Yours Forever Sweet Pea

I had some trouble with posting last night... so hopefully this works today, if not I might have to go to the backup plan and have a friend post for us. The internet connection is so spotty that by the time I type the message the connection disappears and I can't post.

As of 10 am yesterday Grace was officially ours! We signed the final adoption papers and were handed her adoption certificate. It's funny that they give you a 24 hour waiting period... I know for some it's necessary... but for us there is NO WAY I was handing her back to ANYONE the second she was placed in my arms.

So, as far as China is concerned... she is ours. Of course, we felt that way about 5 months ago when we first saw her picture.

Here is a picture taken at the registration office. It looks really officially but the funny thing is the sign says "Marriage registration office". Of well, we won't tell anyone... oh wait, I just did. :) This was taken just a few moments after were given the adoption certificate. Only thing missing is B, K and D (who we miss terribly by the way... thank God for skype!)



And here is a picture of our cutie in a cute hat... waiting at the registration office. As you can tell... she sort of has a deer in headlights look. This look comes and goes. This would be her "shut-down" mode. She does come out of it and gets quite lively... but most of the time she is a lot like this.

Today is going to be quite a day... we are headed to Jiaozuo (the city where Grace's orphanage is) to have our documents notarized. We have been given permission to visit her orphanage!! So, we will be going there after. Steve and I will take turns going in and seeing it...and we will leave Grace in the bus. It will be too traumatic for her to go in and see her nannies again. We are so grateful that we will be able to do this! We are HOPING that we will be able to visit her finding location as well, but we were told that it might be as far as an hour a way out in the country. So it will all depend. Needless to say, this will be a long and emotional day. So, please keep us in your prayers.

Grace seems to be feeling better. Her cough is slowly but surely improving. And she did not have any fever yesterday. Thank God our pediatrician prescribed an antibiotic for us!!

Steve and I are trying to estimate her developmental level.... she is small. She is the smallest of the kids in the group, even though there is a little boy that is supposably 4 months younger. Unless she is holding back on showing us her walking and standing skills (quite possibly) her gross motor skills seem to be at about 10 or 11 months. Her fine motor skills are better... maybe 14 months or so. Probably too early to really tell though. She is very proportional in size. She isN'T skinny, but not too chubby (despite her crazy cute chubby cheeks). :)

Needless to say... we are sooooooooo very in love with her. I can only pray that she senses that. We aren't going anywhere sweet girl.... we are yours FOREVER!!!!!