13 Days Down & 3 To Go

Sorry I didn't get a post up yesterday...it was kind of a crazy day.  Yesterday morning started with a realization that I had bought the wrong baby formula the night before and needed to find a different store to try to get the right formula.  I went downstairs at the hotel and asked the concierge where I might find another supermarket.  He seemed very friendly and he promptly pulled out a piece of paper, wrote something down in Chinese, smiled, and handed it to me...it was obvious I was on my own!!  I finally found what looked from the outside to be a small drugstore.  I walked inside and realized that what looked like a small drugstore, was really Guangzhou's version of Wal-Mart!!  They had everything...shampoo, televisions, furniture, clothing, bicycles, etc.  I finally found the baby food (and, thankfully, the right formula) in the grocery store section in the basement!! 

 

We spent most of the day yesterday on Shamian Island, which is a very nice and quiet place in the city of Guangzhou.  There are several restaurants, hotels, and shops on the island.  This is also where we went the day before for Sophie's medical exam.  First thing when we got there, all the kids over 2 years old had to get their TB test results.  Unfortunately for one family in our group, their child's test came back positive for TB.  Please pray for Dan and Jennifer and their little girl, Lily, as they're gonna be here for several more days while more tests are done.  They also have to get a waiver from the U.S. government to allow them entry into America.  We feel so bad for them.

 

Beth did plenty of shopping for Sophie while on the island.  She found good deals on shoes and clothes, as well as some other things to give Sophie as she gets older.  Later in the afternoon we went to the White Swan Hotel on the island to get the "red couch picture."  The White Swan is a very nice hotel where lots of adopting families stay.  It's become a tradition for families adopting in China to get their child's picture (in traditional Chinese dress) on one of the red couches in the hotel.  I've posted some pictures we took there, including one picture of us in their beautiful lobby.

 

Last night, we ventured out on the subway with Chris, Beth's work contact I mentioned in an earlier post.  We went to another part of the city to see the Canton Tower. We also got to see a beautiful park and stadium along the Pearl River where the opening ceremonies for the 2010 Asian Games were held.  The subway system here was the cleanest I've ever seen...much nicer than any I've been on in the U.S.  We're heading back to that area tonight with our group on a dinner cruise along the river. 

 

Today we had our appointment with the U.S. Consulate.  They are responsible for issuing immigrant visas for all the adopted children from China.  The American flag on display when we walked in was a welcome sight.  It was an emotional moment as we had to raise our right hand and take an oath on behalf of our child...very cool!!  This was also where we completed the last of the paperwork to finalize the adoption.  Sophie will officially become a U.S. citizen when we arrive in Chicago on Saturday afternoon.

 

I know I say this a lot, but we are so amazed at how well Sophie is doing.  Thank you all so much for your prayers for us...we've had so many answered during this transition.  Sophie is really starting to show more and more personality each day, as well.  We think she's even starting to learn the word "No" even though she doesn't seem to like it!!  We can't wait for her to meet her other brother and sister who are eagerly awaiting her arrival in the U.S.

 

Here are some more pics...

 

The first is of Sophie on the red couch at the White Swan.

 

The second is of Sophie and Chloe (another girl from our group) on the red couch.

 

The third is a family picture of us on the couch.

 

The fourth is of Beth and me in the lobby.

 

The fifth is of us with Chris in front of the Canton Tower.

 

The last is of Blake...Beth says he's acting just like her brother Todd.