Final Day in Guangzhou

June 12, 2008

Yesterday was bittersweet.

We began with a trip to an amusement park in downtown Guangzhou. The rides were geared for children and was just right of babies, toddlers, and elementary age children in our group. We started with a tram ride that gave a bird's eye view of the park.

After the tram ride, Ellie and Mommy rode the water ride that had squirt cannons for shooting sharks and other monsters of the deep. As you can see, Mommy was into it! Ellie on the other hand, not so much.

We made our way to the area of the park that had the classic "nickel" rides: pandas, Santa's sleigh, rocket ships, trains, pony express pony and the like. We thought Ellie would enjoy the fighter plane-space shuttle-ish one. As you can see by her expression, Mommy and Daddy were way off!

After lunch and a nap we joined the other 18 families for a trip to the office of the ACS, American Citizenship Service. Located in the new developments on the west side of Guangzhou, the ACS office is the final stop for all infants adopted out of China who are going home to the United States. After presenting passports, checking Ellie's Visa and other documents needed for her to enter the country, we said, "I do" to the oath that was spoken and it's all official. Ellie is stuck with us! When we touch down at O'Hare, she will be a citizen of the United States; her Chinese passport will be a trip memento.

The four families we spent the most time with all met for dinner at the Grill Room of the Swan Hotel; an all you can eat buffet of grilled meat, seafood and vegetables (and also a wine pairing!). We sat overlooking the Pearl River from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Slowly, one by one, Ellie's orphanage mates headed off to bed and Mommies and Daddies, once strangers, now more than friends, began to say their good-byes. We all did a pretty good job of not crying, but it was close! Macy's older twin sisters, Madison and Megan beamed when they heard that we would all see each other again at reunions. As I told them on the day we first met, when we talked about how cool it is that all our babies are from the same orphanage and share the same surname, 'Bo', "we're related!"

And we are. In a manner not of biology and DNA...not of religion, race or creed...not of socio-economic standing or political persuasion. We are related with a bond of having been blessed beyond measure with daughters whose life journey began in abandonment and institutionalization. We are related by a bond of having been on an unbelievable journey, traveling to Jiangxi Provence, flashing our passports at an adoption official and being handed our daughters, each of whom, miraculously mirrors the flavor and personality of their parents. Most importantly, we will always be related in the truth that our joy has been made complete through a lifetime of love and laughter our daughters give to us unconditionally. I pray that we, their parents, will always to the same.

See you tomorrow.

Quote of the Day: Last evening at dinner, Ella's daddy says to her, "I don't know where you put all this food. You must have a wooden leg." At this, Ellie's mommy, aka Caroline, says, "that would be a hollow leg." To which Ella's daddy say, "Yeah, that what I meant...a wooden, HOLLOW, leg."