The paperchase is done...

All the families in our travel group went down to the US consulate today for the swearing ceremony and to sign a piece of paper.  Looks like the paper work is finally done!  Noah gets his visa tomorrow and we're set to go home on Friday!  Yeah!  Well, except for the part about traveling for twenty odd hours before we get home.  That's bound to be another exciting adventure.  Some of the other families are leaving tomorrow as soon as the visas come out.  Our journey together is winding down.  It's been really nice to share this experience as a group with others that are going through the same things and comparing notes, especially with those that have either adopted from China previously or already have kids.  I think it's safe to say that life has certainly changed for everyone.  The biggest reminder I get everyday that something is different is having to hold a squirming two year old over the toilet multiple times a day and making faces at him so we can move on to the next activity.  Can't wait till he learns to us the potty on his own...


Ok, so I've finally migrated pictures to my computer.  It's probably too confusing to inject them back into the earlier posts so I'm going to post some in chronological order here with subtitles.

Noah counting toes with Nancy on the night we got him.

Family picture at Civil Affairs Office for adoption paperwork.

Picture with Orphanage Director Lu and Vice Director.

Noah prepping for Pizza Hut dinner.

The perpetual drooler at the park.

Trying to look tough with his ball.

Somebody's home on top of a building.  Note quite a penthouse.

Everybody's clean laundry.

Sharing the road on the way out to visit Noah's village.

Some random factory along the road.  Look, it was a long ride...

Finally reaching the city where the orphanage is located.

Some of the shops in the city.

Outside Noah's orphanage.

Meeting with the foster family.  That's the foster mother's mom, the foster mother, the foster father, and me.  I look a bit out of place.

The kitchen of their house.

The bed the foster parents shared with Noah.

The extended family.  The daughter in law, the son, the foster mother's mom, the foster father's sister, the foster mother, foster father, and me outside their house.

Director Lu hosting me for lunch at a local restaurant.

The hospital Noah was left.

The local housing facing the orphanage.

The orphanage.

Looks like it was built with donations.

One of the preschool classrooms in the orphanage.

Director Lu, me, and the Vice Director as they were presenting me with a book listing all the kids in the US from their orphanage and a commemorative mask.

Noah chowing down in the morning.

Visiting one of the villages at the outskirts of Nanchang.

Yeah, this is where you buy pork on the street in the village.

Delivering bricks for the construction.

The open sewers between buildings.

Curing meats on the balcony.

Local home in the village.

Some baby's crib.

Looks like somebody's chicken dinner is getting away.

Trash pickup in the village.

Our greedy little kid stuffing his face.

On our way out from Nanchang.  That's our local guide Lisa.

For his first flight, Noah is sure enjoying the first class service.

Out walking in Shamian Park in Guangzhou.

Trying to lug Noah around in this sling to get his TB test.

Nice.  Crying away at the doctor's office while sucking on a lollipop.

At least he cleans up after himself once in a while.

Noah cracking himself up.

Hard at work building some contraption.

The wholesale jade market.

Pineapple street vendor.

Wholesale pearl store.  There were tons of shops with bags and bags.

Future pearl vendor.

Some produce vendors outside the jewel marts.

Noah starving as usual.

Nancy wanted to check out the soofly.

Not really sure about this peanut paste and strawberry paste sandwich.  (And don't bring your own booze.)

Home for us and other adoptive families in Guangzhou.