Gotcha

Today was the day we've been waiting for for 15 months.

Today-my daughter Meifang was placed into my arms.  15 months of worry, of fret...of tears & of frustration.....

And today.  She is where she belongs.

It has been, by all accounts, a very smooth Gotcha day.

It all happened very fast at the Institute though.  We were ushered.  We were ushered out.  My guide, who is NOT an adoption guide but rather usually a city guide, didn't really know what he was doing & we didn't get a ton of pictures as it was happening...... 

Our driver pulled up to the gates about 12:30... not even a stop for pictures of the outside- everything was taken from a moving car.

We passed through security & were moved into the building at lightening speed.  And once inside, we were quickly hurried into the 'waiting room'.

Supposedly, at least 800 kids reside here.  I didn't see a single one.  Or hear one. Besides my own.

Inside the waiting room, we quickly did the paperwork which is then taken tomorrow to the Civil Office for the official decree.   They fingerprinted us.  We signed about 10 papers.  We handed them our gifts... and then I turned around...and there she was.

Like I said, our guide isn't the most adapt with adoption and so he didn't offer to take pictures & it happened so quick that I forgot to ask. 

She walked in- so looked so scared.  But she was oh so brave.  She said Mama.  She said Dada.  She gave us both hugs.  She had the look of someone starting to check out.  But no tears. 

On my lap, we chatted.  And hugged.  And she was remarkably calm for all that fear she must have felt.

My oh so brave daughter....

She does this thing- when she's obviously very nervous where she bites her bottom lip.

We sat down and we looked through a photo book.   She repeated words after me- her first one being "Sarah".   We even got some smiles out of her at Eddie & Ellie's page (our pug and mutt).  (thank you mom for that book!)

She was clearly very scared.  But they must have prepared her some... for she went with the flow very well.

The director came in and took some pictures & gave us a few items. 

It was only as we were ushered out of the building (maybe 15 minutes after ushered in?!) that she started to cry.  But she clung to me & hugged me...and bravely got in the car.

On our way out- we stopped at her finding place.  Literally across the street from the orphanage.

We spent the next hour or so in the car ride back to the hotel and a stop for a picture for tomorrow's paperwork appointment.   She continued to cling to me- but we looked at the picture books and discovered a ball & some goldfish crackers.   She refused a sippy.

She cried a bit more when we got out of the car..and held on me to a little tighter (be still my heart!).

After that, we called it a day and retired to our room for the rest of the day/evening to not overwhelm her more.

She was scared at first...but we settled in together to take a look.....

She quickly found her favorites of the toys- they would be the ball, the princess dolls (Sarah's old ones), the picture books & some flash cards.

We got our first laughs as Kurt played with her with the Princess dolls.......

She is quiet...but repeats many of the words we say, including English.  I think her little talking skills are a result of the institution. 

Her vision need seems to be limited to one eye from what we can tell.  She can see everything- even small details.  (not sure if they are clear)- but she can point and pick up even the smallest items. She often closes the one eye we think to focus more clearly out of the other one. 

All her favorite toys:

She loved her snack of goldfish.  And would eat each one with three tiny nibbles.  After each little bite, she'd sweep up the crumbs back into the container.   We also noticed that she cleans her face or hands if even a little crumbs, water, ect get on them....

The only thing we can not get her to do is drink out of a sippy or straw.  Or drink anything other than water.  I have to put water in a cup and tip it into her mouth- it often spills out.  I know this is not how they gave them drink- so not sure what they did?  Or what I should do....

It is possible she still was using a bottle I guess.

Although she used her fork very neatly at dinner.... and picked up every single dropped noodle.

We are still learning a lot about each other.  And it's been an emotional day for us all. But no tears here.. we got some hearty giggles.  We got lots of smiles.  She ate.  She drank.  She's playing... She seems content as she can be for the situation.

And we are getting the change to know this very amazing little girl who is our daughter.  What a day to remember.  The day we got "Charlie".  Wow.