November 21 - Guangzhou, China Lilly's Official Adoption Day!

Hi all:

In China, adoptive parents pick up the children at the Civil Affairs Office usually on Monday and keep them overnight. I presume the theory is that you can come back the next day and say you changed your mind and don't want to keep the baby. I don't think that happens very often.

Then parents and baby return to the Civil Affairs Office the next day for 2 interviews, 1 with the government officer and 1 with a notary. Pretty much the same 10 questions each. So the second day with the baby is actually the official adoption day. So Gail and Pete will celebrate Lilly's Family Day every November 21. Abby's Family Day is easy to remember - Groundhog's Day February 2.

Here's Lilly waiting for Mommy & Daddy to get back from their interviews:


Lilly's offically part of the family now. She celebrates by getting her first Cheerio! Cheerios - the international cereal!

After the adoption interviews, we went to the Guangzhou Friendship Store to pick up baby supplies (floor 6) and groceries (floor 5).

Christmas, anyone? This decoration is outside the Friendship Store:

For the story from the new adoptive family's perspective, visit their site and click on "Our Journey to China".

Take care,

hrh