Manila - official paperwork and some fun

Yesterday we went to ICAB, the Inter-Country Adoption Board, to get JM's passport, visa and other official documents. ICAB is also the group that approves a child's match with a family. Our assigned social worker from ICAB, Cathy, also presented James with a Philippines Flag, a special book about the country, and a toy jeepney. It was a nice moment.

Next we stopped at Pearl S Buck Philippines, to meet the rest of the staff and Rosalyn Reyes, the executive director, and to see their new offices. At PSBP, JM received a great tshirt and a book about the various child care agencies in PI. We are pretty sure he is pictured as an infant in the Rainbow Village page.

In the afternoon we had some fun at the Manila Ocean Park aquarium. It's a new facility near center city, the US embassy, etc on Manila Bay. It reminded us a lot of the New Jersey Aquarium, but just a bit smaller. In the evenings they have a light/fountain show and there are several restaurants and shops on site.

Manila Ocean Park did have one feature that the NJ Aquarium does not - the fish spa! If you ever get the chance, you have to try this.

For the first 5 minutes we laughed so hard we couldn't breath. But, we both agreed that the fish did a good job; they buffed and shined our feet just as well as a pedicure and much more efficiently.

We hit a lot of traffic on the way back to the hotel. JM feel asleep in the van, but then (of course) woke up at the hotel. We hit the mall last night for some fish and rice, a bit of shopping and just walking around.

Today we leave to start our journey home. First stop - Seoul. Then Los Angeles. We have a long layover there before a red eye to Philly. Our plan is to make the best of that layover: try to walk around, get some sunlight and begin to adjust to the new time. That's the best case scenario at least :)

We've had a great trip here in PI and plan to visit again with JM and Maggie. But we're ready to come home, see Maggie (miss you!) and Lucy, sleep in our own beds, and start JM getting acclimated to Pennsylvania, his (our) new life and family.

Thanks to everyone for your support. If we can we'll post updates from the airports. If not, we'll try to get something up Sunday or Monday.

Love,
Keith, Amy & JM (and soon Maggie!)