5 months!

5 months ago today, 8000 miles from home, on a cold, windy, snowy day, I was handed a beautiful but very-ill baby girl. She was sleeping when they handed her to me; most babies cry on Gotcha Day, but not my NiNi. She opened her eyes, looked at me, sighed, and snuggled up against me like she knew she was mine. :-)
It has been an amazing 5 months; sometimes I still can't believe she is mine, and yet I cannot imagine my life without her. I am thankful every day for my miracle child. She is just incredible; she has such a happy personality, and picks things up so quickly. She blows kisses and smiles at those she loves, she enjoys music and books, and the little PT games we play to strengthen her muscles. She LOVES my Charlie-cat, and he thinks she is HIS baby! It is so cute to watch them together.
I waited so long to be a mom; I was SO frustrated by how long the process had become. It seemed that everyone around me was having babies, and I was SO ready for a baby. There is a saying in the adoption community that we are matched with the children we are MEANT to have at the RIGHT time...and it is so true! If I had switched to the SN (special needs) track earlier, I would most likely have been matched earlier...to a different child...and this baby girl would not be mine, and might not have survived. My NiNi is worth every minute that I waited; the journey was torturous, and it has been a very stressful 5 months, but I would do it all again for her. :-)
I watched my Gotcha Day video today, for the first time. It was so surreal, being handed this baby who was now mine...and very stressful, because I was already trying to figure out how I could keep her alive and get her to the USA. She was SO blue, and breathing so fast, with a congested cough...it was frightening.
But now I look at my precious girl, sleeping quietly next to me. She is growing and PINK, saying a collection of words, learning new skills weekly...and I say another prayer of thanks. There are so many people to thank for their assistance, especially in China. Our guides in Zhengzhou and Guangzhou were phenomenal; Yisha, along with Sunny and Rita, handled all the details for Gotcha Day and all the paperwork in Henan Province. Jason was just awesome, handling all the visas, plus hospital arrangements and travel details in Guangzhou. Maggie was so sweet; she came and stayed with me every afternoon/early evening at the hospital (in Guangzhou) so Mom could go back to the hotel and see Paige, get us food, laundry, etc.
Okay, I've posted the Gotcha Day video several times, it looks like it will play now!