Day Five

Today, I slept in until 4AM. YIIPPEE!! Look at me go! We’re free until 3PM when we leave to pick up the kids’ passports. Layla and I have leisurely breakfast, this time I stuck to the maple brown sugar oatmeal. She seemed to like it more than the apple cinnamon. The kid has good taste. Over breakfast, I talked to a couple who I had seen in the restaurant every morning, but I thought they were just vacationing but I found out they are here to adopt also.

They are a couple from Madison with an eight-year-old they adopted from here at three-months-old. Their first G & R had been rescheduled so they were waiting to leave so they could go pick up their eleven-month-old. What a small world. At the doctor’s office yesterday, we met a woman who was adopting a six-year-old girl. I think I thought there would be more adoptive families, like I’ve heard from families who adopt from China, but maybe there are too many hotels in Saigon and the families are all split up.

After chatting with the family, then answering some emails, (I’m sorry if I don’t reply or my answers are super brief, but Layla either gets a little too hot in the internet lab or she tries to type too, so our time is brief there.) we went on a walk around Ho Chi Minh with the other families.

I have a hard time remembering what day it is, all I know is what’s on the agenda for each day, so I was surprised to discover it was New Year’s Eve.

As we went into the Reunification Palace, I saw people setting up and practicing for a New Year’s party or concert of some sort. The Reunification Palace, the place where North and South Vietnam officially reunified, was pretty straight forward.

There would be a sign which read, “Conference Room” and I would look inside the room and yep, there was a large table and a bunch of chairs with some decoration here and there. In the “Formal Dining Room,” there was a formal dining room table, chairs, and beautiful area rug. The palace did have a 60s feel to it.

And for some reason, people were opposed to taking the elevator so we had to walk up all four floors, but I walked up three flights of stairs to get to the second floor so I’m highly suspicious with the way they number the floors there. After getting to the roof, we got a well deserved ice cold bottle of water. Then it was time to go down to the basement. So we hooked up with an English speaking tour guide giving these British, Australian, French people a tour and down we went. Could we have not started off in the basement?

I learned 3 million Vietnamese died in the war and I realized how I never actually had a history class that got to the Vietnam War. School was always out before we got to that war. We then went to watch a video about the Palace at all that happened in there, but I couldn’t pay attention because someone was fussy. I had a backpack on, my Columbia jacket, without the inner lining tied around my waist you know just in case it rained, and Layla in front of me in the Baby Ergo. I was sweltering and I’m not a fan of heat.

We’re finally in an air conditioned room and Layla wants to be noisy and refuse to take her bottle. So at that moment I wished upon her, an adoption twenty-five or thirty years from now in the middle of the summer in some hot, humid land and her child refuses to let her enjoy the air conditioner. Take that little girl! I’ll be right by her side or rather I’ll sit in the air conditioned room and wave at her and my grandchild. Ha!

I’m glad I brought the shorts and skirts for her though I tried to dress her in pants because of the rain that can appear out of nowhere, but she gets too hot for that.

After the Palace, we walked to the mall where Christmas decorations were still out. A few places have decorated for Christmas, but nothing like I’m used to seeing at home. And some places still play Christmas music, Vietnam Airlines seem to really enjoy playing “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart and the very next day you gave it away.” Who knew the Vietnamese loved Wham. I’ve been singing along, but did explain to Layla this was an unusual occurrence. Christmas music is only allowed to be played after the turkey is eaten until 11:59PM Christmas night.

The mall looked very upscale, I had everyone on the lookout for Jory’s and Rowan’s garbage trucks, but all I saw were American toys. Even the bookstore was full of Disney books and other things I could buy at Toys R Us. I did see this cute little police motorcycle with a policemen attached that had working lights and sirens. I bought it, though did we really need another noise making toy in the house? I’ll just have to remind Jory that he needs to save his batteries. That’s very important to him, not to run down his batteries. Nice lesson, Oma.

We walked through a marketplace, which was very interesting. Anything I wanted to buy, I could probably find there. Though at times the smell of a fish was pretty overpowering. Whit, do you want some Louis Vutton luggage? I saw some at the marketplace. Can someone say Christmas gift?

