Thanks so much for visiting us during our journey, David, Mary and Sophie Elizabeth!
Today is our "Forever Family Day". We are a family forever and "Gotcha Day", which is the other term much of the adoption community uses, sounds to us like someone came down with the flu! Anyway, we get Sophie around 4 p.m. today. Before we do, a prayer for her and all of her playmates:
Sophie's close-up (prior to an evening of sleep, or rather lack of
sleep)
A Parent's Prayer for Children
O Jesus, friend of little children, you who from your youth grew in wisdom and grace before God and men, who although the God of your parents, subjected yourself to them in everything, watch with special care, we beg you, these children. Enable them to control the new powers which will come to them; their understanding that they clearly know your will; their will that they may courageously follow it. Grant that they may grow in wisdom, understanding the world, its tricks and deceits, its beauty and its transience, finally desiring, as you did, nothing but the will of your and their Father. Above all, most gentle Savior, let them grow in grace, never for a minute of their lives living in the darkness of sin, outside of the warmth and light of your friendship. O Christ, who grew as any other child, you know the trials they face; fill their minds with knowledge, fill their hearts with courage, fill their lives with your love. Amen
On the flight from Beijing to Nanchang -- last photo taken pre-parenthood!
We saw Sophie for the first time today around 4 p.m. at the provincial adoption office. It was nothing like the China's Lost Girls video. The whole process was extremely quick, extremely hot, & extremely chaotic. We were told to sit down in the waiting area & before I could sit down, David said that he saw Sophie. She was sitting in a man's lap munching on some baby cookies. She looked so tiny, that I didn't think it could be her. Also, her hair has grown out, and it looks like she's been out in the sun because her face is darker.
Before we knew it, they handed Sophie to us & then moved us to a little room to have a family picture taken. Sophie was screaming her head off & everyone in the room was yelling at her & us & taking photos a short distance from our face. We were glad when that was over. Then we were quickly escorted out & rode down 26 floors on the most crowded, slowest, hottest elevator ever. No wonder Sophie was screaming. We were miserable too.
Went back to the hotel room & took her out of her clothes so that she could cool off. She wouldn't eat for us. Our guide, Nelson, was able to get her to eat just a little. She finally calmed down & played with toys for awhile. A pediatrician came by to check her out. She said that Sophie is malnourished and needs to drink more milk. But, other than that, she's fine. She doesn't crawl yet & she doesn't have any teeth yet. But she does roll over & scoots. Actually, she rarely sits still at all.
She can talk up a storm -- already says da-da. Also, we've heard her giggle & laugh & sing. She has the biggest toothless grin! And, her mood changes quickly. She can go from a cry to a laugh & vice versa in about 2 seconds. She does that all the time. Definitely keeps us guessing.
