In Guangzhou - 2 Hours to Elise!

We made it to Guangzhou by train yesterday afternoon, it just took a couple hours from Hong Kong. Our guide was waiting for us at the station and we jumped in the van to Shamian Island, where we are staying for more than a week. The island is charming, huge trees and old European architecture, but just a walk across the bridge brings you into the busiest parts of GZ.

It is a tradition for adoptive families to be here because the U.S. Consulate was once on the Island, but it's moved and the most popular hotel is closed for renovations so many families are staying in other places now. So, we haven't seen any adopting families yet, but it will probably pick up next week.

Today is our "Gotcha Day". We are off to pick up Elise in less than 2 hours! I have prepared our gifts for the officials (a cultural gesture of thanks), packed a backpack with things for her, including cheerios and lollipops, and have the paperwork ready for today. We have no idea how she will react to meeting us, some kids are incredibly distraught and cry, while others just shut down and go into a quiet state. It will be a traumatizing event for her either way, so please pray for her little heart, that she would be comforted by us and recognize us from the photos we sent a couple months ago.

We'll add pics and video to this post soon, and will have more pictures tomorrow with our daughter!