So Long China!

This is how Teagan looked when she got up this morning. She has reacted to something--I think it may be to the red dye in the pedialyte I gave her, but who knows! I took her to see the doctor in the hotel. She was an older Chinese lady that spoke no English. She had an intrepretor with her. I told them her symptoms of diarreah and vomiting and then the swollen eyes this morning. She told me she had the start of bronchitis, but didn't want to treat it. She didn't give any explanation of the swollen eyes. She gave me three kinds of Chinese medicine--one for congestion, one for diarreah, and one for digestion. She said her belly was swollen and had air bubbles. All the medicines were in unmarked clear bottles and were brown or clear liquids. (The brown ones looked like the stuff Kristie drinks at work). They gave me instructions on how and when to give them and I paid 90 Chinese dollars. I left there more confused than going in not knowing if I should give them to her or not. I have called Doug and Lisa to schedule an appointment with my doctor on Friday once we are home. Other than the eyes, she is doing better today--no more vomiting or diarreah.

This afternoon we went to the American consulate for the swearing in ceremony. Teagan now has an American visa and we are free to come home! At the ceremony, there were about 50-75 families with their babies. We all went before a worker there to present our babies. Then, an American woman came out and gave instructions about the immigration papers we have to carry with us to the US port of entry (Detroit for us). We then all stood up, raised our right hands and took the oath. We were then congratuated that our children will be American citizens upon entry to the US. Everyone cheered--it was a good day!

We leave tomorrow from Guangzhou on the 8:30AM flight. We will arrive in Toyko at 1:35 PM. From Toyko, we leave at 3:55 PM and arrive in Detroit at 1:35 PM (the same day, we go back in time). The Guangzhou to Toyko flight is 4 hours, and the Toyko to Detroit flight is 11 hours 40 minutes. We leave Detroit at 3:28 PM and arrive at Toledo at 4:13 PM. Anyone is welcome to come meet us at the airport. I understand the weather is not good at home, so I hope we have no delays and that the roads are good for travel. We will be home soon!

When babies are adopted from China, it is tradition that before leaving, you have your photo taken on the "Red Couch" in the White Swan Hotel. Here are the babies from our group--First is Emma, then Irene (crying), and Teagan. Emma and Teagan are both from Fuzhou and are 8 months (Teagan one week younger than Emma). Irene is from a different orphanage in Jiangxi and is 19 months old. Emma will be living in New Mexico and Irene in Texas.
This is a shot out of the bus window of the train station on the way back from the American Consulate. It was a sea of people everywhere you looked. You can really see the overcrowding in China most places you go.
My two girls on the Red Couch wearing Chinese dresses. Briley's dress was custom made in Nanchang with matching shoes.