Red Couch Day Today - 9 Pictures Below

It's freezing here everyone. Todays high was 58 or something with a low of 50, but that is cold for Guangzhou (we are on the same latitude as Key West, FL). So, we have been enjoying the White Swan for the better part of the day, with only a quick excursion out to Lucy's - a neighborhood bar/grille that is both decent and cheap ($20 on average for a meal for the three of us and you dont leave hungry)! And tonight, we are waiting on Danny's Pizza and Bagel (quite a combination!) The highlight of the day was the traditional Red Couch pictures. I am attaching pictures below showing Ella with us, our local representatives from CCAI (adoption agency) and the other babies from our travel group. Oh and they are dressed in traditional Chinese outfits and Ella looked adorable. Tomorrow morning Laura gets a massage (she is thrilled) and then we head to an electronics market to buy Evan some DS games if we can find and then come back to be sworn in at the US Consulate - its the final piece of paperwork needed before we start our trip home Friday (morning USA time). So tomorrow's update will probably be the last until we get home. Well take care everyone - a short note today but not too much going on - Enjoy the pictures of the babies.

Todays Blog -Guest Starring Maya McFee - Read On...

They told us we would have some down days in Guangzhou and we definitely attest that there has been much free time. So today was a completely appointment/paperwork free, 60 degree (cool for here) day. So what did we do - more shopping of course! Here are some pictures of our excursion today. First we have a picture of the main square with McDonalds and KFC having large billings. Then we have a picture of the Pearl Market - we went again today - the place (and the prices) are addicting. Next Up are Ella and her friend Maya all bundled up for the cold weather outside the Carrefour (like a Target) that we visited today. It was the first time we really got to bundle the kids up - CUTE! Maya becomes more prominent as the next two pics are pictures we weren't sure we would get. You see, over the course of the 2 weeks here, because they are just exceptional people and we have a common thread in that Ella and Maya were from the same orphanage, we have become great friends with Mike and Jill McFee, who live outside Charleston, West Virginia (close to Ohio border)and Maya, who is incredibly precious and beautiful, was not allowing Daddy to hold her until today. So you can see a beaming Mike holding his new daughter and the happiness shows. It was a powerful moment for us - you can hardly imagine what Mike and Jill are feeling right now! Ella gets back into the pictures with me (for all of you who say Ella seems to be bonding so well with Laura and Evan, here's proof that she takes to me too...OK Mom's in the background prompting that smile...but we are bonding just fine!) Oh and Ella made progress today too. She took a bath without screaming! So good news all around - these open days arent too bad after all! Tomorrow, we stick areound hotel as our guides get Ella's Visa approved for travel to the US, where she becomes a citizen! The next day, we go to the US Consulate to be sworn in and the day after we head home. Oh speaking of home, we got our travel arrangements confirmed today after some confusion, but hopefully that wil be our last scare of the trip, one which despite the uncertainty, has exceeded all of our expectations --- thanks to ELLA. OK another quiet day tomorrow - I will continue to post.