Tuesday and Wednesday in GZ

Sorry about skipping yesterday!  We were on the go, go, go, yesterday and by the time we got back to the hotel last night, we were all exhausted and just needed to go to sleep!  It has been really warm here, and we didn't bring many clothes for this hot, humid climate, so we have been burning up all week!  I really don't know what we were thinking.... ha!  When you add the crutches into my getting around, I have just about died from the heat!  Today, Wednesday, there was a cool breeze blowing and the weather was PERFECT!  It was a wonderful way to end our time in GZ!

I will back up to yesterday in pictures to yesterday.  We had our consulate appointment yesterday at 10:00 am.  We were the 2nd day of the new process, where your guide no longer accompanies you through the process.  It went very smoothly, and a really sweet American lady who works here in the Consolate walked us through the Oath Ceremony, and then the approval of documents.  We weren't allowed to take any pictures inside the Consulate office, so the only one we got, was when we were finished, down in the lobby area.  Ella Grace was officially granted her Visa into the United States, and she's now official to come HOME!!!  YEA!!!!!!

Family in front of Consulate Sign

We came back to the hotel and ran to eat Vietnamese food with our travel group.  We then ran back to the hotel for about 30 minutes, then met back down with our travel group to go on a tour of a Chen family temple.  We enjoyed spending the time with our group, and seeing the way the temple was built.   Not much compares with Chinese architecture from centuries ago! 

 Group at Temple

  Little Miss was pretty bored with our tour, but she has been an amazing trooper through all of the tours and taxi rides, and meals at restaraunts!  We are just so proud of her!

This symbol means "double happy", which pretty much sums up how we feel about our girl (and the fact that we get to go home in 2 days!)

After our temple tour, we stopped at the Pearl Market for 30 minutes, where we scoped out  McDonalds to eat.  I was starving, after not eating much of my lunch, and we knew Ella Grace might need a snack since we were having a late dinner.  Most people stop at the Pearl Market to shop.... but we enjoyed our McDonalds! 

After our quick stop, we got to go back to the hotel for about 15 minutes to grab jackets, and two of us families, along with our guide, Elsie, went on the Pearl River boat cruise.  It was fun seeing all of the buildings lit up along Shamian Island and Guanghzou, and was relaxing to sit for a couple of hours, as we had been on the go all day!  The cruise included a buffet style chinese dinner.  It got a little windy for us, so we didn't get to stay outside for most of the ride, but we ventured out for a few pictures and enjoyed the lights from inside!

The Walter's and us getting ready to eat dinner on the cruise.

Our family outside on the boat

 The Guanghzou Television Tower all lit up

Today, Wednesday, has been a fun last day!  We slept in, can you blame us after yesterday?  We headed over to Shamian Island by taxi (if you are traveling here soon, ask me about how much you should pay for your taxi ride to Shamian Island.... we got ripped off).  We did a little bit of shopping and then enjoyed lunch with our group at the famous Lucy's!  I was pretty excited to see alot of American food on the menu!  We then headed over to the White Swan to take the famous "red couch" pictures. 

 Group at Lucy's

 Family Picture on Red Couch

 Ella Grace on Red Couch

 Jesse, Jada and Ella Grace - Jada was from Ella Grace's original orphanage in Shang Rao City, and when we received Ella Grace, the orphanage director still had Jada with her, to be delivered to her mommy, next!  It was fun to see her through out the week!

After couch pictures, we headed to a beautiful garden in Guanghzou with our group.  Brad really enjoyed pushing me in the wheelchair up a HUGE hill, and some in our group got pictures, so when we get that, we'll be sure and share it!  It was pretty hilarious, but my husband has had his hands full, with carrying Ella Grace in the front pack all over town, and sometimes having to push me in the wheelchair!  He will be ready for a break when we get home, I am sure! 

 Family PIcture at Garden

We ended our day by going to dinner with our group again tonight, along with two other WACAP families who just got to Guanghzou.  They both just received their children yesterday, so they are on the front end of our trip, and I must say, we are so thankful to be on the tail end of our trip!  Homesickness has definitely set in, and I'm ready to hug my three precious kids who are still at home!  They all have done amazingly well with Grandma last week, and now with Granny and Grandpa this week.  We really have the best parents, who were so willing to step in and take on the task of being with our 3 for two whole weeks! 

Tomorrow morning (Thursday) we are hopping in a van to make a 3 hour trip to Hong Kong.  We are so excited to be starting our journey home.  We stay the night in Hong Kong, and then we fly out on Friday morning, making the same journey home.  We stop in Japan and then head on to Seattle, and will be home on Friday morning, around 9:30!  We probably won't be able to post again until we are home.  Thank you for following our journey to this sweet little girl, who we now feel so blessed and priviledged to call our daughter.  We can't believe how far she has come in the two weeks we have been together, and it's been so much fun to see her open up a little more each day to trusting us and loving us.  She is so playful and so happy, and we already can't imagine what our lives were like before we had her!  I can't wait for the kids to meet her and for the rest of our family and friends too! 

Feeling extremely blessed by this journey, from start to finish!!!

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