Five Days left in China. Right now Arctic Boy and Mei Guo are watching one of the Harry Potter DVD’s. It’s part of a weekend Harry Marrython they are having as their final bonding moments before we move back to the U.S. and leave Mei Guo here all on her lonesome. Sure, she has a great roommate at the university, but there won’t be any more weekend jaunts to stay with “the folks”. Fortunately for her, she at least lives in one of the most beautiful parts of Guangzhou with lots of trees (and therefore less pollution) and a mountain, and she’s near family friends who will be there for her if she needs anything. Still. Only Five Days Left. It feels weird.

Five Days. I look forward to so many things – well actually people – okay, people and things. I’m told our dog Sparky is skinny not fat now. She got really sick a while back so Miss B (Rainbow) took her to the vet and our dog was given medicine for a thyroid problem and some special diet doggy food. We have tried and tried and tried to help Sparky lose weight, but all the special food and the long walks just didn’t do the trick. Apparently if you are a dog, there is a magic pill that makes the fat melt away… lucky dog.

Five Days. Till my sons are reunited, living in the same house for the first time in three years. Three years ago Arctic Boy was much shorter. Now he is about five inches taller than his older brother, Mr. T. Now Mr. T is still able to outlast the Energizer Rabbit in the wilderness and he’s also becoming bi tri quadri?lingual (I’m not sure anymore if he’s still doing Spanish); it’s all amazing to me.

Five Days. Then I’ll be back in a house with three daughters. They are not Drama Queens but there is definitely more drama in my life when they are around. How could there not be? Between blind dates and their friends, the excitement and fun and insanity can’t help but ratchet up from what it’s been like to hang out at home with the stoic Arctic Boy.

Five Days. I’m about to be confronted with Actual Winter. I shiver just thinking about it. Arctic Boy is ecstatic about it. I look forward to having four real seasons again, but I still don’t like being cold. At least I can find a tanning salon there and imagine I’m on a sunny beach. It’s tough to find the sun through all the pollution here and there are no tanning salons (here they actually try and bleach their skin).

Five Days. Yikes.

winner-winner, chicken dinner 🙂