Together Forever!

It was so surreal.  I cried before leaving the room to head to the conference center. I could not believe this was all happening.  I was excited, nervous, hopeful, happy this waiting phase was coming to an end.  We met our guide in the foyer to copy our stamped Visa page in our Passport, and there she was.  An orphanage nanny was getting out of the car, holding Sophie, who was sleeping.  I stood in the lobby, crying, as they brought her over to us.  Our cameras and phones were not ready to take pictures and videos. I was not sure if I was allowed to take her just then....so I continued to cry as she slept!

We went upstairs to the conference center, and that is when I held her for the first time. Again, surreal. She is even more beautiful than in her pictures! Minutes later, we had to wake her up for our official family pictures. She was hard to wake up, but once awake, she was fine! *fine*  No crying, letting us hold her, eating puffs. Fine.  Scott held her as I signed and completed the documents needed.

We took her up to our room, and played with her on the floor and gave her a little bit of space as we all got to know each other.  She is just darling.  She is already smiling!!!! Yippee! She has cried once, when we first had to change her and her diaper.  She was quite hot in her outfit, so we changed into something a bit lighter. Her dress from the orphanage was so pretty.  I was a green and off-white dress, with pearls. She looked so pretty.  The orphanage staff were sweet as can be, telling me about how much Sophie loved the train ride here from Xiamen.  At the end of our meeting, on behalf of the orphanage, they gave Sophie a jade dragon necklace, for the year she was born.  Very sweet, very unexpected.

After a bit, we went outside for a walk around the beautiful lake. Sophie loves to be held by us, and screamed as we put her in the Ergo .... so we carried her. She holds on to us, holds my hair , is totally content. On our walk she fell asleep on me and so we sat on the bench and relaxed, feeling the warm wind, as Sophie slept peacefully.

After her late nap, we went to the hotel restaurant for dinner.  Sophie ate rice, some chicken, and lots ( lots ) of watermelon.  She loved eating, as she sat on our laps the entire time.  No fussing, crying, fidgeting...she is such a good baby ;)  She passed out for the night on me, which was such a great feeling! By the way, she loves when Scott says " I love you "  and " give me a hug" in Mandarin. She gives the cutest smiles.  She is also very shy.  When she's shy, she tilts her head and looks down. Melt.My.Heart.

I just can't say enough about her.  She is all we dreamed of, and much more.  We love her to the moon and back.  She is finally ours, finally in our arms forever~

Before bedtime, we Skyped with Mimi, Papa, Connor and Hayden, and then Grandma.  She was so good, sitting on my lap the entire time just playing.  The boys just loved her.  They asked if she was coming home to live with us, and if they need to be quite when she's home.....I answered YES to both!