On the walk back to the hotel, I saw a Circle K. Okay, am I in bizarro world? There’s no McD’s, but there’s a Circle K and KFC. These poor Saigonians don’t know the taste of those two all beef patties with the special sauce or more importantly of those crispy, golden fries. Is this what the world’s going to be like once the Anti-Christ is ruling?

As a New Year’s treat, we ordered KFC or rather the front desk at the hotel ordered for us because the worker at KFC couldn’t really understand our order. And the receptionist had problems understanding we wanted three three-piece meals with mash potatoes, cole slaw, and a biscuit. I got a blank stare at the use of the words “cole slaw.” I guess that’s one KFC item that didn’t make the transfer. The second being the biscuit though I did get offered the bread a hamburger comes on. I politely declined. But on the upside, KFC did deliver SCORE!! Particularly since it was raining non-stop.

Twenty minutes later, the order arrived and of course it was just one three piece meal. And my mashed potatoes became French fries. But I have to say, the eleven herbs and spices tasted the same. The fries weren’t half bad. And the Coke was in a real size Coke can and not in that miniature can that you can finish in two gulps.

There was a nice 30 Rock marathon on that I thought would help us stay awake to ring in the New Year. But my 4AM wake up had my eyes drooping at 10:30, this was after a 2 hour nap and my catnap as we waited to get the kids’ passports, so we didn’t ring in the New Year together. Though I did wake up at 1AM this morning and called home to wish them a Happy New Year! After mentioning, his garbage truck, Jory told me to buy the batteries for his airplane and Rowan’s too. Darn that Geo Trax for not mentioning any where on the box that the batteries weren’t included. Sneaky devils. Okay, it’s 4:42 and I better go to sleep before my head starts nodding at lunchtime. If it’s not raining, we may go out and see what stores are open today.



Here's a look at our room at the Lan Lan. It isn't my room but Nancy's, but they all looked the same.



Outside the Reunification Palace.


Outside on the ground floor.


Probably a conference room.


Lisa and Ben on the top floor of the Palace, where we were all dying for some nice cold water. Lucky for us on this humid day, they sold some.


An office maybe.


A very nice, large and I'm sure expensive area rug.


A sitting room?


A radio used in the basement bunker. The hot, humid basement where there were only large fans blowing. See why the air conditioned movie room was so important.


A model of the Palace.

Day Four

Short, dark brown hair. A thumb sucker. Almost a year old and can’t walk and doesn’t talk. No teeth. Yep, this would have been an accurate description of Rowan last year, but it’s a description of a new little sister. And everyone says boys are the slow ones, so not my experience.

On our full second day together, Layla is warming up to me a little more. She holds on to you for dear life when you pick her up. She’s so tiny. Her “My heart belongs to Mommy” outfit I bought at Target is a tad too big and it’s 6 – 9 months. She can’t sit up, but she loves crawling and those nails can scratch. I have a drug store in my suitcase, but I forgot the baby clippers.

Layla, Ben, and James are all in the last stages of getting over a cold and congested. The doctor said, we didn’t need to give them anything. That’s a relief. I was a little concerned before leaving if Layla would have lice or scabies, but thankfully she has neither. She has some bug bites, but that’s it. I think the big discovery for our group is how heated our kids get. I’m sitting with my jacket on and Layla’s hair is matted to her head she’s sweating so much. I’m always cold so it’s been interesting trying to find a nice in-between for us. And because of the heat and humidity, she now has a heat rash but she’s a trooper. What else can she be?

For breakfast, Layla had her first taste of oatmeal. Her schedule says she ate rice soup, which is exactly as it is described, so this was a new taste for her and she seemed to like it. She doesn’t have the feeding thing down completely. And I’m pretty sure her bottle was always held because she doesn’t know how to hold one. I’m introducing her to the concept of putting those tiny little hands around her own bottle. I try to be a helpful mom.

