. . . we went back to the Civil Affairs office to be interviewed by a Civil Affairs staffer and a Notary. We simply had to answer some very basic questions . . . our names, our occupations, whether we promised never to abandon her and so on. (One of the other dads kidded that he had responded, “Well, what do you mean exactly by ‘abandon?’” Needless to say, none of us would ever try to joke with one of these officials that way!)
Actually, we did struggle with several questions. Nerves, I guess. In the first interview, with the Civil Affairs representative, she asked us to say Nan Cai Jing’s name and when I did, she said I did it correctly. The Notary however seemed to think we completely butchered the pronunciation. Jeannette had trouble when they asked for her age. In the first interview, she underreported her age by two years and then in the second, she overstated it by two years! Fortunately, their standards for determining parental competency must be rath
er low. It was interesting, too, that both interviewers were very surprised that we have been married for 22 years and seemed to think that was quite a long time.
er low. It was interesting, too, that both interviewers were very surprised that we have been married for 22 years and seemed to think that was quite a long time. At the end of the Civil Affairs interview, we signed the questionnaire and the woman immediately said, “Congratulations, the child is officially yours!” It was both surreal and exciting.
What a three years it has been! When we got MelodyJoy on March 27 from the orphanage staff, she was about eleven months old, with short hair and a somber face. She had never eaten solid food and seemed not to know how to crawl and, initially, didn't make a noise.
Now she is nothing if not expressive, with a beautiful smile and a myriad of oth
er emotions that she shows without hesitation throughout each day. She asks for food non-stop. Non-stop, I say! Except for at meal times occasionally . . . it figures. Melody may not have been able to crawl when we first brought her into our hotel room in Guangzhou, but now it seems she might be the most athletic Muntz and is enjoying those gymnastics classes. And as for being quiet . . . see "non-stop." I think it's tempting to say, "Go talk to someone else" at times.
er emotions that she shows without hesitation throughout each day. She asks for food non-stop. Non-stop, I say! Except for at meal times occasionally . . . it figures. Melody may not have been able to crawl when we first brought her into our hotel room in Guangzhou, but now it seems she might be the most athletic Muntz and is enjoying those gymnastics classes. And as for being quiet . . . see "non-stop." I think it's tempting to say, "Go talk to someone else" at times. One thing hasn't changed: When she's sitting quietly watching TV or it's time for bed, she still sucks her thumb in just the same way:
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