How we met Cole

Thanks so much everyone for your sweet words of encouragement. I wish we were home right now with all of you! I thought I'd try to record our adventure yesterday (since Cole is napping now). What an experience!

We were supposed to arrive between 2:30-3 but our driver got us there so fast that we were there well before 2 o'clock. Everyone was happy to greet us but you could tell we threw things in a frenzy by coming so early! So things didn't go anything like I expected. Mark went down to tell the driver how long we would be and I was immediately ushered into the room with the babies. It was so much smaller than I imagined. There were about 3 big cribs with multiple babies and then 6 or 7 smaller cribs with one baby each. Although the conditions appeared bleak, the atmosphere and mood in the room was so happy and peaceful. There were a few ayahs (nannys) in the corner and I figured they had Cole - changing his clothes and brushing his hair super fast. So I focused on all the little ones around me - it was so neat to know most of them through our agency and to be able to love on them and give them the hope that their families are coming soon.

I have to say again that the babies were so content and so very loved. I could have stayed there for hours (which actually we did!) Mark came in and they brought Cole over to us. He looked exactly as I thought he would (thanks to so many pictures we've been given from other families) and he just stared at me with those big eyes. He had on a basketball jersey, pink flower pants and a bib that said "Thank Heaven for Little Girls." :) :)

The ayah handed him to me and before I could get even one snuggle, his lip went out and he wailed so loud! So I handed him back to her and of course he immediately was fine. :) The ayah would point to me and say "Mommy" and to Mark and say "Papa" - it was so meaningful, I can't explain. They seemed as excited as we were to be getting Cole that day. Next she handed him to Mark and he got the same reaction! So she took him back and we decided to take pictures of all the babies while the ayah rocked him to sleep.

I had so much fun taking pictures and talking to the little ones. They were so responsive and so full of personality. Some smiled wide and others cried whenever I looked at them! The ayahs were so helpful and just absolutely adored each child. When we were done I got to hold Cole again since he was sleeping and couldn't protest. The babies' doctor was there and answered all of my questions about him giving us such details as to sleep and diet. Ms. Roy, the director of the children's home came to get us to do paperwork so Cole went back to the ayah. We went to Ms. Roy's office and did more paperwork and she presented us with this sweet handmade book all about Cole from his perspective. I lost control then because the last page had a picture of our family and mentioned that even though he was sad to leave his friends and caregivers that he was more excited to be with his mom, dad, brother & sister. (Hopefully someday that will actually be true - ha!)

After paperwork, I went to another room to see some of the newer babies - all under 4 months old I would say. So tiny but so content. Then it was time to go. It was hard to say goodbye - the ayah who cared for Cole had such a hard time and finally just rushed into the other room. And then there we were going down the steep, gray steps carrying this little boy! He was so stunned that he wasn't crying at this point and then the lull of the car kept him content for most of the ride. We stopped to get his visa pictures which he did not enjoy and then back to the hotel. He then fell asleep on the bed around 4:30 pm. We kept expecting him to wake up and ordered room service but he never did! Slept until after 5 am this morning. Not too many tears today but no smiles either. He took a bottle wonderfully though isn't showing too much interest in anything else. He is asleep again now - poor thing must be so over stimulated that it's easier to escape to his dreams.

We still have a journey ahead of us before we get home and settled. But we have our son and continue to praise our God for this precious gift.