Day 3 GOTCHA DAY!!!

Hi Everyone! I know you’ve all been waiting for this day to come. I have to say it’s been incredible, unbelievable and definitely, hard to describe, especially, all the emotions we felt throughout today.
Right now, it is 1 AM Tuesday morning. I was finally able to slip away to post on this blog, while Angeline is sleeping.
The day started out early around 8am, when we met our two guides Tom and Jim. We took a taxi to the governmental office to take care of the adoption paperwork first, before heading to get Angeline, at the orphanage. It was uneventful, except for the fact that we were the only couple there at the office. The guides expected that there would be other groups there, too. Suffice it to say, the paperwork took probably a total of 10 mins. and we were off to the orphanage, 30 mins. away.
The orphanage, which is called Shanghai Children’s Home, at first glance from the outside, looks like a beautifully-gated theme park. It is a huge facility, newly-built in 2001, and is considered the best-of-the-best of orphanages, in all of China. China is very proud of this facility and has made this orphanage into a showcase. It has trained and certified caretakers, medical and dental in-house care, programs for music and dance classes, facilities for specialists to perform regular cognitive and developmental tests, classes to teach the children basic education and much, much more.
Well, enough about the orphanage. I think I went on a tangent, didn’t I? We were definitely very impressed!
Upon arriving at the orphanage, and after viewing the informational video that they had us watch, we walked across the campus (yes, literally that big) to find Angeline’s room.
When we walked into her room, we saw a group of four nannies or caretakers seated on stools, in one corner of the room, feeding babies porridge. To their right, was a long line of maybe eight babies, in walkers, waiting to be fed. It was quite a scene! Some babies were crying because they were hungry and it wasn’t their turn, some babies were already fed and laying quietly, in their cribs. Our Angeline, had just passed the front of the line and was being fed. I, being her mom, picked her out of the crowd immediately! A sixth sense is what they call it. Either that, or it was because she was the only one with hair. Apparently, they knew we were coming to get her, so they had let her hair grow out.
After her feeding, they quickly changed her clothes and attempted to hand her to me. It was an awkward attempt at best! Her grip on her caretaker was like a vise. It had to pry her off of her. Obviously, she cried, but fortunately, only for a few minutes. After all the picture-taking, and quick Q & A session, we swept Angeline back across the campus, into a waiting taxi cab. Literally, from that moment forward, she has not loosened her grip on me, until now. William is doing his best to try to play with her, but she’s not having anything to do with him or anyone else for that matter. I’ve heard that this will pass and I can’t wait, because my arms are killing me!
Anyways, enough literature for now, I’m sure you want to see pictures and video clips. Please let us know your thoughts. We truly welcome hearing from you guys. If our pics don’t look right, please let us know. We can post the pictures, but we can’t see how they come out, because China blocks them somehow. ENJOY!!!
P.S. We did have an opportunity to go to her finding spot (the place where she was found) and, even, talked with the person who found her. It was very emotional!
Will anyone please email me and let me know if you see the blog ok?
ckho328@hotmail.com