On the way to the airport, I snapped a picture of a "Sinopec" gas station. I find the name very interesting--clearly there's some sort of contractual collaboration between China and the OPEC countries. I wonder what it is, and whether there's some negotiated monopoly or special rights associated with it. 
Maeve broke into a wonderful smile today, the first that I've seen. I'm guessing that she's getting healthy and simultaneously getting used to having two loving, constant parents around her. In any case, I've got a great photo of her smiling wide with her Debra Harry lips at the Nanning aiport.
I've also got a great shot of Paul and Christine cooing over Tara.
From the airport shops, I snagged a couple of photos, one of blue and white (for my dad, Lowell, who will no doubt write all this stuff off as junk), and one of a pair of sculpted elephants.
And from the plane itself, the headliners on the seats have a logo with some wonderful Chinglish: "Derby the world in my finger". I wonder what the authors meant. Also, the Derby logo, if viewed at a 45 degree angle, is exactly that of Star Fleet.
This'll all look better with the actual photos, I assure you.
Heidi had a strange conversation with the Chinese man who sat next to her on the plane. He wins the award for most cluelessly blunt on this trip. First, he asked her: "So, you came to China to buy a baby?" Yikes! What a stunningly horrid question to ask a new mother!
With a little bit of thought, I have concluded that adopting a baby is like buying a baby in exactly the same way that marriage is like prostitution. From a certain misanthropic viewpoint, yes, they are similar economic transations. And anyone who holds such a position has missed out on a core portion of their humanity. I don't think that Heidi's seatmate is a heartless unromantic, however; he's probably just not good at English.
Second, when Juliet looked around the seat and Heidi cooed at her, her seatmate remarked, "Now that's a pretty baby!" I didn't hear the comment, and I'm inclined to agree with the absolute form of the sentiment, and yet Mr. Seatmate would have done better to have said "another cute baby!" A pity I can't smack him upside the head for failing to be a gentleman.
Joyce's and my social worker had a fun story to tell us about adoptive parents: on the adoption trips that she has taken to China, more than 50% of parents pull her aside and say that they love their own child, but they feel sorry for the other couples whose children aren't as cute as their own. I love this story for its presentation of biology working at its best.
1 comment:
Great story.
It just goes to prove some of my long held theories. Your own child is truly the most beautiful in the world. We are surrounded by stupid people.
Definitely put me on your list for the photo CD. Is it going to cost $50 like Delaney's dance recital CD?
This is all going into the scrapbook.
Linda
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