WE GOT HER!!!

Hello All,

Okay, the last time I posted the words above, we were in Hangzhou and had just gotten Gracie in August of 2003.

This morning we were nervous as we ate breakfast with the other family traveling with us. Our guide told us that she had spoken to the orphanage director who told her that Ruthie was excited to be adopted. That made me feel so much better, because I wasn't sure how she felt about being adopted.

We then went to fill out some documents for the Chinese officials and then got in a van and went to the Civil Affairs Office where they would be bringing Ruthie. As with our two previous adoptions, we were told that she would be arriving late. So, we were able to take photos and video of the other family as they met their new son, who is four.


Ruthie arrived about 15 minutes late. She was holding Mama Wang's hand, who is the assistant director at the orphanage. Ruthie was so scared, she wouldn't look at our faces. I had been prepared for the worst and was hoping for the best, but at that moment, it looked like it might be the worst. She just stood by the Mama Wang. If was feeling so badly for Ruthie. I asked them to tell her that we were Kai Kai's aunt & uncle and that is what helped to break the ice a little bit. They told her to hug Todd, which she did and then she gave me a little hug. She still did not want to look at us.

We sat down and the kids gave her a little panda bear stuffed toy, which she liked. The orphanage officials then showed us some a book with her schoolwork and photos of her growing up. Every once in awhile, she would sneak a look at Todd and I. I took her hand and just held it.

We left very soon after and drove back to the hotel. She did get car sick, but we were prepared. Todd was looking over her schoolwork and photos and she had fun pointing our all of her friends in the photos - An Ping, Yu Mei, Xaiolan, Bo Bo & Kai Kai.

Once back in the hotel, she came right into the room and started looking at the things we had brought her. She especially liked the English Dictionary we brought. She was laughing with Todd as he was helping her with her English and he was trying to pronounce the Chinese words. She has gone through everything we brought her, mostly just checking out everything. She especially likes the hair things I brought her. She promptly gave me one of her headbands to wear and started to brush my hair.

So far, our Chinese lessons have been extremely useful and she is really talking to us. She smiles and laughs and seems happy. Our guide stopped by a few minutes ago to see how she was doing and she told her that she was fine and that she had a great daddy and a great mama.

We showed her the letter that her friend, Yu Mei had written for her and An An really liked that. She asked us through our guide if she could go visit her friends in the orphanage sometime in the future and we said that we plan on bringing her back in a few years to visit. We also told her that we are going to meet with most of her friends who have been adopted previously this next summer when spend a few days in Colorado.

The outfit she was wearing when she came is so typical of orphanage clothing. Her pants are 5 inches too short, but she has a nice sweater and brand new shoes. I showed her the new clothes we had brought for her and she looked at all of them and then folded them neatly away. Hopefully, I will be able to talk her into wearing something else besides her current outfit for tomorrow.

Todd had just left for McDonald's, which thankfully, An An says she likes. I will post more later.

Thank you for your continued prayers & support.

Noelle