Today we went to file the paperwork for her passport and went to her doctor’s appointment. I was surprised to find out they had her immunization records, but I’ve been told every country is different with dosage and other such things in regards to the shots, so more than likely her pediatrician at home will start the process all over again. I wonder how well she tolerates shots?

The doctor told me she was the average size of an almost one-year-old Vietnamese girl. Really?! I guess I’ll have to take his word for it. He would know better than I. But sadly, they had to draw blood for a Hep C test. And interestingly enough, us parents got kicked out of the room while this was being done. Minutes later, a crying, band-aided Layla was handed back to me. Poor baby, second day with the stranger and I leave her with people who poke at her. But despite this, she smiled more at me. If I kiss on her neck, she smiles and I’ve heard a laugh. She is a light sleeper. You move or touch her when she’s sleeping and she’s up.

I knew we would get off her schedule, but I had no idea it would happen the very first night. Her 8:30 bedtime came and went and was replaced by an 11:20 bedtime. Though on the upside, there was no 1AM feeding. Maybe the food is filling her so the 1AM bottle is now unnecessary. We can only hope.

After the doctor’s and a nap, we went out to dinner at a restaurant across the street from the hotel. Thank goodness it was close since it randomly started raining once we were in the restaurant. It rains at will here. When I saw all the scooters/motor bikes, I wondered what they did when it rained and now my question was answered. Everyone throws on ponchos with hoods and keeps on trucking. They either have ponchos which cover the handles and they maneuver their bikes from underneath or they just let leave the scooter uncovered. I think they consider the rain the same as the Hawaiians do “Golden Sunshine” which to the rest of the world is really rain. Water from the sky is called rain. But rarely is an umbrella seen.

Will, you advised me to be adventurous with food so I have been. At breakfast the first morning, I tried the fried rice being served at 7AM. I even overlooked the fact that it was gummy. I also sampled what looked and sort of tasted like apple jam. When Layla refused to eat more of her breakfast, I finished it. So now I can eat regular Quakers oatmeal, cinnamon roll, maple brown sugar, and apple cinnamon, though this one is not my favorite and I understand why Layla didn’t want to finish it.

At the restaurant across the street from the hotel, I had beef with lime leaf. It sounds exotic, but to be truthful it was beef shiskabob with these leaves in-between. I dumped the leaves and ate the tasty beef with steamed rice. And for dinner at my own hotel, I ate the shrimp fried rice though for some reason it had cilantro in it. I avoided the cilantro.

In Danang, I decided to be adventurous and order the burger and fries. I knew this might be problematic when I tried to add cheese and it was pretty apparent the waiter’s English, did not include the word “cheese”, that poor, poor man…a world without cheese is like a cruise without lobster night. The burger was on Subway type bread and had some extra ingredients that had a kick to it. The fries. Well, the fries looked as if I gave Jory a potato and told him to chop it up so we could leave them in a vat of grease and not drain any of it off before serving.

I was pretty sure I would be stuck watching my Asian soap opera, which we’ll talk more about in a minute, or the Discovery channel, but to my surprise I found another channel and all of a sudden I felt like I was in an editing bay with Joe, Harvey, Marcus, Diane, and Jerry.

Babes. Beaches. Guns. CSI: Miami - You think they could mention the dead bodies, but I’m not the promo writer.

Is it Horatio’s fascination with his sunglasses? Is it Alex’s romances with dead bodies? Yada. Yada. CSI: Miami.

There is a CSI supreme night every Sunday on AXN. (Thanks Jerry for making the rest of the world think if they come to Miami, Vegas, or NY, they’ll get murdered. Though on the upside at least they know their cases would get solved and their murderers would get punished.) And just to make me feel more at home, they thrown in an episode of Numbers. The Guardian (Simon Baker is so much hotter, funnier and charismatic on The Mentalist). Shark. Amazing Race (Rox, Dee, I said the frat boys were my favorite team, but now I think it’s the two older men who were best friends.) It’s like I’m back in program coordination.

Then I discovered the Star World channel and found How I Met Your Mother (Could Doggie Howser/Barney be any funnier?), Reaper, 90210. And B, to keep the surprise going, I didn’t watch the season finale of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 11. Sorry Angela, there’s no Privileged or Gossip Girl, I guess this Asian market has taste. I’m just kidding, sort of.

