bought some for each of us last year!), and a scroll with Tate’s Chinese name, American name, and date of birth on it. They were successful!

While they were in Penny’s Place, Tate said something in Chinese and Penny translated for Blake. He said “Baba! Come see the cat!!” Blake told Penny to tell Tate that he has three cats at his new home! Tate squealed, clapped his hands, and jumped up and down!

It is kind of a tradition for adoptive families to take a photo of their child with the statues on Shamian Island. Eliza would not stand there for us last year, but Tate seemed not to mind!

After the trip to Shamian, Tate fell asleep in the bus on the way back to the hotel. Blake carried him all the way up to the room asleep, and he slept in his crib for over an hour! Then it was time for some noodles for lunch with his big brother!

The guys walked around in the afternoon, stopped at the Friendship Mall for snacks, and picked up some Pizza Hut to take back to the room for dinner!

A sweet note and cake was delivered to the room for Tate’s birthday!!!! Oh my goodness, I SO want a bite of that!! We have gifts bought to have our own little celebration once Tate arrives home! We might have went a little overboard on the gifts, but can you blame us???!!

Tate’s TB test was negative, as were all the children in our agencies group! We exhaled a little bit when we got that news, because a positive TB test would not allow Tate to leave China. It is very, very rare for a child to have a positive test though.

We were just visiting with the guys on Skype as they start their Tuesday, and they are getting ready to meet our guide from last year, Aron, to head to the U.S. Consulate for their appointment! Their day is free after that, and Tate has already showed his swimsuit to his Baba to let him know that he wants to go swimming later today.

Please pray with us that Tate’s visa will be issued as expected! Continue to pray for the language barrier, and for Tate’s health too.

The guys only have three more full days in China before they start the long trek home!!