Gotcha Day!!!! 7/16/2012

Getting off the bus at the registration center

Another family's son and Annabella arriving at the center

The first moment I got to hold our daughter

very unsure...but she never cried

REALLY unsure about the bald white guy!

OFFICIAL signing of the guardianship agreement

talking on the phone already!

finally letting Daddy hold her

Laughing

leaving the registration office

sleepy baby

first bath

All clean!

first nap

I figured I would lead with the pictures this time, since I know everyone has been waiting!

We arrived at the Registration office this morning around 10 AM. Two children were already there waiting. Things were so hectic and emotional. The families who were still waiting on their kids to arrive, took cameras from those that were already there and we all passed cameras and took many pictures for each other. Annabella arrived the same time another child arrived, and we saw them coming up the steps around 11 AM.

As soon as they came in they identified us and the orphanage caretaker handed her to me. She fretted just a tiny bit, but has overall done really, really well. She allowed both Greg and I to hold her at the registration office, but has decided that she wants me and ONLY me to hold her now. She will let Greg give her toys, food, and a bottle, but she wants me to hold her the whole time. We got maybe 2 pictures of her standing before she started fretting for me to pick her up. I have to go do paperwork now, and will try to post a bit more later today.

I can say that she can not drink out of the bottles or sippy cup we brought, and they have had to get us a special bottle for cleft kids. We will need to special order these for when we get home, until we can train her on a sippy cup. We got her during her normal nap time, so after a bath, we were able to get her to go down for a nap in a crib. My heart is bursting and breaking at the same time for my daughter. I know that she is scared and overwhelmed, and we see many self soothing techniques. But I also know she is with us now and she will learn to trust us and love us quickly.

She does NOT have scabies, praise God! She did have a heat rash, which they say is common, it got infected in her hairline, and so one side of her head is shaved. It already looks as if it is healing, so we are so relieved that she is pretty much a healthy little girl!O.K. Have to run, thank you for all your continued prayers for our family!

 "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" Matt 21:9 NIV