Well, today we finished all of our paperwork at the U.S. Consulate in China, and our guide will pick up Ellie's visa and immigration paperwork in the morning. We are all clear to come home!! Yay!

It was cold and rainy here today, so we were pretty hotel-bound, unfortunately. Ellie and I had fun playing with my computer :-) and with a FABULOUS bubble-making toy that Aunt Michelle bought for her.  I snapped a couple of picture while we were playing--I love the last one.  Should be captioned: "MOM, why are all my sleeves so long?!"

We are waiting for Aunt Ann Marie to arrive any minute now.  Tomorrow we are having lunch with friends from the states---a wonderful woman from Utah who is here adopting her fourth child! Two of her teenage children are with her, and they are coming by so we can all go to lunch together. Then tomorrow night, our whole group is going out for a last dinner together in China---authentic dim sum. Apparently dim sum in the states really isn't authentic. I am not asking any questions about what MAKES it authentic, because I heard something today about it including cow's stomach. Will definitely stick to the noodles :-)

We take the train to Hong Kong on Wednesday, and then HOME on Thursday!!!  I have really loved my time in China, but wow am I ready to come home!1