Finally...A Family of Four!

We've waited almost 2 years for this day and it finally came. Monday, March 31, 2008, the day that our adoption is official in China. What a day...

We woke up and went breakfast, came back signed some papers before we went to the Civil Affairs office again. We met Xing-Xing's orphanage caregiver and directors at the office. She was so excited to see them. We let her play with them while we waited, and waited, and waited... Here's a picture of them together. They are very important people to her. You can tell that they love her very much.



After a while we were told that we would have to come back in the afternoon so we went to lunch with the orphanage people. It was a great time to find out more about Xing-Xing's life since she was one day old. We were told that when she was found she was only 4 lbs and she was very sick, she ended up getting pneumonia at 7 days old. But she survived it all and has been healthy since except for a bout of chicken pox. She was the most "popular" child at the orphanage because she is so beautiful. Everyone LOVED her and they said she was very spoiled because of her beauty. (We've since found out that she's actually not very spoiled at all, but VERY sweet!) They also said that it was fate that we were to become her parents because she normally does not take to strangers and she comes to us very easily.


After lunch we went to the park. Then back to the Civil Affairs office for the "official meeting" with the Civil Affairs Director. This is where it really sunk in. He asked very serious questions and made sure that we promised to NEVER, EVER abandon her. Both Joe and I were crying (trying not to when you're in front of such a serious person at such a serious time). At this meeting they gave us an adoption certificate with a picture of me, Joe and Claire. Morgan wanted to know why she couldn't be in the picture. I told her that Uncle Gregg was going to take a picture of the four of us when we got back home.



Then we went back out and said good-bye to the orphanage people. Xing-Xing was NOT happy about this. This time was quite heart-wrenching for all of us, even Morgan. We all cried for a very long time, especially Claire. She was so sad. We definitely know that she was loved and cared for so well at the orphanage, it really made us feel better about her first 3 and a half years.

Everyone at the office began trying to cheer her up. She eventually started smiling and laughing again. She's a very smiley girl and laughs a lot.

We then had to go to the passport office and I had to go to the restroom very badly and was taken to a construction site bathroom -- quite the experience - remind me to tell you about it sometime.















After her passport application was accepted, then we went back to the hotel and she took her first "real" bath in a bathtub. She loved it. Then she got really crazy and was having so much fun, making us laugh so much, showing us her true personality - she fits right in with this family! Her laugh is so cute. I can't describe what it's like to automatically love someone so much, so similar , yet so different than when you have a child by birth. I LOVE both of my girls SO much, I can't imagine it any other way! --Ma Ma Melissa