A Daddy's Perspective....

Mistye is such a great story teller, so I've got my work cut out for me. A quick update on Gotcha Day from my perspective. As Mistye said, we walked into the Civil Affairs office and were quickly handed Echo.
In fact, we were the first family to be given our child. We really didn't even have time to get nervous. That's when the story changes because our experiences were very different. Mistye left to finalize paperwork and I was left han solo with Echo. She sat on my lap, ate puffs and was happy. I then watched every other family meet their new sons and daughters. I must say it was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Heartwarming to see the the parents' happiness and know that their child was going to have a better life and loving parents.
Heartbreaking because most of the children were very, very apprehensive... and it showed. It made me realize how lucky we were with Echo. She was only sad for a few seconds and wow out little girl is happy now.

Echo went to bed last night around 9pm. We were all worn out. She cried for about 4 seconds... literally. And then she slept and slept and slept. That's right, the entire night! She woke up at 6:45, which is earlier than we are accustomed to, but that apparently is her normal schedule per the orphanage nanny. To be honest, neither of us expected to have such an easy night. And boy, when that girl woke up this morning she was HAPPY!. She smiled and laughed all morning. We changed two diapers. It's been a whle, but it came back quickly. Like riding a bike I guess. 'You could tell that she was feeling us out yesterday and today she opened up. We went to breakfast -- she is an impressive eater. I'm sure everyone has noticed from the pictures that this little girl likes food. She crushed a waffle and pretty much anything else that we put in front of her. Our other kiddos are finicky, so it's kind of nice to simply put food in front of her and watch it go away. I felt like we were a family this morning and I think we looked like it. By the way, this girl has great table manners.

Afterwards, we Skyped with Pappy and Grandma (my parents) and then headed back to Civil Affairs to finalize more paperwork. I didn't think about it or even realize it at the time, but we were truly "finalizing" the adoption. Echo was officially ours at about 11:15 this morning. Awesome feeling. By the way, all of the families from Gotcha Day were back with us and it was beautiful to see how most of the children were happy and smiling today. It's amazing what 24 hours will do.

We came back, grabbed lunch and then put Echo down for a nap. She cried for three seconds and then racked out for 2 hours. I had to wake her up... and she wasn't pleased. We then went to the pool and she loved it! There is a great baby pool at the hotel. She could have played in there for hours. By the way, our little immobile girl yesterday is now a crawling machine. Again, amazing what 24 hours will do. And, she has taken several steps towards both of us. She's probably a few weeks from walking. Did I mention that this girl smiles alot. It's very cute.

I must admit, and I hope I don't jinx us, but this experience thus far has been very easy. I never expected things to go so smooth. She has taken to us both, smiles, laughs and is such a content baby. She is one of the family for sure. We feel very blessed.

Gotcha Day Pics

Pictures Anyone?

I receieve some pictures from Mistye via Shutterfly so I am not sure how to get them on the blog since they are not JPEG...BUT, I will be happy to forward you the shutterfly pictures if you email me....Please Title your email Wilson Pics and I will forward what I have to your email...I know you are so anxious to see baby Echo...I can assure you she is so scrumptious and Mistye and Heath look like an experienced and proud momma and papa :-)...amy

Hart5@bellsouth.net

GOTCHA!!!

how do i even begin to gather my thoughts from today? let me start with the facts. we met Rebecca down in the lobby at 2 pm. waiting for the clock turn 2 was the longest ever. it felt like time wasn't moving. but once we met up with Rebecca she took us to the van and we drove about 20 minutes to get to the building where we would meet echo. rebecca is the best. there was a whole group of soon to be parents getting out of other vans and she just whisked us in the building and up the elevator without even looking at anyone else. we went right up the elevator and into a room that was bright and sweet and very child friendly. we were the first ones in the door. rebecca went behind a curtain and came back to say that echo was already in the building and we had to sign a paper or two and then we could meet her. i was shaking. i'm not trying to be dramatic but i seriously thought i was either going to pass out or throw up. either way, it was not going to be a good thing to do before i was introduced to my daughter for the first time. luckily, the paper signing went very quickly and rebecca told us to follow her to the curtain. before we knew it, before we could think about it, before we could even fill up with too many emotions....out she came. the nannies handed her over quickly and she cried for just a second and then wanted to check us out. i sat down with her. i looked at her. her face. her hair.
her skin, her eyes. hello little one. i'm your mommy. i'm the one who's been waiting for you. now we are together. finally, we are together.

