Gotcha Day! 6/6/05

Can it really be 4 years since Gotcha Day? Wow! My heart is so full of emotion this morning as I think about Clara's little life and what big things she had brought to our family. All our kids have a great birth story. I love to re tell to each child about the day they came into this earth and changed our lives. Clara has the same story. Here is her story.

On May 20th 2004, the day after Clara was born, she was wrapped in a blanket and gently set on a park bench in the early morning hours at a Park in Rong Xain Cina. On her a single note was pinned. With a date May 19th 2004 (her birth date). She was found and brought to the local Orphanage. There she stayed until Jason and I could get all the paper work needed to bring her home. On June 6th 2005 We were given our priceless gift.

Here are a few photos of her:

This is the 1st photo that we received. Camila was quite disappointed and thought she "looked like a boy" A few hours before we were given Clara we got this photo along with a stamp of her foot print.

We drove to the Lottery Hotel with our travel group of 8 other couples. To our GREAT surprise the babies we arriving at the same time. They were in the lobby with their nannies. They had come bus bus about 2-3 hours from the countryside to the city of Nanning.

We made our way up stairs to a small room where one by one the little girls we brought in. Clara was last.

Most of the little girls we crying, but Clara just sat in my arms looking around taking it all in.

I was a magical moment.

Back at the hotel, this beautiful little Chinese girl was in quite a shock. As we put her on the bed to sit. She fell right over and started to suck on her shoe. She was 13 months old and could not even sit up. With a few pillows we propped her up and she just sat on the bed looking at us.

After a bath that she hated (she had never had a bath before, only wash clothes with water) she fell asleep.

We were greeted the next morning to the same face. Still no smile or any emotion.

The next day we had to go back and sign some more documents. We got our photo taken with the director of the orphanage. We were told that the directors wife had really taken to Clara. She had tears in her eyes as she gave her too me. She really wanted to hold her again, but I just could not let her go. She kept talking (and crying) to her in Chinese. It was heart breaking.

Over the next week we played at the hotel with all the other little girls. Clara was covered in bug bits. She had all these Chinese creams that I would put on her.

After a few days of playing games and tickling we FINALLY got our SMILE

She was blessed by a Buddhist Monk

One day when we woke up she had pulled herself to a stand in her crib. All this little girl needed was a little love, attention and some room to move around.

It is tradition at the White Swan Hotel to have your photo taken on the famous "red couch".

Here are all Clara's orphanage sister's. She was with these little girls for the 1st year of her life. We say in contact with all the families. We will always have a special place in our hearts for these families and the bond that we have with all the little girls. Nine beautiful little Chinese girls ready to go home to the USA!

Here we are back at home in Virginia. We arrived home around 11:30pm after flying for 18+ hours. The kids were up and so excited to meet their new sister.