Saying good-bye to Nanning

Lounging around in the Nanning Hotel
Our last breakfast in Nanning

Nanning airport

My first airplane ride

She loves her orange juice

Travelling first-class in Mommy's arms

"I love my crib"

"I love my new room.....can't wait to see the real one"

Today was yet another surreal day. We flew out of Nanning to Beijing for the second "lag of our trip". Both Tim and I both have come to feel the loss that Bethany does not have any idea is taking place in her life.

It is very hard to explain but we felt that in leaving Nanning we were saying good-bye to someone...and leaving behind something of great meaning.

To me personally, I will forever have a sense of sadness for Lin-Zi's birth mother's loss but at the same time a sense of gratitude for having my baby girl Bethany in our lives and in our family. As I walked along the streets of Nanning I looked around me and could not help but think that somewhere nearby was a woman who has to feel the loss of her child. I do not know and will never understand what she has gone and will always go through but that is not for me or anyone to judge. It has to be a very difficult and grave loss that she will carry with her for the rest of her life. I only hope and pary that somehow and in some way she knows that her baby girl is loved and will have a fulfilled life with parents who will give her everything she needs in life.

So, as we took off and Bethany sat in my lap eating Mums, waving her chubby little hands as if to say "keep it coming Mommy, give me more"....in silence I said good-bye to the place that was her home for her first 10 months of life and to her birth mother. One day we will be back. Tim and I will bring her back home.

Considering it was her first time flying, Bethany was exceptionally calm and totally oblivious of the big step her life was taking.

As her Daddy took her in the aisle for a break, she just looked towards the back of the plane and started to wave at the passengers who all of a sudden had a huge smile on their faces and waved back at her. She is definitely a social little butterfly and knows how to capture an audience with all her cuteness. She managed to sleep for almost one hour and give us the confidence and relief that our upcoming 14 hour flight back home may not be the nightmare we were anticipating. Mind you, this was only a three hour flight and 14 hours are 14 hours.

We are excited to be in Beijing. Last week was a very low-key week. We spent the majority of the time in our hotel room getting acquainted with our little Princess. It has helped alot because even though we may have more work to do with attachment issues, she has already started to smile more and show off more of her active personality.

This week we are looking forward to doing alot of sight-seeing. As Tim put it "this is a trip of a lifetime"; therefore, we will make the most out of every moment we are here in this incredible historic country that has brought us such endless joy. Otherwise, this would not be a Tim & Liz adventure trip.

We are staying at a very lavish hotel, Jianguo Garden Hotel Beijing. It is in the heart of the shopping district that reminds me very much of the main strip in Las Vegas. The strip is stunningly gorgeous at night....as our bus made its way to our hotel we were mesmerized by the lights. There are lights everywhere; flashing, colourful and animated lights. We have so much to see, do and shopping to enjoy. So we look forward to our week stay. Our big day will be on Monday when we visit the Great Wall of China.

In our hotel in Nanning, Bethany would cry when we entered the room. It was a feeling of stress and anxiety, which was very visible, that made her cry. Perhaps because it was the first place where she came to realize that her Foster Mother was no longer around. She has now spent one week with us and the transformation from the very sad and cautious little girl to the rambunctious little fireball is incredible.

When we entered the hotel room, Bethany became so happy and started the "bounce of joy" that we are now familiar with. We put her into her crib and without a whimper or hesitation she grabbed onto the rail and just held herself up. The stressed little girl we saw in Nanning is gone.

In her tiny ways...in her smile; in the teasing manor she waves her chubby fingers at you; in the attentive manor she stares into our eyes and the constant non-stop chattering....she is telling us that she is happy with Mommy and Daddy.