"Gotcha Day"

Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010 at 8:34pm

Oh me, oh my!! What a day and what a girl! We met Collins yesterday at 2:30. When we got to the government building our agency guide, Grace, told us that the orphanage caregiver who brought Collins said that she was so excited and she was telling everybody that she was getting a mommy and a daddy. But when she walked out to us she was scared to death. She stood stiff as a board, clinging to her caregiver's hand and clutching her pink backpack that had all her earthly belongings in it. She had brought food and that seemed to comfort her while we began doing paperwork. She liked the doll we brought her the best. After awhile, the caregiver left and you could tell she was really nervous. But she tried to be brave and kept a stiff upper lip. She held my hand while we walked to the van, but once those van doors shut and we started moving, the tears began to fall. She was sobbing. I told Carl to start singing (he has a soothing voice), but he was crying right along with her. So then I started crying. Once we got it together we both started singing "I Cast All My Cares." Once we got to the hotel she marched right in and seemed amazed. Coming from an orphanage to a beautiful hotel with a waterfall and fish in the lobby was really something! We got to the room and she and Conner started playing ball. She came to life! Giggling, jumping up and down and grinning from ear to ear. She was fascinated by everything: our camera, the television, the toilet, the cell phone and computer. We think she is scary smart! She worked a 24-piece Dora puzzle that came in a box. She was determined to get it right and wouldn't quite until she finished it. She ran from thing to thing, so fascinated by lotions and the art of "tooth brushing." She watched me closely and did exactly what I did. She had two more meltdowns, once when Grace left and once when walked outside of the hotel to eat. A wonderful shop owner rescued us. She had a kitten and that darned cat helped to calm her down and distract her. At bedtime, she refused to take her Barbie dress and pink shoes off. I guess those are the only things she has that are familiar to her, that and her pink backpack. So she fell asleep in bed with us, fully clothed, watching a Dora cartoon. We are speechless. To think that this beautiful, energetic orphan is now our very own child is beyond description. Gotta run to do more government meetings. Will blog again later today.