Travel Date: 9/29/2006
Subject: Chen’s Ancestral Lineage Hall and Consulate Ceremony

What we did today:
This morning we went to the Chen’s to look at the displays and traditional artwork. There was nobody there when we arrived, so it was really nice to walk around and see the displays. We enjoyed trying a few different teas in tradtional tea cups. The jasmine tea was by far my favorite. We spent quite a while sipping tea and "chatting" with the girl who was pouring. I then found a tea set for Kaytlin to keep in her memory box. Ok, and I got one for myself as well. We also are bringing some Jasmine tea home...if I can hide it in my suitcase! It was beautiful, they served it in a clear glass "tea pot" the Jasmine blossom opened up, and inside was a red carnation. For those of you yet to come, ask them to allow you to try this! It was as pretty to look at as it was good to drink.


We leave for the consulate in just about 40 minutes. Hopefully Kaytlin will wake up in time for me to change her clothes! She enjoyed a good number of animal crackers while we walked through the Hall.

We were part of a group of 54 families at the Consulate today. We got there in plenty of time, and I finally got to meet Desiree and Kerry and their daughters Hanna and Hope. We were DTC the same week and got our TA on the same day. We met through the Waiting Children in China Yahoo Group. It was fun to finally meet, and to see the girls together, but unfortunately we were not able to get pictures. Someday we will. We came back to the hotel and Zhou suggested that we take Kaytlin’s picture on the "Brown Couch" in the V*ctory’s lobby. The next group will be the first adoption group to stay at the newly renovated V*ctory...from what we could see from the street it is going to be Very Nice and the rooms are large.



We started packing this afternoon, and went to Sherry’s Place to pick up our etching...it looks good, but poor Kaytlin will be teased for the rest of her life. She was not happy to have her picture taken, and looks really angry in the etching. :) Allen gathered a few last minute things, and brought back a suitcase to hold the "treasures" that we have collected along the way. I honestly thought I packed light...next time I would leave about half at home and save a lot of trouble. I seem to follow the mode of "Be Prepared" so I brought every medicine we ever thought we might need. Thankfully, we used none.

We leave for the airport tomorrow morning at 6:00 AM. Our schedule takes us from Gu*ngzhou to H*ng Kong, H*ng Kong to Chicago, where Kaytlin becomes a US Citizen!, and Chicago to Columbus where three excited little boys are waiting to meet their sister for the first time.

In some ways I wish we could spend a few more days here as time has flown. In other ways I cannot wait to go home and have our family finally together. It is a somewhat bittersweet feeling I have as I write. This journey is really just beginning. However, this part has come to an end. Although Ch*na is very different than the USA, the people we have come in contact with have been very friendly. Many times we were thanked for being willing to adopt a child that wasn’t perfect, and that Kaytlin was lucky. And just as often we replied that we were the lucky ones. We have a beautiful daughter in our arms. Forever.

And so the real story begins….