Things are heating up.

We were the last of the pre-trippers to arrive on Saturday night and seeing the China Team girls waving their company sign as we rolled our luggage carts toward them brought it all home. It took an awful lot of self-control for me not to burst into tears right there and then. The ride into town was uneventful except for the fact that I was able to appreciate a sunset (and its symbolism) for the first time in a week and knew that I was hours away from seeing my better half. I was certain that as soon as he was here, that Jack would feel grounded and secure. I was right.

The China Hotel (AKA the Marriott) is five star and grand and, except for the occasional Arabian women wearing full veils and chadors, you'd almost think you were in Las Vegas. Everything here is at your fingertips and not condusive to wanting to leave...but we have to.

Tomorrow morning (Tuesday August 15,) at 6AM, we will leave this haven to catch a flight to Chonqing. As stunned as we are to finally be on the eve of laying our hands on Makena, we are all dreading it to some extent because the temperature there is in the triple digits. It was 106 Celsius, today and the same is forecast for tomorrow and for the duration of our stay. Chongqing is called "the furnace" and we are headed straight into the belly of the beast.

I can't believe this is happening.

I hope Makena will be happy to have us as parents and Jack for a brother.

See you on the other side.



Isabelle



PS: I will be posting some photographs of MaeLin, whose dad is named Jack and who has a brother, coincidentally, named Mack.