Our Last Day in China

Today is our last day in China and we are very, very, ready to come home to the USA! We have our interview at the US Consulate this afternoon and will receive Mary Kate's visa for travel. Once we land in Chicago tomorrow, she will immediately become a US citizen!

More of Guangzhou

Today we went to 2 different parks in the city, one was the Guangzhou Park which included a Memorial Hall for the Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the first Premier of China after the overthrow of the last Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. I just had to ask Jay who he was because I was paying more attention to Mary Kate than the museum. We went to a large outdoor mall this evening that had hundreds of stores, thousands of people and most importantly, McDonalds. I am not a big fan of McDonalds at home, but I have eaten more of it in the last ten days than I have eaten in the last ten years! It is certainly comfort food to us.

Mary Kate has become fond of her daddy and thinks that he is a great playmate. She loves to carry his shoes around the hotel room, wear his Yankees hat and play peek-a-boo with him. She says mama often, but I think she quietly wishes for a Chinese mommy as she reaches out to nearly all of the Chinese women to pick her up and hold her. She loves to play, laugh and smile and is doing better than we expected. We can't wait to bring her home to meet her new family and friends. Miss you!

Happy Baby!

Mary Kate has been to Starbucks at least a dozen times in our short time together and I must say that she is starting to enjoy it as much as we do! She laughed and played peek-a-boo with us, we tried to upload more photos and will try again. Today Mary Kate and I toured the Chen Family Temple in Guangzhou, it had beautiful architecture. We met back at the hotel for lunch with Jay and walked to the Cow and Bridge restaurant, a Thai restaurant, and apparently Mary Kate does not eat Thai food. She shook her head no when she tasted the noodles and insisted on white rice instead. I am planning to make a trip to the Asian food market in OKC soon after I return for Mary Kate because Jay has informed me that after this trip, we will no longer be able to afford P.F. Changs!

We have our last day of touring tomorrow and Thursday we have our appointment with the US Consulate to receive Mary Kate's visa to enter the US. We learned from our guide that it is very difficult for the Chinese people to receive a visa for travel to the USA. The government will not allow most couples to travel together to the USA because they fear the couple will not return to China. The Chinese are permitted to travel to the US for business and education.

We have met so many nice families from the USA here at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou. Many of them are here adopting their second, third or fourth child from China! One little girl, Anna age 8, told us at dinner tonight that her family adopted their third this trip, a boy, and that he has really changed her life! I pray that Jack and Lily are prepared when we return home with their baby sister!

Healthy Baby

Mary Kate was evaluated today by the medical examiner in Guangzhou and was a very brave girl, she only shed a few tears. The doctor said that she had ear wax in her ears, but no infection! She also weighed Mary Kate and she has already gained one and a half pounds in the last week. We have run out of cheerios, but she has discovered a new favorite, Ritz Peanut Butter Crackers, she is on her 3rd package today!

The photographer took the day off today so I apologize for no photographs. He is very homesick and it does not help that Mary Kate will not allow him to hold her hand, give her a bottle or carry her more than momentarily. We are assuming that she must have been very close to her foster mother, which is a blessing, we think that she was very loved. She is so precious and full of personality! I can't believe that today marks our first week together, it seems like it has been much longer.

More of Guangzhou

Although we are enjoying the hotel here in Guangzhou, Jason said that he would much rather be at The Skirvin Hotel in OKC for one week of vacation. We have met many nice families from the USA and have seen many beautiful children from China though none as pretty as our Chongqing girl! The Chinese refer to the girls from Chongqing as the most beautiful and the "Spicy Girls." This is not only because of the hot and spicy food in the region, but also the spicy temper, which we have certainly experienced a few times. We miss Chongqing, especially our guide and friend Sophie!

Today Mary Kate learned to wave and say, "Hi." She cruises through the hotel lobby waving to everyone. She has gone from being near mute to being a complete extrovert in less than one week, isn't that amazing! She is a great sleeper and has truly become addicted to cheerios, we cannot go anywhere without them. Tomorrow is her physical examination, Visa photo and of course, more money to be paid! I am thankful as we will be one step closer to coming home...only 6 more nights in China!

We Made it to Guangzhou

We made it to Guangzhou today and our flight was uneventful. Thanks for your prayers, Mary Kate did very well. She did not like being strapped in with the seatbelt on the flight, but she managed. We are staying at The White Swan Hotel, which has been nicknamed the "Baby Hotel" because there are so many Western families with Chinese adopted children who stay here. It is a very nice resort hotel with a playroom, 2 swimming pools and a Starbucks around the corner. Mary Kate has really turned the corner during the past day or so. We no longer believe that her personality is mild as she is quite vocal and independent. She knows what she wants and is quick to let you know, she and Lily certainly have something in common here! She utters many sounds, but they do not sound like words to us other than mama. She also walks well, but is not terribly steady because she does walk with a limp due to her congenital hip dislocation. She has become more brave and now walks around the hotel room, which is amazing progress from several days ago when she would not stand alone. We love her more each day and I think the feeling is mutual. We miss our family and friends terribly and can't wait to see you when we return home in one week!

Says, MAMA

Breaking news...tonight in a cab ride back to the hotel, Mary Kate grabbed my face and said, Mama. It was worth the wait!