John Paul (one year home)

Today marks ONE YEAR since John Paul came home. 

It feels very significant!  It is very significant! 

It also feels odd to celebrate in two different cities - Matt and three at home, me and two here in Guangzhou.  John Paul doesn't know the significance of this day (yet!) but we'll celebrate every year. (And hopefully, next year, together!!)

We ended the day with a skype call home which was a big treat.

 Everyone was excited to see and be seen. 

And there were plenty of stories to be told. 

Skype-ing home wasn't the only fun thing we did today though.  We hit the zoo this morning, via the subway (crowded!)

It was sweltering and the first hour was our best.... after that we all started to wilt.  Not just us, even the animals :)

After a refreshing rest time in the comfort of our air conditioned hotel room it was off to the hotel swimming pool (trip #2 - and I'm sure we'll go every day!)

And a walk through the hotel grounds before our dinner and skype date.

Our paperwork is processing right along.  Monday afternoon was the very important medical exam for John Paul.  We're currently waiting on blood work results (due back tomorrow, Wednesday) which will complete our file for his visa application.  With medical results in hand we'll head to the Embassy on Thursday morning. 

All should go smoothly and we'll be issued a U.S. visa on Friday afternoon.  Plan is to pick up John Paul's passport-with-visa en route to the airport for our 6:45pm flight home.  It would be a blessing if all these steps go off without a hitch (including no bad traffic when we are airport bound on Friday cause I am not interested in missing that flight!)

Two days down, three to go.  We are doing just fine.  I miss home.  I miss my other children.  I MISS MY HUSBAND!  Julianna told me tonight she could not make it three more days without me :)  Love that little girl :) 

[Maybe I'll get to writing a more reflective post about a year with John Paul.  There were certainly moments I wasn't sure if we would make it to this big landmark day!  Mostly, today my heart is full of gratitude for where we are and where we have been.  Our hotel is home to plenty of other adoptive families, most of them right in the middle of the tumultuous first days/weeks with their new children.  It's good perspective for me... wow, what a difference 365 days makes!]