Almost Home, Last Post from China

Whew! What a great feeling knowing we will be leaving in 5 1/2 hours for the airport and another couple more for the flights home...EEk! We'll be traveling for 28 plus hours!! And Miss Lily Ping does not like being confined. We have lots of snacks packed, some toys and big prayers for peace. We will beginning a new year in China in about 2 hours and several more hours for most of you. We wish you a very big and happy NEW Year!

The last two days were peppered with the most important paperwork, completeing the US consulate protocols. We were instructed to stay in our room yesterday from 10am - noon and wait for a call to let us know all was fine and we were free to go. Since I traveled alone we had additional paperwork to complete, including a last minute document from Wisconsin that was to be faxed just hours before our appointment. I waited nervously, until Peter called, letting me know that everything was fine...Great news. We were also, trying to complete our adoption in Wisconsin for Lily. That was also completed on the 30th, another relief. Today, we piled into the van for our last trip together, our last goodbyes with the Yangjiang sisters, to travel to the US consulate to receive our child's passport and a "formal" swearing in ceremony. On the way to the consulate, Peter, received a call from the consulate office, that one of our families had a document that was unsigned...much panic set in...for them and us. Much Chinese was spoken, Peter asked the family to call their social worker to have her sign and fax a copy now. In case you weren't aware, the time difference, depending on where you live in the US is 12-14 hours difference. Therefore it was evening, and their social worker was also out of the country. To make the rest of the story short...they had to sign an affidavit saying they would have her sign and mail it as soon as possible, and they were free to go. We received our passports, along with a nice speech by a consulate appointee, we swore that all of the documents and information we provided was true and off we went. Two families left today, the other two of leave tomorrow. We are all very much looking forward to being home to start the new year!

One of the traditions of American adoptive families is to take a "Red Couch Photo" just before you leave Guangzhou at the White Swan Hotel. Our darlings looked beautiful!

Lily has really enjoyed her hula dress. She likes to put in on over everything else, including pj's and sweatshirt.

Our last post from China. Looking forward to seeing all of you and introducing Lily to our wonderful Circle of Support!