bittersweet departure

It is our final day in China. A large part of our group left early this morning and about 7 other families remain until Friday. We awoke to rain this morning, but the weather has cleared some. Xiao Xiao is napping and I am beginning to organize and pack. We have one final appointment, the Oath Ceremony, at the US Consulate, this afternoon. This evening we will have our final meal in China with the other families, and will say our goodbyes to them. Saying goodbye to China, though, is much more difficult. It is not that I want to stay. On the contrary, I can't wait to get back to the place and the people that I call home. As a Dad, though, it is a very bittersweet time, as I am reminded, once again, just what the airport represents to my daughter. I have already written about this, so I won't rehash it (see "Difficult day for me", 7/3/08), except to say that to her it will be just another new experience, much like the past few weeks have been. To me, though, it is much more. When she is old enough to begin to understand the journey that brought her to our family, I hope that this journal will help her to understand some of the emotions that we, her parents, felt, as well as help her process her own emotions.

And so I say farewell and thank-you to China-- a land that has given us a precious gift!

To those of you following this blog, thank-you for your interest and your encouraging words. I am new to blogging, but it was a neat experience. My motive for keeping this journal was two-fold: to keep my family at home involved in each day, and to keep a journal to share with my daughter. I hope, also, that in some small way I may have helped to increase understanding of, and interest in adoption. I will plan to post a few updates of life for Lily (Xiao Xiao) in America, but will probably then close it down, and possibly begin a more general family blog-- we'll see.

Jen, Dylan, and Zachary-- I love you and I miss you guys lots. I can't wait to get home! AMERICA, here we come!