This is our last day before heading out, but it is one of the most anticipated and important days of the trip. We are going to the US Consulate Office to have our swearing in ceremony. Upon arriving we meet 8-9 couples from Maine and others from the northeastern part of the U.S. along with couples we had seen back at the Dolton Hotel that were also adopting from the Hunan province.
Each family from our group was dressed to the nine for the occasion with the baby girls looking especially adorable. We had to go in and swear that our paperwork, to our knowledge, was correct. We received the babies' visas and their travel papers. I was so anxious to get out of the office and have this behind us, Geordyn kicked off one of her little shoes and I didn't even notice. Most will become US citizens when they arrive in the US. Since my wife did not travel with me, we will have to wait and go through the court system in the US to finalize everything. But you know in our hearts, she is ours and always will be. Everything else is just a formality.
After this monumental ceremony, of course the group had to celebrate with... more shopping!!! Then celebrating with dinner in the hotel together and an early night to bed for the wake-up call in the morning to prepare us to leave. So anxious I am to get home with this beautiful child to show my wife and daughter and feeling rather proud I survived to tell about this trip. I took care of our child all alone, except for a "little" help from...let's see, Lynn, Kathy, Robin, Nancy, Kirby, Nicolas, and Land , just to name a few. Still not many men would have even attempted this feat. They would have had more sense to even try, but no... not me.
This is a two year dream come true. All five of our couples have had hardships hit during this waiting period. It was almost as if something was trying to keep us from continuing our mission to complete our forever family. We all forged on no matter what obstacles we faced. So for other couples, as you continue the wait and troubling things start to happen to make you rethink your decision, here are five examples of parents that could not, would not be strayed from getting their child.
Geordyn and Dad are dressed and ready to go to the Consulate for the final oath before going home
