Final Adoption! Introducing Eiley Joy Pierce!

GOTCHA DAY.......Two Days Later......

I am reporting about our big day two days late. We have had all kinds of technology and camera issues, but I'm glad to FINALLY be able to share about our special day!!!!

We knew that GOTCHA DAY this time was going to be utter chaos. There were 30 families scheduled to get their babies, and the Registration Office where this takes place is not a very large room. Before we had to worry about that, though, the bus that was supposed to take our group there was delayed because of traffic and an accident, so we left about 45 minutes behind schedule.

When we arrived at the Registration Building it was pouring down rain (which it has done EVERY DAY since we arrived in Zhengzhou), and as we expected, the office was crammed packed with families, most of whom had already gotten their babies. That meant there was a WHOLE LOT of crying and screaming going on. Roger spotted Eiley Joy immediately, so we headed in her direction. We had no idea how she would react when we took her in our arms. I reached out my arms for her, and she wouldn't come, so I just took her from her ayi. Roger was supposed to be filming this, but he was so overwrought with emotion that the only thing he filmed was my feet. :) I really hate that he didn't capture that moment on tape, because our new little girl started flailing her arms as soon as I took her. She pulled out two of my earrings and knocked off my glasses. I think she was letting us know that she could be a little spit fire!!!! As I wrestled with her, I quietly began to sing, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," and when I did, she immediately calmed down. She was just as cute and precious as I thought she was going to be. Molly Kate and Callie Beth talked to her and touched her. She was immediately settled in my arms, and later in Roger's arms when he took her.

I recognized immediately that Eiley Joy was sick. She had the most HORRIBLE deep cough. Her ayi gave me a bottle of cough syrup for her and said she had a cold. It didn't take us long, though, to realize just how horrible she felt. All she wanted was to be held, and that's exactly what I did all day. It broke my heart that she was sick, but I LOVED the cuddling and hugging. She DEFINITELY is a SNUGGLE BUNNY!!!!

I have more to share about GOTCHA DAY, but it's late and we have another big day tomorrow, and I really need some sleep, so I'm signing out for today. MORE tomorrow......I have LOTS of catching up to do!!!!

Vicki :)

We are so grateful for these kind ladies who cared for and loved Eiley Joy.

GOTCHA!!!

"We are BLESSED.....more to come later!!!"

GOTCHA Eiley Joy!

Eiley Joy is already wearing her bows!

This picture will not rotate for some reason!

She's Ours.....
We have her, other than feeling badly, she is doing great, and we will post pictures as soon as we can!!!

OUR LIVES ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE FOREVER........

It has been a long, eventful, but good day. We are now in Zhengzhou, Eiley Joy's birth province. At 9:30 in the morning (since it is now past midnight in China, THIS MORNING) we will be heading to the official place where our third daughter will be placed in our arms.

Please pray for our sweet Eiley Joy. Her world is about to change. The life....the ONLY life she has ever known will be no more. She and three of her friends from Shanghai Healing Home who are also being adopted, along with their ayis, are most likely on the train now, and will be arriving early in the morning, and then brought to us.

Roger and I covet your prayers, too. Our lives are about to change forever, also.......but DEFINITELY, for the better. I am so tired I can barely hold my eyes open to type this, but I am SOOOO excited as I think about them placing her in my arms!!!

I hope to have LOTS and LOTS of pictures to come!!!!

Vicki :)

Eiley Joy, just a couple of days ago, getting her hair styled and ready to meet her new family. 
(Photo from Shanghai Healing Home)

Day 2 in Beijing..... WHAT GOES UP, MUST COME DOWN

Today our big site seeing event was going to the Great Wall of China.  We traveled about an hour and a half to get to the area of the wall we were going to climb.  We had a choice of two different sides to climb.  When we were here in Beijing in 2012, I had climbed the difficult side and had made it up over 800 steps.  Today, we opted to climb the "family" side or what they told us was the EASIER side.  Molly Kate and Callie Beth were really excited about climbing the Great Wall.  Of course, I knew they probably wouldn't make it very far because the steps are not ordinary steps----they are of all different heights, with some of the steps being at least 18 inches high, and there are areas of the steps that are SO steep that we could almost touch our chests to the next step up.   Did I say that I knew the girls wouldn't make it very far????  Boy, was I ever wrong!!!!  We climbed and we climbed and we climbed (and stopped quite frequently to catch our breath), and then we climbed some more.  Callie Beth was my climbing partner and Molly Kate was Roger's.  Because of Callie Beth's depth perception problem, I pretty much either held her hand and we climbed, or had her climb in front of me, holding on to the rail.  She was SO funny.  She talked NON-STOP all the way up to our "pinnacle."  Of course, all four of us were stopped numerous times on the way up to have our picture by Chinese people of all ages.  You would think that Molly Kate and Callie Beth would blend in quite fine here in China,  Well, they were celebrities today, as they have been on every outing we've had since we've been here.  I think it's maybe their BOWS that has drawn the attention!!!  

