Gotcha Kinley!!!!!!

As I type this post I'm sitting in the hotel room after a very busy and emotional day, starving and tired, but all is well because my baby girl is sound asleep on my chest. I am very, very lucky to have such wonderful friends and family to bring her home to.

I know you all wanna look at the pictures, so scroll down and check them out, lol.

I'll skip all the talk about getting no sleep, the nerves, blah, blah blah, and I'll get to the good stuff.

So we left at 8 am to go to the civil affairs office to do paperwork, then Kinley was supposed to arrive at 9. We had just started on the paperwork and then suddenly I hear someone say "Wu Qi Ling" behind me......so I turn to see who it is and it's the orphanage worker holding a tiny little girl. Now instantly I knew this was my girl. Luckily, I knew that there could possibly be little to no warning so I already had my cameras ready to go on the table. I threw the camcorder at my guide and hit record! I turn to Kinley, who the foster family and orphanage staff refer to as Ling Ling. I can't remember what I said to her.....but I remember she did not look scared. And I put my hands out for her to come to me and she did without hesitation! She put her cheek against mine and I just cried. What an amazing, unbelievable, indescribable moment. Kinely just laid her head against me for a few minutes, letting me kiss her through tears. Then Jason held his hands out to her and she went right to him also!


Within 5 minutes of meeting we had our very first smile. Probably 10 minutes after that we got a small giggle! She has been so easy going......except for when me or Jason get more than four feet away from her. I'm telling you no lies..........elephant tears!


After lots more paperwork, fingerprints, and Kinley's footprint we were done and got to come back to the hotel briefly. Then it was lunch and a quick trip to Walmart for some supplies. And no, no similarities to the Walmarts back home. It was chaos! Now poor Jason is walking all over Kunming to try to find something to eat for supper. Kunming is very different than Beijing. Very few people speak good English. There is no McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut....no English menus. And the hotel food is questionable for a very high price.

Here's what we've learned about Kinley so far:

*She cannot crawl or walk, but can sit up on her own well and plays with her toys contently (as long as you are beside her....remember the four foot rule)

*She only has one tooth that has barely popped through

*She is a peanut! She probably does weigh close to 18 pounds, however she is tiny! Her feet won't even fit in the size 3 shoes I brought for her...way too big!

*She babbles alot (and loudly), especially when she is tired and about to fall asleep

*She will look at you when you call her by "Kinley" or "Ling Ling"

*I think she may be a premie. If not, she is way behind developmentally in motor skills. The orphange says she can eat rice, however when I tried it mashed up mixed in soup she just let it sit in her mouth.

*She is super smart! If she drops a crumb of her puff snacks she will look for it until she finds it.

*The orphanage says she does not smile/laugh much....but she is about the funniest, giggly little princess ever! She giggles/smiles at just about everything, especially when we play with her.

*She has a major farmer's tan. Basically her hands and feet and dark tan, the rest of her body is very light.

*She has some hair! She's gonna give Timothy and Brayson a run for their money in the "mohawk competition", lol


As for Jason and I, we are totally in love already! She is worth every tear, every document, every moment of waiting and more. She is ours and we are hers forever. Kinley--we Gotcha, and we'll never let go!



I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.

---1 Samuel 1:27