Gottcha Day! - Sunday, March 30, 2008

Where do I start. First of all I haven't been able to post because the blog was blocked in Beijing and then I didn't have the right electrical adapter in Xian, then I haven't had time because I've been very busy with our new little angel.

Sunday, March 30th, we met Ana Claire, aka Qing-Qing (pronounced Chin-Chin, her nickname at the orphanage) at 4 pm. We went to the Civil Affairs (govt office) at 3:00 on Sunday and her train had not arrive yet from Baoji City where she traveled 2 hours from. So we went to Wal-mart in the city to pass time and get some snacks. Absolute mayhem, can you imagine going to Wal-mart in a city of 8 million people that don't speak English and are in a hurry? It was an experience.

We got back to the Civil Affairs office at 4 pm and she was at the park down the street watching kites. When her caregiver brought her in she was upset that she had to leave the park and didn't want to have any thing to do with us, at first. Then Joe and Morgan began playing with her, they brought out the magna-doodle (life saver) and she loved this. Eventually the caregiver and orphanage director left and she starting warming up to us. Here's a picture of Xing-Xing (aka: Claire) on the day we met her with her caregiver.

We left after about an hour. Our guide, Jenny, who is Chinese and speaks English and Chinese very well, has been with us since we flew to Xian. She is great. I don't know what we would do without her.

We came back to the room and pulled out the crayons and coloring book (big hit) and we all 4 colored together. Qing-Qing was doing so well that we decided to go to the Chinese Restaurant in the hotel for dinner. She was awesome. She is so well behaved and well mannered, smiling at everyone, turning her head to see what's going on. She LOVES Joe, thinks he's the funniest thing. And of course she loves her big sister, Morgan. Here's her at dinner that night.





After dinner, we played some more and then got ready for bed. She went straight to sleep and slept like an angel. Here is her sleeping. Can you tell that I'm a proud Mom? It was a great first day. I'll do another post for the "official adoption day". -- Melissa