I finally did something new for the blog's header - hope everyone likes it!
Isn't she the cutest thing ever?
As Stacy mentioned - yesterday we had our "paperwork party"...
There were 13 of us packed into a standard room designed for two... it was so much fun! NOT!
Well, I'd rather have a "root canal party" - because the stress level was very high. We put together documents, as well filled them out, line by line. The documents are for the Consulate appointment tomorrow (which we actually don't have to go to - the guides do it for us) - so we were all powerfully aware of just how important the stuff was. Our kid's ability to come home rested on these documents.
It was scary to be franticly searching through our packs of paperwork that we all brought from home trying desperately to find something that we all prayed we had.
The situation was helped, negatively, by the fact that a lot of the forms we had from USCIS and the US Consulate were actually expired and invalid. Thankfully our guides had plenty of copies of the correct forms to fill out.
As we went through the documents, it was painfully obvious just how much wasted time and energy goes into for filling as part of the mega-bureaucracy that is the US government. Of course, if we skipped ahead at all and followed the instructions on the form, we'd inevitably have filled something out wrong.
After two and a half hours of anti-fun, we finished!
We met a half hour later to go to the tepanyaki restaurant in the hotel, which Stacy talked about. In the lobby of the hotel, they had a violin quartet playing - which was kinda neat.
The food was good, but not the great level that we expected.
Sophie was constipated last night, so we were up till 11 waiting for the laxative to do something - it didn't, and we were all very tired, so we just went to sleep. We'll get her some prunes or something today to see if that helps.
This morning we went to a folk art museum, which used to be an ancestral (not religious) temple. The ever present gift shops yielded a few cool things, including a picture that this artist does using only his hands (I have video of him working) - pretty cool stuff.
This was a flower sculpture outside the entrance:
We had McDonald's for lunch again (as did just about everyone else) and Sophie was actually asleep before we got off the bus from the Tea House.
Not sure what we'll do tonight - we're kinda tired, yet going a little stir crazy.
Tomorrow morning after breakfast we all have to stay in our rooms so that we re available for our guides if they need to call us when they are at the consulate. After that we will be going to a local shopping district, and I think that's about all that will be happening tomorrow.
Gonna have to start packing soon - we leave Guangzhou on Wednesday - only three days from now we'll be back in Beijing for our last night in China.
Well, time to get going for now - I'll see if I can get some video posted tonight.
Love you all!
Larry
4 comments:
I miss you so much. Can't wait for Thursday. I hope you are enjoying the sites(now that most of the stress is lessened). What an amazing adventure. So now that you are being called DaDa, doesn't your heart just sing when you hear it. I want to hear it too, for you. NEED CURRENT VIDEO! your mom needs a fix! Love you Lots, MOM
P.S. your header is great, and since you have to stay in your room Monday am, what a FINE time to send video!! P.S.S. Need that list for store! The pain, your loving MOM
I like the new header. You had a good idea putting the adoption certificate on it.
It sounds funny for you to refer to McDees as if it's a "real" restaurant. I thought maybe you would want to pick up some ideas from the chinese to enhance your culinary skills. LOL - just kidding.
Sophie looks like a little angel laying there all snuggly and warm hugging her panda.
Only a few more days until you'll be back sleeping in your own beds.
See you soon, Mom
Hello again; Sorry I have not written but on Friday I had a fifteen hour day and then on Saturday and Sunday I had to go in again to take care of some unfinished business. Enough on that, Only three more days left and ya'll will be coming home to a warm home and good food. I bet ya'll can not wait. Sophia seems to get cutier every time I see a picture of her. She looks like she enjoys picture taking. Keep taking them as time goes on they are nice to reflect on. Hope all is well and will wait for more pictures and more good news, like no more paper work. I know it has been a long journey and all three of you are pretty tired but in a few days the rest of the journey will begin. That journey will take the rest of your lives. Believe me, it is a great journey and brings new things daily. Take care of yourselves and will write more tomorrow. All my love, Grandpa Cal.
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