Last Post From China!

I never thought the day would come when we actually got to come to China and meet our daughter. Now, I can't believe it's time for us to leave China and go back to our real world with our real Lia Jane Lu! The whole experience has been life changing. Lia has been more than we ever wished for and more. It's emotional to take her and leave her birth country - her path and our path will forever change courses - and give her a new life in a family in the middle of the United States. It's a breathtaking responsibility. If the past two weeks give us any indication, I believe Lia will give us so much happiness, silliness, and the giggles. We can't wait to get her home!

This afternoon we did take an oath at the American Consulate. We were in a room filled with 46 families. The head of American adoptions spoke in a little ceremony and we raised our right hands, said I DO to the question that the information we had given was correct, and sent on our merry little way. Legally, Lia is ours, and she becomes an American citizen when we set foot in Minneapolis. Yahoo! Missouri was the most represented state there, with seven families adopting. It was a little anti-climatic, but still I was teary eyed.

Our coordinators, Elsie and Chloe, have been amazing. They have such a hard job getting us all from one place to another and going over paperwork and translating and taking care of all of us.  They have done it with humor (some of it lost in translation), grace, and acceptance. They wished us well and wished Lia well in her new life. More tears!

One of the great things about this trip is the friendly, funny, adventurous, wonderful people we've met. The nightly dinners just keep getting more fun. Five families went out for another Chinese feast--noodles, eel, dumplings, shrimp, pork, marinated vegetables, chicken (yes, another chicken head in the pot), and the usual grand finale--watermelon. That and a few Pearl Rivers, and we celebrated our last night and our girls and friendship in style. I will miss everyone and the extraordinary experience we have shared together. Fortunately, the Watts and Irishes live right in Webster Groves!

So long from China. See everyone soon! Peter, get ready for your little sister!

Jane, Shane & Lia