December 13

Happy Birthday Đad!!!! I'm thinking òf home today with it being Đad's birthday and Stephanie's due date. Yesterday we went to Vung Tau to mêet some relatives. It was very nice to see their happy faces when they spoke to Phil. It hás bêen a little strange for me though to be so quiet being that I am a people person and all! My cheeks are sỏre from smiling so much to make up for my language dísability. Today we go back to Vung Tau to stay in a hotel for a few nights so we can swim in the ocean.

Lást night Phil decided to give the women hểre a break and make them a "north American" meal...spaghetti òf course! Unfortunately Ỏregano and Italian spices are not easily found in a grocery store here, nore is Ceasar salad dressing. Oh well, we improvised. I made gảrlic toást with something resembling the taste òf margarine, crushed gảrlic and a salt like pơwder. Ìf they đidn't like it they sure đidn't show it. Phil plans to make a turkey dinner for Christmas.....that ought to be interesting. Thank goodness he's an amazing improvisational chèf!

Please excuse the Viet accents, I don't know hơw to get rid òf them but they sort òf put a Vietnamese slant on my message which ís very fitting. We've bêen eating lóts òf delicious fruit including one called "breast milk"...yeah....once you get your head around the name of it it ís quite delicious! One mỏre thing about food...you know hơw we were looking so forward to eating lóts ò Pho (noodle soup)? Well it túrns out the oh so popular dísh back home ís really only served at breakfast so Malcolm hásn't bêen able to order it in the nice restaurants we've bêen going to.

Emily and I are having beautiful traditional vietnamese dresses made while we're hểre and had our measurments taken and fabrics chosén yesterday.They òf course will have to be creative while making mine because the intricut fabrics don't come long enough for my height.....funny story about height....Phil's nieceses are very self concious about being short and I am very self concious about being an amazon woman....we're even! To put things into pếrspective, you all know that Emily ís considered height challenged among hẻr péers, well hểre she ís considered tall....so ìf she ís considered tall that makes me freakishly large nẽxt to thế beautiful dainty women. On that fine note I múst go dơwn and eat beakfast now. I went to bed later lást night managing to stay up pást 9pm but I was still awake again at 4am. I feel like half a day hás gone by already and I'm starving! mmmmm breast milk......

Vung Tau

Here are some pics of Vung Tau - a city by the seaside where i grew up.

Good morning from Vietnam

Hello everyone!!! We are not in Kansas (Kanata) anymore Toto!!! And I couldn't be happier about it. Vietnam is an incredible place. I was in need of an adventure and an adventure we are getting. Everything I look at is different from home. I got pretty chocked up at the first orphanage we went to when we were visiting with the beautiful babies that where abandoned at the doorstep for reasons unknown. But as we were leaving we met a young couple who were feeding the little one they were in the process of adopting and I left with the hope that each of these little wonderes would find the same fate. Rest assured though that even if they are not adopted they are certainly loved by the wonderful caregivers. Emily and Malcolm are bonding well with the children here. There is a distant cousin Emily's age who is loving being with her despite the language barrier. There are many sharred smiles and giggles. Her little sister is Malcolm's age and is absolutely adorable. Mal is getting used to all the attention he's getting though he found it "awekward" at first. Both kids are drawing attention where ever they go...if I am, it is not as obvious.Anyway we are off to Vung Tau today to meet more relatives....the adventure continues!

Day 4

It was a inspiring day yesterday as we managed to visit 3 different orphanages around the Ba Ria region. The photos just don't do justice to show of these places and the children. We were extremely excited and touched to see the faces of the children when they recieved the Webkinz toys. It was like Christmas for them. (photo 2)

We also went to an amazing place for lunch (photo 1).

P

Good Morning Vietnam!

Today is our 1st full day in Vietnam.
WOW this is Vietnam on a Saturday morning (photo #3). We saw more new things in the last 12 hours than we had ever seen before. We tried to cross the street was nearly impossible (photo #1) but we did. Wouldn't want to try doing that too many times. But again we may become pros if we keep doing that and got the hang of it. The motorcycles criss-crossing like there is no tomorrow! Where are they coming from or going to??? It's amazing how cars and motorcycles and bicycles and pedestrians all sharing the road at the same time without an accident (at least I didn't see it) see attached photo #2.
Anyways the jetlag is really hitting Carol and the kids today. It's now 11pm as I am finally sitting down to update this blog Carol and the kids are wiped and still sleeping since 3 o'clock this afternoon. They managed to get up for supper then back to bed they went. I on the other hand am wide awake. I know my (letlag) time will come, I hope it wont leave a mark when it hits me but right now I am having a great time.
Just finished Skyping mom and Vu in Ottawa and it seems so strange to be sitting on the other side of the screen. Now I know exactly sister's camera's background when she calls over. hahaha

Until Day #3 ..... so (Hoa) long

P

Hong Kong Airport

We're in Hong Kong!!! So far the plane rides have been a breeze. Infact Emily was saying that the travel time to here felt like it was the holiday! The kids were awesome for the 15 hour flight with the only mishaps being Malcolm spilling not one but two drinks and my unfortunate sleeping neighbour waking up to me strattling him trying to get out of my seat without waking him. Fail! C.

Emily wants to say hello.....
heelloooo to Tyler! :) get well soon buddy! :) and 9-I.. miss you guyss! :P haha my planes didnt crash :) EM

2 hours and 30 minutes left to destination! I can't wait. It's going to be great.
P.

Go Time!

December 8th, I thought this day will never come considering we've been waiting for it since April. Anyways we're hours from stepping on the "big bird" 747. This excites me and fills my passion for aviation despite my lack of sleep in anticipations for the trip. Just imagine we'll be on the other side of the planet in the next 24 hours. See you all on the other side......


:)P

December 6

Okay, can I just say ........WE ARE DONE WORK FOR 2011!!!!! I swear I won't rub it in , I just had to spit it out one time. Actually, Phil and I are done but the kids go in for the morning tomorrow. Emily has a big project due tomorrow with an oral presentation. She's been feeling a little bitter about having only one week to prepare while the rest of the class gets three but in true Emily fashion she is determined that she will rock this thing! ( and I have full confidence)
So, bags are packed (pretty much), Christmas gifts have been wrapped and either delivered or put under the tree, bathrooms cleaned and ready for family to use the house while we're gone.......why do I feel I am forgetting something.......I know I should be sleeping now but hey it's almost noon in Vietnam!
C.

December 4

Okay, so the bags are pretty much packed. I have to say that the job was a lot more challenging than I expected since each suitcase must not weigh more than 50lbs. The final tally is 4 large suitcases plus a small one full of stuff to give people in Vietnam and then our two carry-ons each plus a small for our own stuff. I just hope we can fit it all in the MDX for the ride to Toronto!
So with all that done I should be feeling pretty relaxed for the home stretch to departure but alas this is me we're talking about and I wouldn't be me without a healthy dose of stress to keep me going. Yup, Malcolm has had a fever all day. I can't remember the last time any of us were sick but hey with 3 sleeps left until we leave doesn't now seem like a great time? Ugh!

December 3

Only 4 more sleeps! We are definitely getting very excited for the trip but while we get the last of the packing done we can't help thinking about Tyler at Sick Kids hospital. He went in a few days ago after getting a call that there was a kidney available for him. His mom Ida asked that we pray loudly and since I haven't heard any news in a few days I thought I'd ask anyone reading this to send some love their way to make the prayers even louder! Thanks! :)