When There Is Room in Your Heart, There Is Always Room in Your Home!: Day 4 in Guangzhou

Hello, Hello, Hello:):):)

One thing that I forgot to mention in Sunday's post was that even though we didn't get to go to church that morning on Shamian Island, we did get to take the girls and Benjamin there later in the afternoon:)

We didn't get to go to a service, but we were able to go into the church and take a few pictures and show the girls and Ben the church.... (so Meaningful!) And of course, there was a Christmas Tree still up in the front courtyard of the church:):):) Thank You Jesus for that encouragement and our wonderful, very special gift of a new son this Christmas:):):)

Even if we received him a few weeks after CHRISTMAS❤❤❤

Our Amazing GOD!!!

Monday started out much the same way, with Breakfast and then meeting Elvin in the lobby to go over our agenda for the day:)

Elvin was our guide when we adopted Samuel in 2013, and we like him a lot :):):) He is funny and very quick witted.... So he not only is a good guide, but he keeps us laughing and enjoying ourselves while we are driving around all over Guangzhou:):):)

He organizes our agendas, interprets for us, shares China History with us, gets us to all of our appointments on time, and generally helps us in any way needed:)

Thank You Lord for Elvin, please bless him and draw his heart to you... (And his wife and little baby boy's hearts to you as well....) Thank You Elvin for taking such good care of us.... We are extremely grateful and we love you:):):)

The first thing on Monday's agenda was visiting The Yun Tai Gardens:):):)

This is another place that we love to visit while in Guangzhou!

It is an Amazingly Beautiful place in the middle of the city that is impeccably landscaped with gorgeous flowers, trees, pagodas, a small lake, water falls and water fountains... It is a pure delight to follow the pathway and just walk slowly around the gardens for an hour or two taking in all of natures serene sights and sounds and scents:):):)

The girls and Ben had a great time being outside and getting some exercise:)

If I lived here, I would probably go to the gardens once a week just to de-stress.... It is a Very Peaceful Place:):):)

We met up at the Gardens with some new friends and their newly adopted little boy (Owen age 5 :) and then later arranged for the boys to play a little more at the play area outside of the hotel:)

We stayed at the Yun Tai gardens for about 2 hours, then went back to the hotel as the girls and I had made appointments to have pedicures and manicures:)

Our Becca Loves getting her nails done and doing nails.... Soooo, we indulged her and decided to see what the nail experience would be like in China:):):)

We really enjoyed having some mommy/daughter time and our nails turned out great :):):)

Daddy stayed back in our rooms with Ben:)

When we left they were watching John Wayne and I believe that Ben fell asleep for a bit:):):)

When the girls and I came back to our rooms, we all left for the outside Hotel play area:)

We stayed there for about two hours talking with other families and watching our kids play:)

More exercise, bonding, and fun for all of the kids and parents, and adoptive families:):):) Nice Weather too!!!

We decided that we were tired of pizza and McDonald's, so we set out on an " adventure " to find a good Chinese Restaurant for dinner:):):)

It truly was an Adventure, and we had to order from pictures on the menu........ However, we laughed ALOT, made a great family memory, and the food turned out to be very good!!!! Again, thank you Lord for taking such good care of us:):):)

Yay!!!!

So Far, Ben has been a good eater and very flexible (not picky)

He likes pizza and spaghetti, McDonald's and fruit, fried chicken and fried rice, Candy and Ice Cream!!

Sound like a typical little boy:)

His sweet smile is contagious and he seems to like getting out and going places.... When we walk downstairs to the lobby every morning, he yells out " Good Morning " to everyone and is very friendly:):):)

Sweet Benjamin, you an Amazing GIFT from GOD and we are so thankful that you are now in our family.... Forever:):):)

Thanks for your prayers everyone.... Please keep them coming:):):)

They are so appreciated!!!!

Oh, and by the way,

Mark is sick with an upper respiratory/ sinus infection :(

Will you please pray for him?

My poor honey seems to get this almost every time we come to China:(

The flight home could be miserable for him:(

Please pray that the rest of us stay healthy, and that he gets better quickly:):):)

Thank You all so Much!!!

God Bless Everyone and Goodnight :):):)

Hugs:)