Evidence of a Kiss

See the pink lipstick on Gideon's cheek? My evidence of a kiss he asked for.

Yep, we had a better day.

He also asked for me to hold him after being in the front pack with Doug for about 2 hours.

These next two pictures are of the dining area for the adoptive families at the Garden Hotel.

They set up tables in a hallway and when it gets too full they pull in patio chairs and

continue down another very cold hall so the children are not in the main dining area.

We are treated like second class citizens. The difference in service is amazing from the main dining area

to the halls. They hardly clean up the plates or even acknowledge our existence.

This area is where all the cleaning up of the tables takes place.

We have to walk through it to get to and from the food and tables where we get seated.

Every day they have tried to seat us in the coldest hall but I have had to

ask, well force, them to seat us in the warmer hall.

Gideon just can't do the cold with his heart issues.

It causes him to have a harder time breathing.

Our experience from the last time at the Garden to this has been very different.

I wish we had the connections to get another hotel for the adoptive families where

Children are welcome and families are treated with the same respect as the other guests. Doug felt like people needed to know a little more about the Garden Hotel.

This is where many of the families stay because of recommendations or the requirements of the agencies. A lot of what goes on in country feels like a racket when in comes to adoption. As families we really don't have much of a choice so the costs keep going up and the service is going down.

I recommend families check out the Ramada Pearl. It is a nice place and very close to

where we get medicals and the new consulate when it opens.

It's also cheaper by $50 a night.

One positive of the seating we have, a nice view.

We have watched the waterfall and rain during breakfast every morning.

As we sit watching the rain we realize we once again will be changing our plans for the day.

It has been so rainy. The last couple of days it has poured.

When it starts raining like that all the fish collect at the base of a tree in the water.

I don't know if they are trying to get out of the rain so they don't get wet or something.

These are our new friends. Sally, Kelly, Logan and Cori.

We have spent some time with them and really enjoy their company.

Sally is the friend that went to church with us.

Kelly is great! She is a single mom that now has 2 children.

My hats off to her. Logan is a handful and yet she does so well with him.

Cori is a great sister and daughter and a lot of fun.

I wish they lived close to us. I know we would spend time together and have lots of fun.

Gideon wanted to sit next to me on the subway. He started talking with this lady

next to him. She was so happy and kind.

Gideon kept trying to get her watch off and she just smiled and let him.

As we got off the subway he turned and said bye bye in his sweet little voice.

He then had to say bye to all the rest of the train.

He really is cute.

Gideon's heart did better today. He still had several times that he panicked and turned purple.

We have a doctor here with us. He has a friend that is a cardiology surgeon.

This friend described what is going on and said that it feels like they

are under water and can't breath. It seems to us that Gideon's reaction

when he struggles is just what you would expect from a situation like that.

He more often turns purple when he struggles and his episodes, I don't know what else to call them,

are worse overall. We are getting pretty good and anticipating when this will happen.

The first thing to happen is the change of color in his face then fingers and hands.

He will then start wheezing or just go into a panicked cry and start to topple over.

Today I was able to catch it twice before he got to the panic stage.

By the point he cried out Doug already had him in his arms.

I think I will need to be with Gideon at all times once we are home.

I guess I can put off my laundry, I don't like to do it anyway.

Better yet, Hannah can keep doing it. :)

This is a picture of the front of the toy market.

We went today because it was indoors.

I would love to do something outside that does not include shopping.

I really don't like shopping but I like sitting in a hotel room all day even less.

Now I just have to find things for the older boys to bring home to them.

Ideas would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. Jason and Ressa, Gideon gets so excited when he sees pictures of you on the computer. We won't let him forget you!