July 21 Red Sofa and other thoughts

Today was a wonderful day. We got to sleep in till 7:30 a.m. We had no obligations until 3:00. Lacie had a rough night last night – well, ok she did not have it rough. She woke up at 2:00 and wanted a bottle. She was coughing real bad too. After her bottle she wanted to play. Oh no – not in the middle of the night – not for mommy. So mommy put her in bed with her and then mommy tried to get some sleep. Lacie just rolled around from side to side occasionally saying “Bah.” She says other things like dadadadadadada and Ah bah and some gurgling baby sounds. But she did not want to sleep. She is a good baby because I did go back to sleep and at 7:30 when I woke up she was sound asleep.

We did a lot more shopping today. I got her many little outfits – two in each size – someone suggested in case later she wanted to have a sleep over and do dress up. I am not sure what sizes I did get – just a lot. My luck and since she is so long now none will fit in a few years anyway. We got her a few more items for her future birthdays. I have no clue if we got one for every year – but there is time down the road to order from China Sprout as well if not. The most important thing to bring home is our daughter. She is so absolutely precious.

I think it hit me yesterday – that yes – this is real. She is going home with us. She is OUR baby. John just looked at her sleeping and then looked at me and said, “We have a baby!” Yes we do. And a pretty and precious one at that. As I read again the verses in Psalm 139 about how God formed her in her mother’s womb. He predestined all her days. He knew her even before she was formed. That is so special for me as an adoptive mom. We definitely will spend time honoring her birth mom as much as we can or should that would be appropriate. One China dad said that on the new moon festival is the time they spend each year looking up at the moon, the same one her birth mom would see and they say a prayer for her and Thank God for her. We will have to come up with something creative. Last night as I watched her roll around I thought how special it is that we have this blessing and her birth mom will never know what happened beyond the day she let her go. It breaks my heart as a new mom and knowing that she is safe. If there is ever a way to let that wonderful woman know – the woman who sacrificed for Lacie and for us.

On a lighter note – yesterday John was carrying her when we were walking to dinner about a city block distance (to Lucy’s restaurant). About half way down the road he asked that I take her, his back was hurting and she was slipping. I laughed at him cause he really was struggling and I had carried her all day long while shopping. When I hassled him about it he responded with, “Well I have never carried a baby this far before.” We are in for a rude awakening! By the way I always ask John’s permission before I share John stories.

John is wonderful. For someone who has only been a human jungle gym and playmate with children, he is becoming quite the wonderful new daddy. She still smiles more for him than me. They had some more alone time today and when I returned to the room they both looked at me like I was interfering with some type of fun.

There is a tradition for China adoptions and that is to take the pictures of all the baby’s on the red sofa in the White Swan Hotel. John and I were both very surprised when Lacie began the chorus of crying. She is generally so very good natured and we were shocked. Maybe this means she will in a leadership role some day. Anyway, attached is a photo of Lacie’s group. She is second from the left in the adorable hat. The other picture attached is of Lacie and her friends. These three girls slept right next to each other in the orphanage. Their cribs were literally touching.

Tomorrow is a huge day for us. It is our consulate appointment for the final leg of our China journey. We also need to begin our packing and preparing to come home. If we do not post again until we return it is because we are busy trying to get it all done. We leave for the airport at 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. Saturday morning. My plan is to just literally wake her up to leave and feed her on the bus. I have learned now that with a new baby that plans do not get finalized. There are always adjustments. I am a planner and try to think things out ahead of time. I am learning now that babies decide to go number 2 just as we are supposed to walk out the door for an appointment. It does not matter how well we plan. So, I am going to come up with an alternative plan B just in case.

We are sad to leave our daughters first home but we are anxious to get her home to ours – and now her new home. We look forward to seeing our family and friends soon. We are a little homesick but now I am feeling homesick for China. China is and will always be a part of our lives. We are now a multiracial and multicultural family. And we will honor her culture as well as ours.

Much love to each of our family and friends at home and everywhere.

Vonda and John and Lacie