More Play Time!

Notice the right and left-hand coordination. She's demonstrating a high level of dexterity from both sides - which, if I'm not mistaken, is called ambidextrous and common only to the most athletically advanced.

My First Outfit

Mia is wearing her first outfit - handpicked by Mom and applied by Dad - courtesy of Baby Gap, of course (Elise here, they are Old Navy not Gap. I felt I should clarify that).

Elise had every outfit not only pre-selected but "PRE-WRAPPED" in ziplocks. So all I have to do is grab a zippy, open, and voila...the onesy, the pants, the shirt, the socks...the whole deal. Kinda like a TV Dinner.

Speaking of TV Dinners...I've decided that I'm going locale. Last night, I was so wiped out that I ordered a hamburger via room service. Never again. It's noodles and rice for now on.

GOTCHA!!!

Mia Grace Deeble - in my arms at 4 PM ChinaTime, 1.20.08 at the Adoption Center in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province.

All the babies were in the room and were being held by "nannies" when we got there. The first baby I saw I thought was Mia. When they did call my name, I was truly hoping it was her. Sure enough! It was Mia!!!

She's so beautiful and has such a great spirit.

She was mostly subdued, but content. However, she has already thrown a smile around or too and promises great athletic prowess - as she's crawling and clutching toys with both hands.

I'm absolutely overwhelmed, exhausted, and feel so blessed!
(more to come)

Mia...I AM COMING TODAY!!!!

I didn't sleep so well last night. Which had nothing to do with exhaustion nor trying. Today is my day to meet my daughter for the very first time. I will never know another day in my life without her. We check out this morning and fly from Beijing to Nanchang where at 3:30 PM, I will hold my little girl.

Yesterday evening required stressful preparations - making sure I had all the right paperwork and the right amount of cash in Chinese dollars (=RMB's). I was so tired that I decided to just plunk down the ridiculous amount of cash to eat in the hotel. Fell asleep waiting for my, um, pizza. (I know, I know...when in rome...but that was lunch).

So I woke up just past 5:30 with the song "Breathe In, Breathe Out" by Mat Kearney. Actually, I've been humming it all trip long. Right now, I have it on repeat on my ipod. A new line has surfaced for me: "We push and pull and I fall down sometimes. And I'm not letting go. You hold the other line."

With all that we've been reading about attachment, it's highly likely that Mia won't immediately feel comfortable with me - being that I'm a man, have red hair, smell different, look different, talk different, etc. Many of these young babies don't attach to anyone and have learned to "self-soothe" themselves and will push everyone else away until they learn to receive a love they have never known. Until they accept that they were made for a Daddy and Mommy.

So, I'm preparing myself for it. Even shaved today for the occasion. Which isn't all that rare except for the fact that I shaved yesterday and, under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have been necessary. But I just thought, "Hey, she's probably used to a smooth face." So I went for a PERFECT SHAVE which my skin just winces at the thought. It is an oxymoron, really.

Mia, I'm coming.

When You're Named After "The State"...

Yesterday, I learned more about how orphans in China hold the lowest of the low rank among society members. And when they are found and placed in an orphanage, they're given the last name of the city in which their orphanage resides. Mia's "given name" is "Feng" b/c she's currently in the "Feng Welfare State".

Sadly, this naming practice of the Chinese serves as a scarlett letter b/c it follows them for the rest of their lives. When they come of age (and are not adopted), they are released out of the orphanage and into society - with their given name on their official papers. And when you're named after the state and not a family, no one wants to hire you. No one wants to marry you. No one sees your worth.

I wonder about that as I was looking back on my pictures from yesterday. This picture on the left is of an older women who is cleaning a "fort" on the Great Wall of China. She's cleaning it with these two sticks that were connected together to make a long wooden "tong". She kept her hood wrapped tightly around her cheeks. Her eyes fleeting; dead. I wondered about her story and thought, "How does someone get here?" I wondered what is her last name.

Quick Glance of Forbidden City

The Forbidden City was both incredible and incredibly cold. This 30-sec video just about cost me a finger or two. I think that the favorite thing I learned yesterday was that, in the main part of the Forbidden City (where the Emperor resided), there were no trees and birds. Know why? B/c the Emperor was so beautiful that he didn't need trees. He had such splendor and melody that He didn't need no stinkin' birds. He is his own tree, he is his own bird. Wow. I thought narcissism was just an American trait.

The second reason involved "homeland security" of sorts (i.e. trees hide the bad guys and also catch fire) but I much preferred the first explanation.

GREAT NEWS!

I awoke to a call last night sometime around midnight from Todd who said that their luggage was found!!!

Unbelievable. Literally.

The last they heard, the airline had no idea where the luggage even was and didn't even have them logged in their system.

So, for the last 3-4 days, these poor friends have had to wear the same clothes that they started off in with no clothes for their child and all the many things that take a month to prepare.

Praise God!

great wall2

Note: Since China censors everything, I'm not actually able to view this blog. With the help of my wife at home (whom I refer to innerchangeably as either "Penny" or "Chloe", I've managed a work-around to their restrictions to at least make posts).

That being said, I just posted a similar picture as this but am not sure it went through. So, again, this is me with some new-found friends I made while "hiking" the great wall. I offerred to take their pix and they pulled me into the conga line.

fun times all around.

tommorow, though, the journey begins...