ANYWAY, we finally made it to a point where I said I was ready to call it quits.  Both girls wanted to continue farther, but we wouldn't give in.  We rested for awhile and then decided we'd better start back to our bus.  Of  course, after climbing UP all those steps, we had to go back DOWN them.  I again held Callie Beth's hand and I decided I would count how many steps we had climbed.  Well, Callie Beth decided she would count with me, and she did so at the top of her lungs, taking time out every now and then to have a giggling fit.  Molly Kate and Roger were right behind us, and Molly Kate was counting very loudly, too.  It was definitely easier going DOWN the steps, but again, there were places that the steps looked like they were almost a straight up and down.  Add those many extra steep steps to that, it was no less than a feat!!!  DRUM ROLL please......  Our little China girls, along with their mommy and daddy climbed and descended SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FOUR STEPS!!!!

After leaving the Great Wall, we visited the Jade Factory.  It is a very interesting place to visit in that there are items to see that range in price from $1 to $1,000,000.  I bought Eiley Joy a very pretty jade bangle bracelet to give to her for a special occasion when she gets older. 

After the Jade Factory visit, we ate lunch----you guessed it----at a Chinese restaurant!!!  One thing I will say about the Chinese food we've had already---it has all been very different, and of course, NOTHING like the Chinese food in Kentucky.  It really was a delicious meal.  However, I don't think it's going to take many more Chinese meals to be totally burned out on the food!!!

After our meal, we had time to get back to the hotel and rest for about 20 minutes before getting back on the bus and going to the Chinese Acrobat Show.  We had seen the show when we were here two year ago, and it was definitely something I didn't want to miss this trip either.  It was simply PHENOMENAL!!!  I really thought the girls would like it, but unfortunately, their 684 step climb caught up with them, and they slept through the whole show!!!!

We ended our day with a little bouncy house playtime for the girls, and then a short stroller walk.

We will be leaving the hotel  at 6:30 in the morning to fly to Zhengzhou, Henan.....and the FINAL countdown will begin.....two more days until Eiley Joy is in our arm!!!!!  We are ALL excited beyond words, and it just warms my heart through and through when I hear Molly Kate say, "I'm getting a little sister, and I'm SO excited!!!!"  Callie Beth talks about Eiley Joy all the time, too!!!! 

Please pray that the transition will be easy for Eiley Joy.  Pray that she will feel our love for her, and that she will feel safe with us from the beginning.  We are SO ready to have her as a part of our family!!!!

Vicki :)

WE ARE HERE!!!! Day 1 in Beijing

After a 13 1/2 hour flight from Chicago, we arrived in Beijing last night (Thursday night) at around 9:30 PM. We had a GREAT flight. We all slept quite a bit. I had been up all night the previous night doing last minute packing, and Roger hadn't had much sleep either, so we took advantage of the rest time. Molly Kate and Callie Beth were PERFECT on the flight, but then, I wasn't expecting them to be anything less. :)

We have quite a large adoption group this time. There are 12 families who are already here, and two more families who are coming on Saturday. Many families have extended members of their family with them, and I think there are a total of nine children, including Molly Kate and Callie Beth who are here. It is a really great group of people, and we have already made quick friendships.

Today was a site seeing day for us. We went to visit Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City. The neatest part of our day, though, was the Hutong tour by rickshaw and lunch at a local family house. We got to see life from the royalty side versus life of the common people. When we were in Beijing in 2012 on our adoption trip for Callie Beth, we did these same tours, except we didn't have the lunch at the local family house. It was definitely one of the best meals I have had in China out of all three of our trips here.

We are back in our hotel room now. Roger is SNORING quite loudly, and Molly Kate and Callie Beth just fell asleep, too. We are meeting up with some of the other couples in our group a little later to go visit the Food Street (pictures to come later) and find something for our evening meal.

It has been a fun day, and there are more fun activities planned for tomorrow.....BUT we are looking forward to Monday when we will be united with our Eiley Joy. Molly Kate and Callie Beth are SO excited about getting their little sister. The lives of ALL of the families in our group are going to change---and all for the better!!!!

Tired Girls!

Sleeping Angels.