Last Full Day in China - Oh so Sad!

A large french based supermarket like a Wal-Mart
A moving flat escalator that you take your shopping cart up and down between different floors
Any one want some rice?
How about some cucumber potato chips?
Or maybe you'd prefer some blueberry or tomatoe ones?

Anyone up for some pigs nose?
Or maybe you feel like some dried out starfishes or squid!
Half a fish might be nice, if you get to choose which half. Nice of them not to gut them so that you can eat that part too. The fish stomach is a delicacy here!
Meigan helping Mom shop, already getting into the groove of it
Here is one McDonalds and there was another one just across the street from it.

Second McDonalds. We havn't eaten at McDonalds since Hong Kong and we lived off of it during our last trip to china.
5 story mall that was very, very nice!
Jewelry whole sale Market, Turquoise in this store
Madison helping mom pick out the perfect pearls, Notice all of the pearls in the bags behind her.
Now here is the other wall also filled with bags of pearls, and then the lady pulled out more pearls from under the counter too. There were literaly millions of pearls.

The lady making our necklaces.
Jade wholesale store with tons of pendants and bracelets
Meigan taking a nap in her new silk blanket


Getting ready for the US Consulate visit

Meigan with Auntie Jane. This is the first time she wanted to go to anyone else but Jodie or Brian, and then it was only for a few seconds and only because Mom wasn't around
IKEA store right next to the consulate
Meigan and Mom standing infront of the US Consulate
Meigan showing off her US Visa

Meigan showing you her China Passport
Licking her lips (she's cutting a new tooth, both of the top central incisors are coming in now.)
Happy to be with Dad
Bath time was fun when we added bubbles
Trying to eat her toes, not really she doesn't stick anything into her mouth that she has in her hands, what a blessing for Mom

Well today is the last full day in China, and to tell you the truth, We are kinda sad about it. We are not ready to go home, not ready to face real life again, and would like to spend some more quality time with Meigan. We have really enjoyed our trip to China this time, it has been such a pleasure. The sightseeing has been fun, but our daughter has been funner!

Today we started off by going to a very large Supermarket with some french name that is just like Wal-Mart. Jane told us that they don't let people take pictures inside but I figured what could they do but throw me out so I took alot of pictures inside. Alot of them were from my waist area as the camera hung from my neck without looking through the viewfinder so some of them didn't turn out to well. It was alot of fun, we saw alot of interesting things, especially in the meat department and the potato chip department. The supermarket is three floors high and they have these neat walking escalators you can go on with your shopping cart and it locks it in place so that it can't roll away from you as you go down or up a floor. I tried to include a few pics of our trip to the supermarket so that you could get an idea of how modern and big it is. Not anything like the street markets or shops.

Next we went to a DVD store and bought some dvd's that aren't out in the states yet. Mind you this is in the middle of the big Mall pic above and the dvd's are right out in the front, they don't worry about piracy here much like they make us think when we watch the news back home. Then we went next door to the jewelry wholesale market. We went and bought a few more pearl necklaces and earrings. There were at least 7-8 stores like the one we went to and with just as many pearls. There were so many pearls, beads, and stones in that market, it was crazy. It was three stories high I think and at least 200 yards long. We also stopped at a few Jade stores and got a couple of things. After the shopping we came back to the hotel for a nap and to get ready for our consulate appt.

In the afternoon we drove across town (such a huge town) to the US Consulate for our swearing in and oath. Basically to receive a visa for Meigan to travel to the US. After checking the papers one last time a guy got up and started rambling on about where some of the 17 families were from and what the professions were in the group. Right when I was thinking get on with it, thinking we would go into a different room and do the official part, he had us stand up, raise our right hands (everyone at the same time) and then he asked us if everything we had stated was true and we all said "YES" and he said "that's it, you're done", then we got her passport and visa and came back to the hotel. I think that once we reach US soil she will become a US citizen and then we can get her a US Passport if we'd like. (I'm sure she'll become a world traveler you know) They wouldn't let any cameras into the consulate appt so you'll just have to take my word for it.

Once we got back, we went to dinner and then picked up a couple of last minute items. Then we proceeded to take the next few hours to figure out how to pack everything! We are so overweight it's not even funny. We are hoping to be able to play the adoption card and have the airlines let us get away with it, I guess it will all depend on the airport staff and how well we can sweet talk them.

We are leaving china at 6:30 am in the morning and don't get home till close to Midnight which actually makes for 32 hours of travel time! Doesn't that sound fun with a baby! We may be able to post one more time from Hong Kong, but if not we'll see you in the USA!