Sharon and I had a relaxing morning, but it started at 7am. One of us was required to be by the phone from 9:30-11:00 in order to receive a phone call from our CCAI adoption representative in the event that there were problems with our visa request for Grace. Sharon took this opportunity to do some more exploring of the shops on the island. She’s done a great job buying cute outfits for Grace and some souvenirs for our boys. I would go into detail here on the gifts, but they are surprises for the boys.
We got a call from our CCAI rep at around 10:30am letting us know that everything was great with our visa application. We will be getting the visa tomorrow. We will also be going through the oath ceremony tomorrow which marks the final official thing we need to do for Grace to become a US citizen.
At 11am today we went to the Pearl Markets with our adoption group. The Pearl Market is within a massive five story mall surrounded by a number of other shops. We have never seen such a site. Five stories of jewelry – colored beads, pearls, jade, turquoise, etc. We went to the fifth story pearl store because, according to our guide, the higher up you went in the mall the better the deals. Sharon was able to get some pretty freshwater earrings and necklaces. At some point during the whole pearl shopping experience I blurted out, “do you have anything here for men?” I was just joking, of course, and the rest of the men joined in on the laugh. One of the employees, however, immediately started handing each man a bottled water. Like the pearls, it was fresh water!
Following our time in the pearl market we went to a store that sells CD’s and DVD’s. We bought a number of new release movies for about $1.50 each. We also found some nice children’s Chinese music and some Chinese folk music. We broke away from our adoption group and ate at a McDonalds. After the quick meal we walked past a long line of outdoor shops where the owners tried to woo us with shrimp tempura on a stick, scorpion on a stick, squid on a stick, and chicken claws. See the pictures of the assortment of foods. Neither of us was in the mood to brave the assortment of foods.
Instead we hailed a taxi and told him, “Bie Tien Uh.” I was pleased that he actually understood that I was saying “White Swan.” In about ten minutes we were at the hotel. We paid the cab driver the 8 yuen (about $1.15) and went up to our room for some R&R.
Grace was happy today, and here's a new first --she actually showed her affection for us by leaning into us for some kisses. She gives big, open mouth kisses, and it is a pleasure to see this side of her. No belly laughs yet, but we know these will come too.
Later this afternoon we joined our adoption group for the traditional “Red Couch Photos” in the White Swan Hotel. We had no problem getting our six little babies to sit on a red couch without their new parents. Getting them to sit their without crying was another matter!
After an Italian dinner, Sharon and I are relaxing again in the hotel room. We are anxious to get home – to introduce Grace to her brothers and to her new life – a life beyond hotel rooms, all-you-can-eat breakfast buffets, and Chinese television. But we are also content even as Grace is content. As I have written this blog (twice actually since the first time it froze on me and I lost it all) Grace has been content to play with an open box of diapers. When we call her name she turns her head to us and smiles, wrinkling her nose to give us the most in her smile.
And speaking of diapers, Grace has finally produced well-formed bowel movements. If Grace weren’t our fifth child we might look at this as another photo op, but, well, let’s just say, “been there, done that.” We are thrilled that the medicine is working.
The doctor said that if we give her too much it will cause constipation. Hmmm…maybe this would be even more effective than the plastic pants for our long flights home.
We got a call from our CCAI rep at around 10:30am letting us know that everything was great with our visa application. We will be getting the visa tomorrow. We will also be going through the oath ceremony tomorrow which marks the final official thing we need to do for Grace to become a US citizen.
At 11am today we went to the Pearl Markets with our adoption group. The Pearl Market is within a massive five story mall surrounded by a number of other shops. We have never seen such a site. Five stories of jewelry – colored beads, pearls, jade, turquoise, etc. We went to the fifth story pearl store because, according to our guide, the higher up you went in the mall the better the deals. Sharon was able to get some pretty freshwater earrings and necklaces. At some point during the whole pearl shopping experience I blurted out, “do you have anything here for men?” I was just joking, of course, and the rest of the men joined in on the laugh. One of the employees, however, immediately started handing each man a bottled water. Like the pearls, it was fresh water!
Following our time in the pearl market we went to a store that sells CD’s and DVD’s. We bought a number of new release movies for about $1.50 each. We also found some nice children’s Chinese music and some Chinese folk music. We broke away from our adoption group and ate at a McDonalds. After the quick meal we walked past a long line of outdoor shops where the owners tried to woo us with shrimp tempura on a stick, scorpion on a stick, squid on a stick, and chicken claws. See the pictures of the assortment of foods. Neither of us was in the mood to brave the assortment of foods.
Instead we hailed a taxi and told him, “Bie Tien Uh.” I was pleased that he actually understood that I was saying “White Swan.” In about ten minutes we were at the hotel. We paid the cab driver the 8 yuen (about $1.15) and went up to our room for some R&R.
Grace was happy today, and here's a new first --she actually showed her affection for us by leaning into us for some kisses. She gives big, open mouth kisses, and it is a pleasure to see this side of her. No belly laughs yet, but we know these will come too.
Later this afternoon we joined our adoption group for the traditional “Red Couch Photos” in the White Swan Hotel. We had no problem getting our six little babies to sit on a red couch without their new parents. Getting them to sit their without crying was another matter!
After an Italian dinner, Sharon and I are relaxing again in the hotel room. We are anxious to get home – to introduce Grace to her brothers and to her new life – a life beyond hotel rooms, all-you-can-eat breakfast buffets, and Chinese television. But we are also content even as Grace is content. As I have written this blog (twice actually since the first time it froze on me and I lost it all) Grace has been content to play with an open box of diapers. When we call her name she turns her head to us and smiles, wrinkling her nose to give us the most in her smile.
And speaking of diapers, Grace has finally produced well-formed bowel movements. If Grace weren’t our fifth child we might look at this as another photo op, but, well, let’s just say, “been there, done that.” We are thrilled that the medicine is working.
The doctor said that if we give her too much it will cause constipation. Hmmm…maybe this would be even more effective than the plastic pants for our long flights home.
On the Red Couch
In her party dress
All six girls from our adoption group
Mommy and Daughter with the Pearl River in the background
