And Then There Were Four…. Gotcha Day

I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him.   
I Samuel 1:27

She’s here!  I can’t believe it but she is finally here!  And she is absolutely precious. 

So let me tell you how things unfolded.  As I told you, we were suppose to get her on Monday July 25^th.  We later found out through one of the staff in the China office of our agency the reason for the change in date.  There is another family from another agency getting a child from the same orphanage this week.  They are getting their child on Wednesday (today).  So, they wanted us to wait until Wednesday so they could bring both of the children together.  Our agency told them that they could not make us wait until Wednesday, so I guess the compromise was Tuesday.  But interestingly enough, Tuesday was 3 months to the day of our referral day on April 26^th.

We were suppose to leave at 2:30 p.m. and get to the civil affairs office by 3:00p.m.  We had no other things planned for yesterday but getting her.  So can you imagine trying to kill time in a small hotel room waiting for the big event.  We got a call at about 12:30p.m. that said there was a bad accident on the highway and they were not leaving until 1:00pm.  It takes 4 hours to get from where she was to us.  So our time was changed to 5 pm.  Bummer.   More waiting.  Kevin had suggested we get out and do something to kill time.  I really was not in the mood to go exploring with such a big event looming.  We watched movies, read books, Caleb played with his trains and I did Suduko puzzles.  Finally it was time to leave.  We loaded up in the car and headed to the civil affairs office.  We were put in a room and sat and waited.  The room had a wall of windows.  Caleb sat at the window looking out.  He kept saying I’ll watch for her and I wonder what kind of car she will come in.  There were two workers there.  We waited with nervous anticipation, and then our guide said that the traffic was bad and that they were going to be another hour to hour and a half.  So we headed back to the hotel.  No Chloe.  We decided to eat dinner at a restaurant on the lobby floor.  The walls are made of glass so we could see out into the lobby.  We ate with nervous anticipation.  I think it was good my seat had its back to the lobby or I may have driven myself crazy watching for her arrival.  Kevin and Caleb then said that the guide went outside.  Caleb was  saying, “I think she may be getting Chloe.” Kevin was trying to explain that there could be a lot of reasons why she went outside.  Then maybe after about 5 or 10 minutes, Caleb jumps up from the table and starts yelling “She’s holding Chloe!  She’s holding Chloe!”  And he jumped up out of the chair and ran to the lobby and over to the worker who was holding Chloe.  In walked our guide who was holding the hand of a little boy about age 2 and two orphanage workers, one was holding Chloe.  Chloe started to cry.  I’m sure it was overwhelming to see us running toward her.  We went to the elevator to come up to our room.  Kevin of course had to pay the bill.  We just sort of ran out of there.  We came up into the room.  She was crying a little bit, but the guide told us she had not eaten since noon and it was a little after 6 p.m.  So we got her some crackers and snacks along with the other little boy.  Then we gave her a bottle.  They did not bring her bottle and she was not able to suck anything out of the one we had.  So, I put it in a cup and with a little help she drank it right down!  Then she was content.  A little shocked I think, but had stopped crying.    She just attentively looked around and took in everything!  She is very observant.  We were able to ask the workers a few questions and then they left with the little boy.  Our guide stayed for a few minutes filling out paperwork and then she left.  Then it was four.

I’m sure Chloe thought we were crazy.  We were snapping pictures and videos one after the other and trying to say some words in our broken Chinese.  .  She has had such a stunned look on her face.  I think she is doing amazingly well.  She is cautious and seems sad anytime we change anything.  (like someone stepping out of room, changing her position etc.)  Caleb gave her his gift, a pink hippo snuggie, which she has been holding on to and slept with.  Caleb even made her smile.   Caleb started to play a kind of peek a boo game where he would crouch down out of view.  We would say  “Where is Ge Ge?”  which means big brother in Chinese and he would pop up and she would smile.  It was so cute.   She did not like her bath too much.  Then it was time for bed. She slept great.  Not so much for me.  Like any new mother with every move or sigh I would look into the crib.  But she did fine. 

Now we have a busy day.  We go back to the civil affairs office to complete some paperwork.  Then we have to take a 4 hour drive back to her city to complete her passport documents.  We are hoping to visit her orphanage while we are there.  Then we have a 4 hour trip back.  Yes, I know it seems crazy that she just came from there and now she has to go back, but that is how they require it for her city.   

So someone pinch me because it does not seem real!  We are excited to start this new chapter in our life.  Praise God for this amazing gift!