Christmas in China

We're back from the US Consulate and we are cleared to bring Miss Leah Yajiao Smith back to the USA where she will become a US citizen when she steps off the plane in Chicago, IL. I guess she and I will both be able to claim Chicago as our "hometown" now.

Earlier this morning, we called our guide to let her know about Leah's overnight fever. We met her outside the hotel clinic at 8 AM where a nurse confirmed her temperature and gave us three medications to combine and have Leah take 3X per day for 3 days. Perhaps it's just coincidence, but we like to think that her sudden change in attitude (and return of appetite) can be credited to "ancient Chinese secret!"

The consulate appointment was run of the mill US government red tape where it was all "hurry up and wait." It took about 90 minutes of sitting in a waiting area with a couple dozen families from at least two different agencies before swearing an oath and receiving Leah's passport and citizenship paperwork.

We're now back in the hotel where Angela and Leah have opted for an early afternoon nap while I make one more blog entry. We plan to pick up the last custom piece of art from a local vendor for Leah's room this afternoon followed by time for packing everything back in the suitcases.

Tomorrow morning we have to have our suitcases ready for pickup at 6 AM (12/24, 5 PM EST). We board a bus for the Guangzhou airport at 6:50, catch a flight to Beijing at 9:25 AM, land in Beijing at 12:25 PM where we will wait until 5:30 PM to board a United flight for Chicago. We will land in IL around 4:30 PM CST and then board a plane for Charlotte at 6 PM and get to Charlotte around 9 PM. If my math is right, that makes for a 28-hour Christmas Day spent in two countries and four airports with little sleep. To say we're homesick would be an understatement!

We'll leave you for now with a few pictures from our episode on the infamous "Red Couch" as well as another group photo (with all twelve families) in front of the hotel's Christmas tree. We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. God willing, we will see family and friends in just one day (albeit a very long one)!