Tuesday July 17th

Ticklish!! Sarah 3 years!
Don't you just want to pinch them! Abby 17 months!

Making it official!!!

Today we had our Giving and receiving ceremony. that is where we sign official documents for the Vietnamese government finalizing our adoption. According to Vietnam the adoption is final and the girls are offically ours. When the vietnamese government official wanted to hold them, Sarah would not go to them but abby was more then willing.

The meeting was short and to the point. We agreed to take care of them and send yearly update to Vietnam with pictures about how they are doing.

Matt went this morning to the passport office and applied for the girls passports. We can pick them up in one week.

While matt was gone the girls and I had breakfast and got to know each other. It was interesting, Sarah kept looking for Matt. She was all smiles when he came back. It is funny now, sarah only wants matt's and abby only wants me. That will work great for the long plane ride home.

We took them to dinner today and it was hilarious. Sarah ate like there was no tomorrow, she is definately a clean person. we have not had an accident all day. She has kept dry. We do not understand what we are saying but she gets a look and we know to take her in. The hotel director come to room to day and noticed she was talking Vietnamese and thought it was cute, then left but came immediately back and told us she was telling us she needed to use the restroom. We are starting to understand each other.

We were told not to make any plans until friday afternoon so that we can be open to having our first meeting with the US embasy by then hopefully. We do have cell phone here so that we do not have to say at the hotel and wait for them to call. We just have to stay in the city.

Before we can come home there are certian step and things that have to be done:

1: receive the girls - done

2: giving and receiving ceremony - done

3: apply for passports with photos - done

4: have first embasy interview for the girls visas -

5: pick up passports - we will pick them up on the 24th

6: medical exams - tenativally planned for the 24th

7: 2nd interview at the US embasy for visa

8: pick up the girls visas - 1 full business day after the 2nd interview

9: go home!!!!

Hopefully this will all be completed by the 3rd of August when are ticket are scheduled to return home.

We have had a rough day, I lost my money pouch. Thank goodness my passport was not in it and no money. But my credit cards and drivers license were. I thought my enter/exit papers were in it too but they were not, Matt had that too. We caused quite a panic here but all is well. I have not idea what happened to it. I do not recall taking it out of the hotel, I used it last on Sunday night and hadn't seen it since. I tore the room apart 4 times. I know it will show up when least expected. I feel bad I think the hotel misundertood me. I am doing good. First I offend the orphanage now the hotel. Hopefully I can be on my best behavior and not offend the US embasy. Boy this country is going to be glad when I leave. But the good news is, the hotel now has safes in there rooms. I felt horrible about it. They are not cheap. Me and my blonde moments.