Consulate Day (the day with no pictures)

Wednesday we woke up the kids bright and early at 600am in order to meet our group at 730am for our 830am appointment at the US Consulate.

The US Consulate is a low, gray, three story bunker-like newly constructed building. It is pretty in a modern, sleek way, but it sticks out like a sore thumb a bit among the high rise buildings around it. There were many Chinese people waiting for appointment or another in lines around the perimeter of the building.  When finally admitted our group of families were went without our guides to the 3rd floor of the building. There each family was called one by one to the window, where documents were given. Then a representative from each family stood together for an oath, and finally each family was called to the window again for some individual questions about the adoption process. We were told the kids’ travel visas would be ready by Friday and we were done!! I have no pictures as phones are not allowed in the Consulate.


We stopped back off at the hotel to drop of our documents and pick up additional stuff, and we were off again for a visit to the toy and gift mall, an 8 level “mall” with vendors (many wholesale vendors) packed into individual stalls. Here we bought some gifts and the boys picked out toys- knock off legos, peppa pig for Gemma and generic number bots for Ben. By now it was like 1pm and all the small humans were melting down, Tom was frustrated he could not find an item he was looking for and I was honestly, having my own meltdown moment as my darling daughter was trying to claw my face off because I would not let her walk without holding my hand.  We went back to the hotel and tried to decompress as everyone enjoyed their toys. At 5pm we went to dinner in a Chinese restaurant in the hotel. By the time we were seated Evan was spinning his plate wildly on the table lazy Susan, Ben was pkaying the drums with chopsticks and Gemma was again clawing my eyes out to get ahold of the China place settings.  Instead of ordering, we stood up and walked out. I took all the kids to the outdoor open play area and Tom walked to a nearby noodle shop. By 630pm we were in our hotel room with tired kids eating noodles and dumplings at our coffee table watching How to Train Your Dragon. It was a LONG day. 

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