The End and The Beginning

I can't believe that this is our last post from China. We leave early in the morning and will spend the next 24 hours in airports and airplanes. But we are coming home! This trip has been full of emotions. We came here to meet a little girl, not knowing what to expect. And yet, she came to us with open arms, accepting us as her family. She is more than we could ever have hoped for. She is sweet and beautiful and funny. We give God all of the glory and thank Him for hearing and answering our prayers. We have also felt the prayers of our family and friends. Thank you for your prayers. God has also sustained me during these two weeks of a homesick feeling I never want to experience again!

A little more about Cate... We have a spicy little girl on our hands! I am so thankful that she was cared for with such love at her orphanage, but I don't think she was ever told "no". So... we are experiencing a battle of the wills. This will just be a process. She is still learning to love us and trust us, and she has a Daddy and two brothers to get to know and love.

Thank you again so much for your support and love and prayers.

At the Zoo

This morning we went to the Guangzhou zoo. It was a nice zoo and felt good to walk around. The weather is very warm here, but it was nice and shady there. They had one panda and it was walking around. Sophie was able to feed the monkeys. It was so funny because the man put food on Sophie's head and the monkey climbed up her shoulders to get it! There was one part of the zoo where you could pay to have your picture taken with a rabbit, a bird or a dog. It was kind of sad. They also had raccoons in cages. We told Helen that we saw those in the road every day! Cate and I are getting ready to go to the Consulate. Everything went great with our paperwork this morning and I am very thankful. I am so anxious to get home. I don't think it can get here fast enough!

Strolling around Guangzhou

Judy and I worked on our paperwork after breakfast this morning and it went great. It didn't take as long as I thought it would and it seems as if everything is in order. We didn't have anything else planned for today so we just played at the playground and visited a couple more shops. We're pretty sure we have everything we need and need to call it quits! We do have to pack it in our suitcases! In the morning we will go to the zoo while Judy goes to our Consulate appointment. Tomorrow afternoon, we go to take our oath and then Cate can come home with us. Tuesday will be spent packing and getting ready to come home. We are so ready!

First day in Guangzhou and Cate's medical exam

Cate is wishing these adults would go to work and let her play!

Cate loves to have her picture taken! Sophie is a great big sister!

Inside the White Swan hotel

We really like Shamian Island! It is the nicest place we have been on our trip. The White Swan hotel is very nice. It's so nice to see so many other American families. We have had two meals today that tasted like they should! This morning we went to Cate's medical exam and had her visa picture taken. Everything went very well. She was very cooperative. Cate weighs 28 pounds. We then did some shopping which we thoroughly enjoyed! I bought a stroller which has already come in handy, and she enjoys riding. She lost her princess cell phone that she loved in Hefei, so we found one today, but it has the most annoying sounds and we will "lose" it before the plane ride home! We came across a park with play equiptment and Sophie was so excited to play, but it was overrun with adults! It was so funny so I had to post a picture! Tomorrow morning, Judy will come to our room and help me prepare all of the paperwork for Monday's Consulate appointment. We are counting down the days to home!

We're in Guangzhou

We don't have any pictures of us in Guangzhou yet because we are just getting settled into our room and it's late. The White Swan Hotel is very nice. We will go to Cate's medical exam in the morning and then look around the island. On Sunday, we will go over all of our paperwork for Cate's visa and Monday is the Consulate appointment. Tuesday will be a free day, and I would give anything to come home a day early! I am so homesick, and am trying really hard to enjoy our time here, but the truth, is, I just want to be home with my husband and boys. Cate continues to amaze us with how well she has adjusted. She knows we are her family. While we can't understand anything she says, and she jabbers all of the time, we usually know what she wants and needs. She is a very fast learner. She is very strong willed, very independent, and very adorable. I can't wait to get her home. Here are a few pictures from this morning.

Adoption Day

Cate is doing great. She is a smart, funny, sweet little girl. She is full of energy! Although, poor thing, we have pretty much been confined to our room here. Today Jane took us back to the Civil Affairs office where we finished our paperwork here in Hefei. Everything went very smoothly. We will leave here tomorrow at 2:00 for Guangzhou. We are ready. We do know that Cate is scared of water. She will not even go near the fountain in the lobby. Today, Jane helped me give her a bath and talked her through it. I was very grateful. We will definitely have to work on this because our family loves the water! Here are some pictures from today.

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