September 11 - Gotcha Day!

The day we have been waiting for finally arrived. Today we were joined with our beautiful Raegan Jean Biggs!!

We left for the Civil Affairs building at 3:30pm. When we got there it was VERY busy with the placement of children. The hallways were filled with crying children. I didn't think I could get nervous like I did on Mackenzie's Gotcha Day, but I actually did.

Raegan came to us without a whimper. She actually walked into the room holding her caregivers hand. She was holding a sweet that looked kind of like a marshmallow in a plastic wrapper. She kept rubbing it between her fingers. She came right to CC at first, then she came to me. She was fasinated by Mackenzie. I was glad Mackenzie was there as it eased Raegan's transition. We also caught her catching all of the activitiy around her. We understand from her care giver that she is "very busy, very observant, explorer." Oh boy!

She did not utter a peep until her care giver exited the room. Then she began to cry. It's one of those cries that will break your heart - lots of heavy sobs. Thank God it was a short one. We met Becky and her husband from our Shantou Yahoo group. They were getting ready to have their child placed as well. Since their child was getting ready to come in we were told it would be a good time to leave before Raegan saw more children and care givers from her institute.

We took a quick taxi back to our hotel and we came to our room. Mackenzie automatically kicked it into big sister mode. She helped fix Raegan's bottle, and also helped get Raegan's toys out and help her to play.

Raegan is the cutest thing, It's safe to say her surgery was successful. She is the most solid 22 pound child I believe I've ever held. If she's 22 pounds then I can still fit in the wedding dress I wore 18 years ago....and trust me, I can't. Raegan is a chunky monkey.

Raegan began to get a little whiny and through one heck of a screaming fit when we put her in the stroller. We finally took her out and let Mackenzie get in. We walked to dinner at the Cow and Bridge and got everyone fed. All it took was a little congee and rice and she was like a new child.

As we came out of the restaurant, Raegan was very content to sit in the stroller and take a ride. When we got back to our room we put pajamas on and she practically undressed herself. Once Mackenzie was a asleep I put Raegan in her crib with her new I-Spy quilt that MawMaw Judy made her. It wasn't long she put her fingers in her mouth and she was out. I even TRIED to give her "woobie". She wouldn't take it.

As Jeffery said on the way back from the hotel. "Well, Mackenzie, we are 2 for 2 on this adoption thing. I don't know what we did right for God to decide to give us to children that were perfect for us , but he did. "

We'll post more tomorrow. For some reason blogger is not letting me post any more pictures. Everyone is sleeping peacefully but me. I intend to join them. Tomorrow we get up and go to the Civil Affairs building for her "official" adoption. As far as we're concerned....it's as official as it needs to get for us......she's pretty much ours.