Gotcha Day !!!!!

We're on our way !!! David took this photo in the van we took from Taipei to Taichung. It took a little over 2 hours to get there. Our driver spoke great English. And we also had Wen with us and Alma, the Social Worker from Chung Yi. 7/9/2012

From David: I'm writing as we are driving on the freeway to Taichung to get Kendall. We were handed a package from the Chung Yi Social Worker that has letters from the foster family, very emotional. The trip will take 2 hours, we are in a very nice mini van and the air is cool. It's been a few hot days and this is a big relief.

 

From Sheryl: The first thing Alma did when we got going was to hand us a package with some critical documents in it: Some updated medical reports on Kendall, what her daily schedule is, what she eats, and like David said, two letters from the foster mother who took care of her for three years. The letter was brutally painful to read. It must have been horrible for her to write it because it killed me to read it. It was obvious the the foster family loved her. We learned later in the day that they were too old to adopt her, so that is why they didn't. There was also a letter from the Chung Yi director that was emotional and sad, wishing her a happy life. So, needless to say, all my mascara was cried off before we ever arrived in Taichung.

 

Flying down the highway - mountains in the distance.

 

Up in the mountains of west central Taiwan.

 

Mommy and Olivia headed toward Kendall.

 

Poor Kendall looked shell-shocked. Olivia looked mad. Mommy was the only one who looked happy. Alma, the social worker from Chung Yi is in the back on the right.

 

 

 

 

 

While this initial contact was going on, there were about 25 people with cameras all hollering our names trying to get us to look here and there. It was overwhelming for everyone, but especially Kendall and Olivia.

 

We had prepared these little backpacks (with identical goodies in them) to give to each of the girls so that they would have something to play with during the paperwork and discussion time, and on the long ride. The woman on the left was Kendall's primary caregiver at the Nursery. She cried when we left.

 

The Nursery director is on the right.

 

Kendall saying goodbye to one of her teachers. Throughout this whole dramatic ordeal, Kendall never cried once. She looked more stunned than anything. Olivia never cried on her Gotcha Day either.

 

We ate pizza at Costco in Taichung. We had the thoughts of going shopping there, but since there were what looked like 40 million people in Costco, we gave up that idea. Olivia ate half of one piece and Kendall ate a piece and a half !!!

 

Back in the room, Kendall got ahold of the snacks and hasn't stopped eating yet.

 

 

Between the snacks and the Tinkerbell movie, Olivia has started to warm up more to Kendall. She hasn't really been acting jealous, which is what I was worried about.

 

Sisters

 

FINALLY, a beautiful smile from Olivia !!!!!! And Kendall is still eating !!

 

Beautiful baby Kendall.

 

Awwwww !!!! Here is Olivia helping Kendall figure out how to bite a candy bracelet.

 

Watching TV.

 

She is so thirsty too. I think everything is so regulated at the nursery, that when the food and drink is there all the time, she wants to go overboard.

 

 

Forever Sisters.

 

More pictures to follow! Please keep up the prayers. We need them !!

 

Sheryl, David, Olivia and Kendall

 

 

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