Happy 2 years home SS!

We did not take any pictures during the flights home. I did find some pictures taken at the Narita airport in Tokyo while we waited for our connecting flight. Leaving Kunming was a very emotional experience and I did shed a few tears. Taking a child out of their birth province, everything they know, is quite overwhelming. But it is your child's first experience in an airplane and parenting instincts take over, leaving little time to contemplate. Still, departing Kunming was a very emotional experience. But we had 10 more days in China and had to shift gears and prepare to complete the U.S. part of the adoption paperwork.

We have read hundreds of accounts of China adoption trips. By the time most families arrive in Guangzhou they are ready to go home. I do not do well away from home, a few days is as much as I can graciously stand. But I never got that I need to get the hell out of this place feeling in China. If P had more time, we would have gladly moved on to Beijing and spend time there. Our only thought about home was that we wanted JJ and SS united as soon as possible. We did not even mind the mythical concrete like mattresses so many people hated.

Once we were informed about the chicken pox fiasco we were very nervous about departing. We did not blog about it but did e-mail family and friends explaining what happened. Our goal was to at least make it to San Francisco and if quarantined I would be OK alone with SS. Those last few days in China were so precious, we went places just the three of us, no guides. It was the first time when our days were not scheduled by someone else. We went to the Guangzhou Zoo, returned to Shamian Island, and not once did we worry about the language barrier. I cannot imagine feeling that way anywhere else. We can't blame SS for lobbying to substitute our next blah trip for China. Leaving Guangzhou was as emotional as leaving Kunming. Not only had we departed our daughter's birth province, but now we were departing her birth country. But again, we were too busy with SS to dwell on it too long.

P is impressed with the video of SS diving into the pool. It's the second video in yesterday's post. Go on and check out our little fish in action. To think that at the beginning of the summer SS would not jump in unless she was holding our hand. SS, you've come a long way Baby.

The gas mask in the hotel rooms cracked us up.

The night before we departed. I think she is munching on bread.

I love how her little arm is on P's.

Last time waking up in China.

If she only knew what we were about to put her through.

Love your shirt Baba, but aren't the Olympic games a few weeks away?

Can't get over how small she was.

Let the torture begin.

This is THE coming home picture, walking on U.S. soil for the first time. Poor thing was so happy to be able to walk again.

This afternoon, munching on frozen grapes. She went through a bag in one day.

At least she added a hat and sunglasses to her diaper.

Good night Sweet SS.