WHO HAS THE CUTEST BABY IN THE WORLD..... WE DO!!!!

We arrived in Hanoi late Saturday night, and unfortunately right now, at 1400 on Tuesday is the very first time the Internet service has allowed me to open up blogger. I've tried a million times to do an update, but this is the first chance the Internet has given me. I was able to send an email yesterday to friends and family but no blogging, but so glad I can get a post up now.

I'll start with the most exciting news first.... WE GOT TO SEE THUY YESTERDAY. Our G&R date, which we originally believed would be monday or tuesday has been pushed back to thursday or friday. We are ok with this, because thanks to all my previous travelers I was expecting this to happen. So, the fact that we only got pushed back a few days is doable.

Since the G&R was moved our in country coordinators arranged for us to take a nice greyhound like bus up to Lang Son province yesterday which was Monday. It was a good 3 hour drive. The first hour is just trying to get out of Hanoi due to all the traffic. The drive is beautiful once you're out of the city, very green with local Vietnamese in rice hats (conical hats) in the fields gathering the rice, and water buffalo all along the side of the road. It was quite picturesque, but not easy to take good photos out of the bus window, too blurry. As we drew closer to Lang Son it became more mountainous.

The orphanage was located right in the middle of town or edge of town I guess. I had always pictured it in my head to be out by itself. It was a large campus like sort of place with different buildings for babies, older kids, housing for the Nanny's etc. They took us, the 4 groups of parents plus Oma, to a room to wait. We all had our donations for the orphanage. I was so nervous. Nervous she would cry when we held her because she would feel how nervous I was inside. One of the other dads said, "I see the babies." He saw them approaching outside the window. My heart was beating outside of my chest.

And as the second baby was brought in the Caregiver said, "Hua Thanh Thuy," that was us..... I could hardly believe it. We stood up and greeted them. She handed Thuy to me right away. I could not believe this moment so long awaited was finally here. She was beautiful, and alert, and happy. She has the cutest dimple when she smiles. I could just gush on and on about how wonderful she was. Of course we were already saying how smart she seemed because she was so alert.... what new proud parents we are, right? We took videos, and loads of pictures. More photos than you've ever seen of one baby in an hour and a half. We read a book that Aunt Liz sent and had loads of fun with Oma putting flowers in her hair.

Her caregiver was a very very sweet gray haired older VN woman. She had given Thuy a bracelet from her family to wear. That was the bracelet I had been seeing in all the photos. We thanked her repeatedly for all the love she had given Thuy. She will be coming to the ceremony when we have the G&R and we'll give her gift to her then, the silver turtle necklace. She did tell us she doesn't think Thuy's birth mom will be coming. But we'll see. I'm still holding out hope.

I was ok with waiting till later this week for the G&R until I saw Thuy. Now each minute seems likes forever. We should be out enjoying our last days without kids, free to do as we please, but all we can do is think about our sweet girl.

We still don't have her name yet, but we'll let you know as soon as we do. Today we found a great store for birth announcements, i'd love to buy those, so i must think of a name quickly so we can get them.

So, that's the biggest news here in Hanoi. We've already looked at all the pictures and videos a million times. I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have such a wonderful husband, family & friends, and now the sweetest baby life has ever given!