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After a late breakfast and some time alone in our room, the next stop was the passport office. This wasn’t far from the hotel, but as usual, we were driven. Once there, we didn’t have do anything, just show Yanmei to the official behind the counter and pay the 125RMB. Steed and the Director of the orphanage did all the paperwork. As we waited outside the office about 100 people congregated on the other side of the fence just looking and pointing – now we know what the animals feel like in the zoo! We were there about 1 hour.
We said goodbye to the Director of the orphanage and handed over our gifts – including the Duplo that Lego had donated and Jens and Gunhild had brought with them. We posed for goodbye pictures.
Back at the hotel we participated in the official
ceremony for the adoption of our children. The notary officials participated in
full uniform. The official documents were handed over to us and lots and lots of pictures were taken – all possible
combinations. They thought Thomas was much older than he was, and were highly
embarrassed when they realised that he was only 13! Yanmei
stayed with Thomas whilst we shopped for something to eat in the
Yellow
Yanmei's
transformation was amazing. She played with Thomas, laughed and made lots of
sounds. She raised herself for the first time after falling on her back; she
walked around the room, holding onto things and best of all took her first 30-40
steps without support – walking around the elevator area. She also walked up
and down the lobby with Jens. Contact was good and it sounded as though she
tried to repeat some of the things that we said. The beer Steven had bought at
the grocery store wasn’t beer at all – what a let down. Lene
called home to say that everything was going OK.
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