Consulate Appointment and Shop 'Til you Drop!

Every good day starts with some panda play, especially when you steal Jie Jie and Geh Geh's before they wake up!

This morning we had our big U.S. Consulate appointment for Ewan's visa. We got stuck in traffic and the stop-and-go was making Ewan SO carsick. It was awful. He was screaming the entire ride, and didn't even stop when we finally arrived. Luckily when we walked into the consulate he finally calmed down. We were a few minutes late (not our fault!) and were the last to check in. There was one bully Chinese kid (not adopted. He was there with Chinese parents) in the play area, and after he pushed Ewan, spit on him, and wouldn't let him in the play house, I may have had some words with him about how we treat others in America. We were technically on American soil, so it was appropriate. Other than that it went well, though. We should get Ewan's visa tomorrow, which means we're clear to go home!!

After the consulate and lunch, we put Ewan down for a nap and the big kids and I and our friends braved the subway to go to the Toy Market for some gifts. The subway. Oh, the hilarity. Let's just say we're used to our cars, and this whole mass public transit in Chinese can be quite comical to navigate ;) We made it, though, despite me having to beg for help TWICE from less-than-helpful Chinese transit officials for kids who were stuck behind the gate that lets you out. We had a fun, exhausting, sweaty time. That place is insane. It's not just toys, it has all sorts of gifts. It is an amazing place, but 7 stories of crazy mazes. You could look all day for a few days and still not see everything! We were trying to hurry, but I wish I had endless room in my luggage and time to really shop! There are such fun things there!!

We made it to the stuffed animal section of the toy market.  We found these sweet emoticon stuffed animals. This friend and I have gone through the whole adoption process together. We have been on the same step at all times, and it was amazing that we got to travel together! We had to laugh at this particular emoticon. You know, the GRRRR one. We used it MANY times in our adoption communications throughout the months!

We headed back to our hotel and made quick plans for dinner. We were supposed to meet as a big group of adopting families, but the arrangements never really got finalized. So the two other families we went with last night and ourselves decided to go on the subway for yet another adventure. We bought some coconuts on the way to the subway, because why not add balancing coconuts to the handful we had!?

We had to switch subway lines and everything, and here we are with four big kids, a single stroller with two newly adopted toddlers stuffed in it, and Quin and I switching off carrying Ewan. We had a bunch of kids with a wide variety of special needs, and we were quite the entourage in this crowded Chinese subway! 

This time it was our own Geh Geh that got stuck behind the gate as we were trying to leave the subway. The coin wouldn't work, and the gate didn't open. The official was much less friendly with Quin and it took a few minutes to convince them to let him out! Geh Geh even had to sign some kind of paper. Craziness!

 

You should have seen these buff mamas lifting the stroller on and off the escalators and even up flights of stairs! No obstacle could stop us! Well, until we turned the wrong way off the subway and got lost. 

These are our "we're lost on the streets of China but still having fun" faces!

Then Geh Geh fell and cut his knee open. Then Ewan fell and cut HIS knee open. Then nobody would give us directions. Then the taxis wouldn't even roll their windows down when they saw how many kids we had with us. Those things DID slow us down. But we couldn't be stopped! We were too hungry! We knew there was a Mexican restaurant in the area, and we were bound and determined to find it! It's a good thing we had a tenacious, genius, 8 year old American student-of-Mandarin with us! He had no hesitation asking anyone and everyone for directions. And he found the restaurant for us! He's our hero!

Chips and salsa and air-conditioning never did a body so good!

After the kids ate, they played on the indoor playground while the adults chatted and finished our  meals. Our kids were being very loud. And maybe we should have cared more, but we didn't. The restaurant was mostly empty by this point, and I don't know why there's an indoor playground if it's not to be played on!

Well, after our adventures this evening, we were ready to just take a taxi home. That was a much easier plan. Not as fun, but easier. 

 Here are all our cute kids back at our hotel. We've had a blast together this week! We're going to miss them so much!

Tomorrow, if all goes well with the visa, we leave Guangzhou. We took the train from Guangzhou to Hong Kong last year, which saves a lot of money, but this year we're taking a van. We can't imagine juggling all the luggage PLUS Ewan this time. Dang it! Oh well. The van is door to door service. It takes you from your hotel to the next hotel. It's the best choice for us right now. Signing off from mainland China! I'm so sad to leave in ways, yet so happy to go home! I cannot WAIT to be with my babies at home!!

For those locals who would like to greet us at the airport, we arrive at the Salt Lake airport on Friday, July 10th at 4:02 pm on DL Delta flight 395. Yay!!