Last Stop Guangzhou-July 5th

We didn't get to our hotel until 1:00 a.m. this morning. Boy do we feel wiped. This morning was Siyuan's medical exam for his U.S. citizenship.

Can you tell how excited Nicole & Alex are to be waiting around for more adoption paperwork? They've been great travelers and we have loved having them along, but they haven't loved the waiting endlessly in government buildings.

Siyuan did NOT like people probing, prodding and poking. We're glad to have that over with. I spent two hours with our guide and the other families doing the last part of our adoption paperwork. The Chinese adoption and passport were all done in Xian. But his U.S. citizenship and immigration paperwork all has to be done here in Guangzhou. I was so happy to hand all of my final paperwork over to our guide Elvin. I've carried that in my backpack from the U.S. to China, and as we've flown from Guangzhou to Hefei, to Beijing, to Xian and now to Guangzhou. If anyone tried to steal my backpack I would have to have chased them down and beat them to a pulp. You can steal my money, take my credit cards, but if you take my irreplaceable paperwork, YOU DIE!!!

Derek took Nicole & Alex and they left for Hong Kong on the train this afternoon. I know they'll have a great time. We lived in Hong Kong for four years, two of those when Nicole was little. She can't remember anything but the smells (and they're not nice smells). It will be fun for them to go and see our favorite city, and to visit some of our friends. It will be good for Siyuan to be stuck with me. He's sure been pushing me away today and yesterday, and only wanting Derek or the kids. I know he's trying to attach but it's scaring him. Now there's no one but his ma-ma.

We spent the afternoon at the pool. I've mentioned how terrified of water he is. We began sitting on the side with only our toes in. Gradually we moved more and more into the water. Finally by the end he'd let me hold him and take him out where it was deeper, but only for a minute or two. How brave of him. How brave to trust this stranger who has invaded his life. He is still pretty sober. We rarely see a smile, but I know they're there, and I can wait patiently for the reward of seeing one.