The American consulate

First taste of Starbucks hot chocolate

Shop keeper selling puppies

Posing in front of Walmart

Kids on play ground take an interest in John

The island is a popular place for wedding photos

Tuesday-Wednesday

Ok, the days are really starting to blend together.  We had to purchase another VPN to get access to our blog-I think China is just one step behind trying to put up firewalls and the VPN companies have to come up with new ways to get through.  For today it seems to be working.

Yesterday we took a taxi back to the park we visited with Judy on Sunday.  The kids really wanted to take in some of the amusement rides and we didn’t have time before.  The park is a short 10 minute taxi ride and cost 12 yuan (about $2.00).  The kids got to ride some rides but Jing Yi did not like the bumper cars at all and had to bail out early.  We met Judy at 1 and walked to a Chinese restaurant where her husband and son were waiting.  Since it was New Years, Judy wanted to treat our family to dim sum.  The restaurant was packed with families all sitting around large round tables.  They ordered many different kinds of dim sum; items like spring rolls and dumplings that I know the name of, many that I do not.  There were little sticky buns filled with bbq pork, large flat noodles stuffed with chicken, sweet potato buns, and a layered green gelatin dessert that Jing Yi loved very much.  Judy’s son Mike is 10 years old and he compared the games he plays on his electronic devices with Luke and Lily.  We all left the meal very full and happy to walk back to relax at the hotel.

This morning we met Judy quite early to travel to the American consulate.  This is where we turn in the paperwork prepared by Judy to apply for Jing Yi’s visa to add to her passport so that she may leave China.  There were about 11 other adoptive families there as well, most with babies and multiple kids from China.  We then ventured to Wal-Mart to pick up some supplies.  The entrance of the store was filled with decorations for the upcoming Chinese New Year and I was able to pick up good luck envelopes 10/1 yuan (.17 each package)  Daddy got a new traditional Chinese shirt and Lily got a very pretty red Chinese vest.  We shopped around but really, most items are not the bargains they once were.  Many things were priced very similar to the states; I think the clothes are actually a bit higher priced.

Now we are back at the hotel getting ready to try subway for lunch.  I love Chinese food, but still need a break once in a while.  Tomorrow we should get Jing Yi’s visa at 4:30pm and the next morning at 5am, John and Lily will be taking a van to the airport in Hong Kong to catch their flight back to the states.  The rest of us are here until the 8^th, next Tuesday.  I am ready to head home and get settled into our routine.  All five of us in this small hotel room becomes a bit close after traveling 2 weeks.  We will be bringing home the best gift of all, our new daughter.

Jing Yi seems to blend right in-she is happy most of the time but still has her moments of grief at 6pm each night like clockwork-I wonder why it happens at that particular time?  She already tries to do everything the big kids do and is great at imitating. I can do pretty well communicating with hand gestures-she seems to understand pretty quickly.  I wonder if she thinks this is how her new life will be, hanging out in hotels and eating out every meal……