Yesterday was our day to appear at the U.S. Consulate to complete our visa
application for Eiley Joy so we can bring her home. We had gotten a scare a
couple of days ago when the computer system there crashed, but prayers were
answered, and everything went just as it was supposed to. This afternoon, our
CCAI guides went and picked up the passports for our kiddos. Eiley Joy now has
a passport AND a visa so she can enter the United States. The minute she steps
foot on American soil, she will be a U.S. citizen!!! I will post pictures later
of EileyJoy in her red, white, and blue that she wore to our appointment!!!
Yesterday afternoon, we spend some more time on Shamian Island. Another couple
in our travel group went with us, and it was nice spending some time with new
friends, who feel like old friends. I had to purchase a FEW MORE pairs of
squeaky shoes, and I finished outmy list of things that I wanted to get for the
girls. We enjoyed lunch at Lucy's (I just can't get enough of the ICED TEA after
not being able to drink anything with ice in it for over two weeks!!!) Last
night, we ate dinner at the Macaw which is a Portuguese/Cantonese restaurant.
It was another great meal.
Today, we went to Safari Park with the couple we spent time with on Shamian
Island yesterday. It is an interactive zoo, and it was nothing less than
PHENOMENAL!!!! The girls really enjoyed it. Molly Kate and Callie Beth got to
feed the giraffes. They wanted to ride an elephant, but they weren't quite tall
enough. They were both disappointed, but a carousel ride lifted their spirits.
They really loved getting to see the pandas. It was a VERY HOT day----around 90
degrees and very humid, but the park was worth all the sweat!!!
Today is our last day in Guangzhou. In 4 hours, we will be leaving for the
airport. A few families left this afternoon to go by van to Hong Kong to fly
home from there. Several more of us will be leaving shortly, and others later
in the afternoon. It is a bittersweet time. We have spent over two weeks with these
families, and the ties among us have grown close. We have families in our group
from California, Texas, Wyoming, Ohio, Maine, Virginia, Mississippi, North
Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and Kentucky. We all come from different
backgrounds, different careers, different family dynamics. BUT, we all share
one thing in common......we traveled half way around the world to be united with
our son or daughter, and the bond that adoption forms among families just can't
be explained. Not only are Roger and I blessed to have another daughter.....we
are also blessed to have formed new friendships, some of which will last a
lifetime.
We are amazed at how much Eiley Joy has changed in the eleven days she has been
with us. She is SOMETHING ELSE!!!! The blank stare is gone, and her little eyes
are bright, MOST of the time for her mischievousness!!! This afternoon we made
group pictures, and we sat all of our little ones on a couch to make pictures.
She was the only one who kept trying to turn a flip off the couch!!! You can
see in the picture how tiny she is for her age. The little boy sitting to her
right is 15 months old, and the little girl on her left is 19 months old. At 28
months, she was next to the oldest child in our adoption group. We just love
her SO much!!!!
We will be flying to Shanghai today to spend a couple of nights and days. We
are excited that we will get to visit the Shanghai Healing Home on Saturday.
That is where Eiley Joy spent all of her time except for her first month of
life. We feel blessed to have the opportunity to visit there. We didn't get to
go toher finding place because it was too far away, but this will mean just as
much to us.
Please pray for our safe travels......and that all THREE girls will sleep a lot
on the plane!!!! It is only about a 2 1/2 hours flight from Guangzhou to
Shanghai. We will fly out Sunday afternoon and head for HOME!!!!
Vicki :)
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