Tuesday morning was Jemma's Consulate Appointment! We got up early and had breakfast and then met in the lobby with the other Lifeline families at 7:35am to get to the consulate. On the way there, we stopped back at the clinic to pick up the paperwork to give to the Consulate as well as Jemma's visa picture (adorable!). Once we got to the Consulate, it got exciting! Hundreds of people were there already. This is when you feel the pride of being an American! We got to bypass the lines and go right to the front for a special line just for US citizens. We showed the security our passports and our appointment paper and then went through the security check. There is a special door to the Consulate for adoptions. We took the elevator to the second floor and took a number. C502. Then we let Jemma play in the play area and crawl all over the nasty floor while we waited for our number to be called. Now serving number C502 at window 6. Phil presented all the paperwork and then sat back down to await being called for the oath. As a group, all the adoptive families had one parent represent and go up together to hold up their right hands and give the oath saying the information being given was true. Then everyone sat back down again. Now serving C502 at window 10. That was us! The three of us went up and the Consulate official was SO sweet. She congratulated us, asked several questions (the interview) and then asked for one passport and fingerprints (my turn since Phil did the oath, I got to do the other piece of the appointment). After Phil finished answering the interview questions, we were given the instructions sheet about THE BROWN SEALED ENVELOPE (you must read that in a deep thundering voice that comes from the heavens). The envelope must remain sealed until we land in Chicago. It is basically all the pieces of paper we already have or have seen and we need it protected, sealed, and in order for Jemma once we land and go through immigration in the US. After receiving our packet back and our passports minus Jemma's, we were free to go! That was it... super easy.
After we left, we snapped a quick pick in front and then got back in the van. After doing a quick change of clothes and packing the diaper bag, we headed off to the zoo to be an exhibit. LOL - Mommy was one of the sights to see at the zoo having blond hair. I realized though that if I look directly into the cameras of the people taking pictures and videos, they stop. I even took out my camera and started video taping people staring and taking pictures and everyone looked away. HAHAHA! Anyway, the temperature was well above 100 degrees (113 with the heat index and 11 UV index!) so basically we walked around looking at animals through the glass and soaking in our own sweat. We made the best of it and took pictures but we were kind of glad when the hour walking portion was over and we could get back in the A/C van!
After naps, we did a pool and pizza party with our Lifeline families. Jemma got sunscreen in her eyes and the pizza had no sauce. I hadn't been able to go to the bathroom in a few days and everyone seemed grouchy from the long hot day so we all just sat and relaxed under a cabana and chit chatted. It was nice to relax and hang out with our new friends. It's been fun to see the humor in situations with them. We closed down the pool (surprisingly it closes earlier than anything else in the entire hotel!) and headed back to our rooms. Phil ran to Aeon (grocery store) to get formula since we were just about out and took a picture of how jam packed the grocery store was at 9:30pm! Bummed that our Korean show isn't on so we just watched cooking competitions until bedtime.
I told Phil to take my picture with Jemma and the stone elephant.
He told me to take his picture picking the elephant's nose. LOL - the boys will get a kick out of that!
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