tears of joy and thankfulness mingled with pool water

I'm going to start with today (Wed. April 6) and move into yesterday...

Today was a significant day and I was caught emotionally off guard.
Today was our Consulate Appointment.  We travelled a short distance to the American Consulate office in Guangzhou with several of the families in our group and a few others as well.  We were ushered into a room where a very kind woman explained what we would be doing---basically swearing an oath of sorts.  As we were about to begin, we were asked to all stand and speak on behalf of our children.  Emotions came rushing forth just at her saying that.  We then had to raise our right hands and verbally proclaim that all the information we have given regarding the adoption was true and accurate.  Why did that just send me sailing emotionally?  I think all of the time, all of the waiting, all of the prayer, all of the paperwork we have done over the past 5 1/2 years, having our son standing beside us also raising His hand because he wanted to be a part of it, realizing that we had just one more signature to give today and it is pretty much DONE!  It just took me over the edge.  I am so grateful to so many of our friends and our family for supporting us in prayer, financially, with love, and acceptance of our choice to do this.  It just all came rushing over me.  Thank you Jesus for all you have done!

I was the parent that got the privilege to sign the LAST piece of paper to make it all official.
Lucas SunWan Jundt will officially be a U.S. citizen when we land in Seattle, WA on our last leg of our trip home on Friday April 8, 2011.  We will go through immigration, we will hand over the coveted "brown envelope" to the immigration officer and it will all become DONE!

His Visa will be in our hands tomorrow (Thursday) and we fly out on Friday!
I'm ready to come home.

We could not take photos of that oath but I think I will forever have that moment etched in my mind.


Yesterday (Tuesday April 5)
We went to a beautiful flower park with our group on Tuesday.  It was gorgeous.  Mr. Lucas was a complete looney tune!  I think one of the mom's was right in saying that he is probably just way over stimulated by all that he sees around him and doesn't know how to handle all of it--the freedom, the rules, the tons of people everywhere all the time, the affection, the food...all of it.

I did get a few pics of the beauty of the gardens, etc to share.  But, again I spent a lot of time literally "running" through the park....lol!

One thing we noticed again, was how little he really is.  Our guide has a 3 1/2 year old chinese daughter.  Lucas and she were playing together and we noticed they are the SAME size.  So, my dear friend Katherine you were totally right --- 4T for our 7 year old boy!!!

After the park we did do some more shopping---just to get out of the hotel room craziness.

And then at night we decided to brave the swimming pool.  OH MY GOODNESS!!!!
He SQUEALED...I mean Squealed! with delight.  He was so cold in such a short time, so we had to get out, but he absolutely LOVED it!  Not sure the pictures can capture the kicking and squealing, but here are a few....

tomorrow we plan to go to a safarri park---then we head out on Friday morning at 5:30 am from the hotel.

looking forward to setting foot on American soil.