At long last, we are parents!

SSIA

Or, in net terms, the subject says it all. After a very nervous night, we got ready and had breakfast for the last time as a couple. Emily picked us up and after dodging a multitude of sccoters and bicycles, we made it to the civil affairs department. Not knowing what to expect, we walked through the doors and there she was!! We met her and she knew who we were. She semed happy until she relaized that she didn't understand what we were saying. Then the tears flowed. But then, she calmed down and all was well. She did indeed have her backpack and I congratluted Valentino on a job well done. She looked at him for a little bit, then carefully put him away in her little back pack. We introduced her to Kai Lan and showed her that it said "loved" in Mandarin on her sweater. We put the little matching "loved" necklace on her and she seems very happy with it. We returned to our room and had our first conversation. After realizing that we just weren't going to understand what we were saying, she marched into the bathroom and lifted the toilet seat...message delivered!! (I let Laura handle that one.) Emily and I headed to the bank to exchange some of our cash into RMB. It's funny how a 1/2 inch stack of dollars turns into a 3 inch stack of RMB!! Lots of pictures of Chairman Mao. When I returned to the room, Laura and Anyssa were coloring and playing with the picture flash cards. She was VERY happy to see me and yelled PAPA as she threw her arms around me. Yes...this was meant to be.

Emily loaned us her computer so this will be a little easier than trying to squint my way through mail on the broken screen computer.

We will be going to lunch in a little bit and then we will meet back up with Emily at 2:00. We need to go shopping for milk and juice and a little portable DVD player so she has something to do on the long flight home. I will let you all know how THAT goes. So far, lots of laughing and smiling.