Hope, Love, and Grace!

June 13th, 2016

We are so excited that we are now Barnett party of 5!!  Today was nothing but amazing.  We headed to the Civil Affairs Building at 2:00 today.  The first have of our day was the longest day of our lives.  We got to the building and they told us to sit down and wait and they would call the first family up when it was time.  We were informed that the kids were there.  A few minutes later they said we would be first.  By the time we walked over to the middle of the room she was walking out with her nanny.  It was so amazing to see her for the first time!! 

She was reluctant to come to us, but I picked her up anyways. 

She went back and forth to John and I and only cried for a little bit.  Her nanny came over and talked to her and reassured her that we were her mommy and daddy and she calmed down.  She also loved eating puffs!! 

We asked her nanny how to say big sister. We had the picture book out to show her Sydney and Claire and when the nanny said big sister she immediately pointed to Sydney and Claire's picture!!   You can tell that she was loved deeply by her nanny or grandmother as they called her.  The lady standing next to me had taken care of  her since she was a little baby.  You can tell she loved her as her own.  The lady beside John was another nanny from the orphanage.  We will be forever greatful to these ladies who are literally Angels on Earth. 

We are both in awe of how well she is doing.  Even our guide said she would probably melt down once back to the room or after a bath, etc.  She fell asleep in my arms on the way back from the Civil Affairs Building.  We came to the room and she slept a bit and then woke up.  No tears just really quiet and very intently checking out the entire room.  She  has just been taking it all in since then.  She studies John and I often and everyting around her.  She is enjoying playing with her toys that we have and is 100% content sitting in my lap.  She always wants us to hold her.  She is already reaching for me to hold her and cries when I leave the room.  She even took a bottle.  She has figured out how to use the special bottles we have for her due to her cleft lip and palate.  She is one smart little girl!!We are praying we continue to move forward and attachment will happen faster than normal.  We are both in awe of how well God prepared her little heart for us.  It truly is amazing!!  Here is a picture after a bath and into some pajamas. 

 



She is perfect and we are 100% in love.  Praising God for sending us on this journey.  His plans are always better than ours!!  She is sound asleep between John and I now!!  Praying we all sleep soundly tonight!!  Goodnight from China!!