Approaching Third Base!

Well we're approaching third base. Tomorrow we will go to the consulate for the swearing in process. It appears that all the families in our group was successfull in their paperwork that was submitted today for the consulate. We're so thankful for the CCAI guides who are soo knowledgeable and helpful. Today it rained and tomorrow is the same pattern. Most families are cancelling the zoo tour because of the rain, thunder, and the annoying fast mosquitoes.

The days of a luxury breakfast buffet will be gone in a flash. In another day and a half we will be on a plane hopefully back to the states and not be quarantine like some mayor I read about. Every family will need to endure a 14 hour or more flight back home. I'm thinking of buy a bunch of earplugs for the surrounding seats near Rui. We sure miss Thumper. We hear that she doesn't miss us much. We hope to differ.

I also discovered an annoying fact. The more I listen to Rui screaming in my ear, the more white hairs pop up on my head. I made a new scientific discovery! Do you think it's the screaming or is it stress or is it caused by the heavy load put on our arms? Arlene has a cool child carrier called an ERGO, and it really works well. She can carry Rui with no back stress. We both had to watch the DVD to figure out how to make it work.

Arlene decided to go soverneir hunting today and I did a little too...... Arlene puchase these cool marble like chops (rock signature blocks) and had them engraved with chinese names. Man are they heavy! Prices for things really vary here. She bought some clothes and boy are they bulky. I purchased a dvd on Tai Chi for 25 rmb and then spent 50 rmb for a Subway sandwich meal deal. Where's the logic in that price scheme?

Sadly some stores here are going out of business due to the low number of permitted adoptions and the knowledge that the main White Swan hotel will be renovating soon. There are a lot less families here shopping and business for them is slow. It's a little bit weird when every store is eyeing you and yelling at you to come in to their store. Everyone calls us "my friend, my friend come in..... I give you best price."

Oh no, our suitcases are now over the weight limit! What are we going to do? How did our cases get soo heavy. Perhaps the humidity made all our clothes heavier. I think that's why there is no scale in this room. Should we lose the chops? I wasn't going to panic. I'll super google an answer. Hey, I just found out that Rui is also allowed a check in (hurrah!) for 22 lbs. Ya Hoo! Now we can bring back more junk, uh, I meant quality stuff. I was planning to throw all non-essential stuff like our H1N1 masks, baby wipes (very heavy) and diapers (space hogs). Well it's time to shop more tomorrow to buy Rui her very own suitcase with wheels! I need one with a remote control that will follow us around like Thumper.

Well time for me to go. Hope the swearing in at the US consulate goes well.

Loy