OUR MIRACLE IS HERE!!!

I have to apologize for it taking 7 hours to get an update on our blog!  We have been having too much fun!!!!

 

Wow, what an afternoon.  Our miracle girl is here and she is more of a miracle than we could have ever imagined.  We travelled to the Adoption Office to wait in a conference room for our daughter.  Outside of our little room was a big room filled with families who were waiting just like us.  Most of them were from Scandinavian countries, decked out in suits and ties.  A little different than us Americans who were looking quite casual.  Nevertheless, we were all there for one purpose – to finally be united with our children.

 

A few at a time, the nannies brought the children into the big room.  Of the three couples from our agency, we were the first ones.  We were told she was coming and we readied the video and the camera.  We walked into the big room and saw her sweet face that was filled with terror.  Her nanny handed her to me and surprisingly she came, reluctantly but she did let me hold her.  She sat in my arms looking around with this look of ‘What in the world is happening?’  She never cried but she was very solemn and sober and remained that way for the time we were in the office, about an hour and a half.  She never made a peep – she was completely still with her big eyes looking around trying to make sense of it all.  She held on tightly to her panda and a few Polly Pockets that Anna Claire had sent along (good idea AC!)

 

After all the paperwork, we returned to the hotel.  The whole time she sat snuggled in my arms but never making a sound.  It was clear she was sad.  In fact, when you look at the pictures you can see the sadness in her face.  My guess is that she was prepared quite well for her adoption because she seemed to recognize us, but there was an obvious level of discomfort (as to be expected!)

 

Once we returned to the hotel I put her down on the bed and she would have none of that.  So I picked her up and we sat down together and began to play.  Within 10 minutes she was noticeably more comfortable and her shell began to crack.  It wasn’t long before she was giggling on the bed, stacking blocks and playing with her beads, and consuming vast amounts of Teddy Grahams!  It was an amazing transformation.  We stayed in the room for a couple of hours and then ventured out for dinner.  As soon as we were outside in a different environment, she shut back down.  Her sad face came back although she was content to be carried by Eric.  Once we settled in at the restaurant, she came alive again.  And the kid can eat! 

 

That’s the play by play.  What isn’t captured in those words is the miracle that Lydia is.  We look at her and can’t believe our eyes.  She is perfect.  This “special needs” child who was far less than 3^rd percentile in September is now this super chunky, giggling, spunky little girl whose smile will light up a room.  She is a miracle.  Only God could have orchestrated the events to bring her to us and we are even more thankful than before now that we can see and touch and smell our little miracle girl.  Our gratefulness is even more profound as we are with the two other couples who adopted alongside of us.  One of their little girls is missing her left hand, and the other little girl has an eye deformity that they knew about but several other needs that they were not aware of.  Certainly these little girls are precious creations, but they are also a reminder of what a miracle Lydia is.  We followed God’s leading to special needs adoption, walking in faith that where he led us would be good and right for our family, and here we are – with a perfect little girl who could not be more beautiful and more ‘normal’. 

 

She is now asleep.  I read her a story, sang her a few songs and laid her down in the crib.  Nope, she would have none of that.  So I picked her back up and laid down on the bed with her on my chest, just like a little newborn.  Within two minutes, she was sound asleep.  Perfectly peaceful.  How could I not praise God with all of my being for this miracle! 

 

Thank you so much for all of your prayers.  I hope you can know just how valuable they have been.  We will keep posting lots of pictures of our precious peanut, whoops, I mean our precious little CHUNK!

 

Now the mother of four,

Ashleigh