China Trip - Post 14 - Consulate appointment and a trip to the zoo

** I am just getting around to doing our last two trip posts. I had written this one and had planned to do the photos on our last day but had no computer access on Wednesday and Thursday as we were traveling to Hong Kong, staying there overnight and then traveling home all day Thursday.


Well, today was a big day. This morning was our consulate appointment. The final paperwork hoop (til we get home and begin the post-placement reports!). We, and many other families, sat in a crowded room and swore an oath together about...aw heck...I can't even remember...something about all our paperwork being truthful and legal and that these children will be our responsibility.

Each family was then called up to an embassy representative to hand in the final paperwork for approval and the filling out of a few more things (like social security applications). Tomorrow Mia Ting's visa will be picked up and we will be on our way home. She will be a citizen of the USA as soon as the plane touches down at Dulles Airport!

After the appointment (sorry no cameras allowed in the office), we headed to the zoo to visit the animals. Lots of walking and photographs later we headed home for naps and rest before dinner. Dinner was our favorite yet - yummy dumplings, noodles, lamb, and a few other tasty dishes. Enjoy the photos (I even included one of the squatty potty at the zoo - it was not a very clean one like the one I used the other day!). Tomorrow we will sleep in and get a late breakfast. We check out at 2:30pm and head to the train station for the start of our journey home. We will take the train to Hong Kong where we will spend the night and morning, then catch the plane to Tokyo, Japan and then our connecting (long) flight to Washington, DC.

It's been quite a journey to our daughter and we have gotten to do and see so much. Thank you God for this amazing adoption adventure - the true adventure is only just beginning!!