Adoption ceremony

Adoption ceremony

This morning we had to meet the guide at 8:00 to head back to Civil Affairs for the adoption ceremony and receipt of our adoption certificate.  We will need that to take to the American consulate to allow her to come to the US.  There were 4 families and they called us up and gave us the certificate and we took a picture.  It wasn't very involved but nice. 

Civil Affairs Building

After that we were taken to Martyr's Park.  I think we all enjoyed it, but wish it had been more than 50 degrees.  There were many groups of ladies dancing kind of a Chinese line dance at many different locations and some small groups doing Tai Chi and men playing cards.  

Koi pond at Martyr's Park

We were feeding the koi when Aleah grabbed my hand and pulled me away to show me an amusement park area.  She was very insistent that we let her play there so we payed the money and the girls had a great time.  Occasionally should we get alone and get very pensive.  I wish I knew what she was thinking and that I could speak fluent Mandarin.  Then we rode the bumper cars and the workers just kept letting us ride it over and over again until we realized the rest of our group left us. 

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    The other 2 families have 3 1/2 yo boys so they rode the carousel while we were on the cars.  We were dropped off at the hotel where we had our (hopefully) last meal at Food Street in the hotel.  There are only a few things we like so it is getting old.  Aleah requested the goose feet again and over Greg's disapproval I ordered it.  Her face lit up when they put that in front of her.  She gnawed on it for a while and gave it to me.  Yummy! 

After some paperwork we decided to try to get to Pizza Hut again.  We were going to walk, but were able to get a taxi.  It was difficult to let them know what we wanted but the pizza was great.  Aleah and Alaina shared a big plate of spaghetti with meat sauce.  I think Aleah likes Italian better than Chinese.  That works for me.  After dinner we had to cross over a big bridge to get to the other side of the street rather than risk our lives crossing the street.  We walked a while and I really enjoyed being a part of the Chinese culture.  So many people walking, eating, street singers, beggars, buses.  I really do enjoy being in China.  We weren't even halfway and were starting to get tired when Greg noticed a taxi sign. Hallelujah! A taxi was letting someone off and the 7 of us piled into the compact car.  It was a great day and Aleah got in bed to watch TV for a while with Daddy after another little swim.