5 AM on AIT day!

Oh on the pictures on the last post... we are laughing so hard because she is trying so cutely to do the two finger picture pose... it was so cute.

Yesterday, was so full. Just one of those emotional days that remain with you for a life time and then some. Started off at 4:30 am where I just couldn't sleep. We went trekking off to the MRT...going fast because we were so nervous about missing our train. Sally... beautiful funny amazing woman... and TALL. She had these heels on to and I'm a shrimp! Sally met us at the train and we went the whole way down to Tainan. We chatted the whole way about everything. I told her that I knew Green Island Serenade... she didn't believe me and kinda coerced me to sing it be starting to hum it. So I sang it on the train... she started to cry and then I started to cry... she said it was perfect and that I completely surprised her. I asked her if I could sing it to Milana, yup.

Time to get off the train...shaky nervous hands. Grabbed cab and zoomed through the farming community, colorful little streets and alleyways and winding up at "We're here." She kept asking if we prayed... she kept saying she did. We all wanted Milana to be happy. They were already there when we were there but we had some papers to go through. I paced alot. Then all of a sudden, "She's here but she is extremely attached to the foster mother so we need to make sure we can establish a relationship." My thoughts (oh my goodness... I have two hours to get everything under control... tall order)! At first, she didn't want to come in and they kept trying to give her to me. I gently stepped back and asked if I could sing... Sally goes, "Now!?" So she announced... I started to sing and everyone joined in singing and clapping... It was amazing. Milana calmed down and went off the play with her foster sister. Many social workers came and me and the foster mom held hands on the floor as she lovingly gave us many gifts, notes, pictures, as tears occasionally streamed. She was so loving and true... Milana and our family are so fortunate and forever grateful for her.

Slowly, I started the relationship with Milana with fruit puffs and the foster sister just jumped right in... telling her I was mama and eating my food so Milana would know it was okay. She showed me all her baby photos (loves books)... then she started feeding me and then Donnie all her food. She laughs freely and once comfortable... she was everywhere. I held her foster mother for a long time and she just told me all about Milana. When it was time for her to leave, she was crying as they led her out the door. I stood there holding Milana who was crying for momma and couldn't handle it. I rushed out the door after her and gave her to here to hug and hold. Milana held her and squeezed her so tightly...I took pictures for Milana. Then we led her back through the door and distracted her with lunch. She did wonderfully. And she is potty-trained! huh? I never knew how important the word "bong" would ever be until now! Bong is potty. We stayed and created more of a relationship and she latched on to us to where when we went to say bye... she wrapped her legs around me tightly and really wanted in the car with us. She was so sleepy and fell asleep in the car. She looked for baba in the train... we kept pointing at Donnie. She warmed up on the train and played the whole way. She taught us Mandarin and we taught her English, shoe, hi, bye, mama, Daddy,... she loves running and screaming after Donnie, yelling, "Daddy, Baba!"

She didn't like the busy MRT station and hid in my arms. But oh my goodness does she LOVE Hello Kitty... even the scary MRT couldn't stop her from screaming about Miao and pulling my face until we saw what she saw! We made it finally! Back at the hotel... she must have been on manner patrol... she loves cleaning up, bringing and sharing things with you. She hasn't broken down once... fell asleep on me lying on at bedtime....slept all night.... just the sweetest child. She loves to look at her pictures and can even talk about her foster mom and look at her so excited and with great love and sweetness. I am amazed at her view of the world and have learned so much from her already. We are so immensely grateful, fortunate, and amazed. It is all surreal and I am so excited to see all of the children together. I wrote all this so I can remember to write all my personal feeling down privately for her when I have time. I don't want to forget any event of the day. I don't want to forget the feelings that went along with this day. This post was detailed for me (hope no one minds).... I may take off some private things later for her sake... but for now....I needed to write. Much love to everyone.... we finally did it... It really did happen and now we start a new chapter. Wow!

Nika, Kole, Jadyn...soon, we love you... hang in there, we're bringing Milana home. Oh and Neu neu is Milana... she answers to that only. It means cute little girl. =0)