The Big Day!

We just awoke from our first night with Sarah. The last 24 hours seem very surreal. We left the hotel at a little after 7:00 a.m. yestesterday morning and drove to the town of Bien Hoa with the other Holt family that is here. They are a nice couple from D.C. adopting their first child, a boy named Vu. Driving into the town/village of Bien Hoa from Ho Chi Mihn was like driving from a bustling city into a very very poor village. We arrived at the orphange and were cheerfully greeted by the Holt representative Tuan, the orphange director, the social worker and lots of the orphange staff. We passed out our gifts and were told both children were arriving soon with their foster families. Sarah arrived first. Her foster mom kissed her and walked her over to us and introduced us as Ba and Ma. She approahed us hessitantly but eventually let me pick her up, while keeping a close eye on her foster mom. She then went to David a looked at him intently. Then without prompting kissed him.

We then went down to the section of the orphange where the little children stay. There were a lot of little babie and quite a few toddlers. There was also an older boy with a severely cleft lip and palet. He took to both of and really like having his picture taken and then looking at himself in the camera. We were able to see the children of the other Holt families we had connected with on-line. We gave them hugs and took their pictures.

We then got to spend time with Sarah's foster mother and father and little sister. We asked her foster mom lots of questions about her schedule, likes and dislikes. We could tell she really loved Sarah. Then it was time to say goodbye. Her foster mom held her for a moment and and kissed her. Then she muttered something to the director in Vietnamese and the director took Sarah to another room and the foster family quickly left on their motorbike (all three of them on one bike a very common thing here to see whole familie riding on one motorbike no helmets).

Sarah cried a bit when she realized they were gone but stopped when we showed her, her new doll.

We then went to the Department of Justice for the formal giving and recieving ceremony. It consisted of waiting a long time in a crowded hot building then signing a few papers and then we were on our way. The other couple James and Adrianna had a much harder time with Vu. He cried a lot.

When we got back to the hotel we took her to the room and gave her a nice warm bath. We could tell she wasn't used to a bath in a tub like this. We then dressed her in a pretty new dress and went for lunch. She was very popular with all the waitresses. She talked to all of them and even told one in Vietnamese that we were her mom and dad. I was so thankful to the waitress for translating that. She also told one of them she was 4 instead of three then laughed. That is something big brother Sam would do. She ate a lot for a little girl whose not supposed to have an appetite. Although she ate very slowly, so maybe that was interpreted as not having much of an appetite. We then went back to the room and all had a nap.

After our nap we went out on the town. We bought her two pairs of shoes, a bottle and the formula they said she was used to. Bye the way the two pairs of shoes cost less than $10.00 at a fancy department store.

Then we had dinner. She had rice (com) and fruit. Then she had some of my hamburger and lots of my fries. Yes, Katie you were right she loves french fries.

Then we went back to the room and got ready for bed. She crawled up in her bed and we said prayers. ( this was something new for her) We all crashed. It had been a long emotional day for all of us.

This morning I woke up about 6:30 and peaked over at her. She was wide a awake but laying very still not saying a word. I wonder what she is thinking. We scooped her up and put her in bed with us for some snuggle time. Things went remarkable well for a first day and night. She is wonderful! We are so blessed! Praise God!