Travel Date: 9/25/2006
Subject: Forever Family Day. She is beautiful!

What we did today:
Words cannot express the emotion that I felt when I saw them bring Kaytlin up the steps to the office. The adoption affairs office is in an apartment complex in downtown Kunm*ng. We saw the car pull in and it seemed to take forever for the orphanage staff to come in. Kaytlin did not want to come to either one of us for awhile. Finally the Assistant Director “told” me to take her. She cried for about 5 minutes then settled down with a little bribery of Gerber Animal Crackers. She wasn’t too sure of either one of us for a while, but within 15 minutes of arrival, she was giggling a little. She liked it when Allen made goofy faces at her. She brought back her photo album that we had sent earlier this summer. The orphanage staff commented on how many similar facial features she has to the boys. I made that comment when we got her referral picture and people thought I was crazy! I also was told that I labeled on of the photographs in her album incorrectly. I used the computer for my translations…ummm… “House” translated into “Parliament”. Yes, I was telling our daughter she was going to live in the government offices. A hint to those reading this from EAC, ask Zhou for translations! The orphanage staff thought it was rather funny! Between the Kunm*ng Adoption offices and the Government offices where we needed to have her passport processed, she fell asleep in my arms. There is no better feeling than having a little one snuggle up to you and fall asleep. However, we had to wake her up for her passport photo. Uncle Zhou stepped in and played the “Bad Guy” to wake her up. She was not pleased; however, the photos are cute, and they were accepted. We will have her passport before we leave Kunm*ng. We stopped at a small market on the way back to the hotel to get water and some instant noodles. We had lunch in the room, and we discovered Kaytlin is a "big girl" and feeds herself. She has a cough and runny nose, so the orphanage gave us some medicine. I am not sure what it is, but we had to mix it with water and she will not drink it! I’m going to ask Zhou what it is and see if we can switch to just the OTC cold meds we brought. Kaytlin and Allen are sleeping as I type, and I think I am going to join them.

Kaytlin & Uncle Zhou


So Jennilee, I finally have my ladybug in my arms.

She is Beautiful and has started laughing already. I hope the transition continues to go well. She may be sleeping in her clothes tonight…we tried to take her sweater off as it is 75 degrees and she is wearing 4 layers of clothes, but she started to cry. So we decided she could wear her sweater until she was ready to take it off.


I am completely amazed by this little girl. I love her fiercely, and am so thankful that God brought her into our lives. How beautiful is it that Andrew, a child, felt called to adoption. He listened to The Voice in his heart, and led his parents to stop and listen as well. Amazing.


David when we called to tell them we had Kaytlin in our arms.