Finish Line In Sight
May 23, 2006
What a day. Phew.
It began with a very nice breakfast and then some playtime in the room while Tricia started packing. Grace then took a nice long nap and afterwards we went to a Japanese restaurant on the third floor of the hotel.
Today we went to the American Consulate and got Grace's passport with her visa—the final thing to be done in China. For some reason Tricia and I had seriously flawed expectations of the day. We thought that we'd stroll a block from the hotel to the Consulate, walk in, raise our right hand, waive a small American flag, and smile for the camera.
Instead, unbeknownst to us, the Consulate moved about six months ago to a new location in Guangzhou. We hopped aboard a bus and took a 45 minute ride to the new building. After we passed through security we went into a large holding room with many chairs. We sat for about another 45 minutes while other groups came in. Then more waiting and waiting. By this time Grace was quite upset and screaming with all of her might (very spicy). Nothing would comfort her and just about everyone was staring because when she cries she cries like she's in pain. We were totally unprepared as we only found out when we got downstairs in the hotel that the consulate was not close by, so we didn't pack much of anything to take with us. Ooops.
Well, she cried and cried, and then we finally gave our oath and began another long wait to receive Grace's passport and visa. All in all from the time we left to the time we got back to the hotel it was about 4 1/2 hours. Upon returning to the hotel we had ten minutes to get to our rooms, change our babies, and meet back in the lobby for a group meal.
We went to a Thai restaurant that was very delicious! Grace was an angel as we took along a portable bassinette which she contentedly laid in.
We're back in the room packing for tomorrow! Yee Haw, we get to go home.
This is our last post before we return to America. Thank you to all of you have posted so many encouraging words, it has a been so fun to wake up each day and read them. If you get a few minutes, please pray for us as we travel. Pray that we'll return safely and that Grace will be able to sleep.
Praise the Lord.
