Gotcha Day!

RACHEL IS IN OUR ARMS!!

Yesterday was the BIG DAY! We met our beautiful baby girl! Little Miss Rachel is just precious - Big eyes, lots of hair, and dimples. She is the cutest little thing in the world and Daddy is hooked already. She went right to him, sat in his lap for a long time, and held his hand.

We spent most of the day at Hannah's Hope, talking with the staff, touring the newly opened home and spending time with Rachel to help ease the transition. We went to lunch with some of the staff and had dumplings and beef noodle soup! Fantastic! So yummy. After lunch we went back to our hotel with Rachel for a nap. Boy were we wrong...Rachel was not having anything to do with a nap being in a different place with different people. We have discovered her cry and boy does she have a good set of lungs! So, the haze of sleep deprivation continues...

Later that day, we drove to Rachel's birth grandmother's village. What a blessing to be able to meet her and some of Rachel's family/community. We took some photos and celebrated an early first birthday with her grandmother who brought a cake. The village landscape is beautiful, up on a hillside, lush green trees overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Time for dinner after that, so we went for Hot Pots! They came highly recommended and did not disappoint. It is kind of like fondue - you put all of the meet in hot broth to cook, then dip it in a sauce that has an egg yolk in it and then eat it with rice. Cindi LOVED it. Hot pots and guava her two favorite things so far. And the tea, and dumplings, and ....

We returned to our hotel at around 8:30 and had a easy transition to bed. A good night's sleep was much needed. Thinking about the day yesterday - it is abundantly clear, Rachel is deeply loved by many who cherish her. What a blessing.We are so thankful for the love and care she has received. Until next time...