Monday

 

I woke up at 5:44 and wasn't able to go back to sleep this morning.  Today is such an exciting day!  We went down to the buffet and this one is at least 2 times bigger than the one in Beijing and that one was HUGE!  They have Chinese selections as well as American selections.  Caylee was happy to see bacon.  And she said that this bacon is much better than the bacon in Beijing.  Go figure.  ;)

 

There are several adoptive families at this hotel and we met one this morning.  Turns out they are from right up the road in Pennsylvania.  They just had their "forever family" day last Monday and so we chatted for a bit.  She said the first day was the hardest but that her daughter has done well for the rest of the week. Encouragement.  Aaah yes...just what I needed!  Thanks God!  :)

 

1:45 couldn't come soon enough!  We kind of piddled around at the hotel, we walked around outside and got Alina  a backpack to put her things in.  I don't know why but we were really nervous about making a good impression on the people from the orphanage.

 

We were the first ones at the Civil Affairs office.  There are 26 other families here picking up their children today.  We watched as 1 child came in, the 2nd child came in and the 3rd one was Alina.  I think Randy was the first to spot her.  I ran up to her but the nurse wasn't sure who I was.  Once Cathy (our guide) told her, she let me hold her.  Wow!  What a precious little gift all bundled up under layers and layers of clothing.  But that face.  That face was so easy to recognize!  Alina let us hold her and talk to her as long as the people that she came in with were still in eyesight.  And she was so very sad when they left. 

 

We are one of the first families to complete an international adoption with this orphanage so they were unfamiliar with all of the paperwork.  They kept taking picture after picture of us.  There was a doctor and a nurse that traveled with Alina.  It seems like she was well taken care of.   OH..and I almost forgot...she speaks Cantonese, not Mandarin.  Looks like I need to learn some Cantonese. 

 

She has grieved a lot today but there have been some bright spots.  She loves books.  She picked up a book and was really intently looking at it.  She has smiled at Caylee several times but won't let Randy or I see her smile.  She will turn her head if she is tempted to smile. She also loves to look at her picture after we take it.  She loves to play on the kindle.  She has not spoken a word to us yet but I know that will all come in time. 

 

I cannot begin to thank you for all the prayers that you all have prayed for the past 2 years on our behalf.  We are really blessed to have such an amazing support system.  We love you!!