Last full day in Guangzhou - June 18, 2014

Our time is wrapping up in Guanzhou and that means we are almost home.  We met some great people this week, and are part of a group that involves four families.  It's the first time since we left the states, that we've run into people from back home.  ... home being a loose term for anywhere in the U.S.

One family is from the same adoption agency as us - All God's Children International, and the other two families are from Gladney.   One family is from Missouri, we and another family are from Virginia, and another will be moving from New Jersey to Richmond, VA in July.

Two of the families had their U.S Consulate meetings yesterday and today it is our turn, along with another family.   

... and that is it.  The final piece of paperwork here in China.  

Once this morning's appointment is over, we wait for the turn around on James' visa and we head home!  It's kinda funny how this process reminds me of birthing a child.  For 9 months, I feared how Henry would be birthed ... I wasn't a fan of any of the options (after searching, apparently labor or c-section really ARE the only two options)  but when it came time ... my fear was gone, because I was SO ready to be done.  This time around, I have dreaded the 15 1/2 hour flight back home to the U.S. with a 2 year old ... but now that it has come time ... I am SO ready.

The group of families in the photo are friends we made this final week in Guangzhou.  We got shuttled together all week ... to the dreaded medical day, fun and sweat at the Guangzhou Zoo, Shamian Island, and dinner with Jack, one of our Guangzhou guides, at a local Chinese restaurant.  He ordered ... and we ate.  It was delicious.  Can't lie though, I was a wee bit nervous when I realized the fish head sitting on ice when we arrived, was gone when we left.  The less you think about what you are eating - the better.

On our final night, with all four families still here (two families leave a day earlier) we all decided to go back for one more meal at the local Chinese joint.  It was quite humorous ... we called Jack on the phone once we arrived, and he ordered for us.

We had one more spectacular Chinese meal, in which we realized all our kids ate like they had never seen food before.  James double fisted broccoli, devouring almost the entire serving for the whole table.

Looks like we will all need to find ... and learn ... how to cook up some Chinese home cooking.