Boy...oh...Boy!!!!!

All this way for just one boy...and he was worth the wait!

At 2:30 we met our guide, Harry, in the lobby to drive to Civil Affairs. We arrived and were told that Isaiah was already there...he had arrived in Wuhan from Yichang at 12! The escort from the Social Welfare Institute said he had not slept at all since leaving Yichang at 7 am!

At first he was very calm when he came in the room. For us it was so emotional because this was the very room where we received Potato just a little over 1 year ago. And now we were watching our son enter the room through the same door!

He stared at his sisters who were seated below him...also nearly in the same place where we first laid eyes on Potato...this is precious ground to the H family! After a few minutes of introductions to Mama, Baba (Daddy) and Jie Jies (Big sisters) he busted into a major teary meltdown.

Daddy and I had to go to the table for signing the entrustment agreement of 24 hours...he's not legally ours yet...we have 24 hours to back out if we want to...I almost laughed out loud when the guide interpreted that to us again...fat chance....this kid is OURS!

While we were at the table...the Jie Jies worked their magic on their Di Di (little brother)! They got out their box of tricks including bubbles (which of course got spilled on the floor), little plastic dinosaurs and some matchbox cars (my warmest thanks to Tiffeny for these...what a shower gift...he would not let go of one of those cars!)...

Before long the Jie Jies had some balloons blown up and we heard it...HIS LAUGH!

Two other families were in the room, one another CHI family adopting a precious girl also from Yichang. As each family was engrossed in the first family time...our girls were in full swing doting on that brother...who is HUGE! He is nearly as tall as Potato (she is 3.5 years, he is 19 months) and he is heavier, I think, than Busy Bee!

In short order we were released and the Jie Jie's could not persuade him to walk out with them on his own power. So, I swooped in and picked him up. The first time holding him was a powerful experience. I had only touched him very briefly before.

He cried a silent tear as Daddy and I posed for our first picture with him in the hall. Then outside of this now familiar building, our guide took our first group photo...though we are so sad that Butterfly is not in it or our eldest son and his beautiful bride!

We climbed in the van and off we went...he was on my lap...and he was heavy, heavy against me. He felt totally RELAXED and in about 10 minutes, he was asleep...where he is right now in the bassinet in our room.

He didn't wake as I took him out of the car. He didn't wake when I put him down...he is exhausted.

We will see how he is when he awakes. Please be praying every time you think of us for comfort for his grieving heart, sensitivity on the part of the sisters and rest for all of us during this bonding time.

For those of you who I know were praying so hard for us through the night...Daddy and I remarked in the car that it was OBVIOUS that we were being carried along by your prayers. We can FEEL them as we've gone along...it is tangible to be bathed in prayer...

I'll update more soon...we'll see how this evening goes...

Keep praying! Celebrate what God has done! Our son is finally with us...and I'm so glad we came all this way... for just one boy!