Consulate Day

I was going to entitle this post 'our last day in China' - but I know better than to be so presumptuous. If I have learned anything from our experiences the last few years, it is that you never know what may be around the next bend in life.

This morning we went to the toy market. The boys got some new cars. Andy was so cute - he was sooo excited and wouldn't even let anyone help him hold his things. He has spent hours in the room today lining them up and calling me to come look at them. Although, we usually only let them take books to bed, tonight he is sleeping with them.

We have realized how valuable this set-apart- time has been to get to know Andy. The hustle and bustle of American life does not always lend itself to developing close relationships. We are very grateful for this time together.

This afternoon we boarded a large bus with families from other agencies to drive to the American consulate to meet with other American families to gather in a room, stand with our right hand raised and promise that everything in our paperwork is true and then received Andy's Chinese passport stamped with a US visa allowing him to come to the United States. When he steps foot on US soil in Atlanta he becomes a citizen! That does not mean, unfortunately that we are at the end of the paperwork to document it. But he will be an American citizen nonetheless. Today at the consulate we saw familes that we know about from the internet but do not actually know in person. I wish we had had more time to really meet them.

Tomorrow we awaken a 5;30 to begin the journey home. Because we cross the international dateline we will arrive home on the same day we leave (don't try to convince our bodies that). From your perspective, we will arrive home late Wednesday night - from ours, we arrive home late Thursday morning.

We want to thank all our wonderful friends and family who have supported us during this time. We have heard of many who have stepped in to help with our kids at home and we are soo grateful. As some of you did, we also arose in the morning to check our blog and shed many a tear ( some of them manly) reading the comments and knowing we were not alone. And most importantly, for those of you who have prayed, please know that your prayers have encouraged, enabled and changed outcomes. On Sunday, with Andy we will be singing Ae Oh .....