i wasn't able to relish the moment too long before i had to go to another room to fill out some paperwork. i handed echo to heath, she cried for a second and then she seemed fine as i walked away. i was able to ask the nanny and her nurse some questions and find out a bit about echo. we exchanged some laughs about her, rebecca interpreting the whole time, and then we went back out to where echo and heath were sitting.....and it happened. she was smiling ear to ear. the biggest smile was on her face, looking right at her daddy!! she loves heath.
loves him. they bonded immediately. she's daddy's girl already. and what was so funny is that they were sitting there chilling together and chaos was all around them. mommies crying, babies crying, daddys holding cameras. it was quite the scene. i sat down to give her some puffs. she loved them. and as quickly as i sat down, rebecca came to tell us that we should go. echo was doing so well and bonded right away. she said that it would be best to get her out before she looks around and sees other children crying. so we jumped up, grabbed our stuff and headed out the door. we made it to the elevator just as her nannies were coming around and rebecca told us to quickly go around the corner so echo would not see them. i'm telling you, heath and i cracked up. it was like we were stealing her! the nannies were kind enough to dart out of our way and we jumped in the elevator. and that's when it hit little echo. she realized we were leaving. and she cried. she wanted nothing to do with us. she wanted to go back up. we were so impressed with her thought process. when we left the building and got in the van, she cried more. she KNEW we were leaving without her nannies and she didn't like it one bit.

once in the van. we found her some toys and some puffs. she was asleep in my arms before too long for a little cat nap. it was quite a day for her already and there was still more to come. heath and i just kept looking at her and smiling at her while she slept. we couldn't believe what a beautiful and sweet little girl she is. she is the bravest and strongest little girl ive ever known. and i get to be her mother. i get to watch her grow. i get to see so many of her "firsts". i get to call her mine. she is mine. she's always been mine, i'm just now getting to enjoy it.

later we went to the grocery to pick out a few things, baby formula, water, juice. we came back to the hotel, did more paperwork....and when rebecca left.....we gave her a BATH!!!!! she loves the bath water. she sat in it for a long time. then, we had dinner at an italian restaurant and she is a good eater. the servers adored her and were so kind to her. she stared at them. she's either shy or has an attitude. haahaha, we can't tell which it is yet. haahaha

we came home and were able to skype with reese, maddox and zane. they were laughing and so excited to see echo. she really liked seeing them too. she was pointing and making kissing noises at them. it was too cute! i wish that i could have reached through the screen and pulled all 3 of them over to my side of the screen. i'm dying to have them all together. i know that these two weeks are important for us to be and bond with echo so we are going to take full advantage of it but wow, will i be so glad to hold all of them together at last.

i gave her a little bit of a bottle before bed. we changed her and put her in the crib and walked away. she didn't even wimper. what a sweet baby girl. that sweet baby girl is ours. and we are hers.
it's just as it should be.

Frustration, Anxiety and Joy

title: Frustration, Anxiety and Joy

If this blog is being posted right now, then we have Amy Hart to thank. evidently, china blocks blogspot so we are having to go around it by getting her to post our blogs. if we don't get pictures up on our blog, we are going to put them up on FB. or at least we'll try.
that may be blocked as well. urgh....there is my frustration....

it's after 4 am right now. we are wide awake. we are ready. too bad we still have 10 hours until we meet her.

yesterday we took the 2 hour train ride out to Guangzhou. we met our guide ,Rebecca, at the station. we checked into our hotel, The Garden Hotel, and came up with Rebecca to go over paperwork and get settled.

wait, let me back up. it wasn't as easy as just getting on a train.
we have four pieces of luggage and 3 carry on bags. yep, that's right! just imagine it. so we lugged those with us. and let me tell you some things that are in these pieces of luggage. one bag is full on shoes and purses and clothes.....but not for me. for a lady named Lily. she purchased some things in the US and we are bringing them over. hysterical. we haven't complained once, however. after-all, this is THE woman who picked out our child. yep, THE WOMAN. I would have carried 5 bags for her. another bag (and a half) is for echo.
she's tiny, but she requires a lot. you parents know. your've got your little bundle and then allllllllllllll the stuff that goes with that little bundle. it's crazy. and then heath and i have a bag.
sad.

okay, so back to our getting settled and paperwork in our hotel room.
as we were up here getting settled, a hotel worker brought in the crib....there it was. the crib. oh my. we unpacked and gathered all the things that we would need for our meeting with echo.

we've already seen a few families that have gotten thier children. it is so precious.....and so hysterical. we all look a little freaked out in one way or another. as much as i've waited for this day, i'm freaked out. i have to be honest. i'm ready though. i'm ready to rip the bandaid off and get this party started.

we have her clothes layed out, her bottles and diapers ready, more medicine than should be legal, seriously. we are prepared for so many possible illnesses, it's scary. i hope i don't have to use any of it.
actually, i've already had to tap into her pedialyte myself. my stomach has been uneasy since we landed. so has heath's. it's just a huge knot. i felt a little dizzy last night so we are making sure we hydrate like crazy. i feel a lot better this morning.

just a few more hours. just a few more hours. better rest up! when we talk to you next, we'll be the proud parent of echo yu yi wilson!!!
bring on the joy!!!!

