After 6 years......finally, we received "The Call!"

We were completely, beyond, out of this world shocked to receive a call yesterday morning around 10 am from our International Adoption Agency. After reading the on-line rumors that the cut-off date for referrals was most likely going to be Sept 8, 2006, we were already mentally preparing ourselves to expect a referral by June. But....the reality ended up being completely different. All I remember is answering my cell phone & hearing our adoption consultant say hello & me telling telling her "No....it's not possible, not now, it can't be, they couldn't have possibly assigned us a baby, not yet, not until June". But she insisted "Yes, it's happening, it's real, you have a little girl with chubby cheeks, & I'm looking at her photos right now, & I'm about to email them to you, are you and your husband by your computer?" I couldn't believe it! My husband couldn't believe it! He quickly rushed over to his computer as I begged him, wait....give me a minute to catch my breath! And all I remember after rushing over to the computer screen is just being in complete awe. We just stared at her little chubby face. She has big brown almond shaped eyes, white complexion with rosy cheeks and the sweetest little lips. We couldn't hold back our tears. We just knew in our hearts that this was our little Madeline. The little girl we have been seeing only in our dreams. And there she was on our computer screen, three little photos. One of them seemed like she was only a few months old....maybe of when she first arrived at the orphanage, and the other two seemed like she was a little bit older, most likely around 9-10months ( According to her details she just turned 1 on May 1st).

I am holding off on posting her photos until the rest of our family has seen her. But let me just say that in one of the photos, she's wearing a little boy sweat suit ( in my favorite turquoise color ) with the words "Sports" written across it. I have to admit that this made me crack up! Many of my friends have at one point or another heard me joke saying "I sure hope my little girl will like wearing all these little dresses I've been sewing for her, cuz she might end up saying "but I want to play sports mommy".  So when I first saw her in this outfit , I just couldn't help but to laugh out loud!  And on the other photo, she's sitting on one of those kiddie walkers all bundled up in what seems to be like 6 layers of clothes. My goodness! No wonder she had such rosy cheeks! So funny, but so cute! 

She is described as a "happy girl", who has a ready smile, and likes to giggle. She apparently likes toys with bells, and books with pictures, and is easily calmed with a cartoon or a music dvd. She also loves receiving kisses from her caretaker, and gets upset when she leaves her side ( good sign that she is learning attachment ). 

We are so in Love with this little girl already. But there is so much to do before we can go pick her up. We are now under the new Hague Treaty regulations which means, a bit more paperwork, more fees, more waiting, so travel will most likely be about 3 more months, God willing. But at least we now have a little face to look at which makes this process truly real, and we have comfort in knowing that we will soon be able to bring her home. In the next few days we will be very busy reviewing her actual referral ( we are awaiting it via Fed EX ) which will contain her medical report, and the rest of her details including her daily schedule etc. But I will try to update this blog with more details as they unfold....some of them which are already starting to reveal themselves as amazing signs that she is the perfect little girl destined to be in our family. 

Thank You to all for your continued support and prayers! Please continue praying that little "Ning Xing Yao" ( her orphanage given name ), continue to be lovingly cared for by her caretakers, and that they may somehow slowly begin to prepare her to know that her "mama" and "baba" will soon come to get her. I know that she is still so little to know whats coming, but my heart is already aching for her. Hopefully, we will be able to send her a little care package which will include a little book with our photos so she may begin to recognize us.