The Journey Home (Day 12)

We get to bed about 1:30am (12:30pm CST 5-26).  We wake up at 5:00am and began getting ready for the journey home.  We get at the airport at 8:30am for a 10:40 flight to Tokyo.  At the ticket counter is where the fun beings.  Our 10:40am flight was changed to 9:15am.  Needless to say, we couldn't catch that flight.  After discussing all of our option with the airline, we decided on a flight that would leave at 4:30pm.  So at this time, we will be the airport for seven hours before our flight to LAX.  We have heard horrible things from adoptive parents flying into LAX.  So we were not looking forward to this.  The flight from Hong Kong to LAX was great.  Cathay put us on the bulkhead so that we can put Alyse in a bassinet if she fell asleep.  That came in very handy.  She slept about 6-7 hours.  Once we got to LAX, immigration and customs went very smoothly.  We were very relieved.  Our flight from LAX to DFW left at 4:45pm (3:45am Hong Kong 5-27).  We land at DFW at 9:45pm (CST, 8:45am).  Seeing Madison was wonderful.  It seems like she grew a foot over the two weeks.  Everyone is excited when we get home so we were up for a bit.  We finally go to bed about 2:30am.   That trip home we were up almost 35 hours.

Alyse's first night home.

Last day in Gaungzhou (Day 11)

This is our last day in Guangzhou.  Don't have much going on.  We are waiting on Alyse's US visa on her Chinese passport.  We leave the hotel  at 7:00pm for the airport.  It was really hard to say goodbye to everyone.  We lived with these people for two weeks and got to experience a life changing ordeal with them.  We were ready to get home to Madison, but it was still bitterweet.  Our flight from Gaungzhou to Hong Kong left at 10:40pm and got into Hong Kong at 11:30pm.  We finally get to our hotel room about 12:45am.  We leave the next day.

US Consulate (Day 10)

We have a 10:00am appointment with the US Consulate for our swearing in ceremony.  All the families gather in a room with their adopted parents and recite the adoption creed.  After the meeting, we head back to the hotel.  We meet at the famous red couches of White Swan for group photos.  That evening, all the families head out for a dinner cruise along the Pearl River. 

There were about 20 cameras taking our picture.  I did not know which one to smile at.

Sydney, Alyse and Katherine

Alyse, Katherine, Arwen, Grace Ann and Sienna

James was in China by himself, his wife stayed home with their other children.  He adopted TWO on this trip.  He adopted Bella (lap) in another province before coming to Guangzhou.  In Guangzhou, he adopted Deanna (middle).  Hannah on the left end was adopted years ago.  He was probably the "most with it" parent.  Kuddos James.

Katarina, Sydney, Katherine(Katie) and KyraSong



Our entire Guangzhou gang

Rest Days (Day 8 & 9)

The next two days are Saturday and Sunday.  Nothing going on these days.  We went shopping, relaxed in the room to really get to know Alyse.  She is beginnning to smile at us and seems to be very content  with us.   She is such a good baby.  Getting her medicine down her, is another thing.  She loves being strolled outside which is great with us.  She is eating every meal and sleeping good.  Tomorrow (Monday) we  have our appointment with the American Consulate to get her visa stamped on her Chinese passport.

Guangzhou Zoo (Day 8)

Since all  of the official Chinese government appointments are behind us, we have free time until our US Consulate appointments.  Today we are going to the zoo for a few hours.  The zoo was built in 1954 with no wheelchair ramps (or strollers) so we are having to carry Mei Mei up flights of stairs all the time. 

Some of those steps I was telling you about

These kids were so cute.  They would keep saying hello to us in English.

Water park inside zoo

Guangzhou City Tour (Day 7)

With all of the Chinese government appointments behind us, all we have to do is wait for the final paperwork and the US consulate appointment on Monday.  Today we are going to visit a Buddhist Temple, the Old Chen House and an Arts crafts shopping center.  The Buddist temple is over 1400 years olds.  The Chen House was actually a Qing Dynasty Academy built over 100 years ago.   Here are some photos:

Some buddas



Maggie & Jason our guides



Me and Alyse walking into the Chen Academy