Gotcha!!

GOTCHA!!!

Wow! What a day we have had. Today we traveled from Beijing to Fuzhou, there is a lot to tell about our day – but most of it is inconsquential…because we have two daughters sleeping in our room right now!

Yes, Violet Anna-Mei joined our family today. There were some tears when I held her in my arms and off and on later on. But on the whole everything went smoothly. She fell asleep in my arms with no trouble at all. She opened her eyes when I laid her in her crib, but fell right back to sleep. Roger just adjusted her foot to be inside the crib, and she woke up but didn't cry. Just fell back to sleep.

I still can't believe it.

Our day started off with Tingting telling us that it was snowing out when she came to take us to the airport. It looked like rain to me, but then when we headed out on the highway I could see that she was right. Our trip to the airport was much faster than our trip to the hotel when we arrived in Beijing. We had no problem getting our boarding passes. Roger, Ray and Fiona were "frisked" coming through security, but Tori, Ainsleigh and I weren't. But my carry-on was searched.

When we got to our gate (Tingting was gone) we heard that our flight was delayed, but I thought that 8:35 am was the original departure time. So we weren't too concerned. We boarded around 8:35. Then we sat there on the plane, and sat there…and sat there!!!!

To say that our flight was delayed would be the understatement of the century. We sat there on the tarmac for over 7 hours before the flight actually took off! Yes. SEVEN HOURS!!! When I heard the announcement, "Crew be seated" I didn't think that I had ever heard 3 more beautiful words in all my life.

That meant that we didn't arrive in Fuzhou until around 6:30 pm. In my mind all thoughts of meeting Violet today were gone because of the time. Thankfully our guide in Fuzhou, Isabel, was there to meet us when we picked up our baggage. I have to admit that was another concern of ours. She and our driver had also spent 7 extra hours at the airport today.

She told us it would take about an hour to get to the hotel. Then she said she would take us through our itinerary of our week. "When you arrive at the hotel," she said, "You will meet your baby."

Both Fiona and I, in astonishment, said, "Tonight?" I started crying.

We checked in very quickly and then met Isabel and went to the meeting room. Logan and Violet were both there with people from their orphanages. Tonight we signed guardian papers, which means we have the right to have Violet in our care tonight. Tomorrow the real adoption paperwork happens. Violet was held by a lady from her orphanage and she was telling Violet, "This is your mama" Then someone told me to hold her. Of course, she cried. She had a doll and was not letting go of it for the world. (Which was not an issue, because we wanted her to feel safe.) It all happened very quickly and soon we were heading back to our room. Isabel came with us and showed us the homework we have to do tonight. She also explained that we should give Violet a bath tonight and check and see if there was any marks that we had questions about to ask the people from the orphanage tomorrow. She didn't want to let go of her doll, so she had her bath holding the doll. There are no pictures from her first bath, as I got in the tub with her. She seems to have attached herself to me, possibly because I was the first one to hold her? But her first smile was for Roger. (Got on video) Tori commented that perhaps Violet will be like she was and be a Momma's girl…which is fine with me!

She seemed very calm this evening. (We got back to our room around 9 pm and she was asleep by 10 pm.) She also would put her chin down and look up at us with those adorable eyes, and I can only imagine the thoughts going through her precious head.

I was overwhelmed with the gifts that the orphanage gave Violet. There is a CD with pictures on it from her time at the orphanage. They gave her a jade pendant depicting the year of the rat – year she was born. They gave her a framed picture with Violet and her caregiver. They gave her a doll. They gave her several clothes and a bag with snacks that she likes. It was more than I ever could have hoped for.

Our guide had been in contact with the orphanage and had asked them all the questions that we would probably like answered. She had typed all the answers out for us and presented us with them to read on the bus ride to the hotel. I was so appreciative.

Violet is tiny. I'm hoping the size 18 month clothes are not too big, but hey, if they are I like to shop! I meant to weigh her when we got out of the tub (the hotel has bathroom scales) but we forgot.

She seems to have a bit of a cold – stuffy and a runny nose. The orphanage director mentioned it us. He said it just started. So maybe it was from the changes she experienced today. A big trip for her, too!

Well, it is now 11:30 and I still need to go on-line and send this message. And I'm not sure when I'll be up in the night.

Oh, my heart is so happy! She is beautiful.

More to come tomorrow.