Help This Father Understand....

9:15 pm Wednesday night. I didn't think I would be posting anymore today (yes, it's cheap, but 30 yuan an hour at the business center does eventually add up, right?) but I just can't listen to Alison cry anymore. I had to leave the room and go somewhere for a few minutes, hoping to clear my head a little.

Someting has happened in the past two days. I don't know if it's a delayed reaction or what, but the mild mannered Allie has now been crying continuously for the past twenty four hours. The only time she isn't crying or fussing is when she's sleeping or eating.

Call me naive, but I always thought that a baby's cry was due to some need not being met: either she's hungry, tired, or wet. But right now, there's nothing explaining her fussy-ness (is that even a word btw?). Maybe it's the teething, I don't know. But we try everything, including the ubiquitous "let's get her to concentrate on something else" routine. That works for about 30 seconds, before she figures out that she should be crying about something else. And man, does this girl have some lungs.....

Sometimes, it's like flipping a light switch on and off. Case in point: she won't scream and cry if you are holding her STANDING UP, but the moment you sit down, she starts crying again. Does that make any sense to anyone?

She cried throughout the entire passport appointment today. Funny thing is, the official there had to get a picture of her, so it'll be interesting to see what that photo looks like, when her Chinese passport is issued next week.

My nerves are fried....and I think my own tiredness is finally catching up to me. I knew this was going to happen....that taking Alison from the only situation she's even known, and from the only people she's ever known, would cause great sorrow and sadness in her. But like everything else on this journey, there is no way to prepare you for the real deal.

It's fortunate that we have had very little in terms of scheduled events the past three days. Tomorrow, however, starts the first of many tours here in Guangzhou, now that the Chinese part of the in-country paperwork is done. (Next week is the U.S. side). We are scheduled to visit the pearl store tomorrow, followed by a trip to an electronics market. I hope we are able to do both, but I really can't say. It'll probably depend on how Allie feels/acts.

Cordelia is still working on getting us out of Guangzhou next Friday. All the trains are full to Hong Kong, and I guess the flights are too. (The end of the 101st Canton Trade Fair being the culprit). She's now talking about us renting two vans---one for people, one for our luggage--to drive us the three hours to Hong Kong. And I guess there is quite a scheduling issue too that day...that is, we will be issued a U.S. visa for Allie on that Friday afternoon, and then we must get to Hong Kong by midnight to catch our flight to Seoul that night. Another faith building exercise for us.

Okay, I guess I'll check my mail and get back to the room. Thanks for listening.....

Blair