Zie Jien From China

Beautiful Lily in her traditional Chinese outfit

Wow, yesterday was another crazy day! At 1:00 pm our travel group met in the lobby to take the Red Couch photo. Imagine trying to keep kittens in a box and you will know how the photo shoot went! Honestly, it was a lot of fun but impossible to keep all the little beauties happy at the same time! I'm hoping someone got a good group photo because our pictures are too dark!

After picture time we checked out of the hotel and headed straight to the Consulate. We got to the Consulate around 3:00. I think Shigu was hoping to sneak us in and out...but no such luck! While we were waiting for our appointment we witnessed a heartbreaking scene. An older Chinese woman had an appointment and according to Shigu was denied her request to enter the US. The woman was so overcome she collapsed on the floor. I think sometimes we forget how fortunate we are to live in The United States and what many people would do for that opportunity!

Pictures are not allowed in the Consulate...so this is as close as we could get with the camera!

We (and about 30 other families) had our US Consulate appointment at 4:00 pm. It was not a big deal at all. A man came and stood in the middle of the room filled with all of the families and had us raise our right hand and recite an oath. In a little over 5 minutes the entire thing was over. I was wrong about Lily becoming a US citizen yesterday. She does not become a citizen until we pass through immigration and her feet touch ground in the US. I knew this but somehow with my new found "Mommy Brain" it slipped my mind!

After the ceremony we headed straight to the airport for our flight to Beijing. Lily did not like her second flight quite as much as her first! Some of the business men in our section were none too happy. Oh well, I'm sure they'll get over it!

Air China has the best in-flight hairdressers!

We finally arrived at our hotel at about 11:00 pm. By the time we were settled in it was close to midnight! Poor Lily had had enough!

Today we are just hanging out at the hotel and will be heading back to the airport at 3:00 for our 6:30 flight home.

It is hard to believe our trip is coming to an end. As excited as I am to be heading home I am also sad to be leaving this beautiful country...the country where our sweet Lily was born. Not only will we be bringing home our beautiful daughter but also a lifetime of incredible memories. One thing I know for sure...we will be back! Maybe to bring home a Mei Mei (little sister) for Lily or at the very least when Lily is 12 so we can keep the Orphanage Director happy!

For 41 years I've been trying to figure out who I want to be when I grow up. I have finally figured it out. I want to be exactly who I am...Lily's Mother!