Just the pix ...

Here is a collection of select photos of this adventure thus far, in rough chronological order.  Enjoy!

Sarah's favorite of all the referral pix.
(NOTE: They shave all their hair off because they
believe that it will grow in thicker if they do.)

Silas watches a movie on the iPad
during the LONG trip to Beijing.

Silas at the Great Wall.

Silas and a stranger at the Forbidden City.
(NOTE: Lots of people keep stopping Silas
asking to have their picture taken with him.)

Sarah and Silas at the Forbidden City.

Silas with another stranger at the Forbidden City.
(Actually, it's a statue.)

Gotcha Day!
Rachel with the Qingyang City orphanage director.

Gotcha Day! Rachel with Mom.
With Dad, Caleb, Jonathan, and David (not pictured)
watching in via FaceTime.

Gotcha Day! Rachel with Silas.
With the boys back home watching in via FaceTime

Rachel and Mom ride in the van to go to Civil Affairs
in Lanzhou to get Rachel's passport photos taken.

Sarah and another family fill out all the adoption paperwork in Lanzhou.

Silas entertains Rachel while Mom takes
care of all the adoption paperwork.

Sarah has her thumbprint affixed to the adoption paperwork.

Rachel prepares to have her footprint taken.

Rachel's footprint is placed on the adoption paperwork.

It's official!
Rachel Xiaolan Trost.

One of Rachel's nannies from the orphanage holds Rachel
before saying goodbye.

Silas teaches Rachel to drive a tank at the mall in Lanzhou.

Rachel sleeps in the crib with her Scentsy stuffed lamb
and Gymboree blanket at the hotel room in Lanzhou.
(NOTE: Sarah purchased this blanket about 10 years
ago in anticipation of this day!)

Rachel feeds Mom at KFC at the mall in Lanzhou.

Mom gives Rachel a bath at the hotel room in Lanzhou.

Rachel plays on the floor of the hotel room in Lanzhou.

View of Lanzhou at night from the hotel room.

Silas "ice skates" on a pond at the zoo in Lanzhou.

A Buddhist temple in Lanzhou.

Silas and Rachel at the museum in Lanzhou.

Rachel likes traveling on Mom's back.

Sarah has her shoes shined in Lanzhou
while Rachel waits contentedly on Mom's back.

Rachel's first airplane ride, with big brother at her side.
From Lanzhou to Guangzhou.