Two Days, An Adoption Tradition

Missed writing yesterday.  Got back to the hotel and was just ready to sleep.

However, there was a good deal of excitement for me yesterday. After doing a little shopping, buying future presents for Bo and a current present for mommy, we had our appointment with the US Consulate.  Every immigrant must swear an oath but since Bo can't, we had to in her place.  There were 31 other families with adopted boys and girls of all ages who took the oath at the same time.  It was really a joyous event.  We learned that Bo would officially become a citizen when we land in Chicago and make our way through Immigration and Naturalization. At the moment that the agent stamps Bo's passport, she will officially become a United States citizen.  That will be particularly exciting for me.

For dinner we took a river cruise.  I have added a few pictures.  The bridges and buildings were all lit up.  The food was not so good, so I stuck with the reliable noodles and rice.  Some of the food was a little scary...but no eyeballs or heads.  There was also a Chinese magician who was pretty entertaining.  The best part for me was to watch all of the Chinese people on the boat look with curiosity, laugh and talk amongst themselves.  It was a good time, but I was ready to get back to the hotel for rest.

Today was a free day.  Before the families went their ways to enjoy the day we all gathered in the hotel lobby for a traditional picture.  For years adoptive parents have dressed their babies in traditional Chinese dresses or outfits and had a group picture.  I'm not much for picture taking, but this was pretty cute.  I have included some photos of that event.  None of the babies cried and most of them looked at each other. Of course Bo was the bully putting her hands in the face of another baby and grabbing her ear...hopefully she won't be a mean girl. Bo was very pretty in her traditional blue outfit...Nicole thinks she'll frame it and put it in her room.  As I have through most of this trip, I just say OK.

We went back to Shamian Island where I had to buy a large piece of luggage so we can get everything home.  We had heard we could purchase luggage cheaply and it was a plan all along. Another traditional baby outfit, a traditional Chinese game for the family, and a few other items and it was time to go.  Hailing a cab for this trip was much easier than the last time we tried.

Gary update...last time I wrote I told you about Gary and his girlfriend.  He and I spoke again and he told me that he was going to ask her to marry him anyway.  He was set to go across the street to buy her a ring.  I encouraged him and then tried to tell him a story of my life...how I had thought I was going to marry a previous girlfriend but that didn't work out and then I met Nicole and it was even better..you know, kind of like the Garth Brooks song "Unanswered Prayers."  I must have been confusing with my English because he thought that I said that I had a wife and a girlfriend....so I had to redo that and I'm still not sure.  I warned  Nicole that Gary might think I have a girlfriend too.  She laughed and rolled her eyes.  Nicole went to exercise and spoke with Gary as well.  She was all set to pray with him when she had finished, but he got off work and she couldn't find him.  I am always impressed with my wife's spiritual boldness. 

We are off to dinner here in the hotel.  Hopefully an uneventful, plain meal.

Nicole and I will be posting a letter to you all soon.  Please consider carefully and ask if you have any questions.

God, please get us home!