OUR AVA DAY

We had to be up early on Sunday morning....We left for the airport at 5:50 am for our 8:00 am flight to Nanchang.  We were all really excited, but nervous about how the day would unfold.  Many of us talked about how sad we were for our babies....It would be such a difficult and scary day for them. But, we were happy too...FINALLY after all this time, we would meet our daughters.   Our flight went smoothly and we arrived into Nanchang about 10:30 am.  We collected our luggage and boarded our tour bus.  The weather in Nanchang was much more humid than it was in Beijing.  We arrived at the hotel about 11:30.  When we were standing in line for our room keys, J said he couldn't find our passports.  We were going through all our things, but Veronica told us not to worry.  We were still quite worried until we found them in Ava's carry on bag.  I won't mention who put them in there, but he was forgiven for about giving me a heart attack! ;)   We checked into our rooms and were starting to unpack.  We heard a knock at the door and I just knew who it would be before we even answered it.  It was Pug Mama and BD!! We were so happy to see them....We just couldn't believe that only TWO days after they received their TA....They were in China with us!!   We were told that the babies would arrive at 3:30 pm.  Pug Mama and I decided that we would meet in the lobby about 2:30....We wanted to visit before the babies arrived....AND we wanted to get photos of them as soon as they were taken off the bus!! ;)  It wasn't long that all the families in the group were sitting in the lobby with us.  We would hear a baby crying and everyone would jump up to see!!  When it was almost 3:30, Veronica received a phone call that the babies were stuck in traffic.  She told us that they were now going to arrive at 4:30 instead.  More waiting, but we still were only an hour away.    Just about 4:30 we saw a van pulled up to the front of the hotel....ALL of us were there like the paparazzi waiting for a glimpse.  Pug Mama's beautiful girl was the first one in the door.  She was walking with a nanny, clutching her little pug stuffed animal.  Just when Ava was about to walk in the door with her nanny, they all turned around and headed back toward the van!  We didn't know where they were going, but then they decided to come back in again.  We took a few photos, but it really happened too fast to really catch her.   The next part happened so fast.....It's really a blur.  We walked up to the 2nd floor to a conference room.  There were chairs lined up that covered 3 walls.  The one row of chairs on the right of door was where all the babies were sitting with the nannies. J and I couldn't find a seat....We stood behind a row of chairs that was facing Ava.  I couldn't take my eyes off of her....She was BEAUTIFUL.    I can't even tell you what number we were to be called up to get her.  I think we may have been third, but I'm not sure.  We walked up and showed someone (I can't even remember!) our passport and they verified that Fu Yan La was our Ava.  I remember taking her, but I never even looked at the woman that handed her to me.  I wish it wasn't such a blur.  I do remember someone speaking in Chinese (it might have been Veronica) that I was Mama.  Ava started crying when I reached for her.  We stood there for a second and I remember Pug Mama and BD were taking pictures.  We went over to the corner seat and I tried to calm her down.  J went to take photos for Pug Mama and BD when it was their turn.  I totally missed seeing them get Low-Low.  =(   Ava was quite upset until we took her out of the conference room.  We went back to our hotel room and you could see her eyes studying everything.  I climbed on the bed and just held her for the longest time.  She began to relax and just melt into me.  She wrapped her little arms tight around me and wasn't going to let me go.  I didn't mind....I wasn't going to let go of her either.    We played with toys on the bed for awhile, but she still was so serious.  It wasn't until we moved into the other room and got out the cookies.....She started to be more relaxed.  This little girls face lights up when she sees food.....Just like her Mama!  I also should add that she was clutching a cookie when she was handed to me.  Even when she was crying....She would take a few bites of her cookie!   It was only about two hours after we had her that she gave us her first smile.  We were so fortunate that her Daddy captured it on film.  Daddy then left to do some of the paperwork and it was then that I found out that my girl likes to be tickled.....Not only did she smile, but she giggled.  It was music to my ears!!   After we called the kids on skype (I should add that they all thought their new baby sister is adorable!!), La La started to get a little fussy.  She snuggled into my neck and it was only minutes later that she was fast asleep.  We put her down on the bed between us and she slept through the night.  She only woke up briefly and her Daddy rubbed her head and she was fast asleep.   Both J and I didn't sleep as good as our girl.  I woke up thinking about how very lucky and blessed we are.  I thanked God for giving us this beautiful perfect child.  Our family is finally complete.  We're so madly in love this child already.  We spent most of the night just watching her.....Dreams really do come true.  We're truly blessed.