Consulate Day & Starbucks!

Our day began with group pictures on the back stairs of the hotel lobby. Then if was off to Starbucks for some much needed coffee! We introduced Kaitlyn to a creme based mocha frap and she liked it once she got over the initial cold! After that, it was Kaitlyn's first time ever in a swimming pool! She got extremely excited when we acted out swimming and pulled out her bathing suit! They have rules in the hotel that you must wear a swim cap. Some friends let Kailey and Kaitlyn borrow there's. She did really good! She seems to like the water - once she learned to keep her mouth shut and nose plugged when going under! According to Kailey, "she was more wiggley than a fish flopping around out of water!" They had a great time!

Next, our whole group piled in the bus and drove to our Consulate appointment. The room was packed with many other groups adopting as well. It was a snap. An English speaking lady got on the microphone and explained the envelope we would get and then we all stood up as one large group, raised our right hand and said, "we will" after she asked a couple short questions. It was a total piece-of-cake, and the FINAL step to our adoption! We are FINALLY done with everything! Yeah!!!!! Once we touch down in Oregon, she will instantly be an American Citizen and be know legally as Kaitlyn Ying Christians!!

We went to dinner with 3 other families from our group tonight. We wanted to have something a little more daring before we come home. It took almost an hour to order our food! There was MUCH confusion with the staff and we ended up calling our guide, Maggie, to come down and help explain our order to the servers. Austin ordered Eel, which was pretty good - a little salty. I ordered a chicken with the head on the plate! It was really good! Kailey played it safe and ordered ribs from some animal. Tim, on the other hand, was the most daring and ordered Snow crab and Frog. It looked a lot better in the picture! When it arrived, it was more like slimy jello and tasted like it looked! No thank you!! Tim was a good sport and ate the whole thing!

After dinner we got Kaitlyn in the bath and then Tim and I went to say our goodbye's to our new found friends (don't worry... Austin & Kailey stayed with Kaitlyn). It was sad and of course the women got choked up as we hugged goodbye. We especially connected with the McBeath's and both Lois and I cried a bit as we hugged goodbye. Next summer they want to come do the Grand Canyon with us which will be great to see them again! Our Austin's exchanged cell numbers and email as well. The Ehmann's have family in Arizona and they used to live in the East Valley, so we will also get to see them again! Susan (Ehmann) collected everyone's address, phone, email, etc. and photocopied it for the whole group. We hope to stay in touch with everyone - you feel like a "new family" after being together for two weeks in a foreign country!

Saturday, we will be the only ones left :( We will go to Shamian Island again and spend a bit more time looking around - then start packing to leave Sunday at 5:30 am to the airport. We figure our travel will be about 24 hours. We are coming in Northwest Flight 0006 to Portland, OR from Tokyo at 8:10 am Sunday. (Dad, Chris & Cari...I will turn on my cell phone once we land). Then, we will arrive in Phoenix NW flight 4129 Opperated through Alaska Airlines at 4:40 pm Terminal 2. Looking forward to seeing you!