Travel Journal - Day 12

This is our last post from China. We are packed and ready to start our long journey home. Several other families are coming to our room tonight to pray and exchange email addresses. It is some what sad to leave these people that have gone through this life changing event together. We certainly have a bond that will continue as we scatter to our homes across the U.S. Four of us with older special needs children have spent a lot of time together. The other couples live in Minnesota, Ohio and New York. At least we have some new vacation destinations.

But... we are more than ready to come home to our friends and family that love and support us. We couldn't have made this trip without all your help,encouragement and prayers!

We went to the US Consulate General today and picked up Elaine's Visa. She is traveling on a Chinese passport/visa but will be a US Citizen when we go through the Homeland Security Check in San Fran. We also had a group "Swearing In" with the Consulate. All the parents raised their right hands and basically promised that all the documents we had provided were true and accurate.

We took some more group pictures today on the stairs in our hotel. We had to break into three groups to get the photos. I have posted the group that we traveled with most of the time, the Guangzhou group. We all adopted children from the Guangdong Province and we all met our children in this city, Guangzhou. I also put a picture of just the babies. Lani's little friend isn't in the photo and Lani wasn't thrilled about being in it either!

Elaine continues to amaze us with her playing and her smiles. She is still pretty quiet with just an occasional cry or giggle. She ran back and forth between our adjoining rooms and played chase the big sisters! Today she let Mike pick her and play with her, even holding her over his head and lightly blowing on her tummy. She loves that! He changed her diaper. She held his hand to walk places. But, if he picks her up to hold her, she cries. Very interesting. She is such a joy and we are so blessed to have three wonderful daughters! Kara and Meri are enjoying her more now that she plays with them and interacts with them. They have loved her from the beginning and they have always been able to hold her but they sure are enjoying the fact that she runs and plays now!

The Goff Gang Going Home!

Click the below photos to enlarge