Gottcha Day!!

WOW – what a day!!  The day we have waited for is finally here.  We have our sweet baby girl.  We started the day very early (ready by 5:30 for an 8:00 flight).  Arrived in Guangzhou around lunch (and Allie finally got to eat at a McDonalds in China).  We left the hotel around 2:00 to go meet her.  The Civil Affairs office was crazy, there were 40 families meeting their children today.  While we were sitting and waiting for her to arrive I just could not control myself – tears were flowing for the other families and children, anticipation of meeting Sarah, what she had gone through and God has worked in such a way to bring us to this point.  It is overwhelming.   I was about to explode when I looked up by the elevator and I saw her!  They told me if I recognized I could not go to her – WHAT??  Are you kidding me!  I knew it was her and she was screaming (as you will see from the pictures).  She is just the most precious gift I can imagine.  It was hard, she cried but she has also gone through so much today.  She has done extremely well.   There were moments where she connected, smiled and laughed and other times screamed if I was not walking her around (just bending down like I was going to sit sent her into screams).  She cried for the orphanage staff when they left and while walking around would look into the rooms like she was looking for them.  So heart breaking, but at the same time I am glad she was attached to them – I would rather know that she can attach to someone that cares for her than just go with anyone.

After we left we went to the shopping center to pick up some formula, rice cereal and noodles.  She is so observant – she just looks and watches everything.  She has experienced so much today (first ride in a car, first shopping trip, leaving everyone and everything she has ever known).  While in the shopping center it was just me and her walking behind and she was looking at everything.  She started saying some baby jibber and it was so sweet to hear her voice.

Once back at the hotel she sat on the bed and played with stacking blocks and showed us just how smart she is!  She did really good and was very interested in them.  She LOVES the kids – if there are anywhere around she is watching them.  They have gotten her to laugh and smile – I know they are so excited to finally have her!  Sarah and her new baba cuddled up for a nap once home.  Safe in her father’s arms, nothing sweeter! 

She slept for about an hr. and 30 minutes then woke up as happy as can be.  Played some more with the kids and drank a bottle.  We called out for pizza for dinner and Sarah even took a little bit of it – she does not seem like she will be picky about trying new things.  You get it close to her moth and it opens!

I am just so excited to have her and can’t wait to see more of her personality come out over the next couple of days.

Finally, the pictures…