Gotcha Day

Words fail me. Yesterday was beyond anything I have ever imagined. I hope to regain my sense of humor as we emerge from the shock and pure survival mode in a few days. For now, though, just the facts. 

We had breakfast with the Fosters yesterday morning. IT WAS AMAZING. Also amazing was the fact that we had to split up at two tables and Beau and Brian had 3 of the 4 kids! Erika and her mom and Beverly and I got Lily all to ourselves....and some peace. 

The Fosters left for the zoo after breakfast and Beau and I had to meet Aron (our guide) to fill out some paperwork to be ready for gotcha. During that time we met the other couple in our group, Lisa and Dave. This is not their first rodeo! They have 2 biological daughters and were about to adopt their 6th Chinese daughter. Wow! They have seen just about every outcome of international adoption, and were STILL back to complete another one. Even though she was still nervous, it really helped me put things in perspective. We can do this. No matter what happens. 

After that meeting we found Beverly and Henry and decided to walk to the Aeon department store to pick up a stroller, just in case. The store has groceries on the first floor and then 4 more floors of other things. When we made it back to the hotel we had just a few minutes to get things together before we ate a quick lunch and then met the other family and our guide in the lobby to go to the Civial Affairs office to GET JAMES!

The bus ride there was so nerve-wracking! But Lisa and Dave's girls and Henry kept things light. We had to get out and walk through a couple of alleys to avoid traffic. When we got there we crammed in an elevator and filed into a decent sized room with couches lining one wall. Our two families went back into one corner and ended up beside another girl I had met on Facebook. We were all REALLY nervous. Aron checked over some paperwork and then after a couple minutes they started calling families over one at a time to get their children. We didn't wait very long at all. They called us over and I could see James in the next room but they started pushing a different little boy toward us. It was SO confusing. I hope I can get the video to load on here because there was a moment there where I was like "I must be crazy. This guy looks nothing like James. Do we just take him anyway? I guess so. HELP!!!!". But James came toddling out right after him and I may or may not have pushed that other kid down to get to mine. Just kidding. I politely stepped around him and picked up James...who was dressed for a ski adventure. HE IS SO HEAVY!! He didn't cry at all. And Henry, the greatest Henry in the whole world, came over and immediately started showing James his toys. The rest is kind of a blur. The ladies from his orphanage came and handed us back all of the stuff we had sent to James. Eventually we went back to the corner where we had been sitting and got to watch a few other families be connected. The nannies came over after a few more minutes and we got to ask them a ton of questions (with Aron's help!). We did learn that James probably has G6PD, which I had never heard of. Thank God for Beau. A few more minutes and we all got back on the van and headed back to the hotel. Beverly took Henry up to her room for a nap and the rest of us went to fill out some more paperwork. Then we came back to the room and tried to get James a nap. Not happening. Eventually we decided to go out with James and get some milk and diapers for James and pick up dinner for all of us. I brought a hip-carrier with us and it saved the day! There is no way I could carry this little lead-ball all over Guangzhou. 

We got back and had to wake Henry up. Please be praying for him. He has a nasty cough. James is sounding pretty congested too. We all ate dinner in our room. James had some noodles and pizza and apple. 

Then I got in the tub with James and Henry. It was tight, but we weren't sure how James would react to the tub. I think he would have stayed longer but the stinking tubs won't stay filled and it was getting cold. We got everyone in pjs and decided Henry would sleep in Beverly's room....just in case. 

I tried giving James some milk in his sippy cup, but things weren't sounding right so eventually I poured it into the little bottle he came with and it was gone in seconds. I laid him in the crib and he talked to himself for a few minutes and then he was out. He just woke up about half an hour ago (6:15am). No problem. Beau and I have been up for hours.

He's dressed and has eaten a whole banana and is now scarfing some ritz crackers. 

These are in pretty random order.

attempting a nap

stole this from Erika's blog

walking to Aeon

excited to be shopping

shopping in China

these two weren't quite as thrilled

testing out the new ride

breakfast

breakfast

hotel grounds

lobby

pool

grounds

on the way to Civil Affairs

Kaden family walking to Civil Affairs