Did I mention they air Early Edition? Yes, every morning I can stare into the face of hellafine Kyle Chandler. Why did they cancel that show? It could have been paired with The Mentalist and been two hours of hot men who make a difference. I would have been all over that.

And for all my Beacon/Holding buddies, The Guardian is showing on Cinemax. It’s like the best of all worlds.

These channels are pretty up to date, The Golden Globes is airing on Jan 12 and American Idol starts on Jan 14. It is slightly strange to see eyeliners at the top of the screen.

And on my Asian soap, I saw the worst product placement. The couple walked into the restaurant and suddenly on the right third of the screen was this huge advertisement for some type of beer. It was on the screen for a good 10 to 15 seconds, then I realized it wasn’t an eyeliner ala The Eleventh Hour premieres promo, but it was a billboard, like the kind you would see at the bus stop, in the middle of the set. So when the actors walked into the restaurant, they paused by the billboard, while they waited to be seated. Was that really necessary?! And why would a beer billboard just be randomly in a sort of upscale restaurant?

Until next time….



Here's me holding Layla.



The Visa medical center.

Layla's Schedule

I tried to upload a copy of Layla's feeding schedule, but I couldn't do it so I typed it out.

MILK: Dutch Lady - Step 2

6:30AM: get up, bath
7:00AM: eating (rice soup) (drinked rice soup)
10:00AM: milk (180ml)
11:30AM: sleep
2:00PM: eating (rice soup)
6:00PM: milk (180ml)
9:00PM: milk (180ml)
9:30PM: sleep
1:00AM: milk (180ml)

Note: naughty, active girl




Nancy was smart and took a picture of Ben's schedule. Layla's looks just like this one.

Day Three continues

Four years ago on December 30th at 12:45PM, I received the second greatest Christmas present ever. The world’s greatest county worker walked through the door with a baby carrier in hand. Inside the car seat was the most beautiful little baby with a head full of dark brown hair, in a blue sleeper that was too big, being swallowed whole by the gigantic car seat. Just four days before I wondered when I would become a mom and here it was my dream come true.

Sometimes I can’t believe it’s been four years, it seems like we’ve been together for eternity. And other days, I wonder how four years passed so quickly. My baby, my Jory is growing up with his endless questions, his growing knowledge of ways to get out of sharing, etc.

“Mommy, are you coming home?” he asked as we spoke on the phone. Oh, how that pierced my heart.

“Mommy’s coming home. Do you want me to bring you something back?” I asked, trying to distract him.

“Mommy, I want a garbage truck.”

“So you’ll share your truck with the baby?” Oma inquired.

“Mommy, buy the baby an orange garbage truck.”

You gotta love four-year-olds who look out for their baby sisters.

I’m madly in love with him and I’m so blessed and honored to call him son. Jory, to quote that famous book with my own addition, “I love you forever. I ‘ll like you for always (though I won’t always like what you do). As long as I’m living my baby you’ll be. I pray you become a man after God’s own heart and your future wife is being loved and well taken care of and she will be a woman after God’s own heart. I love you, baby.

Now on to the trip…. I decided with Layla the phrase “better the devil you know, then the devil you don’t” would change our relationship once she left the orphanage. Off we drove to the orphanage in the rain and when we arrive the nannies were dressing the babies. I saw a little girl stand up and take a few steps. “Layla walks!” I exclaimed.

“Yash, I don’t think that’s Layla,” Nancy, a fellow traveling companion said, “I think she’s the one getting dressed.”

Thanks for crushing the dream of a walking daughter. Nancy was right. Once the kids were dressed the nannies put the kids in our arms. Once again the boys, Ben and James were smiles and giggles. Layla was Layla, but I was prepared. I took out the camera to show her Christmas pictures of Jory and Rowan. I showed her the pictures of the kids in matching Christmas pjs. I told her Oma just started that tradition last year, which was so not an Oma thing to do, it was more of a mommy thing, but life is full of surprises. (Steph, I needed to know where your mom gets all the matching pjs from.) No reaction to the new family Christmas tradition, so I moved on to the picture of her brother and sister sitting in front of their gigantic white bear Uncle Andrew gave them for Christmas. But once again, nada. Gotcha, you’re not feeling it.

