We are now blogging from our very own computer in our very own house in Minnesota! It is so good to be home. The trip home was long, but we made it in one piece. Just as the bellboy was loading our luggage at the hotel before we went to the consulate and then the airport we had our first baby injury. Mason fell and hit the corner of the nightstand. He was bleeding pretty good,it was a gash right beside his eye, it scared me to death. I ran him to the hotel clinic where the kind grandmotherly doctor promptly started singing to him in Chinese - he calmed right down and didn't move while she took care of his head. No stitches, thank goodness. The doctor then shooed me out and wouldn't accept payment. She could probably tell I was horrified. I was afraid the people at the consulate would question why my baby had a big gash in his head, but of course they didn't. Taking the oath administered by the consulate was the last tear-jerker moment of many on this trip. Your heart would have to be made of stone to not be moved by the sight of all these parents and babies gaining the privilege of taking their babies home to be US citizens. It was almost as emotional as when we were asked to make a solemn promise to the province official that we would take care of this baby and never abandon him. I was a puddle. Then he thanked us on behalf of China for giving one of their orphans a home. More puddle. We are so glad to be home now, though it was sad to say good-bye to the many friends we had made in China. We spent a lot of time with other families and their babies, especially those in our group. I hope to stay in touch with them and watch their kids grow up. We are slowly adjusting back to this time zone, Mason still thinks he's in China, I guess babies don't understand the finer points of time change. We are both zombies from being up with him all night and trying to keep him awake during the day. He is slowly adjusting and we are hoping for a full night's sleep somtime in the near future. He slept like a champion in China, all through the night and never waking up - oh well! He is also getting four new teeth, so he is a slightly cranky version of himself. The kids are already in love, and can't get enough of him. They wait patiently for him to wake up from naps so they can play with him. He was terrified of the dogs at first, but now he pulls their tails and lays on them. The dogs are tolerant but could definitely live without this new menace in their lives. Life will certainly be different than it was before, but everyone is already so happy to have this new family member!