Catching Up

I just wanted to share a little more information about our trip. When we got to the cival affairs office I told Chelsea to have the video camera rolling as I had a feeling the children would be in the room. Sure enough, there they were as we walked in. I recognized Sarah immediately as she was dressed in the Chinese suit we sent her in her care package. The feelings I had were incredible, after so much waiting here we were standing in front of our daughter. She was taking everyone in but really was avoiding any direct eye contact. As soon as we walked into the room the process began. First the little 3 1/2 year old was taken to meet her new mom. We had been told by our guide to not pick up the children until after we had talked to them for a few moments as it would be too overwhelming to just go over and pick them up. Next it was our turn, Sarah's nanny was standing behind her and was trying to get her to look at us. I tried talking to Sarah and then she burst into tears. I picked her up and tried to comfort her. She cried harder and arched her back and started to kick. We broke out the cheerioes and she stopped crying for about 30 seconds. Then she started again, very loudly. Todd tried to take her but that didn't help her to stop crying and our guide came over and said she had talked to the nanny and she said our child was a strong willed child and very sensitive. When she said strong willed Todd and I both looked at each other and said, this for sure must be our daughter as we have 4 other strong willed children as well. We signed papers that allowed us to to take the children for a 24 hour harmonious period. It was time for the nannies to leave, Sarah's nanny came over to her and put a cookie in her hand, she was sobbing as she left the room We then got back on the bus and headed to the hotel. We got to our room and Sarah was so hot and sweaty. We proceeded to take her Chinese suit off and realized she had 6 layers underneath. We put another outfit on her and settled down with her. She quickly fell asleep. She slept for a couple of hours and then when she woke up she was very quiet and reserved. She would steal glances at me and if we made eye contact she would turn away. But a little later, Todd and Chelsea left with our guide Michelle to go to the bank and Sarah and I had a good time playing and she sat on my lap and let me feed her some lunch. She ate really well. We played all afternoon and by early evening she was smiling and walking around and we played with a beach ball and she ate more cheerios from me. She even let Chelsea play ball with her. At about 7:00 pm the doorbell rang and Chelsea went to answer the door, I heard her talking to a Chinese man and he ask if he could come in and she said yes, Todd jumped up to see why she was letting someone in our room and then I heard Todd say to come in and I looked up and a cute bell boy came in carrying a birthday cake and he was grinning from ear to ear as he looked at me and said Hoppy Birsday to you. Todd made a place for him to set down the cake and he asked him who sent it and he said oh manager notice it was your birsday and wanted to wish a very hoppy birsday to you. He continued to grin as he bowed and left the room. It just made me smile and made me so happy, yet another tender mercy, 6 years ago I was in China on my birthday and I have such fond memories of eating at a restaurant and having the server bring me some cake and saying Hoppy Birsday to you. I have thought about that moment so often over the past six years and now here I was again. It was indeed a very Hoppy Birsday to me.