December 8, 2008

For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him.--1 Samuel 1:27

We Have Alayna!

Grandma and Amelia had a sleepover last night so I could wrap gifts for Alayna’s birthmother and foster mother as well as put the diaper bag together. Unfortunately, after that was done, we were so excited I think we only slept for 2-3 hours.

Fion picked us up after breakfast at 8:30am, and we drove the two hours down to Taichung. After a quick stop at the Taiwan Women and Children’s Association to pick up the agency rep, Caridee, we were off to meet Alayna. Fion pulled up to what looked like small, aluminum houses on an alley. We were greeted at the door by Mrs. Lu and Alayna. The moment you first see your child is just overwhelming: she was more beautiful than her pictures and much tinier. Our hearts skipped a beat! We walked into a surprisingly large and very well kept home. Mrs. Lu then handed me Alayna, and our little sweetheart just came to me with a smile on her face.

The day had started out rocky with Amelia, and I wasn’t sure how she would hold up. (Her defiant self was at its best!) She ended up surprising me with her emotions. At Mrs. Lu’s home she was curious about her surroundings and wanted to explore the back rooms--a big no-no. At one point we were all sitting on the couch getting our questions about Alayna’s day to day habits answered, and Amelia went and squeezed behind me on the couch and just had silent tears rolling down her face. My heart just broke for her. We tried to soften the situation all day, but she silently cried another 3-4 times.

She had some very sweet soft moments with her sister. She told me she was proud to have a sister. I have no idea where that came from, but it cracked me up. She also called Nick at home before he started class to tell him she was a big sister. It will all come together in time for her.

After taking a few pictures we headed back to TWCA where Caridee had us sign a few forms and returned all the items from the care packages we sent. Next was shopping at the baby store! We stocked up on diapers and formula as well as a stroller for the airport.

Alayna did great on the ride back to Taipei. I do have to say it is a little strange riding for two hours in a car with two little ones and no carseat. Traffic in Taipei is chaotic to say the least, so that was a little nerve-wrecking. Back in the room, Fion and I were working on some adoption paperwork, and Alayna was not happy. I think she was all up for the big adventure, but felt like she wanted her familiar surroundings again.

The Browns were not really ideal candidates for restaurants with just Amelia. With a fussy infant, plus a 3 year old and a picky Grandma, we opted to stay in and order Pizza Hut. I have to say this is one part of the trip that is disappointing. I would love to be trying different types of food and restaurants.

Alayna is alert and has a great little grip. She laughs easy but is quite used to being held. According to Mrs. Lu, Alayna is not a great sleeper and is used to co-sleeping. Hmmm, no one understands how much I value my sleep. Oh well, what’s the difference between one child with sleep issues and two? We will see how it goes tonight!

It was an awesome day.