Wednesday, July 21, 2010

We got off to a quick start today. Right after breakfast Richard met us at the hotel and we spent the afternoon at the Guangzhou Safari Park http://xjzoo.com.cn/ about 45 minute drive south from Shamian Island. Notwithstanding the oppressive heat and humidity, it was a great adventure. We took a safari train through an open field area of the park viewing camels, deer, zebras and other generally docile animals that don’t consider a train load of children as lunch.

After the “safari on wheels” we walked through the other park areas. We were able to get up close to many animals and even feed some of the hungry ones. The highlights included Michelle holding a parrot, daddy and Ava feeding a giraffe and all of us receiving an elephant shower (from the trunk end). In all we spent about 4 hours in the park with an extended lunch break having sought shelter from the afternoon downpour. The heavy but short cloudburst cooled us off nicely as we had to pick-up the pace to get back to the front of the park to meet Richard again to make our 3:00PM oath taking ceremony at the US Consulate.

We arrived at the Consulate a bit disheveled from the sweat, rain, more sweat and elephant gunk. We were exactly on time, which was 3:37PM – just late enough to be the last US family in the que and the first one out (that’s LIFO for you accountants).

There were about 40 adoptive families waiting and listening to a barely adequate loudspeaker for a government official to call out their child’s Chinese name then jump up to a window and sign some paperwork (Form DS 230) which I have filled out three times already…. Thereafter, the Foreign Service Officer assigned to this immigration post in Guangzhou offered some statistics about the group of families assembled and some adoption statistics in general. We then all raised our right hand and swore that everything we have done in the adoption process and the information we submitted to the USA is truthful. We expect to receive Ava’s US travel Visa by tomorrow afternoon. The information sheet we received from the US Consulate says that your child will automatically acquire U.S. citizenship at the port of entry. For us that means Los Angeles, CA at 6:50PM Pacific Time on July 23, 2010. USCIS will mail us Ava’s Certificate of Citizenship within 45 days after arrival in the United States.

It was about an hour drive by charter bus back to the hotel. The busload of children was surprisingly quiet as we chatted with some of the other families about their adoption stories, how ready we all are to be home and what shop has the best deal on squeaky shoes and silk dresses.

We were back to the hotel by about 6:15PM. We freshened up and headed out to the Thai place we really like. At the end of dinner Michelle apparently got to close to a red pepper or some other spice in 4-star item number A88 (this is not your dads phad thai). She rubbed her eye and it began swelling up. So, she made quick time back to the room for an eye flush and ice. Ava and I finished up dinner and made our way through some shops on the way back. We found Michelle’s eye still a bit swollen up, but not getting worse. If she looks like Rocky Balboa in the morning I’ll be sure to send pictures.

It’s a little past 10:00PM now and I see my girls crashed out together on the bed. It is a blessing and sweet image to end a long and good day.

Good night from Guangzhou.

Michelle and Daryl

Hello Lex and Jack…we will be home soon! 2 more sleeps. Daddy is putting together a special slide show of the Safari Park visit. to show you. We'll tell you all about it when we get home. We love you.

We also want to give a special thanks to Grandma’s Water Works, Inc. and the Soltys entertainment committee for providing the first photo of this days journal entry. Ava at Last would not be possible without a special grandma and our friends at home who are taking great care of our boys. They are filling each day with so much love and adventure that perhaps they don’t miss us.