Citizenship Day

Resting before her interview. We had lunch at the office park across the street.

Honolulu Immigration Office

Playing in the waiting room


What's "immigration"?

Dad's tentomushi.

"Tentomushi" = ladybug in Japanese

The carrot is her favorite part of this burp cloth.

The United States of America's newest and cutest citizen!

Congratulations little Ariel!

That's her Certificate of Citizenship (CoC) she's holding.

Ala Moana Mall

Her first real stroller ride (besides in the hotel hallway.)

She's so tiny and cute, I can't bear not to carry her. However, our backs needed a rest, and she enjoyed the personal space. (Stroller courtesy of Hickam AFB loan closet.)

Old Navy!

She really wants some shark shorts, but knows her parents are too cheap.

seeing Waikiki

Sunday, we took a walk from the Hale Koa up through the shopping district to the beachside parks and zoo.

at Maui Tacos

This was in a mall food court, where she had a big nap on our laps. The fish tacos and salsa bar were delicious. We also enjoyed seeing and hearing the many Japanese people, and reading some Japanese on the menus.

We love this girl!


Yeah, beach!

Playtime

Her latest thing is rolling between us, then inching up so her head is between ours. Jeff is simulating her "hand pose." She likes to make a jazz hand and stare at it. One night she kept moving her hand toward her face with a Darth Vader-like sound, like she was trying to scare herself. She often likes to act scary, like a baby monster.

That's the gecko onesie from Brooks. It's a favorite.

pizza party at Brooks' house

slept through it - exhausted after a day of exploring Waikiki

Bob & Ariel are friends

night time fun

Bert

Saturday evening we went to Pearlridge Mall. We let her play around in the kids' section at Borders Books. That's where we found out she loves Bert:

Sadly, Bert was $15.99, so we didn't buy him for her. She wasn't upset about it, though.

We keep telling her "college fund" and she understands.

American Girl

We turned in her N600-K Friday at Honolulu USCIS. Based on that, the USCIS should issue her Certificate of Citizenship by Monday or Tuesday. She is liking American culture!

first beach visit

Turtle swimsuit

Maybe this is why people think she's a boy. She wears it so well, and the boy clothes have more animals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and bugs that we like!

She was a natural in the water.

exhausted after swimming

at the Hale Koa pool

She tried it out, too!

on Hawaiian time

(These photos are in reverse chronological order.)
We arrived in Honolulu about 9 AM, and took Ariel through a special immigration line at the airport. We got settled at the Hale Koa on Waikiki. Then our friend Brooks came to see us! Brooks & I became friends at Yokota. Last summer we got to host her cats, Bob & Trouble (both girls) while Brooks & her husband vacated their Yokota house. She'll be out of town most of our visit, but she offered her house & car. So we are now in the Brooks-mobile, and just using her house as a stretching-out, playing with cats & bird place (we had our hearts set on staying by the beach.) But her house is a relaxing refuge, and it's so fun to introduce Ariel to the pets!

Napping and petting Bob (she's a girl.)

Ariel & Bob

Parks ladies' meditation (that's Bob between my legs)

Bob & Ariel

Trouble! (she's no trouble)

Brooks finally meets Ariel!

Brooks was once a baby escort when she lived in Korea. She flew on a plane with orphans to deliver them to their new families. So she has been a special supporter of Ariel.

No problem riding in the carseat. A bottle of orange Fanta is her favorite carseat entertainment.

Driving in Hawaii with Mr. Panda. Ariel LOVES him.

Dinner with Echo

Our last night in China, we met my friend Echo. Echo & I were roommates at Hangzhou West Lake Youth Hostel in October. She lives in Guangzhou, and her English is perfect.

Relaxing in the lobby while we wait for her.

Oh, that's Ritch Diener with little Bella in the background. They are special friends. This is their second China adoption with America World.

Magically, the lobby tea time also includes beer & peanuts!

Real Chinese food with Echo.
Chicken, fish, noodles, rice, veggies, mushrooms, spicy red peppers!


Waiter!

beautiful eyes

Goodbye, Echo. Great to see you again!!

China friends

our travel group

We were sad to leave them!

(this is the China Hotel Marriott lobby)

John-John crawls away.

Amy & Lineker, our Chinese guides from America World, are on the right.

They worked hard for us, especially when it came to adoption paperwork and appointments.

proud moms & babies

Tracy & Meili, me & Ariel, Kathy & Madison, Natasha & Nola


The Sanders: Jim, Mckenzie, Madison, and Kathy
(special friends)

Heather D. and little Meiliya

Heather & family waited as long as we did. I wish I'd taken a picture of their whole family (husband Ritch and daughter Bella.) They are such a nice family, and our partners in baby care (our babies are the youngest in the group.)

As you can tell, Ariel was getting a bit tired of this photo

session.

playing in YueXiu park

To get to YueXiu park from China Hotel, we walked through a subway underpass.

Welcome to Guangzhou!

Haley and Hollie

Playing hackysack with the locals

The Dads: Jeff & Ariel, Mike & Haley, Jim & McKenzie

That afternoon, Ariel had her swearing-in ceremony at the US Consulate (no cameras allowed.) We had to attest on her behalf that all the information provided about her immigration to the US is true and correct. It was a nice little ceremony. Wouldn't you know she produced a stinky diaper just as the ceremony started. I think it means she's happy.

the red couch incident

Monday morning was our US Consulate appointment. Our Chinese guides attended on our behalf, so we just relaxed in the room. That afternoon our group went to Shamian Island for souvenir shopping.

Jeff & I opted for foot massages. Ariel tolerated the first half, then she cried and Jeff volunteered to walk her (even though he loves foot massage.) This Shamian Island excursion was during her usual naptime. This place - Chinese Medicine & Foot Massage - is great, cheap, and is at the opposite end of the street from the medical exam place.

Adoption groups traditionally take a group photo on a red couch at the White Swan Hotel. Our guides wanted to do our group photo at China Hotel instead, so we had a private red couch photo. Ariel hated the silk dress. It turned out she was hungry and needed a bottle. Poor little thing! We're glad we got the photo, though.



All better in her Snoopy shirt. We had Thai food at Thai Zhen (Cow & Bridge). For the first time, she played with food, grabbing the rice and shredded cabbage.

Aloha

We're safely in Hawaii, where Ariel will become a US citizen with US passport before returning to Japan.

Ariel did well on the flights (Guangzhou-Hong Kong-Seoul-Honolulu.) The first flight (25 minutes to Hong Kong) was scariest for her. I think the packing out of our Guangzhou hotel and spending the evening in a chaotic airport made her nervous. We assured her we'd be with her the whole way. I had a feeling she thought we were going to drop her off somewhere. After spending the night at a Hong Kong airport hotel, she was back to her normal self. (Flights from Guangzhou were heavily booked because of the trade show, so most families will fly internationally from Hong Kong.) She continued to wow people throughout the journey.

The theme for today has been people asking, "how old is he? 3 months?" Even if dressed in pink, they'll ask if she's a boy or girl. So she just wears what she wants. We tried the bows on her head, but A) they squash her cute mohawk, and B) she won't wear them. And about her smallness, well, she is guzzling the formula and getting stronger each day. But she is probably just a tiny and cute person.

Hong Kong bound

We're headed out today, and will be in Hawaii by Thursday.
Everything's fine and we've been having fun with Ariel. The internet connection hasn't been good - photo uploading isn't working. So we'll wait until later.

Zai jian, China!