Gotcha!

Hooray! This is the day we have been waiting for ! The day began about 5:30a.m. for us (because I couldn’t sleep anymore J ) We had our breakfast then we were off to the registration building. On our way our guide said , “ In 15 minutes you will meet your child”. Our anticipation grew. We arrived at the registration building and headed in. It was at that time we were told that our children were not here yet but still driving down from the orphanage in Lianyungang. We observed another family who was in a room receiving their child. Tears were coming to my eyes and it wasn’t even our child yet. We waited in the room for just about 15minutes. Out the window we saw the van park and out walked the orphanage director and some other helpers. We recognized David right away. Now the tears started flowing. The other family with us was getting a girl and she was with them as well. They came into the room with us. The director was holding David. We didn’t know quite what to do or at least what was culturally appropriate, so we waited and just talked to him while he was in the directors arms. Finally, the time came when she handed him over to me. I spoke the very little Chinese that I know , assuring him that I was his ma ma and that Jason was his ba ba . We also told him in Chinese that we love him .

He went to both of us without any fuss. We held him close and facing us, encouraging attachment. I had brought a little plastic car with me. He loved it. I don’t know if it was because it was a car or that it made noise when you shake it. The director told us that David likes things that make music and noise. I thought that was a good sign in many ways. For one it means that his hearing is o.k. and two it means that he will fit in well with his sisters.

We signed a bunch of papers and got our picture taken together for a “public announcement”. Next we left for the hotel. David was very content with his dad. He even laughed out loud when Jason tickled himJ . We tried feeding him a bottle when we got back since we weren’t sure when he last ate. He didn’t think much of it and just fussed. So that is when I decided to do “the sway” , and sing praise songs to him. I don’t know which worked best but he finally fell asleep. Now we are waiting to go sign more papers, pick up laundry, and get a small stroller. We are hopeful that he will eat when he is hungry. I guess a typical concern for any parent with a new baby.

We have been very thankful that David seems to connect with us and wants us to hold him, but he is having difficulty with eating and seems to have an upper respiratory infection. We took him to the Children's Hospital here to have him seen (quite an experience in itself) and were given an antibiotic and expectorant. Please remember David in your prayers regarding his eating and a respiratory infection.