Consulate Appointment and Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Auditorium

This morning the boys slept in a bit- I think yesterday took it out of them.   We got ready and went  to breakfast.  I could tell it may be an interesting day for Reid just on the way he was acting this morning- very silly and a bit defiant. We got some pictures in the lobby and met our group to head to the United States Consulate for our consulate appointment for our visa.  We took some pictures by the U.S. flag and then headed upstairs to the room.  Ian, a worker there, talked to us about what happens between now and arriving in the United States and what happens once we get home.  He then had us take an oath on behalf of our children.  I got the chance to go up to his window and thank him for approving our Article 5 on the day I emailed the consulate myself.  That was very kind of him and helped us get Reid before the consulate closure- just in time.   We then waited for each family to be called to the window.  When it was our turn, the woman there took our documents and we signed one for her.  The US visa for Reid's Chinese passport will be ready for pick-up tomorrow afternoon.  This is the first and last time he will travel on his Chinese passport.   There were less families in this room today then last year.   The consulate has 3 more days in this office and then they will close for a week and a half to move to a new location.   Things moved pretty quickly and we were out of there shortly after 10 a.m.  Our appointment time was 10 a.m.  We then headed back to the hotel to change and use the bathroom.

Mr. meat eater....this will have to change once we get home.  I have learned that diet isn't huge with thalassemia, but that you do want to limit the iron intake if possible.  Reid's breakfasts have been 90-100% meat....bacon, ham, sausages, etc. 

 Evan's favorites include the waffles, hard-boiled eggs (just the whites), bacon, donuts, and either pears or watermelon. 

 Getting ready for our consulate appointment.

 I found these adorable shirts on Etsy thanks to another mom on the DTC Facebook group I am on and a big thank you to my friend, Lori, for the nice cargo shorts for the boys!

 We are ready to be back in the USA and look forward to showing Reid our house, our community, and other places slowly over time.

 One of the families that we've been with this whole time.  Their daughter is from the same orphanage as Reid and the mom, Sara, and I have been in touch via Facebook for quite some time prior to the trip. 

 Our turn- at the United States Consulate...ready for our oath and visa appointment.

We met our guide in the lobby a bit later to go to that pretty building we keep passing that I mentioned was my favorite in another post. It is called the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Auditorium.  It was only 10 RMB entrance per adult.   Our guide said it is comparable to one of the monuments in Washington DC for us.   It was named after a man who was a doctor, born in 1886, who tried to create democracy in China.  Many of his ideals have come into practice, but of course many have not.   China was overtaken by the Manchurian people at one point,which is why they are a communist country.   The outside of the building is beautiful and the landscaping is as well.   The auditorium inside is warm, but very large and pretty.  

 The group of Madison Adoption Associates families that have been here in Guangzhou for a week and a half together.  The couple on the left is Mark and Rebecca from Delaware.  They have a bio daughter who is 2.5 back at home and they adopted a beautiful 18 month old girl, Sydney- their first adoption.   We are in the center.  Sara and Bryan are on the right and they are from Kentucky.  They adopted sweet little Leah from the same orphanage as Reid and they have a biological son who is 4 and daughter who is 2 back at home- first adoption.

 The dome inside the auditorium.

 The theater inside.

 Beautiful little Sydney!  Evan just adores her....he said we should have adopted a baby....not sure we could have been approved by China due to needing a waiver, but she is so sweet!

Now for the hard part.  Evan and Reid were being a little bit of stinkers on the stage.  Reid can touch Evan, but if Evan touches Reid- we have problems.  Evan was wanting a hug at one point and Reid wanted nothing to do with it.  I had to be stern with both of them a couple of times.  I am not sure what set him off- I think it was partly that he was hot and getting tired and partly that he is stubborn and does not like to be told no or disciplined, but Reid was kicking and I had to tell him not to do that.  He was not cooperating, so I picked him up and held him.  He started screaming and crying and whining.  Let me tell ya- on a stage and in a theater, this can be pretty amplified.  At one point our guide tried to talk to him, but told me it might be best to ignore it.  I pretty much was doing that already.  I did not get emotional.  I just kept going on acting as if nothing was wrong.  He yelled all the way out of the place and fussed the entire van ride back to the hotel.   It was apparent to me that he was going to need a nap.   The moment we got into the hotel, he stopped instantly.  And that is when the mom inside you knows that it was half for show and half not real.  Fun times though dealing with a 6 year old having a tantrum/melt-down for 30-45 minutes or more.   We ate lunch- dealt with a few more behavioral issues and then I laid down with him for a nap until he fell asleep...didn't take him too long.  We seem to be on an every other day rotation here- good day, tough day.   This will all jsut take some time.  Everything is new and his schedule is way off.  He is going to have to get used to being told no and having consequences if he chooses not to listen.   For now we'll just focus on getting through each day, one moment at a time, and getting home.  I pray the airport and plane experience goes well.  If you pray, we'd love for you to pray for that and for safe travels Wednesday night and Thursday morning.  We fly out Thursday morning Hong Kong time, which is Wednesday evening back at home.  We get in to Chicago in the afternoon and then make the drive home.   The headline of the newspapers here was the story about the big Asiana airplane accident in San Francisco.  We have friends heading there in the next day or two and also friends on that airline.  Please pray for all of our return travels.

After nap time, we may visit the pool and go out to dinner with some friends since a couple of our favorite families are leaving tomorrow after they get their visa.  We will stay an extra night and leave with Mark and Rebecca on Wednesday mid-day for Hong Kong, where we will spend one night and then fly out Thursday morning.