Monday, November 8, 2010

Our First Day With Johanna


We've had Johanna for just over 24 hours now, and things are going really well. I'll have more pics to post soon, but in the whirlwind of the last day, this is the best I can do for now.
 
Johanna cried for the first 2-3 hours after we received her. She'd had a tough day. She'd been taken from her foster mother, driven three hours in a bus to a strange city, and then handed over to two strangers who couldn't even speak her language. It was a rough day for her.
 
Once she started crying, she refused to go to Clint. In fact, if she even SAW him in the room, she'd start crying harder. I held her on my lap, did my best to comfort her, and had our first breakthrough when I offered her the new toy giraffe we'd brought with us. She'd refused her rattle, her soft blanket, and her teething ring, but she grabbed onto the giraffe and began chewing on his ears. A few minutes later, I was able to give her a bottle and she fell asleep in my arms.
 
The sleep helped. When she awoke, she was better able to handle the changes in her life. She still didn't think highly of Clint, but she tolerated him and stopped crying. She woke up three times last night, hungry, and on the last time Clint fed her a bottle and she decided he was okay after all.
 
Today, she was a little doll. She's the most outgoing, talkative baby in our travel group (nine babies total). She bounces, smiles, and does her level best to steal Cheerios and toys from any other baby within reach. And the girl can EAT. It's honestly unbelievable how much food she put away today. I'm hoping all that solid food will help her sleep through the night tonight. I'd really like to sleep through the night myself! I decided her penchant for snagging what she wants and eating us out of house and home will prepare her well for life with her three big brothers. Clint decided she talks constantly because she takes after me.
 
I may have had a thing or two to say about that.
 
We spent the morning going to several government offices and in the end, we were handed a beautiful certificate in a decorative red case and told our adoption was now officially permanent. She's ours forever. :) We still have to stay another five days here in Nanchang waiting for her passport and visa to come in, and then we fly to Guanzghou for a week while we meet at the American consulate and immigration and swear her in as a U.S. citizen.
 
She smiles at us often now, and loves playing with us. And she turns to us for comfort. While she interacts with others, she clearly prefers us and recognizes us as her primary caregivers. It's amazing that she's come so far in just one day.
 
Tomorrow, I'll take some pictures of her and send them to Mandy to post on the blog. She really is adorable (Yes, I'm biased, but trust me, she is.) and we're absolutely head-over-heels in love with her. I looked at her today as she bounced happily on my lap and knew that every single second of our five year wait was worth it just to hold her now.



  

34 comments:

  1. +JMJ+

    This is such a wonderful post! Thank you for sharing so much of your journey with us.

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  2. It sounds as if Johanna's personality is a perfect fit for her new family. She IS adorable! Johanna is truly a blessing from God. Can't wait for more pictures.

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  3. *squees and babbles and gets all teary*

    Clint looks over the moon there! *laughs* She's going to have him wrapped around her finger, isn't she?

    I am SO happy for you guys.

    <3K

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  4. HA! The cheeks. Those cute, adorable cheeks!

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  5. That little girl is SO adorable and SO cute and SO perfect!!! Congrats times a billion to you and yours!!

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  6. *sniffles* I am so happy for you guys CJ. SO HAPPY! Hug Johanna for me!

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  7. I am SO happy for you and your whole family! She is perfect, and NO you are not biased. This is just a fact! God Bless you on your journey home.

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  8. Made me cry! What a special girl! Congrats on your successful adoption and all the happiness she will continue to bring to your home!

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  9. I am so happy for you!!! She is so precious!

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  10. It's wonderful to hear the transition is going well! Congrats on your lovely new daughter!

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  11. Shes beautiful! Congratulations at last!!

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  12. HOORAY!!! You have my niece permanently!!! I can't wait to see her and hold her. Keep sending pictures, especially of her in a really cute pink outfit that her aunt bought her.

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  13. Aww ^_^ I want to cry this is such wonderful news! Congratulations to you both, I am so happy everything turned out great, and she is just too cute.

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  14. I am in tears - this is so wonderful!!!! Congratulations, over and over!

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  15. Yay!! Smart girl, made him work for it. heh. So happy for you guys. *hugs*

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  16. CJ I'm so happy for all of you!! I'm just speechless reading this - how amazing and exciting!!

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  17. Aw, CJ, I'm just so happy for you! She's such a beautiful baby. This is the moment we were all hoping for. Best wishes for an incredible beginning with your new little one. I bet you can't wait to get her home to meet the rest of her family. Have a safe journey home!

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  18. I'm so happy for you guys! And you're doing a great job!

    Oh, and you're right, she is beautiful!

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  19. Congrats! Just reading this brings back so many memories. My daughter ate a ton too. Can't wait to hear more.

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  20. awwwww I'm melting reading this CJ! Congratulations!!! I can't WAIT for more :)

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  21. This made me giggle! There are two types of Cheerios.....Hers...and yours which are now hers! That's my kind of girl!Love you two...can't wait for you to come home! Free baby sitting!!!

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  22. Congratulations Clint and CJ!! She's just gorgeous!

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  23. She is so beautiful and blessed to have you! Congrats to you both. *wipes tears*

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  24. So happy for you! She’s absolutely beautiful! Congratulations on your new baby girl!

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  25. I remeber the day Clint told his listeners about the venture he and CJ were about to embark on, what a blessing to finally have an answer to your prayers and holding your precious daughter! She is beautiful and going to be such a blessing to your family! God Bless you all!

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  26. I am so happy for you! I donated in the skip a starbucks day and never followed up to find out when you got her. I came to your blog for the Lili St Crow interview and low and behold I saw this sweet picture! It made me cry happy tears. <3
    Jennifer
    kjovus at gmail dot com
    kjovus.blogspot.com

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  27. Adorable! We adopted a pair of bio-sibs from Peru back in 2002, so I know what you've been through, and probably most of what you will go through in the years to come. Such a great family! Hugs...

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