It happened on a Sunday, so instead of going to the Civil Affairs office, we met in a conference room in the hotel. We were headed down the business center just off the lobby with our guide to make sure our paperwork was in order and as we stepped off the elevator ... Who was walking into the lobby but our little dude with the orphanage staff. He was so tiny and had such a sweet little face as he looked at us but held tightly onto the staff member's hand. He gave us an uncertain smile ... Adorable. Then we moved onto the business center while he went up to the conference room.
He has already said goodbye to his foster family a few days earlier ... and has been at the orphanage since.
After checking the paperwork in the business center, we headed up to the conference room.
Holy. Chaos.
...but we got through it. Yi Hui was starting to catch on that he had to go with strangers who he is supposed to call mom and dad. I can't even begin to understand how confusing and frightening that must be.
As I tried to play Thomas the Train with him, they needed us to sign documents, then take a family picture ... man was that a hot mess. Literally and figuratively ... sweating like crazy. This place is hot and humid! ... add nerves to it, and that family pic is one heck of a keeper.
Another family from Holland was there as well ... Adopting a 4 year old girl. They too were juggling paperwork, language barrier, and a scared crying child as well.
I retained, pretty much, no information I received during that hour. Not the best time to ask the final questions of the people who know your child best up to that point. Then ... kinda like childbirth ... There you are. With a child. And you're kinda like, huh, O.K.
So we headed back to our room, played, organized, ordered room service ... the language barrier made it interesting, but we got all we ordered :) ... Then a bath, skype Henry and family back home ... then bed.
That's when James got seriously sad. He was crying out ... I think realizing these people are it, I'm not going to see my (foster) mom again. He had been with his foster family for a year and a half. They are the only family he knows. So I just held him (took most of the day for him to let us hold him, and that's not a solidified deal just yet:) and sang and hummed. Man do I stink at the words to nursery songs. Thank God for Twinkle Twinkle! .. That's about all I got in my repertoire, well that and made up words.
Finally, he calmed down and eventually fell asleep in my arms.
He work up crying out once ... put him in bed with us... then once he slept for awhile ... put him back in his crib and he has slept the rest of the night. I didn't. :) ... right now, I'm listening to his little breaths.
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