WE ARE FAMILY!

Is this not the sweetest photo ever? We met Meika today! We flew from Beijing this morning, arriving at the orphanage very soon after we landed. Meika was crying as they brought her in the room and was screaming when they handed her to me, which got me to crying, although I would have been crying anyway, let's face it. Then she cried some more and kept reaching for the caregiver, poor baby! Finally, the caregiver asked if I had brought any food for her and I gave her some baby snacks. Yeah for dried apples! She still wasn't sure about whether she was liking what was happening to her, but stopped crying and reaching out for the caregiver. By the time we left she was clinging to me. We went back to the hotel and Lily got the first smile! After only about two hours of being handed this waling child she was smiling, laughing at Lily and actually walked up to me and lifted her arms to be held and called me Mama! Which of course got me to crying again, but only me this time.

What an odd mixture of feelings being handed a child which is now your own through adoption is. It is beyond description really. You have love of course, but also anxiety. Then there is fear and trepidation, plus unbelievable happiness. It is amazing how one person can feel so many things at one time. Five Spice Emotions; a mix of very different ingredients that make a harmonious whole, and one that makes your eyes tear up.

After the addition of Cheerios to the snack cup, we got out the stroller which she thought was just wonderful; her own personal rickshaw! We went to McDonald's, which was very close to the hotel and easy, but Meika wasn't impressed with the food, she loved the milk though. After coming back to the hotel she finished up some more Cheerios and milk and fell asleep next to Lily chattering away in baby talk. They are both asleep now and if I can stay awake long enough I will post this entry, I am exhausted on so many levels.

The updated photos I was given yesterday before seeing her made her look so much bigger and older, I barely recognized her, but of course in reality she is quite tiny. She is chubbier than Lily was though.

You can't even see her cleft scars at all. She is beautiful and sweet and thinks Lily is the funniest thing ever. I'm glad that Lily was able to get her to smile first, it made her very happy.

I am hopeful that she will continue to think we are cool tomorrow when she wakes up and finds herself in unfamiliar surroundings, surrounded by unfamiliar faces! But it will be okay, I know it will. Wow, I'm the Mama to two amazing daughters! I am blessed.

KKW ©2008