Give me a burger!!!!!

We have reached our hotel and all I can think about it food right now. we ordered room service and now have some time to pull our thoughts together. we flew 13 hours to Tokyo, had a quick layover and flew 4 hours to Hong Kong. we will stay here tonight and catch a 2 hour train ride tomorrow to Guangzou. it's almost midnight and hong kong is all a buzz. so alive tonight. me, on the other hand...i'm exhausted but energized (if that's possible). i've looked at so many faces already and envisioned what our daughter will look like in person. silly, I know, since she's only one year old and she is her own person but I still catch myself staring at a child, or a teenager or even an adult to see how Echo may look with age.

heath and i were laughing and talking about how the introduction will be. will she cry? will she ignore us? will she just think that we are really strange and interesting to look at? or will she look at us as if to say, "where have you people been?! take me home!!!" we had a friend to send an email (which by they way, your emails, letters, phone calls have meant so much. we have a solid support system of family and friends) and in his email he wrote that he was praying for her to recognize us as her mom and dad right away. I'm going to pray for that too. i loved the thought of that.

and then, I'll bet she cries. infants cry right when they are born and meet their parents. newborn babies scream their heads off upon seeing their mom for the first time. sure, the conditions are much different. haaha, but moms don't take it personally when their babies are born and screaming bloody murder. so, I too, will not take it personally if she's freaking out.

okay, i'm so hungry and tired. i'm not even sure my thoughts are making sense. please, someone, give me a burger!

The Honeymooners?

We just landed in Tokyo. It's Heath by the way. Neither Mistye nor I slept that much on the way here. Considering we had thirteen hours to rest, it was a bad move. It didn't help that Mistye's seat in First Class was broken. Oh well, there's always the four hours left to Hong Kong to catch a few winks. If that fails, we land at 11pm so surely we can sleep tonight. And sleep we will... at some point.

Ok, about the honeymoon thing. Our flight attendant smiled and asked if we were on our honeymoon. I laughed outloud. I doubt many folks spend their honeymoon adding a 4th child to the mix. I guess Mistye's youthful appearance fooled her, because my bald head doesn't scream honeymooner. It reminds me on when we actually went on our honeymoon. Mistye was carded, yes carded, to sit in the exit row. You only have to be 14 to sit in the exit row!!! If this keeps up, I'll be mistaken for her dad at some point. How many people go to Tokyo for their honeymoon by the way?

Anyway, we're relaxing for 25 minutes in the Skyclub and then on another plane. The seat better work this time. And then we hop in a car to the hotel. Tomorrow morning we grab breakfast and head for the train station. I'm starting to feel like John Candy in Planes, Trains & Automobiles.

Hard to believe we're here... almost here. And, little Echo is almost part of the family. Pray that we get some rest tonight. I'm sure we're going to need it.

The Christmas Card

pretty strange title for a blog update in May. and you would think that I would be thinking of more important things, like which medications to take over to China in case Echo is sick or how many diapers can we pack in one suitcase, do I have enough groceries for my three children to get them through a few days after we've gone. believe me, I'm thinking of all of those things too, but the one thing that I can't get off my mind off of is The Christmas Card.

we all love Christmas cards. they are so much fun to open each year and see how all the families are growing and changing. there is a lot of thought that goes into making a christmas card. the perfect Christmas card. wouldn't it be great to capture it! some years the cards look amazing! and other years...well, we get so sick of all the hassle, that we just throw a picture on there and send it out. that was about how this past year went for me.

when i considered adoption, there was one thing that kept coming back to me, The Christmas Card. I could see what it would look like 10 years from now. and in every way that I tried to shape and shift that christmas card, I could not see it without her on it. i could not see that card 10 years from now without my four children. and the craziest part was that one of those children didn't look like me. she had beautiful brown skin and those deep, dark brown eyes. the blackest hair. why couldn't i get around this christmas card?

in the days of paperwork when I questioned what we were doing, while in the adoption process, i would always let my mind go back to that card. i had no idea how we were going to manage four children ages 5 and under. i did not want to go back to diapers! bottles! oh, please, no more bottles! but. the card. she was on it. i couldn't see my future family without her face. so I would continue down the path of seeking her. i knew she was out there. you have to start at point A to get to point B.

you know, there are nights that i've layed down to pray only to find myself crying and asking "why? why would You ask me to take this new responsibility? Did you hear my yell at one of my own today? how can i take on another? I'm already so tired. Lord, i already have my hands full with the three I have!" i wonder if He cracks up and replies back with, "yeah, and i've got the WHOLE WORLD in my hands!" i think God has a sense of humor. we do, as humans, and he created us in His image...it makes sense, right?

and then I remember my favorite quote: "God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called." (author unknown) who am i to think that i could do this on my own? why would i try? God has this all under control and He's going to equip me with everything I need to get thru it. so i try to turn those voices off in my head that say i can't do it. because it's true. i can't. but God can. and He will. He already has.

Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

He begins our life stories way before we were ever born. we all have a purpose in His plan. we just have to listen and follow. i know, easier said than done.

So the Christmas card. i have no idea what it will look like this year, much less what it will look like in 10 years. but i do know that we will all be together. our family will be complete. we will have our missing puzzle piece. my four hoodlums may be looking in every direction EXCEPT the camera's and our newest member....she'll be right along with the chaos. but we'll see that beautiful brown skin and those deep, dark brown eyes. the blackest hair. a perfectly imperfect family card. The Christmas Card.

okay, let me get back to packing diapers and bottles.....

Why the name Echo?

Coming up with a baby's name is always tricky, right? we think of all the ways that the child could be made fun of, if the name will fit the child, how it will look on a resume. it can get pretty frustrating. this name was really no different, and then again, it was really different.

As many of you know, Heath and I had some infertility issues early on. i know, shocking to those who know us now, meeting us only after the births of our three crazy children. but there was a time....oh there was a time, when I thought that we wouldn't be able to have any. I'd begged God to give us children and after three years, when He still had not provided (at least that's how I saw it), I had a knock-down drag out with him. "God, what are you telling me? No biological children? If you want me to adopt, just say so. I will do it, I will, but you have to prepare my heart. I really wanted a Mini-Me." (i'm being honest here). i remember the rain outside and how I felt that my tears were a part of that rain. And then I felt Him. Almost a whisper. I felt as though pregnancy might still be in my future. but I also felt a smile from Him. as if to say, "I'll come back to you later...".

And so we prayed. And prayed. And prayed for children.

Fast forward to the birth of our twins, Reese and Maddox. We'd been blessed right!? Two for the price of one! Over, right? no way. If you give a pig a party....any moms know that book? well, I just wanted more. Fast forward to my pregnancy with Zane. Heath and I had dinner and asked the waiter to take the closed envelope. Inside was the sex of our third child. If it was a girl, bring out creme brulee, if a boy, chocolate cake. neither one of us are huge fans of chocolate cake, we knew it was a girl. reese would have a sister. as the waiter walked off with our fate in his hands, I told heath, "you know, if it's a girl, I think we'll be done. I've always imagined that if I adopted it would be a girl. I don't see myself adopting a boy for some reason." There was a sadness that swept over me, after all, I was pregnant with a girl, right? I'd kinda wanted to adopt.... clearly I was wrong when the waiter set down chocolate cake and high-fived my husband for the bouncing baby boy that he would soon have. WHAT?! A boy? How is this possible. I clearly remember looking out the window and feeling a loss for that daughter that never really existed. How could I have made it up? It was so clear to me. And then, I felt it. That smile. That nudge. That whisper. Why did it feel like an echo of a time before? "I'll come back to you later", It seemed to say. and then came the rejoicing for a boy! maddox would have a brother! It could not have worked out better. if we only knew......it really could not have worked out better.

There are so many more instances much like the ones above, some tiny, some more pronounced, where I felt that God had his hand gently nudging me, preparing me. Getting my head and heart ready for it. Her. Adoption. The echo. it was there. i could feel it. maybe I could even hear it?

I'll speed it up for ya, get to the point, Mistye. After we'd decided to go through with the adoption, turned in our paperwork (a small pile at that point. the paperwork is enough to send someone into orbit.) heath and I were driving home one night, talking about this possible "daughter" out there. We'd requested China, we'd requested special needs, which by the way, was a leap of faith all on its own. but that's another story. we were going through names. some we'd thought of before, some were were throwing out just for laughs. and then Heath said it. Echo. What about Echo. I immediately asked him how he thought of that name and he couldn't answer me. "It had just come to him" he said. How could he have known my feelings of what my journey had been like with God and this adoption story? How could Heath have read my mind? yes. echo. echo. that is her name. God came back to me over and over until I was ready. He had prepared me.

So, here we are. a week away from meeting this little girl. our little girl. our echo. Echo Yu Yi Wilson. no doubt she is a fighter. I can't help but wonder who is more afraid, me or her? who will cry more when we meet? how will we bond? I have a million questions. no answers. this is what we call blind faith, right? I've had a lot of blind faith for a little over a year now. I have to admit. It's turned out really well so far....there might be something to it. and there is that smile. that wink. God just looking down and giving me a nod. So for tonight, like all the other nights. I'll leave the questions and answers to Him. I'll just keep walking in this faith. Echo, get ready girl, we are about to come sweep you off your feet. And I have a feeling, we are going to be head over heals for you too.