ADOPTION COMPLETE!!!!

Wow, what a day we had yesterday. We left the hotel with 6 other families to go to Tuyen Quang, a 3.5 hour drive on some seriously shabby roads. Jim and I feel like we've been tied to the whipping post.

When we got to the orphanage, Isabella was right in front with her nanny, waiting for us! It was very joyful and teary and everything you can imagine it would be. I don't know why, but for some reason I didn't expect her to look exactly like her photos, but she definitely does. As did all the other kids. I recognized every single one of them, and will write to separate PAPs about their kiddos.

Anyway, we left immediately for the G&R (adoption) ceremony. Amazingly none of the babies cried when we took them from the nannies. We had to change their clothes on the bus, go into the government building for the ceremony, which took all of about 30 minutes from start to finish (for all 7 families), then headed back to the orphanage where we dropped off the babies (very difficult to do!) to go have a most amazing VN lunch. That took about an hour, then it was back to the orphanage for hanging out with all the kids and the nannies. We were supposed to be there long enough for Ninh (facilitator) to file our paperwork at the govt. offices but were there way longer (too long). The babies were all fabulous though, and in very good humor and spirits.

The orphanage director is a trip. He was dancing and playing loud music on his cell phone for us to dance to (and would MAKE you if you weren't!). We had a great time playing with the kids, getting to know them all, and learning what the nannies do for our particular children (sleeping & eating schedules mainly). Apparently Bella is quite the sleeper! Yay! They say she has to be awakened in the mornings, because she likes to sleep in (!) and then takes a nap from 11-2. Hooray! Mommy time.

Anyway, Ninh took 2 hours longer than anticipated to get back to the orphanage (I swear I think he was out at a bar - how could it take 5 hours to post paperwork for 7 families??), so we were all REALLY ready to leave. It was really hot and humid and we were cranky. Everyone else was on the bus with their babies except us. Isabella's night nanny and day nanny were fighting over her (who got to hold her) and were crying their eyes out. So then I started to cry too, and it was awful. We finally got Bella away from them and got on the bus, then the nannies came running to our window crying and banging on the glass, and Isabella started wailing. It was awful. it was just like watching her being taken away from her mother by social services. Ugh. but when we pulled away she settled in and fell asleep, where she stayed for the entire ride home (thankfully).

We got to the hotel and had a bit of fun getting to know each other, then went to bed. She fell asleep in our bed but didn't fight going into her crib, and stayed there most of the night. She woke up once, I gave her a bottle and she went right back to sleep. It was awesome. I fear that I'm gonna have hell to pay tonight when she realizes this is for real though.

We went to the hotel restaurant for breakfast, so she got to see some Vietnamese women, which made her very happy. They clucked to her and cooed over her, so she felt more at ease. She wouldn't eat anything I gave her, but fell asleep as soon as we left to come back to the room. She's napping now (hallellujah). She doesn't really cry at all, unless she wants a bottle.

Jim will post pictures as soon as he gets back from applying for her passport. We took a million, I think.

All for now. Must rest up.

Love, Kim