We have Colley!

Well, despite our VPN, I cannot seem to get a good internet connection to update everyone!

I won't be sharing pics of our actual gotcha moment as it was very traumatic as we suspected it might be.  BUT, when we got back to the hotel, she warmed up a bit and actually laughed, smiled and played.  It was shocking and amazing.  The big kids were a huge help at breaking the ice with her.

She came to us with the baby doll that I mailed her a couple of months ago.  It was awesome to see that the doll was well worn out.... the fabric has those little balls on it that show she has loved on it over and over.... and the face looks like dolls in our house, covered in pen marks.  Even some snazzy eye brows were added.

Bedtime was when I think she realized "Shoot, I'm staying here"  and it broke my heart.  First she refused her bottle and next she refused to lay down.  She finally fell asleep on top of me, still wearing her clothes she came to us in.  She was so fearful of us trying to take them off that we didn't push it...... even though we were dying to get her bathed and smelling sweet.  She woke up a few times confused as to where she was and calling out for her mama...... it was heart breaking but also such a sign of the healthy attachment she had to her foster mom.

After she took some time to wake up this morning, she has been so awesome..... like I can't even describe to you how much fun we are having with her.  She giggles, she runs laughing, SHE LETS ME PUT HER DOWN WHEN I NEED TO POTTY!!!!!!!, she talks fast as can be in Chinese, she has called Anne Rainey Jie Jie (big sister) and me Mama.  (They actually told us today that the foster mom went over our pictures with her to the point that she could point at each photo and identify who it was... so sweet).  She's almost too good to be true.  The big kids are in love.  Anne Rainey knows so much adoption talk that she keeps saying "Mommy!  I'm already attached to her!  It didn't take any time at all!"

Today was the actual adoption day where we pledged to love her and never leave her and keep her as our own.  Done.  She's a Waltchack now.  The director, vice director, nanny and her husband met with us today to go over questions we had.  They were a great wealth of info and such kind and loving people.  Yesterday, Colley wanted nothing to do with me yet today when the nanny reached for her, she clung to me. The nanny was in shock  (since yesterday was VERY dramatic).  She made the others watch multiple times as she motioned for Colley to get in her arms and Colley would refuse.  She actually teared up so I put Colley in her arms for one last snuggle.  (Hepu is a very small orphanage program and it is obvious they all know and love all of the babies)

We had been planning on calling her Yun Yun and found out that's not what the foster family calls her. Instead they call her Hua Sheng Mi which means very tiny peanut!  I love it!  We called Anne Rainey peanut when she was little.  The nursery workers at church still call her that.  So now we have peanut and very tiny peanut! :)   And she is TINY!!!!! Most all of the clothes I brought are too big! oops!

We will not be meeting her foster mom but it is best for now.  This women is a saint and she is struggling.  I won't go into all the details but our guide actually called us for an update last night so they could call they foster mom to comfort her with news of how Colley was doing.  The foster mom is older with 2 sons my age.  There is a young girl (maybe 10 years old)  in lots of our pictures who I assumed was her granddaughter.  We found out today that it is her daughter..... who she adopted....  this is NOT common in China for a grandmother aged women to adopt a child after raising her own. Our guide was actually shocked when they told him.  ( In addition, she has 2 other foster babies, one with severe CP and one with a cleft lip/ cleft palate.)  I basically turned into a blubbering, sobbing mess as I told them messages that I wanted them to convey to her and to her daughter.   I am rejoicing in our new daughter and the gift we have been given but everything still feels very raw.  Please pray for this sweet family and that God would be very present with them.... filling them with peace and knowledge of his love......I snuck a Jesus Storybook Bible into their gift.... praying they will read it and find eternal comfort and rest.

So our tiny peanut is resting now..... she is seriously the cutest thing ever.... can't wait for you to all meet her!  I'll try and add pics soon to Facebook but feel like I should hit post while the internet is working!