Gotcha Day

"Gotcha Day" started out as good as last time with a Starbucks coffee
and no problems at the airport. The only difference was that Shanghai
had a Starbucks on every corner, and I wasn't starving to death (that
will come soon enough).
We met some great people in the airport – a Mexican couple and their
daughters, one of which who is doing her international MBA in Shanghai
(sound familiar M and D?), an American who teaches at the university
(all of 10 years old) and his British students heading to Sichuan
province to build a school with Habitat for Humanity. Very
interesting people to talk to.
Once in Fuzhou (pronounced FUJOU), we met our guide and ran into the
one thing I was worried about from the beginning – switching our USD's
for Yuen. We needed to change over $8000 in cash which I explained
last time is never a quick or easy task, especially on a Sunday just 3
short hours before meeting Elena. Luckily our guide had a solution
and called "a guy" to come to our hotel room and relieve us of our
cash for what we were hoping was not counterfeit money. And not
because we're surrounded by Fukanese people, but the thought of
closing the door and gang of guys coming back to rob us, did cross our
minds. (For those of you who don't know, Toronto has a bit of a
problem with organized Fukanese gangs).
Anyway, fast forward to 3pm. We got a phone call from our guide
Tracey to head down to the 3rd floor with our passports and the
additional documentation we needed. James, true to form, had decided
at 2:45 he would order some food and was eating at the time – and yes,
he knew she was coming at 3. You can only imagine my state of mind
about then, but as he sipped his wonton soup, he was "gently"
encouraged to leave it and come with us - luckily for him he didn't
doddle too much.
We all headed to the elevator, Patrick pressed the buttons (Eric will
get to next time, then Patrick, then Eric…and heaven help us if we
lose track). Off the elevator we met our guide and just a few steps
to a conference room. As soon as we turned the corner we could hear
this little girl crying and knew it was her. Walking through the door
we saw her standing against the wall, crying her little heart out as
the orphanage staff were trying to take her passport photo. She was
sooooo cute. My goodness, I can't explain how adorable she looked
standing there. How they ever thought that they could get her to stop
crying under extremely bright lights, the flash going off like a
strobe light, and with everyone yelling at her to look at the camera,
I'll never know. We wanted to go over to her, but we were ushered to
the other side of the room, where "Jack" (I'm thinking that wasn't his
name at birth) had a ton of paperwork and forms to fill out etc… I
don't remember one word he said, I just agreed to everything and then
hoped I could go over and get her. Patrick and Eric were almost
beside themselves needing to comfort her and the confusion didn't help
anyone. This was quite different than when Grace joined us.
At one point, she got so ticked with everyone, she just left the room
and started down the hall. James and I looked around hoping someone
would stop her, and when no one did, Patrick took the initiative to
chase after her and we didn't stop him. Eventually one of the staff
members went back and got her, but James kept asking me "do we both
have to stand here, can't one of us get her?", like I knew the
answer. To our great pleasure, she brought Elena to us and she wanted
to come with me not James!!! Na na na na boo boo. She grabbed onto me
and was like a little panda, I didn't even have to hold her up, she
was clinging for dear life.
She was inconsolable until the boys took over. Eric instinctively
started playing peek-a-boo which got her attention and a brief
reprieve in the crying. Patrick stroked her face and she almost
smiled. Next, the dreaded "family photo" and a half hour explanation
about how exactly the picture had to be taken. I had her resting on
my right hip, calm and ready for the picture. But alas, James wasn't
allowed on my right side, the MAN had to be on the left (oh for
heavens sake). Okay, switch her over and the water works started
again. The orphanage staff quickly called the boys over to console
her and soon it was over. James stayed to fill out more forms and I
left the bright lights and the ear piercing cackling for the quiet,
dimly lit hallway and all was well in the world!
Well, except that I wanted James to get some answers from the staff,
so I mistakenly asked Eric to go back into the room and relay my
message. I should have had Eric ask one question and Patrick the
other because the bedlam that ensued was nothing short of WWI and I
almost ran as fast as I could for fear that they were going to take
Elena back. Too much excitement, too little sleep, and too many plane
rides can really mess up two adults, never mind an 8 and a 5 year old.
Elena cried non-stop for 4 hours until she finally fell asleep around
8pm on top of me and is still asleep now. The boys went to bed at 5pm
and woke up about an hour ago (it's 4am here).
Today we're going to do the rest of the paperwork with the Ministry
and she will officially be ours. We'll be heading to Walmart to
pickup diapers (she's not trained much to my chagrin) and a few other
supplies. She has been indulged by her foster parents and is quite
spoiled. She only drinks the more expensive and difficult to find
formula, was carried 24/7 by her foster father and slept on her foster
mum. When the orphanage staff told James to be prepared for this he
said "don't worry, you don't know Patricia, that won't last long".
I'm pretty sure we're going to keep "spoiling" her for a little bit
but knowing where to draw the line is going to be a hard one.