It's Official!

December 8, 2010 Wednesday in Guangzhou

We are official now! I did the oath taking ceremony at about 3:15 today at the American Consulate. How appropriate on this feast of Mary! Now when we land in Detroit on our way home and Marie Ling gets her passport stamped she officially becomes an American citizen!!!!!!!!! Actually, the consulate here is the fourth busiest visa and passport processing consulate in the world. Today my oath simply said that the paperwork we submitted was complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and ability. Thirty-three families took the oath at the same time! Brook,the consulate official told us that about 66% of the adoptions from China this year were for special needs children!

When we returned to the hotel four of the five families met to take pictures with their little ones in traditional Chinese attire; yes, I bought a dress for Marie Ling. She chose hot pink instead of the more traditional red (that's my girl! already challenging the status quo!). After pictures, we ran upstairs to change clothes, so that we could go for a few minutes to the room of Lillian Grace Madsen who turned three today! Her parents were hosting a little party in her honor. The Madsens of Green Bay, WI have a 19 year old son at home, a thirteen year old daughter with them and have just adopted Lily who has Down Syndrome. I am impressed with their willingness to take on that lifelong commitment! Both are teachers. You have just got to love educators!

This evening a handful of us went on a riverboat dinner cruise on the Pearl River which runs through the city. The views of the city and all its lights were fantastic. The food was varied and passable. The near stampede for the buffet line was just down right rude! Our guide went with us which made the meal easier with Marie Ling. We got back to the hotel about the time we have been having lights out so I was nervous about bedtime, but she must have been tired. She was out, with me next to her her in about 15 minutes!

Three times now Marie Ling has played with Madison a seven year old sister of a little boy adopted this week. I have been most pleased to see the two girls play together in the playroom, on the slides and while riding on the bus. I think the two could color next to each other for hours! It is a relief that playing with a non Chinese friend does not seem an issue and on several occasions Marie Ling has helped or engaged Christian the 2 and 1/2 year old little brother. Madison is her mother Rachel's only companion on this journey to pick up Christian! Again, I am so grateful for my dear sister Mary's willingness to accompany me on this adventure.

Here is a special hello to those of you at St.Xavier and HCESC who are following along and to my dear cousins - you members of the Cousins Cozy! Thanks cousin Cece for assembling all the squares into a quilt for Marie Ling. Mike said it looks great and he is to pick it up from the quilting shop on Saturday morning. Thanks also to Jeanie, Gail, Paul and Brother at Moeller for all your support and help surrounding my adventure to China.Only two more days and we will be on our way to Hong Kong to catch our flight home.Yeah!!!!

More soon,

Michelle