Her nanny, her primary caretaker, tried to get her to smile, laugh, but to no avail. I let her nanny hold her again not just for Layla’s sake, but also for this woman who obviously loved Layla. But after a short while, the nanny handed her back to me. Layla so wasn’t feeling that so she went to sleep, a better alternative than to have to deal with this tide smelling, strange talking woman.

As I looked at the six children being left behind, I had to know what their future was. Thank goodness, I was told they were going to be adopted and if I understood correctly by Italian families. The scene with us holding our babies and the ones left behind reminded me of Jory’s now favorite Christmas movie, “The Cabbage Patch Kid Christmas Movie” in which Tina Louise (could there be a more CPK name?) was going off with her new adoptive family and the other kids weren't so she felt bad. The leader of the kids told her, “We’re sad for ourselves, but happy for you.” Then they all joined in for a group hug. These babies didn’t do a group hug or a group goodbye, they sort of kept playing, watching, as we left.

Layla woke up on the way to the Department of Justice, where we were going to finalize the adoption. She was quiet and just looked out the window. We were taken right up to the room which had a large moving board that was on the marriage side and was conveniently flipped over to reveal the adoption side. Our names, dates, children’s names were put on the board and the officials walked in. The ceremony was quick and sort of difficult to understand because the door was open and there was some sort of noise going on in the hallway and music being played. Maybe someone was getting married in one of the other rooms. We did see a couple who were obviously getting married, the bride was in this pretty yellow dress that reminded me of a dress I used as a wedding dress for my Barbies. Hmm, wonder where that dress is?

Paperwork was signed. We were thanked for adopting the babies, loving them, and giving them a good home by the powers that be. Then one at a time, we went to stand in front of the board with the head official with our official adoption decree. We thanked him and he thanked us. And finally, the lone dad in the group stood up and gave a wonderful and touching speech thanking the head of the kids’ orphanage, our amazing adoption worker in Vietnam, and the officials for our wonderful children and promised to make them proud to be Vietnamese and keep them close to their Vietnamese culture. And with that, we were done.

On the way back to the hotel, Layla became vocal for a few seconds. It was the first time I had heard her do anything but cry. Look at that we’re making progress.

Before 11AM, we were back in our hotel rooms where the real fun began. In the beginning, Layla was okay and I put her down for a nap after a bottle. She was fine at first, then the crying or rather grieving woke me up from my sleep. I felt so bad for the poor little girl as she sobbed on and off for a good hour and half. Nothing I did comforted her. Nothing was familiar. Everything she heard, saw, smelled, felt, and tasted was different. Finally she drifted back to sleep. We both fell into a deep sleep and was awakened by Madame Chau saying everyone was waiting downstairs for us so we could leave for the airport. I was pretty proud of myself that I was able to dress and pack us up in 15 minutes. And the most important thing I learned was that Layla could crawl as the maid and I found out as I opened the door for her and turned back just in time to stop the little one from crawling right off the bed. Did I mention she’s a quick crawler?

All the babies were good travelers, they handled the two hour wait in the airport and the hour plane ride like troopers. Though Ben wasn’t too fond of the landing and Layla wasn’t digging the wait for the plane’s door to be opened.

Twelve hours after she became legally mine, Layla smiled when I tickled her. A real smile. We’re making progress.



My first view of Layla's orphanage on the first night we met.



Barbara and James (on the left) and Nancy and the rock star



The orphanage on finalization day.



The baby I mistook for Layla is standing in the foreground. The rock star is on his stomach in the background. Layla is the beauty that's getting dressed for her big court date.



The nannies at the orphanage, the wonderful Madame Chau in the pink blouse, and Layla being held by a nanny.



Look, it's a marriage board....



Presto, it's an adoption board....



Now it's ready for the Giving and Receiving Cermony. My last name was too long so they had to use my first name.



