Zoo's, shopping and other fun

So, first, I forgot to tell you all about Matt and Mindy's adventures while I hung out with the three kids yesterday. They went to the pearl market and a huge shopping area. I'm glad I chose to stay back with the kids, as first they wouldn't have had any fun there and second they came back with such great stuff that I know I would have spent money that I do not need to spend! Matt bought two sets of pearls - we had purchased one set when we adopted Tyler with the intention that we would give them to his wife one day. I even made a note in the box back in 2007 that they can read when the time comes. So, I wanted to do the same for Aiden, and get a set for Brooke for when she gets married. So, now I have all three sets to put aside for the future. I wonder if we'll ever need a fourth set!? ;-) Okay, don't tell Matt I said that.

Matt created some drama while he was buying pearls. First they took everyone to a "special" area where allegedly the guides had gotten us a great discount. So Matt bought one set of pearls there, and then he decided to go back to a store we'd been to in 2007 to purchase the second set. Well, the second store told him the pearls were the same quality as the first store, and Matt could tell they were the same size, etc. Yeah, and they were about 1/3 of the price. So, Mr. "I want a deal" went back to the first store and told the man that he wanted to return the pearls as he'd received a much better discount at the second store. The guy was furious and started screaming at him about quality, his integrity, how dare he question him, etc. HA! Needless-to-say, we kept both sets of pearls...it'll be interesting to see what a jeweler in the US says about them. Hopefully there was some reason that one was $100 and one was $30. Either way, I have a set for each child, and truly that was all that I cared about. :-)

Anyway, Mindy had a great time at the mall - she had some great finds, and it got her into the shopping mode which she is still in today. Speaking of today, when we woke this morning Aiden had a fever from his immunizations. He's on antibiotics for a sinus infection/bronchitis type thing, and has had a fever off and on since he came "home", and today was no exception. Matt felt that the heat and humidity at the zoo would be bad for Aiden, so I stayed back with him as the big kids, Mindy and Matt went to the zoo. They said it was great - over 5,000 animals and most excitingly they got to feed the giraffes. This is always their favorite part of the Jacksonville zoo, and they went on and on about how it was even better here - as the giraffes were SO close to them, and they got to feed them a ton of leaves. They were talking about it a ton when they got home. I have photos, but of course blogger is not letting me upload them again right now, so...maybe later.


While the big kids were at the zoo, I did rest in the playroom with Aiden for a while. However, after an hour or so his fever had diminished and I started to get the craving for Starbucks. Seriously, a girl has to have her vices even in a foreign country. So, off to Starbucks Aiden and I went with a carmel macchiato (SP?) on my mind. YUMMM!! (I will be having another one tomorrow) We had a lovely time hanging out, people watching and sipping our drinks (Aiden - water). Then since we were already out, I decided we could do some shopping. What fun! First Aiden and I bought some squeaky shoes for him, then found this amazing artist who can write bible verses on pearls. He also has a non-profit that helps orphans in China - he was a wonderful man to talk to and he truly had a heart for God. What a refreshing moment - well, actually I spent about 30 minutes talking to him!!

In the afternoon once the big kids got home from the zoo, the girls (Mindy, Brooke and I) went shopping again. Totally Mindy's "fault" since she has the shopping bug I referred to above! ;-) We had a great time; I got Brooke some squeaky shoes which she LOVES and also got some other souvenir items for family/friends. Later it was off to dinner at Lucy's which is the only American-ish food here. I think we've eaten at Lucy's at least once per day every day since we got here - sometimes twice. They're going to know us by name before this week is over!

Our shopping queen went back out to do more shopping this evening...she's on a roll I tell ya! ;-) Tomorrow our guides take our paperwork to the US Consulate to have it all approved. We don't have to go to do this ourselves, which is nice - we just have to be in our rooms to answer the phone in case there is a question. I think Matt and Mindy are going to go on a dinner cruise tomorrow night...and other than that maybe some more shopping and, of course, more Lucy's! ;-)

I'll be praying tonight that Aiden wakes up fever free. Also, Brooke has been complaining of her ear hurting and has had a low grade fever, so we're thinking she might have an ear infection. A doctor friend here told us to wait until the morning and if she's still complaining to go ahead and start her on antibiotics as well. Thank God we brought a ton of stuff from home - poor thing has never had an ear infection before, and she's taking it like a champ, but still - we have to nip that in the butt before we take 30 hours of plane rides on Saturday.