What a day!

What a day indeed! It all started early this morning with preparing luggage for the trip, shoveling down a breakfast in the room, and meeting in the lobby of the Regal Hotel for the ride to the White Swan in Guangzhou, China. Our guide, Ben, gave us all the information we needed as well as some parenting advice as he is a degreed child psychologist from the United States.

The ride took about 3.5 hours and included two border crossings, the Hong Kong border and the Mainland China border just a few miles further. The trip was indescribable and I will let the photos do most of the talking.

After checking in at the hotel we had about two hours before we left or the Guangdong Office of Adoption Affairs. We arrived at the office after a 30 minute bus ride from the hotel and were led into a 5th floor foyer that leads to the offices. We were asked to wait there due to the fact the babies had not arrived from Zhanjiang. After a few minutes of milling about and small talk the doors to the elevator opened and out came the nannies holding the babies. Everyone was startled and only one person got video! After another few minutes the coordinator called for family number 1 and before you know it Ann Marie was holding Savannah! What a moment! I cannot believe what the feelings were or even attempt to describe it. I will again let the photos speak for themselves!

After all the families had received their babies we were on the bus again bound for the hotel and bonding time. While I went downstairs to fill out the paperwork and turn over the “Notes of Happiness” Ann Marie stayed in the room with Savannah. We had screaming, crying, vomit, crying, eating, playing, a smile and one set of proud parents!

Well, that’s all I can write for now as it is my duty to take care of dinner, which I think may become a regular fixture around the Kennedy household! Thanks for all the comments and e-mails of encouragement and kind words, they really mean a lot to us. We cannot wait to come home and begin our life together in Holly Springs, North Carolina with our family and puppies!

Love to all,
Michael, Ann Marie & Savannah