Day 14: CA day and the famous Red Couch

~sent 12:49 PM China / 11:49 AM CST

This morning we went to the White Swan Hotel before our Consulate Appointment at 10:30 am. It is China adoption tradition to have your travel group photo made on one of the many red couches at this hotel. I have followed so many families to China through their adoptions so it was surreal that it was finally our turn to sit on this couch. There is always at least one baby in the photo who is screaming her head off while all the other babies stare. Guess who happened to have that baby?

Notice how she isn't crying when Daddy comes to her rescue?

Our Consulate Appointment went well for our facilitator. We did not have to attend the appointment but had to remain in our room until we got the OK. One final step tomorrow afternoon and then we are outta here. We are soooooo ready to go home. Don't get me wrong. We love China but we are so ready to see our children at home and they are SOOO ready to meet their sister.

For one last hoorah, we shopped a little more and had dinner at La Dolce Vita with our travel group. Technically we only share an agency with the Guarino's but all four families share the same facilitators here in China so we consider ourselves a travel group. Also, the Eckert's daughter LiLi was a TCH baby so there is an extra connection for us with their family. Our agency has one more family that came in over the weekend but we haven't caught up with them yet. Hopefully we'll see them tomorrow at the swearing in.

It is bittersweet to say goodbye to our friends, especially the Guarino's, but we are all anxious to get home. We have spent most of our time in Guangzhou together, our girls have become buds and so have we in the process. All of us live states away which makes our goodbye even more bittersweet. We all shared such an amazing experience together and who knows when our paths will cross again. I hope some day we can have a red couch retake with smiley happy girls across the board. Specifically to my friend Lori--you have been such a blessing to me both before China and during. It has been an emotional rollercoaster all the way through, especially the past 11 days, and I'm so glad we were able to share this experience together.

Now for what you really want to know...
MeiMei sat in her highchair tonight which made Daddy's arms and legs very very happy. She is doing very well with her signs for "more" and "please" especially when it comes to food. She let me feed her a little at dinner and even offered to share her half eaten slobbery pasta but I politely declined. She is very independent, much like her big sister, and likes to call the shots on her terms. She is crying for "Mama" less and less and pointing to her brother and sister's photos more and more. MeiMei seems more comfortable with me in the room but still doesn't seem to trust me in public. That should make for an interesting flight home. I know it will come and I'll be waiting when it does. Her rash continues to come and go which is making us nervous about traveling home. If we end up detained and miss our connections I might need to use those drugs I chose to forego on the way over.

We have a few last minute things to accomplish tomorrow before we leave for the Consulate at 2:40 pm. I will try to post from Hong Kong when we arrive and settle in but I make no promises. Please continue to pray for safe travel, happy baby, patient parents and for us to arrive on time Thursday night at 7:05 pm. I have never wanted to see the faces of two blond haired little people more than I do right now. Only two more sleeps until we come home.

Love from China...
Mommy, the Chief and MeiMei