We awoke bright and early this morning, had a great breakfast while overlooking the Pearl River, boarded the bus and traveled across the city to the American Consulate's office.  We went in, waited in line for a moment, took an oath, we were called as a family to go over a few papers - mainly to match passport photos with the real person, and then we were all done!  Hooray!  Following our busy morning, we took an easy going approach to our afternoon.  We finished up a bit of shopping, played in the park overlooking the Pearl River, had a snack at the local Lucy's American-style restaurant and began the task of packing up our many bags!  The day would not have been complete without a group dinner at the Cow and Bridge Thai restaurant - wonderful!  We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the families in our group.  Each of them has a fabulous story and the children are all so precious.  My boys especially are going to miss the friendships that they have made while in Guangzhou.  In our busy day, with all of the play and relaxing going on, I took not a one picture - amazing!  However, I can share a few tidbits about our little Maddox.  I think I have mentioned she is sooo cute!  Smiles a lot, waves a lot, laughs endlessly, she explores everything - never leaving a stone unturned, she babbles a lot and we think she sounds sort of like a duck quacking, she says "mama," she cries when her teeth get brushed, she is our only child so far to even think about playing in the potty, she wants mommy when she is tired, she is eating a lot now - ham and cheese omelets for breakfast, burgers for dinner, she thinks hitting is a sport though in her defense I do believe it is her way of saying, "Back off already!," she gives high fives, she was so loved by her foster family - we have photos they gave us of when she was just a mere 2 months old and on the back it has their address and phone number, priceless!  MK continues to do really well with her baby sister.  She actually hasn't shown any signs of jealousy or ill feelings towards Maddox. The question that I really dread and will get offended by the most was asked during breakfast the other morning....."Are they sisters?"  An Asian lady, I am assuming Chinese, asked me this.  I hesitated and almost went into the fact that no, they are not biological sisters because essentially that is what the lady was asking.  However, I stopped myself.  I smiled and simply said, "Yes."  She said, "Yes, I thought so.  They look very much alike and have the same eyes."  I just continued to smile because it is true, they are sisters born of the same heart and family through God's will.  

MK has been a trooper - for the most part she has taken the trip well and hung in there with the best of us.  She loves having the older girls around to play with and being allowed to eat with the "big kids" at their table for dinners.  The boys, it goes without saying that they have thoroughly enjoyed their time in China. They have both taken well to Guangzhou, the families, the afternoon tea time, the excursions, the group dinners, the attention from onlookers....they have loved it all!  They adore Maddox and love to carry her around.  They have asked several times when we can come back for another adoption - they are requesting a boy!  Probably not going to happen yet I do love their hearts.  They have seen everything from unilateral club foot, to bilateral club foot, to unrepaired cleft lip/palate, to repaired cleft lip/palate, to older children, to heart babies....they are unphased by the "needs" that these children are labeled with and are so open to loving another child unconditionally.  

With that, I will close.  I have so much more to share about our trip and I promise to do so once we get home and I have a chance to really gather my/our thoughts about our experiences in China.  Until later....