The final paperwork being signed. And yes, that is Layla in the background.



A close up of Miss Layla minutes before she's legally a Herrington.



Madame Chau and the Vietnamese officials, who granted the adoptions.



Layla and a nanny in the orphanage on the first night we met.

Day Three

You have looked into my eyes
You have seen what I am
But still you're by my side (amazingly)
Telling me I can
There are times I caused you pain
And times I've made mistakes
But somehow you've used them all my Lord
To make this I you made

Everything good thing I have done
Everything that I've become
Everything that's turned out right
Is because you're in my life
And if I ever teach a child the way
Ever learn myself to change
Ever become who I want to be
It's not the I
But the you in me

And if I ever teach a child the way - Once again I have been granted this blessing from God to teach a child the way. Layla is my daughter. Layla is now my forever child.


All that I can say is God
Truly God
Can you see
Can you hear
Can you touch
Can you feel Him
It's God
Truly God
I can't explain any other way
Cause it's God

Last Photo of Layla before I met her in person

Dick and Cheryl sent this photo of a crawling Layla three days before I left.

Pictures by Lina

Poor Layla the baby in these pictures, taken by the extraordinary Lina's aunt, had no idea the greatest holiday was only eight short days. And more importantly, the innocent babe in these pictures has no idea that in twelve days her life would be forever changed.

First Photos I Received

When Dick and Cheryl sent me my first glimpes of Layla back on September 9, 2008, I was unimpressed. She looked awwight, but nothing screamed she's my daughter other than I had accepted her referral.

Now almost a year later I'm looking at these pictures and I'm in awe. These photos are so Layla. In the one where she's crying, I think obviously they didn't upset her enough because her lips aren't blue. Or maybe she just hadn't learned that particular trick yet. Cause to be honest, the first time Oma told me she could do that I was a little doubtful. My Koala Bear wouldn't hold her breath because she was upset. That's what I thought until she did it to me.

I can't even remember what set her off. But luckily years ago, my mom had told me the story of her co-worker who had made numerous trips to the ER because her daughter did the same thing. Finally on a visit, the ER doctor suggested the woman carry around a water bottle. Whenever her daughter held her breath, the doctor said to squirt her in the face and the little girl would catch her breath. So far blowing in Layla's face works fine, but I keep the water bottle idea in the back of my mind.

The power of a picture. A year ago, these pictures were pictures of a newbornish baby girl. Today, they are pictures of the most beautiful baby ever born on January 21, 2008. How I love that little girl.

Day Two

The flight from Taiwan to Saigon was uneventful. I saw the rest of the Star Wars cartoon, I’m intrigued and tried to watch Gavin’s favorite, “The Polar Express”, but the stewardesses felt like freezing us all to death while at the same type ignoring their bat signal so I could get another blanket so I fell asleep on it. Maybe next flight.

Stepping off the plane in Taiwan, the air smelt different it reminded me of stepping off the plane in Jacksonville on the way to visit my grandma. If they had had a Dairy Queen close by, it would have almost been the same. How I loved when my grandma treated us to a full meal deal. They didn’t have anything that cool in LA. But I digress. When we landed in Saigon, the oppressive heat and humidity once again reminded me of visits to the South once again.

I would like to say once I arrived at the hotel at 12:30, I explored, chatted with other hotel guests, but does that even sound like me? The other family here to adopt was at the spa, so I’ll have to meet them tomorrow. Instead I went to room and discovered a nice surprise that my bottle of mouthwash exploded, so I got to channel my “Little House on the Prairie” self and start washing clothes in the sink. After that excitement and a shower, I got to learn about Leonard the dinosaur on the Discovery channel.

Well, it’s 3AM here now and my Asian soap opera has gone off. We leave in 12 hours and 30 minutes for an hour flight to Danang (where China Beach took place, I loved Marg Helenberger and Dana Delany on that show). Immediately after we land, we’ll go to the orphanage and I will see Layla in person.

