June 20, 2006 It's Official, Abigail is my daughter!
We finished up the paperwork for the Chinese government today and were granted our certificates of adoption after passing our interviews yesterday. We were each interviewed twice about why we were adopting, why China, and were we happy with the baby? Happy, doesn't even describe it! I am over the moon! Next, we visited the passport office and applied for their Chinese passports. That was it for office appointments and one parent from each family met with Tracy this afternoon to complete the Consulate Interview paperwork! Thanks to Mark, Vicki, Emily, and Meredith for baby-sitting! We laid low and hung around the hotel most of the afternoon! Abigail is really blossoming into the sweetest little girl! Already in a little over 24 hours, I can see dramatic improvement in her head control and she only throws it around if she is overtired! She started babbling at us all the time and will make noises to get Emily's attention! Abby and Emily have become very close today! Emily got her to laugh in several of the pictures I have attached. Emily really appreciates the blessing that Abigail is to us and she told me several times today that we are so lucky to have Abigail! I agree! :)
None of the babies in our group can sit up without assistance and their little legs are like spaghetti! My last report from the orphanage said she was sitting but that is impossible! I know that she has good muscle and nerve impulse control because she was zipping all over the place in the walker at the Civil Affairs Building but she can't balance herself yet! Her appetite is really good. She loves Congee every morning and today I gave her some scrambled eggs and a little macaroni and cheese. She eats rice cereal and fruit at bedtime! She is doing much better with the bottles and thanks to Sam from our Jiang Cheng group who suggested feeding the bottle without the cereal! That in addition to serving the bottles at room temperature instead of warm like we were told has made all the difference!
Well, that is it for now! It's time to turn in on this awfully hard mattress that is available here at the White Swan! Thank you for all the emails and support messages! I feel honored that you want to share in this journey along with us! I hope these posts help someone else waiting to keep the faith that it is all worth while in the long run!
One of the quotes that has circulated on the May and June boards that seems to represent the process is "If God takes longer than you think it should, it is to simply make the blessings all the more special!
