Passport to Home

Today we applied for Elijah ZuBin's passport. We went first to pick up our Notary books. I'm still not exactly sure what it is, but it is some formal document about the adoption. It has a family picture (parents and adopted child), a bunch of Chinese writing and our names. All I can read is our names. We then went to a police station to apply for his Chinese passport. Greg thought it was funny that we had to go to a police station to do that until I pointed out that we go to a post office. He agreed that that was even stranger.

After the application was submitted, our coordinator took us across the street to have Elijah's picture retaken. I have no idea what for, but the one submitted by the orphanage was the wrong size. Whatever. One more hoop. Everyone in the photo place spoke Cantonese, which is Elijah's language. They told us how to pronounce his name in Cantonese and told us what his nickname would likely be. When they said his nickname, he smiled and lit up for them. It was neat to see. I have been trying to pronounce his Cantonese name, but Qin Lei says I cannot do it. She says she is not dramatic enough to say it in Cantonese. Oh, well. One of the ladies in the photo shop asked Elijah if she could hold him. He shook his head and moved closer to Greg. That was good to see. There is definitely a bond forming there. He and I are still struggling. I know it will work out, though. It will just take time.

Tonight for dinner we returned to a restaurant on the river we have been twice before. It is a beautiful restaurant to eat at since you get to eat outside at tables by the river. Brightly lit boats pass by. Chinese lantern hang from lamp posts. The whole place is beautiful. Mom and Dad struggle a bit because it is not well lit. They have a hard time reading the menu. Greg tried a new dish called Chicken Soft Bones in Manga Sauce and Thai Chili. He expected meat and a spicy sauce. He tasted the first bite and found a bone, no meat. He thought he had gotten a bad piece. The second bite made him think there were more bones than normal. After the third bite he investigated more closely and found the whole plate was full of chicken knuckles and joints. It was basically inedible. He did eat quite a few spicy onions, though and wondered if he was going to be able to fill up on them. Kailey got a delicious dish of skewered beef cooked over charcoal. Justin ate a BLT. Mom and I had noodles and beef. Elijah had congee with chicken. He ate quite a bit once he calmed down. We tried to get him to sit in a high chair without Greg holding him, but that was a no go.

We came back to the room to put the kids to bed. Elijah received his second bath, which was just as noisy as the first. His feet are starting to look cleaner, but I still think they just need a new layer of skin. I have been rubbing Shea Butter lotion into his skin to try to soften it up. It is just so rough. He does not object to having his teeth brushed. He likes to spit into the sink, I think. He also goes to bed so easily. Greg just sits by him and he goes to sleep! He sleeps all night, too. Gotta love it. Well, I am going to sign off for the night. It is almost midnight here.

Tomorrow we have to reorganize and pack my parents and Kailey and Justin. They'll be leaving at 6:30 am Saturday morning on the shuttle to return to the Hong Kong airport to fly home. We will be moving to the other part of the Victory Hotel called the Annex. The rooms are bigger, but more importantly, each room comes with a computer and free internet access. Right now we use Mom's laptop, but it has to go home with her. We were thinking we would have to go to the business center and pay for internet access, taking turns staying with Elijah. This way we don't have to. They asked us when we got here if we wanted to move to the Annex, but here we could have joining rooms, which has been wonderful.

Well, good night, and thanks for praying. We really have needed it. We have been praying for your needs as we have known them and for blessing on all of you.