Thank you all for the prayers and warm wishes, earlier I had constant butterflies but now I feel at peace. I’ve been waiting to meet this little girl since April 9, 2007. But all things in God’s perfect timing. I’m sure she will be the most beautiful, sweetest baby girl ever born on January 21, 2008.

I’ll write more after I see her. Oh yeah, let’s pray that breakfast downstairs in the hotel isn’t a “Western” one.

Day One

I'm on my computer in the airport in Teipei, Tawain. Day 1 of my adventure....

Why doesn't Western breakfast really mean a British one? Thank God for those two piececs of pineapple, the roll, the 2 pieces of ham, and tiny slice of cheese or I would have starved this morning. Why did I get some crazy English breakfast when last night I had a great meal of potatoes, vegetables, and beef?

My flight was uneventful though I do have to say Red Eyes ROCK!!!! I think I've seen more movies last night/this morning than I've seen in the past 2 years.

I saw Dark Knight - it was alright. Great cast. Thank goodness they added Maggie G. to the canvas.

The Mummy 3 - How do you just replace Rachel Weisz and not really mention it? Is this a soap opera? Though my beautiful Russell Wong was in it. Oh how I love that man. HOT! The Mummy did get me thinking as Jet Li tried to take over the world....Couldn't America do that so that why I would never have to worry about being offered a "Western" breakfast on any other flights?

Babylon AD - Does Vin Diesel just throw random countries he would like to work in in a hat and whatever country wins, his people find a script shooting in that place? I would tell you what the movie was about, but other than him transporting a girl/woman back to the States from Russia maybe I have no idea what that movie was about. I fell asleep half-way through woke-up and got the end, which was just as confusing as the rest of the movie. Hey, at least they were consistent.

House Bunny - Anna Faris is funny. The movie was cute. And it's nice to see An American Idol person working at some place other than the county fair or mall opening. And where has Colin Hanks been hiding?

And just for you Ash, I watched maybe half of your Star Wars cartoon our landing in Tawain stopped me from watching the rest. Uh, what age group is that targeted to? The gunfire in the first 15 minutes was a bit much.

So basically this was just a nice movie review email. It sounds like we're going to start boarding. Next stop, Saigon......

Good Morning Vietnam!!!!

ＯＫＡＹ　ＳＯ I AM　ＮＯＴ IN　ＶＩＥＴＮＡＭ YET. I"M IN　ＴＨＥ AIRPORT IN　ＴＡＷＡＩＮ　ＨＡＶＩＮＧ DIFFICULTIES USING　ＴＨＥ FOUR　ＬＡＮＧＵＡＧＥ　ＫＥＹＢＯＡＲＤ．　　Ｉ”Ｍ LESS ABOUT 24 HOURS　ＡＷＡＹ　ＦＲＯＭ MEETING　ＬＡＹＬＡ．　　ＷＨＡＴ A　ＳＴＲＡＮＧＥ FEELINGＴＨＡＴ　ＩＳ．

ＴＨＥ FLIGHT　ＷＡＳ GOOD THOUGH　ＳＡＤＬＹ IT　ＷＡＳ　Ａ　ＢＲＩＴＩＳＨ BREAKFAST.


Ｉ　ＳＡＷ　ＤＡＲＫ KNIGHT - IT　ＷＡＳ OKAY BUT OVERHYPED IN　ＭＹ　ＯＰＩＮＩＯＮ．　　ＡＮＤ WHY　ＤＩＤ HEATH HAVE　ＴＯ　ＬＩＣＫ　
ＨＩＳ LIPS EVERY FIVE　ＳＥＣＯＮＤＳ？　　I WANTEDＳＯ　
ＤＥＳＰＥＲＡＴＥＬＹ　ＦＯＲ SOMEONE　ＴＯ GIVE HIM SOME CHAPSTICK. THE　ＡＣＴＩＮＧ WAS　ＧＯＯＤ．

I"LL　ＷＲＩＴＥ MORE　ＬＡＴＥＲ　ＢＥＣＡＵＳＥ THIS　ＫＥＹＢＯＡＲＤIS　ＤＲＩＶＩＮＧ　ＭＥ　ＢＡＴＴＹ．