GOTCHA DAY!!!!! Monday 1/18/16

I tossed and turned so much last night, partly because hotels in China are infernos but mostly awaiting our newest addition. All fourteen families met in the hotel lobby this morning at 9:30am. (We are a really big group this week!) We divided into two buses and headed for the Civil Affairs office. Orphanages were told to bring their children between 10 and 11am. A few children arrived shortly after us, brought in by foster families. The rest of us anxiously awaited our turn. We made small talk to keep from crying at just the site of other parents and children being united for the first time. It really is like being in a delivery room, except everyone is fully clothed. A few more babies trickled in from other villages. We were still waiting on the largest group to arrive. As we stared through the window, a flurry of activity outside proved the time was near. The first child was brought in and thrust into the arms of a CCAI rep. She said "I don't know his name so I cannot hand him to anyone yet" but I knew the second I saw his cheeks that he was Elijah. More babies were brought in, and the minutes before she called his Chinese name felt like an eternity. I rushed over to him and held him close as the tears rolled down my face. The world stood still in that moment and I pressed his face up against mine. There is no better feeling in the world than holding your baby in your arms for the first time. The entire room was filled with everyone taking pictures of everyone else's beautiful moments in hopes of the same. (I cannot wait to see all those pictures!) There are just not poetic enough words to portray what it's like to be in an adoption room like that. It is overwhelmingly amazing. 

Eventually we sat on the floor and brought out toys and snacks for Elijah. He stared at all the activity with bewilderment. He was so bundled we could not even find his hands. After removing his coat, he still had on a snowsuit of sorts but at least he could hold an object. His orphanage representative brought a bag to us with the photo album we mailed to Elijah and a photo album the orphanage put together for us. When I opened the bag, Elijah immediately flipped open the album and pointed to our pictures. My heart melted faster than a snowball in the desert. He recognized us! Someone somewhere knew how important this day would be and tried to prepare him. When we finally removed the snowsuit to change his diaper, we noticed he was wearing the outfit in our care package. He seemed so much like a baby, yet bigger than I had imagined he would be.

Elijah spent the rest of the day impressing us. He walked, waved, clapped, and even put Phillip's phone up to his ear. He was calm and well behaved, sometimes even giggling and smiling. By the end of the day he was running into my arms and putting his open mouth to my cheek. I will forever be grateful for all of your prayers leading up to this day. I believe God prepared us for Elijah and Elijah for us. Right now, Elijah is sleeping on Phillip's chest, just like he is meant to be. My heart is so full that I'm on the brink of tears just writing this down and reliving the moment. I will never forget this glorious day!