Today was PAPERWORK DAY. We had three different appointments - official adoption ceremony, notary office, and passport details.
Lottie's saying, "GOOD GRIEF. These people take a lot of pictures."
Receiving our official adoption certificate - the red book. Now we have TWO of these priceless treasures. They'd just given a lovely speech about how these children share the same privileges as our other children and should carry all the same responsibilities and love that any biological children do...... YES, YES, YES!!!
The adoption official was very kind.
We were there with lots of other families. Celine was telling us that Henan Province does many adoptions each week. I think there are 10 or so going on this week..... almost all of them are staying at our hotel and we've been able to talk with them a bit at breakfast or as we come and go. They are with a different agency and are traveling together as a big group. Since we're the only Lifeline family here this week, we've got our own guide/tours/driver, etc. It's amazing to see the difference in some of these kiddos in just a few short days! MIRACLE.
I should note: Mary is not tired or pitching a fit.... she'd brought along some coloring sheets and was hard at work. We'd told her this day would be a lot of sitting and waiting. She made it like a champ - AGAIN!
"Hey Mom, can I wear some of your lipstick since this is a special day?"
Mom: "Sure. Use the lipgloss."
Mary: "Uh. I kinda already picked one."
Mom: "Which one?"
Mom looks to Mary in the backseat.....
Mom: "Oh dear. The RED one....."
At the notary office in a different building..... I have no idea what we did here. They made some copies of our Travel Approval, took a picture, checked spellings and such..... I dunno..... I fed Lottie a ton of puffs.
This woman is the passport picture taker. She is a perfectionist. This is not the type of situation where a perfectionist is appreciated or needed.....
And right about here, I wanted to TELL HER SO. Dude. They are babies. Take the dadgum picture and get me out of the INFERNO that is the public passport picture taking place. Lottie was supposed to sit on that gray stool by herself, have her head perfectly straight, and smile. WHA? What you might not know, dear passport picture taker lady, is that this little peanut has not left her Mama's arms for the last three days. She ain't sitting nowhere without that lady in the red shirt. She's home base right now. And it doesn't matter how long you try, what funny faces you make, or what videos you have waving on that cell phone in the air. I AINT DOIN IT. Now, you put my Mama on that gray stool and let me sit in her lap, I'll consider not WAILING and maybe let you snap a picture. Here, the Mama is saying, "Can we get off this stool now?" GOOD GRIEF.
Here is some place about public safety and people being allowed to leave the province. We did more passport official stuff here. Lottie ate another round of puffs here. Gerber Puff people, you are the official sponsors of BOTH Powell adoptions. We love you.
Here was the official photo taken just minutes after Gotcha Day. Mama, Baba, and Xiang Xiang - now Lottie Powell!
After all this running around, Mary and Dad made a quick visit to the swimming pool while Lottie sat in her stroller (Mom's arms THANK YOU FOR THAT) and Mom did a little straightening up in the room. THEN, we decided to have a really nice dinner at the fancy place in the hotel. BOY WAS IT GOOD! Here's the little snack plate they bring after you order. Roasted peanuts, banana chips, and these little almond cracker thingies. YUMMY.
The menu was on an ipad and thankfully had pictures and English translations. Mom decided just to dive on in there and order a whole bunch of stuff. Here, we have braised beef with onions and ginger. DELISH.
Chicken with garlic and peanuts. Also DELISH. And SPICY. Mary tried EVERYTHING, but this was a bit much for her.... she downed her entire bottle of water after just one bite! But she's been GREAT about trying new things here in China! And she's getting AWESOME with chopsticks!
Look at this little baby plate set they brought for baby girl. SO CUTE.
Congee for the little lady. She LOVES it.
This came at the end of the meal. Refreshing FRUIT. Watermelon, dragonfruit, grapes, and tomatoes.
It's HOT, little girl.... let Mama cool it off......
Mary loved this purple dragonfruit. She doesn't love the white dragonfruit at breakfast. Says it's sour.
purple face - awesome kid
Deep fried ribs. Uh. Need I say more?
GREAT fried rice. Lottie at her weight in this. Maybe more. It comes to the pop SIZZLING in the pot. I think it was Clay Pot Sizzling Rice or something like that.....
Glazed prawns.... and those oranges? RIDICULOUSLY good.
And the hot Chinese tea served with every meal. Dad likes this better than Mom does.... I do think it's relaxing, but I need something cold. I miss ice.
Mary, Lottie, and I left the table before Dad had a chance to pay the check..... Mary had to use the restroom, so we grabbed the room key from dad and skeedaddled. Unfortunately, the room key is the way you get up the elevator around here. We didn't even think about Dad being stranded downstairs without a way up! When we got to the room, Mary and I decided to go ahead and give Lottie her second bath.... and we were successful with VERY little crying! We lathered her up in her lotion, gave her the nightly medicine and got her to bed (also with very little crying).... then we started to wonder where Dad was..... GOSH. He's been down there a long time.
Finally, here he came. Poor boy. He had to beg the concierge to let him come up. They'd tried to call the room while we were bathing Lottie and Mary had answered it, but she said no one was there and hung up. Sorry, Dad.
Lottie proceeded to sleep THIRTEEN.... that's 1-3... hours! And the rest of us slept great, too!
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