Last two days in Guangzhou

I'm playing catch up, since we lost the ability to load our photos the last couple of days in China. So, here are some shots from Monday 6/1 & Tues 6/2, our last 2 days in beautiful Guangzhou.

Monday we went to the jade & pearl market and then out to dinner with a few of the families in our group. Tuesday was a big day. This was the day that our adoption was finalized! We went to the American consulate in downtown Guangzhou and took our oath with many other families. It was a sweet moment that brought tears streaming down my face. I just couldn't believe after 2 and a half years of paperwork, waiting and praying our dream was finally being realized in a very "official" way.

We started the day Monday with Georgea's first yogurt. Mmmmm! Some did actually land in her mouth & she liked it.

At the jade and pearl market choosing a strand of pearls that we'll give to Georgea on her 16th birthday. We found gifts for every birthday from 1-18 while we were in China. Some gifts are very small momentos and others like the pearls will mark big birthdays 13, 16 & 18. It's important for us to remember Georgea's birthplace and her birth parents each year on her birthday and we believe the gifts from her homeland will help this effort.

Such a sweet, sweet face. I love this little girl!

Still at the pearl and jade market. Daddy bought us 3 matching necklaces each with a small circle of jade strung on a red thread. The red thread is very significant because of this Chinese proverb: "An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break."

Outside of the pearl and jade market. A busy Guangzhou center bustling with energy.

Some beautiful lanterns that we came upon during our stroll to dinner on Monday night.

This is not the restaurant where we ate, however we had to make a stop for a photo with Mickey and Minnie. Just seemed so funny to us to run into these two characters all the way in China.

View of Guangzhou from our window at the White Swan.

Tuesday morning, some last minute shopping at our favorite shop on Shamian island "A Gift From China." This shop helps support orphans, specifically older and disabled children, with their proceeds. Love that.

OK, so we waited 2.5 years for the "red couch" photo. This is a tradition that most groups of families follow when they adopt from China. The red couch is at the White Swan Hotel and anyone who has been through this process has heard about this experience and longs to participate with their own child someday. You can see from the photos the experience went a little differently than my "dream moment." My goodness! There were 20+ kiddos in our group and many of the parents were trying to keep their children from crying during the photo session. It was mass confusion with so many cameras flashing and all the kids sprawled everywhere. Georgea was not enjoying the moment at all. It only took a minute of her crying, and looking for us in the crowd for me to get over my dream and run to grab my baby! I just couldn't take it, it broke my heart. So, this partial shot of the couch with me in front situating Georgea's dress is the best we've got. So much for the red couch!

Daddy did get this sweet shot of Georgea in her traditional Chinese dress shortly after the red couch debacle.

Our last night at the White Swan. We needed to finish packing but found ourselves wandering around the hotel grounds and property soaking up every last minute. The hotel sits alongside the Pearl River and the views are beautiful.

Here it is. Looking at this photo brings tears to my eyes. I waited so long for this trip and was not disappointed....it was more than both James and I had dreamed of.

The lobby and many areas of the hotel have beautiful Chinese artwork. Here are a couple of shots of huge Jade pieces...amazing.