Here is an account of our wonderful Gotcha day...
(It is long, but I consider it an entry for Mahaela's babybook which is more that I did for the other four kids!)
Our driver met us at our apartment at 7am. We drove to get Rosi, our translator, which was a wonderful surprise as we were told on Sunday that she would not be going with us. We drove a little over 3 hours from Sofia to get to the orphanage in Haskovo. We arrived around 11am. We were told we could take as long as we needed and ask all our questions. We were concerned that we needed to hurry because of needing to get back to Sofia to do passport pictures. The passport office was open to 7pm, so that gave us lots of time.
When we arrived at the orphanage, Mrs. Toncheva, the head nurse, met us. She was very happy and excited to see us. As we entered the orphanage, other nurses were waiting to greet us. They asked for clothes to dress Mahaela in, but then they offered to let me change her if I would like. I thought that would be fine. As we went back to the nurses office, the staff followed us and then we could hear M. coming down the hall. She was talking the whole way. As she entered the room, she was so excited saying that her Mama and Tate were here for her and that she was going to America. She told all her nurses that we had come for her. It was exciting. She hugged her Mommy, Daddy, and Aubrey. She new Aubrey's name as well as her other brothers and sister. Everyone was very entertained by her excitement.
They offered to let us take her clothes if we would like and not change her. I was thankful for the offer as I would have rather had the memento from the orphanage than have her wearing what we brought for her. She had on the tennis shoes that we brought her in the summer.
There was a little bit of paperwork exchanged and we signed that we were picking her up...that she was now in our custody. They gave us her medical record, immunization record. The director of the orphanage came into greet us also and spoke a little about her condition. He said she was one of six children in Bulgaria that has her condition and that she is in the best health of them all. He explained that she still gets blue and tires easily with exertion or anxiety. Bill then told him that we found her medical document/description to be right on par with how she looked and that our doctors in the states were pleased with how she sounded/looked on paper. Bill then thanked them and told them how thankful we were for the care she had received and that it was evident that she had been well cared for. I couldn't hold back the tears as that was exactly my feeling and what I also wanted to convey to all her nurses--just deep gratitude. They told us how happy they were for M. to have a family such as ours. They told us that God had blessed her and Bill told them that God has blessed us by placing her in our family. It was just a sweet, sincere exchange.
About five nurses sat in the room with us and possibly 3-4 outside the room. I had a list of questions that I began asking. They would all answer at the same time! (Bulgarians seem to talk over each other all the time). I asked what they would remember about M. and they said that she always woke up with a smile--even when she is sick. They said she likes to watch her cartoons before she goes to bed!
Here are other questions that I asked:
Favorite foods? Meat! (sounded like salami, sausages), bananas, mandarin oranges, tomatoes
When does she wake, nap, go to sleep? 6-7--whenever she hears all the nurses coming and going. She doesn't really nap anymore--maybe just 30 min. or less from 2-2:30.
She goes to bed around 8:30. She has dinner at 6:30, but then eats again when the night nurses come in.
How has she celebrated birthdays and Christmas? Christmas they do parties and presents and Santa and it sounds like birthdays they are the center of attention, with the first birthday being a really big deal.
Has she ever left the orphanage for overnights or to anyone's home? Rosi answered that this would not be allowed (although we have heard of other children having that opportunity), but they did say that she has been to downtown Haskovo many times.
Does she suck her thumb or fingers, or did she? She sucks her thumb just while going to sleep and then takes it out. (HA--she is a straight-up thumbsucker!)
Does she like animals or will she be afraid? She likes animals and will like our dog.
How will she do sleeping at night (she has her own room with a crib at our home?) She will need a light on and the door open. She is used to a crib, but not a dark, quiet room. They said she is a light sleeper.
I told them that when M. is older, she may ask about her birth parents. I asked if they knew anything of them and why they had placed her for adoption. They gave an answer which I will keep for M. I intended to ask about whether her birth parents knew anything of her and that she was being adopted. I didn't ask it, but I got the feeling that some or most of them knew the birth parents. It is not a very big town. I tend to believe they know she is doing well.
One of the nurses gave M. a little box with Icons in it that had been specially blessed for Misha. I'm not sure all she said, but she was emotional and had been on our first visit as well. She also gave a little Christmas teddy bear ornament. Someone gave her a large babydoll along with the little backpack with items in it from our first trip.
Mrs. Toncheva gave M. a little gift bag with a very special necklace for when she is older and a ceramic plate with Icons. She also had two disks with photos of M. one with random photos and one with birthday photos. She said she was not able to give us pictures of when she was very young as her computer had crashed losing all those photos. (I know that feeling.) I am thankful for any photos that we are able to have. She also included brochures of Haskovo for keepsakes. She said M. came to the orphanage on December 13, 2007. I think she immediately had a special place in their hearts. They can't possibly know how meaningful these items are to me. They hold all the memories from the first three years of Mahaela's life and I cherish any connection that we can have to that time and these people who have loved her.
Mahaela was able to give her caregivers small gift bags with gloves, lotion/soap set, a letter that my friend translated for me to give her caregivers, and also a little photo charm necklace with a picture of Mahaela in it. They said that was the best gift to be given. I think so, too. Mahaela took one of the necklaces to wear also.
We felt like we had asked all we needed to. Our driver, who had been to another nearby orphanage to take photos, was returning to pick us up. We asked if we could see her room one last time and take a picture with everyone also. We saw her room, our photos on the wall, the book we sent her, the birthday package we sent sitting on the table. M. walked all the way to her room and then back out to the foyer. She led us all like the leader of the parade. I kept thinking and said to Bill, "This is the last time!"
As we stood in the foyer, someone ran back to get Mahaela's coats that they wanted us to have. They said they think of only M. when they see the coats anyway, as they belonged to her.
We all walked outside--it was such a mild, warm 60 degree day. They did the tradition of good luck by pouring water on the orphanage steps and leading Mahaela through it down the steps. They were all parading, leading her to our car. She even saw her driver that we had met from our first trip. It felt like this monumental moment. They were all saying goodbye and kissing her. Mrs. Toncheva put her in the middle seat of the car as I hugged most of the nurses. As Aubrey said, I went into the "ugly" cry just a bit, but even Aubrey was crying. All the nurses were crying. I'm still crying as I write this! I will never forget that moment, standing in the street next to our car. We drove off with them all waving, saying goodbye...then to look down and see our little girl sitting between Bill and me, ready for her new life.
I need to clear my head for a bit, so I will post this now. I will post again with the remainder of our first day. This has been the bulk of our Gotcha Day.
We are praising the Lord, that's all I can say!
