Monday, November 26, 2012
I have to say, although we have been gone a long time, the time
here is going by so quickly. We have seen and experienced so
much in such a short amount of time. We have loved seeing so
many different area of China and experience their different
cultures. But, more importantly, is the real reason we're here
and have been blessed to experience everything that adoption
brings. The emotions you feel when adopting can be compared to
nothing else. The highs and lows, the waiting, and more waiting,
the utter lack of control you feel while others take care of
paperwork, and then finally meeting your child for the first
time after looking at her one little picture for months. It's a
culmination of emotions that words just can't express. And what
a relief when it's finally over. It's like you can finally catch
your breath. Today we were able to finally breathe a bit.
We met our guide, Lee, at 7:30 am for our US Consulate
appointment. This is the final appointment to get your child's
Visa so she can leave the country. It is the appointment that
our entire trip was based around. Now that we're finally not
waking up at 4am, it seems weird to have to wake everyone at
6:30am. We dragged everyone down to the Consulate for an 8:30
appt time, waited around for an hour only to find out that our
appt was really for 10am, that's adoption for you....hurry up
and wait. We decided to take a trip to McDonald's while we
waited, which was on my to do list anyway. The kids have had fun
comparing what American products are better or worse here. I
have to say, the McDonalds was really good. Since we didn't have
much time for coffee this morning, and it was raining cats and
dogs (and pretty chilly) on our walk over, we went to the McCafe
coffee bar. It would rival any Starbucks. Delicious!
On the walk back to the US Consulate, the rain was so heavy and
the wind so fierce that Connor, Ally and I were huddled under
the umbrella so far that all we could do to see was follow Lee's
feet in front to us. We got back to the US Consulate only to
stand in line and wait, then get shuffled into what feels like
the DMV (with a play place) to wait some more. You would think
that after months of paperwork and the past week spend filing
out more Chinese documents than I can count, this last process
for my daughter to finally become ours and one step closer to
becoming a US citizen, would be a bit more official. Nope. For
the “official oath”, a guy stood behind the glass window and we
all faced him and held up our right hand and dutifully repeated
after him. Then they called Taytums Chinese name (in China she
is still officially Dang Fulan) and we went up to the window. We
were sweating it out just a bit because the translation of her
original report didn't match up to the Chinese version. Lee
spend the weekend getting it straight, and she wasn't sure if
the new document was up to par. Thankfully they didn't question
anything and with a few more signatures we were done. Phew! But,
I couldn't get any picture of this this momentous occasion
because they don't allow cameras in the Consulate. Bummer.
Since it was still early in the day, and still raining like
crazy, Lee decided to drop us off at the indoor mall to walk
around and get a snack. The malls here are so bright. Floors and
walls are all white, and the railings are all glass.. The stores
were mostly all American, but no one spoke any English. My
favorite days here so far have been the ones when were are
completely immersed in Chinese culture.. After weaving our way
through halls and stores, we finally made it up the escalators
to the 6th floor, the food court. Talk about fish out of water!
We must have walked up and down the isles 6 times before we
figured out that not one of the menus was in English (not even
the McDonalds). Everyone was ready to throw in the towel, but I
was bound and determined to get us some lunch. I ended up going
to a place called “Kungfu” and just pointed. Thank God for
fingers! I could tell she was asking me all sorts of questions
about my order, but I just smiled and nodded and held out my
money. I didn't even have a clue how much it cost! We ended up
with two bowls of rice and a pork and a chicken dish that were
absolutely delicious! I pointed to a milk (Ally can't get enough
of milk) and an iced tea. The tea was great, but the milk was
hot. Not exactly what I was thinking for Ally, so I put it in
Taytum's bottle and she drank it down quicker than anything I
had given her. I felt like to her it was a taste of something so
familiar and felt so bad that I hadn't give it to her since we
got her. What I will always remember about that lunch is that
when we sat down John made a comment about how they must have
thought that we were dumb Americans and Ally said “Just because
we don't speak their language doesn't make us dumb.”
Wow....truer words have never been spoken. This trip has taught
us all so many things, having compassion for the minority is
among them!
We came back to the hotel to gas up a bit before heading out
again tonight. After Taytum's nap we took her to the play place
at the hotel. I think dad and the big kids had just as much fun
as she did.
We had every intention of going to one more place in the city
that had been recommended, but it was pouring rain and next to
impossible to get a cab, so off to Lucy's it was, again. The
dinner was ok, but every time we've been there we've run into
another adoption family, and the conversation that it brings
makes the dinner even more worth while. The folks we met tonight
had two older Chinese boys with them. They brought one that was
11, and had just adopted one that was 8. The most amazing
part....not only was this their 8th adoption, they have 4
biological kids!
Today Taytum has been ours for a week. Already we have seen so
many changes in her. We know some of her likes and dislikes. She
is so funny and smart and remembers everything the kids have
taught her. She loves to wave Hi and Bye to everyone. And,
although we know just where all of her ticklish spots are, and
how to make her giggle, she is also starting to cry a little
more when she is told not to do something and when it's time for
bed. I can't even begin to image what she (or any little one who
is adopted) is feeling. I think she is just getting used to this
new family of hers and has been (and will spend much more time)
testing the waters of her new situation, as well as grieving
what what once familiar. I think many of her tears are from
confusion and uncertainty. While it breaks my heart, I know it's
part of the adoption process. I just pray that with patience and
understanding, for all of us, her included, will help us all
overcome any obstacles.
Thanks for covering us in prayer while we are here. We can feel
God's love all around us and have felt so blessed that all of
our paperwork here has gone so smoothly. Her Visa should be
ready by 3:30 tomorrow. If all goes well, we will be able to
pick it up then and our adoption here will be final! We will
still adopt her again once we get home. We have a bit more time
tomorrow to explore Guangzhou before we pick up her Visa and
take the train to Hong Kong. |
Forget chopsticks, fingers work good too!
Resting up
First Manicure!
Peek - a - Boo
At the play place
Dinner at Lucy's |
