Wednesday Oct 21

On our way to brekkie...

Anna has a great appetite

Us posing with 2 other CCAI families  in the front lobby of the hotel. We missed the huge group shot with about 60 people in it, as we were in a separate briefing meeting with Jocelyn. 

Taken by Dylan. We are receiving instructions from our travel guide, Jocelyn, covering departure and logistic details for the next few days...

We are on the home stretch now

Returning to our room

I was told I won't be allowed to import  this fine specimen back to the USA. Not worth the potential problems at US Customs...

We said farewell to Wendy Fix and Levi her newly adopted son and bio son, Isaac... They are taking a taxi 

van to Hong Kong tonight, about 3 hours' drive from Guangzhou. And fly back on Thursday...

Aunt Pauline calls Anna "My Juicy Lucy" and then tickles her...

Pauline faithfully updating her journal back at the hotel. All by hand, too!

Went for dinner at a restaurant inside the hotel, called The Food Street. Nancy Beatty and her daughters, Jade and newly adopted Jenna, joined us. Also, I invited Patrick, a young father from North Carolina, with his newly adopted son, Hudson, to join us

It was one of those meals where we ordered a bunch of side dishes and there was one of those center table lazy Susans that gave round table access to all the dishes. We sang happy birthday to Joel for his 13th!

Jade, Jenna and Nancy Beatty are from Houston TX. Jade was ten months old when Nancy adopted her from China.

Patrick's wife is pregnant and stayed home with their 3 young children.          He is doing this trip alone, which I imagine would be quite the challenge. He works for Bank of America in risk assessment. His wife was born in North York, Ontario and he will be visiting her side of the family in Guelph this winter: what a small world! I mentioned my Westrik family being there, but also the Sleeman Brewery and Church of our lady cathedral...

Anna inhaled the noodles, but didn't like the spicy sauce.

The people behind us ordered some kind of roasted duck, and it became OUR turn to stare at them. I didn't feel a second of guilt about taking a few pictures of their table especially after two weeks of observing people staring at us. I DID stop short, however, of poking my fork into the  duck and having a taste test...

They shave the outer skin of the duck off using a sharp, double edged cleaver.

Michelle, Pauline and Nancy have gotten along like classmates on this trip! Lots of gezelligheid and banter around the table

All 3 boys took an early evening swim to cool off. It's very warm and muggy in GZ, with temps today reaching 90F/30C

We (Michelle, Anna and me) will be meeting Jocelyn in the lobby at 7:30 am for our interview appointment at the US 

Consulate. According to the many other couples who have had their interviews  already, it is a fairly straightforward event.