It's Official - We Have Adopted Jackie



Lyn and Jackie at the Civil
Affairs office on day #2



Today is all about making the adoption official.  Yesterday, they gave us Jackie.  Today, we had to go back to the very place where the exchange happened and answer questions with the government officials who oversee the adoption program for the Civil Affairs office.  You would think that something as traumatic as yesterday - and let me tell you, it was traumatic - would have made that place intolerable.  At the very least, you might expect that the older kids might be worried that they were being returned.  But, the kids did a remarkably good job. 

While we were there, we were interviewed by the notary public and by an official of the Chinese government.  Both interviews went smoothly.  We professed our love for Jackie and signed the papers.  They also took a picture of the three of us for their records.  When we signed the last paper, it was official - we adopted Jackie.  It was among the most important moments of our lives and yet it slipped by so easily. 

Much of the time there was spent waiting for the other families or your next appointment, so there was lots of downtime.  During a slow moment, Jackie started looking at her reflection in the glass of the photography studio.  At one point, she realized that Lyn was several feet behind her, prompting her to run back to Lyn with a big hug.  She then went back to the glass and looked again at her reflection before running back to Lyn again.  After that, it was a game that Jackie must have done 30 more times.  Below is an upload of a very short version of the game - which went on for 30 minutes.

We are back at the White Swan Hotel now, but later tonight there will be passport photos and dinner at a Thai restaurant.  When Mae heard about the Thai place, she turned up her nose and howled in disgust, until we told her that Thai is the food we order from the Moongate restaurant at home all the time.  Her response was immediate and something resembling a shout in triumph.  I think she's looking forward to dinner.