Friday - USA

Hi all,
Last night was our last group dinner, and it was really good. We also tried Benadryl last night (ahem) to see what it will do if we need it on the plane. I didn't notice much difference until she went to sleep, and she was OUT. I had to get up a few times and poke her to be sure she was alive. She slept for almost 10 hours. NICE.
Today Jason, Vivian and I took the subway to Hangshua, which was really crazy. It was very poor and kind of scary. Then we got to a market-type thing where we saw a bunch of stalls with medical equipment (weird?) and then some hanging meat that made me very nauseous. Then we arrived at the herb and dried item market. We saw dried seahorses and dried snakes, among other things. Daddy got some good photos while Mommy was green and Vivi was chilling in the stroller. Then we went to Shamian Island to finish shopping. We found some great things for Vivian today!!
This afternoon we watched the video CHI made of Gotcha Day, and it was very sweet. We have our own copy! Then the dad that went to Leizhou to the orphanage showed us his photos, which were great, and he will burn those and mail them to us. He did get photos of the more "common" areas of the orphanage (not where the kids actually are), and of Martyrs Park, where Vivian was found. We think he got a picture of the exact place where she was -- it's a memorial obelisk in the Park.
Afterwards we went to the US Consulate and did our oath and received Vivian's Chinese passport with Visa. I think she has dual citizenship. Once we land in the US she will be an American, but will retain her Chinese passport until its expiration. The person at the Consulate did advise us to have her travel with her US passport from now on. DUH
It was SO cute -- one of the moms brought little American flags for all the families, and Vivian walked to the Consulate waving her American flag with glee. I'm sure the Chinese didn't appreciate us parading our Chinese baby with an American flag, but heh, we're outta here tomorrow! :) She's proud to be an American!! Oh, in true Vivian style she fell asleep as we were waiting to take the oath. Her response to boring government bureaucracy....sleep.
We are SO SO SO glad to be leaving tomorrow morning! We did find out that our 9 am flight had been cancelled, but we got on the 10 am flight, so that lessens our layover in Beijing to about 3 hours. That's fine with us!! Even though Jason and I thought Newark was an armpit, we may kiss the ground when we land there. And our fellow passengers may do the same after the 13 hour flight with our little girl. Hopefully the Benadryl will help and she'll sleep. We leave Beijing at 3:45 pm, so hopefully she'll sleep some, since most of the flight will be after she normally goes to bed anyway (8:00 pm).
Packing -- so we bought a knockoff suitcase today for about US$7. Hopefully it'll make it all the way. Packing has begun, and so far it's going well. Who knew our carryons would be ALL ABOUT VIVIAN on the way home?!!??
Okay, we love you. Please pray for safe, easy travel tomorrow. :)
Rachael, Jason & Vivian