My orphan eyes meet hers...

TUES. 13 MARCH 2007 3pm-5pm VIETNAM TIME

WE HAVE HER!!!!!!!!! Maile Noel Thuy Carlson is OFFICALLY OURS...I get chills just writing that!!! What an AMAZING past 24 hrs. I tried so hard to log in last night after exhaustion and emotions had consumed the 7 hrs. drive to NT & then meeting Maile (Thuy Trang is what they call her in the orphanage), but the internet was sooooooo slllllooooooowwwwww!!! Heather & I tried to wait patiently for the internet to load ONE page & it took 10 mins...we just couldn't sit through it, I was literally falling asleep waiting.

We just got back to the BEAUTIFUL Hotel here and just had to try again to see if the internet was faster & it WAS...so here I AM...to tell you-- WE HAVE SEEN, HELD, LOVED & NOW OFFICIALLY OURS, our ANGEL GIRL!!!! What a DREAM come true!!!

To back track from the last 24 hrs. - we arrived at the orphanage at 3pm - I had been practicing VN phrases on the way, would I be able to communicate with her how much we loved her already??? We saw Maile & a couple other little ones standing on top of the stairs of the 2nd floor at the gate as we pulled up. My heart was racing, tears were streaming, I was shaking and couldn't believe THIS WAS THE MOMENT to see her littl' face in person!!! A caregiver swept her away to change her outfit as we got out of the bus but within seconds of us arriving on the top steps, she appeared out of the doorway facing out to me and plummeted into my arms. There was NO soft introduction, looking at her closely and slowly, it was "here is Thuy Trang, Mama..." & I found her in my arms!!!!! She was WIDE EYED and very cautious, totally scared I'm sure but taking everything in. She had seen families come in before and the end result would be a playmate missing. Well this time it was HER TIME...we were THERE FOR HER!!!! As surreal as it was for her, it was for me...I got choked up just in awe of this most beautiful, BIG DARK eyed girl with supple olive skin & pouty lips in my arms & LETTING ME HOLD HER!!! She never cried ONCE IN MY ARMS!!!! In fact, her littl' arm was wrapped around my arm so tight like a hook, it was the BEST feeling in the world!!!!

We got the honor & pleasure of experiencing Heather & Jason hold Rocco (Tuan) for the first time & he cried at first, so unsure of the instant chaos. But with some time, he settled into BOTH Daddy & Mommy's arms!!!! Rocco was amazing, so sweet, precious & charmingl...a perfect fit for his NEW family! There were 4-5 babies on the floor & crib, I was terrified to accidently step or trip on one. A caregiver gave me "BOXED MILK" for her to drink (like a juice box but it was milk) & we sat on the foyer floor we we soaked in the moments of caregivers talking in VN, babies squeeling & crying...HOLDING Maile in my arms was a SPLICE OF HEAVEN on EARTH...

I tried to pass Thuy Trang to "ba" (daddy) - she did NOT like that...We heard her cry for the first time & boy it was a loud cry! She was mad & not going to have this strange white man hold her...she wanted to say how scared she was but could not so she cried! So, I took her and she stopped crying after getting her breathing back to a normal pattern...BUT!!! After a tour of the orphanage upstairs to see where she slept and view other babies, I tried again to see if Thuy Trang would let "ba" hold her...and SHE DID!!!! She was NOT liking it but she did NOT cry either - that's progress!!!!!

We sang lullabies to her & she was VERY aware of what was going on, constantly watching with those BIG, DARK BROWN EYES, but NOT saying a word!!!! We gave treats & candies to the other older children downstairs & they swarmed around us like bees to honey exclaiming, "me, me!!!!" We shared photos from back home & the "Grandmother" of the Centre & caregivers LOVED it, they huddled around oooohhing & ahhhhhhing over Anna (who is with her forever family in Dallas, TX) & pictures of ME in the orphanage, Maile & her NEW forever family!!!Unfortunately after our 2 hrs. visit, we had to leave, but it would be the last night without her.

WED 14 March 2007 12:37PM here in Ninh Thuan -- "FOREVER OURS" Day!!!
We woke up about 4:00am this AM & watched the video of yesterday's events with tears of joy & anticipation of getting ready for the G&R TODAY!!!! It was amazing footage & the emotions flood back...we then walked on the beach (yes, the pool walks out onto the BEACH of the PACIFIC OCEAN!!!) and watched the sunrise & picked a few seashells...Then after breakfast, it would be the event of a lifetime to officially be GIVEN Thuy Trang to be our daughter FOREVER!!!

We met with the Director of the Social Support Centre & had an "interview" where he asked about our families, future, time & effort to adopt & first and foremost...how come I didn't SPEAK VIETNAMESE if I was VIETNAMESE, even if I was an American now!!!?? But, he was very happy to know our babies were going to be loved & cared for like they were in at NT orphanage & ensured good medical care, education & future! The funniest conversation was when asking our occupations & between a Pastor, School Teacher, Financial Analyst & Dance Instructor (me) - the Dir. says, "Oh that is GOOD JOB" and smiles heartedly :).

We got to meet the social worker who accepted & did the paperwork for Maile. We tried to ask as many questions as possible but with language barrier & translation, it was a bit difficult. We didn't find out too much new informati0n but now know her birth mother lives very near by (about 2 miles away) & brought her to the orphanage last JUNE at 18 mos. old...both appeared to be in good health.

We said our good-byes & thank yous to caregivers & Directors at the centre and WITH MAILE in hand, we took her to the NT Local Justice Dept. (where our dossiers, paperwork, etc. had been processed.) While waiting for the ceremony to begin, Maile FELL ASLEEP IN MY ARMS & throughout the whole ceremony!!! I LOVED that she felt safe enough to lean up against my chest & hear my heart beating next to hers and then fall asleep. The officials welcomed us & started the 20-30 mins. ceremony through translations. We signed a few documents, paid 1 MILLION DONGS & made own decree to the officials ensuring we would care for our babies, raise them to honor the VN culture & try to bring them back to their homeland (& teach the VN language). That was it...after photos, we left the Local Justice Dept. where that would be last time we'd see one of the caregivers as we drove off...

The daddies applied for our babies' passport as we NOW begin the paperwork to BRING Maile HOME!!!! PLEASE pray we get the passport, visa, interviews, etc...all on time so we can fly home on our scheduled flight of 29 MARCH 2007!!! I cannot believe that will be 2 weeks from now, it feels like we've been gone a lifetime already...We have our baby, we just wanna come home NOW!!!! Mission accomplished :) - but not "Home free" yet...

Maile has fallen asleep in my lap again facing outward as I write to you...this DREAM come true is FAR better than I could ever have imagined...THANK YOU God for this littl' life entrusted into our arms & THANK YOU MOM & BOYS for hangin' in there until we bring Maile home!!! PLEASE know how much WE LOVE YOU and we'll be home as soon as we can!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE!!!!! I feel 'bad' for you that I GOT THE BEST GIFT of all & it's YOUR B-day...don't worry, I'll share my GIFT with you SOON!!!!

LOVE YOU ALL...we head back to Saigon tomorrow & will TRY really hard to upload photos...we have taken 100's already!!!! It's truly surreal to have this baby girl NOW in person, OURS...FOREVER....Wow!!!!!

Signing off with JOY in our HEARTS, Don, Kim-Lan & NOW Maile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Jer. 29:11 "For I KNOW the plans I have for you, declares the Lord..."