Getting Alice

Today we went to a very lovely bonzai park. Lush and gorgeous. We ate right near the grounds. After lunch, we headed to our hotel to try to get the kiddie winks to get at least 50 winks. Alice, I've now learned, gets quite ornary when she doesn't hit her 50 wink mark. I had to wake her to get to the US Consulate for her swearing in ceremony. In my travel haze, I thought it meant she was a citizen, but I guess not. Just another step. She needs to get her visa tomorrow after we pack up to leave the hotel. We'll head back to Beijing for a late flight and a quick night's snooze, back to the airport by 8:30 am. Off to San Fran to try to catch Auntie V, then to Boston. Then, we try to drive to Vermont to catch Emmet in the marathon. We'll see how we feel after our own marathon of travel, but we'll give it a major effort to get home. We have a "free" morning tomorrow. I traded in one more batch of USD for yuan and I'll hit some shops and then we pack. I'll try to take pictures of the island we're on before I go. There's no place like home in Vermont, but I'lll miss this country. The people are wonderful - really wonderful. Many folks stare, but with a smile, and they try to say hello and coo at our babies. I have loved our stay in China. Just so amazing. Can't wait to share our journey in person with family and friends and spend a summer in Vermont with our new sister/daughter.