From China

We received our marvelous gift from China on Sunday evening at 5:30...it was quite a birthing with a room full of expectant parents and as many babies...Actually we had a full day of travel and meetings and the adoption agency staff sent us back to our room at around 4:30 and told us the babies would be arriving at 5:30....they called our room at about 5:20 and said "the babies are here." The babies were all in the conference room and all the parents were outside waiting. They called our names one by one and staff from the orphanage came out with the little girls in their arms.

Isabelle Na Yue came to us with a nametag and clutching a China girl doll. Steve said her lip was quivering as they handed her to me...but she is such a brave courageous little soul. She is even more beautiful in person. She didn't cry and just looked up at me with those big brown saucer eyes...it was definitely love at first meeting!

We went back to our room and once we got there she cried for a little bit...but really not too long..we distracted her with food...our girl loves to eat...and Steve played with her and she was smitten too I think...We had no troubles bonding as far as I can tell. She is open and generous (she always tries to share food with us, no matter how hungry she is)...she is soooo skinny...poor thing...we are trying to work on fattening her up! But it is difficult in the hotel room...

The next day all the babies and parents got on the bus and we drove around Nanchung doing all this official paperwork, going from one government office to the next...it didn't seem to matter to anyone, there was so much love and goodwill on the bus...after waiting for three years everyone is a bit in shock, I believe that their dreams of a little girl from China have finally come true...At the end of our errands, the adoption was official! She is ours now, forever...

Her personality is so delightful...as I said, open and generous, loves to play and laugh...she has a quick mind and tries to figure out how everything works, and when she wants something she just goes for it...

Yesterday there were runny noses and slight fevers and a few other ailments as all the babies were making the adjustment...we had little Isabelle bundled in some many layers that the poor thing was moist and sweaty!!! But that's what the adoption agency said the girls were used to.

Yesterday everyone got a chance to see the pediatrician...she said that Isabelle is basically healthy, but really needs to beef up!

Yesterday she remembered that she can walk! She saw a little girl in the restaurant walking and after that she remembered that she can too...she is a little wobbly but making strides!!

Today and the rest of the week we just stay here and wait for the baby's visas to get issued...It's been raining in Nanchung since we got here and much colder than Hong Kong...yesterday afternoon it cleared up a bit and we went out for a little walk down a side street that seemed like China's past...there were tea merchants and people selling everything on the street...Isabelle seemed to really enjoy it and took it all in...we found a temple with a gigantic Buddha and a beautiful garden with a pond and coy and trees...our daughter seems to really like greenery and nature...she takes after us, I guess...

I don't know how it happens but every single family who has gotten their daughter on this trip is exactly suited to their little one, to a "t." From looks to temperment it seems. We have met some of the nicest folks...there are several families here with a bunch of children already who have now adopted daughters to make their families complete...it is really very moving to see the siblings together...taking it all in, and accepting their new baby sisters with open arms and hearts...

I just slipped away from the room...Isabelle is taking a nap and Steve is watching basketball...we hope to get out and explore a little today...We decided not to take the four hour round trip to the orphanage because of Isabelle's cold...and I just didn't think I could take it anyway, too sad...thinking about her there...when she falls asleep she looks for a piece of clothing to suck on...she looks a tiny bit scared...and she has this wild independent streak which just may be a toddler thing, but I also think it is her way of trying to get some control over all this crazy stuff that has happened to her...

She had one good cry on the second day; she had hit her head on the crib and then it took off from there...it was one of those deep cries that seemed to be connected to all the sadness in the universe...and it just about tears your heart out to hear it...

As for me, I think I'm on a steep learning curve with this motherhood business!! But she is so worth it, and so worth the wait...we both want to get back home and introduce her to her fuzzy cat siblings and to her new life awaiting her...we will always try and honor this culture she came from...but we just want to make up for lost time...she deserves so much that she hasn't had yet...

Anyway, I best get back to the room...she definitely cries when I'm not with her...which is a good sign...although I can tell she really really loves Steve, I think sometimes she doesn't quite know what to make of this giant Caucasian dude! Her baba!!!