Today is a very special day for our family! Three years ago today we walked into a Civil Affairs office in China and saw our son for the first time in person. I nearly passed out walking down that long hallway that lead to the last room on the right. The floor was very shiney and I am pretty sure I was on my way to hyperventilation. As I walked down that hallway I remember thinking "what are we getting ourselves into? what if he doesn't like us? what if he doesn't attach and bond to us?". I got nauseus, my heart was about to jump out of my chest. Then I reminded myself that God brought us this far and He wouldn't have done it if it weren't meant to be. He lead us to Griffin. I believe that with all my heart.
We walked into that room expecting him to be late as they had a 2 hr drive from the SWI. There he sat on the table with a rice cracker in his hand. He was so little and so adorable. I already loved him but when I saw him I just totally fell head over heels in love with him! His nanny told him who we were and then he offered both of us a bite of his cracker. At that moment I knew it would be ok.
Cleatus was so cute. He had taken a video of the dogs to show to Grif and I think he was so nervous that he didn't know what to do so he got the video camera out and showed him the video. Grif wan't impressed. We had taken a little backpack for him with toys, snacks & books in it. He wasn't too interested in that either. Looking back he just looked shell-shocked. Actually, we all did! We signed some paperwork and asked some questions of the nanny and assistant director before they left. Then there we were with this little boy who didn't know us and whom we really didn't know. It was crazy. I was TERRIFIED! I prayed ALOT! Constantly!
We left the office and went directly to a supermarket to get snacks and supplies. Grif fell asleep in my arms on the way to the store. (so precious!) We put together a lunch from what we had in the room so that we could just be there as a new family.
I just stared at him, drank in those first few hours. We have pictures and video of this time. I called my Mom even though it was very late at home. I remember saying "we have him" and then starting to cry tears of joy. She was crying too. (I'm crying now...) Part of that conversation is on the video that Cleatus was shooting of Grif. It's very surreal to watch it now.
I just can't believe it's been 3 years! It seems that these 3 years have passed more quickly than that 11 months when we were waiting. That was the LONGEST 11 months of my life! Now my baby is 5 1/2 and getting ready for kindergarden. I'm not who this is possible!
I need to get some pictures together and send them to his SWI. I know they love to get updates of the kids. There is a very sweet woman at work who speaks and writes Chinese who has offered to translate a short letter for me to include so that we can tell the SWI staff how Grif is doing now.
We celebrated this evening with a dinner out with my brother and sister-in-law. Here birthday was a couple days ago so it was a double celebration. This was a low key celebration but we did get Grif a gift that he's has his eye on for several months. It's a "big red T-Rex" and he's very cool. Grif must have told us 100 times how much he loves the dino and thanked us for it. We talked about Family Day and how special it was to us. I really think he understood even though he doesn't really remember that day.
So, Happy Family Day to us! Happy Gotcha Day! My dreams came true 3 years ago today. I'm a mom!
