Visa Success!

We got Lydia’s visa to enter the US today!  We have learned from our experience with the US Consulate in Guangzhou that big bureaucracies are not nameless, faceless entities.  We appreciate their calling us at our hotel, making exceptions on their days off, and giving us our visa in one hour.  We are thrilled to fly to Chicago tomorrow. We have a 13-hour layover at a hotel there then we fly to Houston on Sunday morning. 

We enjoyed one last meal in Guangzhou tonight and shared our favorite moments from the trip.  As we chatted, Lydia used a combination of fork, spoon, and chopsticks to feed herself with great gusto.  What a different child than we thought we were bringing home! Her files described a timid, reserved, and observant little girl.  The observant part is correct.  She sings when she is happy, screams when she is mad (and I mean squeals at the top of her lungs and also throws things), and demands to be included in everything.  Every ice cream, every dish. 

She must not have had a western style toilet in her foster home.  She is fascinated by it.  Whenever one of us enters the bathroom, we have a shadow who flushes continually for us.  Such a great helper.

Not looking forward to the long journey home, but so thankful we are all taking it together.  Thanks for your prayers!