Keepin Up With The L.Perry Family 2: We are HOME!!!

Wednesday/Thursday, January 16^th-17^th: Most of our last full day in China we spent packing up and organizing our luggage. We took the girls for a short walk and then I also went out for an hour walk by myself. I wanted to soak up the surroundings and go into some neighborhoods that we didn’t want to take the girls into…mostly because of no sidewalks. I wanted to spend some time praying for those who are so lost from God…for those hurting…for those who suffer daily. On my way back to the hotel I saw a beggar with a small child…and it brought me to thoughts that I have had many times before. Why my five China children? Why them? How does God choose which kids get a second chance at a better life? I sure wish more Christian families would consider adoption. So many children that just need someone to LOVE them. After I returned we went for a late lunch at an Italian restaurant called Oggi’s. We met our guide in the hotel lobby at 4:30PM so that we could get Lia’s passport and then we loaded up in the van that he set up for us. It took us about 3 1/2 hours to get to Hong Kong. I am not sure I would recommend the van to Hong Kong…I actually think the train was much more comfortable. The driving in China makes me sick to my stomach, the traffic is terrible...plus, it was convenient to have the bathroom, water and to be able to get up and walk around on the train. Lance would probably say that it was worth it not to have to deal with luggage on the train or a taxi from the train station to the hotel but I still think I preferred the train. We were tired and hungry when we got to the hotel so after a quick dinner in the hotel restaurant…we went to bed. We headed to the airport about 8AM the next morning. We had plenty of time to get breakfast at the airport and buy some socks (since we ran out of clean ones;) and also some snacks for the plane. Lia was excited to see our plane. The guide had warning her that it was a really long flight and she did a great job flying. She does not like to sleep unless it is in a bed. She was up the entire trip from our hotel to our house, which means so were weJ Lance kept trying to fall asleep on the plane and she would wake him…LOL!! He sat right by her and he was VERY patient. None of the girls were very good about keeping their drinks off the floor or from hitting the seats in front of them…so it is a full time job keeping the peace and the dirty looks at a minimum;) We actually got a nice surprise because it took 15+ hours to get to China but only 12+ to get home…WOOHOO!!! Thank you God for the tailwind…we really appreciated thatJ When we landed in Chicago Lia automatically became a US citizen. Things went smoothly at the airport and we were on the road for home by 1PM and home at about 3:15PM. The boys were all still at school. Lia was really scared of our dog Chip at first. She literally jumped up on top of the kitchen table to get away from him…LOL!!! Lia was excited to see her room. Grandma Linda arrived home with the big boys and then went to get the little boys from school for us. It felt so good to be home and for us all to be together. I really missed my boys. A HUGE “Thank You!!!” to Grandpa Chuck, Grandma Amy and Grandma Linda for taking such good care of my boys for me. I love you all!!!