It's all in the details

Our stay in the province wrapped up the details of the Chinese adoption; our stay in Guangzhou was focused on finalizing the American end.

The medical check up is a crucial step in the process - a chaotic scene in a tiny waiting room with dozens of terrified infants playing musical chairs as we hustle them between three different doctor cubicles for the requisite checks on their forms. Since being undressed is entirely foreign to these kids, reactions ranged from mild worry to all-out-panic. It's absolutely heart-wrenching to hear tears from small children that come from that extreme level of true fear. Little Hannah was soothed by both her Mommie and her blankie, as she weighed in at 18.9 lbs and measured 76 cm long with a 46 cm head. This was actually less than what Sue was told she weighed over two months ago, but hey, we figure maybe they weighed her with all those layers on. Oh, and by the way, smoking is indeed allowed in the doctor's office.

The White Swan is a landmark for international adoptions (there is even a special custom Barbie given to the kids -- a blonde Barbie with a Chinese papoose snapped to her). While still staying close with our little group, we met countless other families going through various stages of the process. I was particularly surprised at the number of older children being adopted (which can perhaps be attributed to the long delays in the process for adopting babies). I found myself tearing up at the sight of the many brave parents with enough love in their hearts to truly rescue a child of 3, 4, 5, 6...we even saw one 12 year old being adopted and heard tales of other older children telling a group on an orphanage tour that they were 'waiting for their American family'. You could literally see these children taking huge strides and emerging from their shell day by day. I personally have never witnessed such immense good in the world up close & personal in that way and was profoundly affected.

The final step was our swearing in at the American Consulate. With bags already packed and loaded on the bus (a process that involved sore shoulders and serious overuse and abuse of my luggage scale - not to mention the most intense game of luggage tetris ever played), we were combined with several other groups in the immense waiting area of the Consulate. Knowing we had a long journey ahead, I tried to occupy Hannah (who was strapped to her Mom) by teaching her how to give a 'high five'. She caught on just us Sue was raising her right hand to be sworn in; everyone around us was absolutely breaking down in giggles as Hannah is happily slapping away at Sue's hand and Sue is valiently trying to repeat her oath without cracking.

xoxo
ABG