Today is the Day!

I have been trying to put updates and new photos and am having nothing but trouble.  We meet in the lobby this morning at 9:30 to go to get Noelle.   I am way behind on posting photos but hopefully I will be able to be post a few of gotcha day as soon as we get home, but then most of you will be in bed so you can check in "your" morning!   Some have already gotten their babies and they are on cloud 9.  There is a lot of happiness right now.  The one child who was in foster care (out of the 3) was the one having the hardest time.  The orphanage children were having no problems.  That tells you something but honestly already I had one of the fathers tell me (the one who had the foster child) he woud rather have problems now than later and I wanted to ask him if he knew who he was talking to (a mother of 2 orphanage children).  Yes, he is correct to a point that his child was probably "closer" with the foster mother or just the whole situation she was in, but there is already this "the orphanage children were not attached to anyone so they will have more problems" and I think that is just an assumed notion.  I hate to tell this man but ALL adopted children have issues, they are "damaged" in some way.  It is how you deal with that as the parents that matters in the long run.  Anyway....already I am defensive - and of course VERY worried about Noelle and what she has been through in the entire 19 months of her life. 

We are in a fabulous hotel here in Jhengzhou.  Jhengzhou is toned down from Beijing, but at night it is unbelievable - it is like NYC on steroids or speed out there at night.  We walked to the Wal-Mart last night and it was craziness.  It was not your average Wal-Mart that is for sure. I will try to post photos later.  A little boy with split pants just squatted on the Wal-Mart floor and peed right there and his family just went about their business as if nothing happened.  Wild culture!  However, we are trying not to be too negative around Emma but she ia totally overwhelmed   

Pollution is awful - the air is like pea soup. 

There is a huge language barrier here so unlike in Vietnam and yes, Kristi, I certainly do think that Vietnamese people are much more loving and affectionate than the Chinese.  We and Emma were showered with love and affection during our time in VN, but here, they can take you or leave you and yes, we do get looks from the younger women.  Of course they are angry because we get to take their baby girls from them.  I do sympathize with them.   People here are push and shove at all hours of  the day.

Thank you all for your prayers and good thoughts.  We will come back to the hotel room and just hang out here for the next few days as much as we can (will have papers to sign again tomorrow and will have to go out).  So many mixed emotions, but overall we are so exited to get this beautiful little girl into a loving family - ours!!!!