GOTCHA

The crew left Beijing at 7:40am and reached their hotel rooms in Nanning at 2pm.

Nanning is right on the border of Vietnam - only about 180 miles from Nanning to Hanoi.

At 2:30pm they had to be at the Civil Affairs Office to "receive" Katerina. After choking down some lunch they arrived and were brought to a room with the 3 other families adopting from the same orphanage. Other rooms were filled with families adopting from other orphanages. "They're here, they're here" someone cried out. And in walked a caregiver from the orphanage with the first baby; it was not Katerina. But the 2nd one was. And they recognized her immediately. She looks exactly like her pictures. The caregiver handed her to Constantin and she began crying and reaching out to the caregiver who held her hand. Emma said she can tell the caregiver loves Katerina by the way she looked at her, smiled at her, held her hand so gently and affectionately. Katerina was scared stiff, poor little thing. The other 2 families received their children and 2 (Katerina and another) were crying the whole time. The other 2 were apparently shell-shocked and were very nonchalant (until later I hear). They were all dressed in the same pink pants and jackets - Constantin said they looked like a soccer team. After everyone received their babies it was time to go back to the hotel; Katerina crying all the way.

Once in the hotel room, she began walking and walking and walking which calmed her down. She kept staring at her new family and not cracking a smile. (Constantin called it her Mao Tse Tung face.)  Very alert and responsive to her name Guo Cai. She didn't like the stuffed animals or the toys Constantin had brought with him. Emma brought out the plastic disposable bowls with lids I had packed and those became her favorite toy. She kept putting the lids on and taking them off. Standing up the whole time. Emma gave her Cheerios and showed her how to chew.

Physically she was clean, beautiful, had very dry skin (eczema) and a little congestion. I'm told she's very independent, not a moaner, strong personality and knows what she wants - they knew what they were doing when they matched us!

She cried when they changed her for bed and then she began walking and walking for an hour and 1/2. Mom went to her room to sleep, exhausted but happy and content. After all, this is her granddaughter!

Constantin put on the TV and she seemed to like it. They fell asleep (she in her crib between Joseph and Constantin's beds) and slept until 2am. Constantin awoke to her speaking in Chinese followed by crying. After soothing her back to sleep she didn't wake until 6am in the morning. It is now 8:00am there on the 14th and they have a 9am appointment for the adoption at the Civil Affairs Office. Apparently, last night was a trial run and they could give the babies back if they didn't want them. FAT CHANCE!!

She had congee for breakfast, but still no smiles. I was on the phone and heard her crying when Emma was changing her. Wow, she sounds like a baby!! I could hear Emma soothing her "don't cry little one" and smooching sounds. She's wearing a party dress today for her adoption! They then headed downstairs for breakfast but Katerina was scared of the elevator. I hung up as Joseph was suggesting they walk down the stairs. By the way, I understand Joseph makes a beeline for the door when Katerina poops. You can run, my boy, but you can't hide! By the time they come home, I bet he'll be an old hand at diaper changing.

It will still be 10 days before they're home. After the adoption they must wait for the passport - 3 days - then they fly to Guangzhou where the American Consulate is located and apply for a visa, more paperwork, medical exams, etc. Once they have the Visa, they can begin their journey home.

I am out of my mind not having pictures. I begged them today to try to find some way to send pictures. Apparently, Constantin can't send them from the camera phone because you need to be a Chinese citizen to subscribe to that kind of service. Huh????????? Some of the families brought their laptops so maybe they can take some pictures and Email them to me. PLEASE!!