Home at Last!

We made it! It was about 30 hours from when we left our hotel in Guangzhou to when we walked in the front door at home. No real problems or delays this time - although our final flight from Chicago to Sioux Falls was delayed about 45 minutes, and only one of our three checked bags seems to have got onto the plane, but that's really no big deal. All that matters is, we're home!


Also had lots of friends and family meet us at the airport. It was really nice to see everybody - after a long time away like that, it's good to be with the people you love.


Anyway, just a couple of pictures here from the day of travel. Otherwise, we'll see everybody soon!

Last Day

Finally, we're all done! Went to the consulate today and got Austin's passport with his visa, and his immigration papers. We're all set to come home!

Now we have to go to bed early, because we have to meet Shiyan to head to the airport at 5:45am.

This will probably be the last blogpost before we get home. Hopefully we won't miss any flights or face any delays tomorrow and we'll get home around 7:30 Friday night.

We'll see you all back in Sioux Falls!

Our last breakfast in the White Swan - it's breakfast on the road tomorrow!

The street vendors near the hotel had some interesting wares. Somehow, I don't think a tiger's paw would clear Customs.


Lots of cats around Guangzhou.

The streets of Guangzhou

Two More Days!

We went to the U.S. Consulate today to sign some paperwork and take an oath on Austin's behalf. All our paperwork is done now - we go back tomorrow afternoon to pick up his passport and immigration papers and then Friday we come home! Yay!

A stray cat that lives near the hotel

Some schoolchildren outside for their morning exercise

Inside the White Swan

Fathers try to position the children for the red couch photo

A red couch photo

The little boy in the front is crying because Austin was picking on him.

The Fields family on the red couch

Out for a long walk in the afternoon

The city of Guangzhou

Our hotel from across the river

Local flora

White Rabbit break

Jasper fixing her brother's hair

Turned out we didn't have to go to the consulate ourselves today - Shiyan took the paperwork and filed it for us. Tomorrow we go take the oath of citizenship on Austin's behalf. Unfortunately, there are no cameras allowed in the consulate, so we can't take pictures of that.

Austin's getting better every day, but he still tends to throw a fit (among other things) when he's not getting his way. And I can't seem to get through to him that the proper order of things is to go into the bathroom first and take his pants down second.

He's turned out to be quite the little ham when the camera comes out, though. He likes to have his picture taken, but he doesn't really like to just be sat down somewhere scenic for a photo.

Anyway, only three more days until we're home!

Some more pictures:

Some Flowers

Getting ready to go to sleep

Austin prepares for his audition for the 2010 Chinese revival of Kriss Kross (let's see who gets that reference!)

Playing with Ba ba.

Jasper breaks out the "Do Not Disturb" sign. Little brothers can be disturbing sometimes.

Only three more days!

More flowers.

You can still buy candy cigarettes in China!

Playing "This Little Piggy" with Mom.

More from Guangzhou

Not a whole lot to report from the last couple of days. Yesterday we just did paperwork. We did all go out to eat at a local restaurant, but Austin was not having a good night and Bobbi had to take him back to the hotel. He just didn't want to sit.

Today we went back to the doctor to have the TB skin test checked. Results were negative, so that's good. Tomorrow is our first consulate visit to start the process of getting Austin his immigrant visa.

Even in China, you can't get away from Starbucks

Jasper's new friend Noel. Noel is from Maryland and will be six in August.

The Swan Room, for adopted children to play in, in the White Swan.

Some Guangzhou Scenery

Sending a message to Guangzhou.

Using Mommy's iPod as a cellphone?

Going out in his Panda hat.

Doctor's Visit

We took Austin to the doctor today for his checkup. They didn't find anything wrong with him, other than what we already knew. We asked about the nosebleeds (he got another one on the airplane when we flew from Chengdu to Guangzhou, and he bled all over his pillow last night), but they didn't think it was anything to worry about - just dry, cool air. It's cool in the hotel room, anyway - not so much outside, although that's supposed to change the next few days.

He didn't really like the doctor visit very much. He doesn't like being poked and prodded, and didn't even want to stand still for them to measure his weight and height. And he really didn't like getting stuck with a needle for the TB test.

It's too bad he doesn't like doctors. I fear he's going to be seeing a lot of them once we get back in the States.

Pictures from Guangzhou

(Looks like our hotel room's previous occupant was a Cheerios-eater just like Jasper was!)

(Some folks from West Virginia with their new daughter, whom I'll bet is the cutest little blonde-haired, blue-eyed Chinese girl you've ever seen)

(Keeping up on her schoolwork!)