Wednesday in Guangzhou

Well, it's official, except for the landing on US soil thing. She's ours. We pass. She's got a passport (though it's a Chinese one) and a visa to enter the States. Lord willing, we'll be home in a couple of days.

Last night, we had supper with our friends in the Century Club....those other five waiting child families (except one is already home...missed you Kate) who, along with us waited that terribly long time, getting lost in translation and all. (I think Katie took pictures of our little club, though not all of us together. Funny, it was the first "just us six" picture that we'd had taken since we've been a "just us six" family. Any others we had taken had someone else in them.) It was great fun to be together as a group, to talk and share about our experiences and to get to know each other a bit more. We'd been fortunate enough to spend a bit of time with JB and Laura, since we'd toured so much with them in Beijing. Our families really hit it off, so we met up quite a bit once they got to GZ. Lisa and Terry was another couple that we've really enjoyed talking with a bit. They are strong Christians and share many of our same observations on the sad situation of the people we've seen here in China. I am grateful that God has allowed us to bond with these folks, and I pray that He would allow us to continue friendships afar.

This morning, after breakfast we had to stick around the hotel room for about an hour in case there was any problem with our paperwork. Jim stayed while JE, Katie and I dropped off some laundry (can you believe that I am looking forward to doing my own laundry...that is, in a washing machine and dryer!) and looked at a few items they were interested in. When we got back Jim said that Grace, our guide had called, but that it was good news. We were going to be postponing our "Red Couch Pictures" (the ones that all of the adoptive families take on the White Swan's red couches...the babies in their traditional Chinese costumes, the families and the whole travel groups) until tomorrow because we had been requested to take "the oath" a day early. YEAH! That means that tomorrow is a nice free day.

Today, however, we did a bit of shopping (I'm actually tired of shopping!), not much napping, and a bit of driving through the city of Guangzhou to visit the US Consulate. We'd heard that the oath was kinda anti-climactic...and it was, but it is a milestone you look forward to none-the-less. Afterward, we enjoyed a Brown family dinner at the local Cantonnese place (the one with the mud eels, snakes, waterbeetles, and other yummy stuff for sale to eat....gross) and then headed back to the hotel to pack. How nice it will be to just enjoy our last day in China without the burden of packing.

Thank you dear friends for keeping us in your prayers. Katie and I were just sharing together how all of a sudden, time is flying by. We are ALL excited about coming home. It won't be long now. What an awesome Christmas present coming home will be!

Can't wait...soon, friends and family....soon!