Last Day and Night in China!

Well, here I sit posting to the blog on our last night in China. It is quiet in the hotel room because everyone else is asleep. I am wide awake but should be in bed. We have to leave the hotel at 6am which means we will get up at 4:30. I am not sure how little Emma Kate will like that! She always wakes up a happy baby so I hope that tomorrow is the same.

It is the last night in China for us and I have to say it is bittersweet. We are so ready to be home in our own space, in (somewhat) control of our time (can I say that with a baby?), eat at home and not have Chinese food for awhile. I realize that as we are so anxious to "go home", this has been the only home that Emma Kate has known and that we are taking her from that. We have all tried to soak in the culture, sights, sounds, and people of China. Our plan is that when our kids are old enough to beneift from it, we will do a heritage tour/ visit of China.

The past few days have been busy and hot. We had our consulate appointment, applied for the girls Visa's for the US and done some shopping. We received the girl's official paperwork for immigration in the brown envelope. This brown envelope is sealed and cannot be opened until we arrive in the US. For us, that will be Seattle. Once we get to Seattle, we will go through immigration, hand them the brown envelope and once they are done with the paper inside, Emma and Sylvie will be officially a US citizen. That is pretty cool!!!
We went today to the White Swan hotel and took some pictures. The White Swan Hotel has become famous for adoptive families. Someone started the tradition to dress their newly adopted children in Chinese clothing and take their pictures on the red couches. We wanted to participate and so we did! You will also see some pictures of the girls in matching outfits. We took these photos at our hotel. Stephanie and Brian brought Emma Kate a gift and it was a dress that matched Sylvie's. The girls were so cute!! Sylvie LOVED having her picture taken and growled and smiled at the camera; Emma Kate was not so cooperative. She was not sure about all the pictures and wanted off the couches! I will post a few pictures from the past couple of days.

Red Couch photo at the White Swan

Too cute; growling and laughing

Out for the afternoon on a hot day

Sylvie trying on squeeky shoes

Emma Kate's hair; long in the back and short in the front. Calvin says "It is business in the front and party in the back!"

That is it for now. I really must try to go to bed. I know it will be a REALLY long day tomorrow. Please pray for a smooth, easy flight with the girls. We hope that they will not be too restless and get some sleep on the plane. Much love to you all!