Our hotel in Xi’an is a short walk from the Civil Affairs Office where the adoption is finalized. Once we checked in and got the room ready, we met down in the lobby and walked over to the office. We sat on the couch while the official and our guide worked on some paperwork. Our hearts were beating fast, and I didn’t know whether to smile or cry. The emotions were high. We heard some noise in the hallway, and our guide alerted us, “Here she comes!” In came the director of the orphanage and the director of the whole campus (apparently, the orphanage is part of an institution which also cares for elderly). The lady director of the orphanage was carrying Lydia. She took our breath away. I cried. Mark laughed. The guide told me I could try to hold her which I did. She came right to me and kept looking for the orphanage director. But, she didn’t cry. Mark and I passed her between us; she seems to have taken to Mark and enjoyed his little games with her. We completed the paperwork for today, and the director gave us a chance to ask questions (of course, we were overwhelmed and we couldn’t think of anything to ask at the moment). Then she told us that she doesn’t cry much and that she is a very good and happy baby. We took a couple pictures, and they left. And, there we were with our daughter.
Walking out of that building with her in my arms was surreal. People started looking at us and smiling. Did they know we just received her as our daughter? Or, were they gawking simply because I was smiling so large I looked ridiculous. Who knows.
She cried a bit back at the hotel room and wouldn’t take a bottle at all. But, Mark soothed her to sleep, and she is peaceful now.
Thank you all for the prayers–keep them coming. And, know that we are loving the blog comments. Mark and I read them together, and they are a fun encouragement—especially now as we are alone in Xi’an without other American families to pal around with. More tomorrow –
Dear Evan, Ashlyn, and Drew — It was so fun to skype with you a little while ago and show Lydia to you! She is cute as can be, and we know you are going to love getting to know her. She is going to love having you as big brothers and a big sister.
P.S. We DID get a smile or two out of her and we were surprised by some dimples!
Oh Kelly! I have tears! What a blessing! She is just beautiful! I’m mean, breathtakingly beautiful! I am THRILLED for you guys!!
Kelly,
Wow, Lydia takes my breath away! She is so beautiful and fits perfectly in your arms!!!! I am so happy for you!! I couldn’t wait to check you blog this morning to see Lydia! Congratulations!!!!!!!
Tricia
Congratulations Kelly. Well worth the wait!
Amen! Amen! Amen! What a wonderful start to my Sunday morning! She is so beautiful & just seems to fit perfectly into both of your arms & will be the same into your family I know! Kelly, the photo of you looking back carrying her as you left made me cry. She looks at peace & as if the transition for all has gone well. I am so glad. Thank you for keeping us in the loop & allowing us to follow along as you grow your family & bring Lydia home! Blessings!!!
Oh she is just precious! And she looks so perfect being held by you and Mark. I read your post while holding my own bundle. God is so good! I’m just so excited for you. Can’t wait to see her with your anxiously waiting 3!!! Love to you guys!
Oh Kelly!!!! 2 posts in one day–oh my! It is a great day!
This message is for Mark! The smile on your face in that picture of you with the directors is priceless! All I could think was what a beautiful warm feeling your daughter will have when she sees this photo and feels the love that radiates from the photo with all the amazing warmth and love of a very proud daddy–her daddy! What an amazing moment and an amazing day!
Kelly–that photo of you with your precious Lydia is so perfect! Your smile is bigger than all of China, I’m sure the onlookers had no idea exactly what was happening–but were stopped in their by the enormity of the love exuding from every piece of your body and soul! I remember that moment so well too–it is so wild to hold this precious gift of a child in your arms and emerge into the “big world” of China with her locked in your arms and your heart forever! It’s beyond describable. Like you we too wondered if people really knew what was happening. As sweet as it was–it was odd at the same time! She is yours–forever–Thank God!
Mark–how sweet of you to take a picture of this moment for her. We didn’t think to do that–they rushed us to a cab and off to a photo studio for our pics. Did you get those pictures done?
OK, enough, I’m so excited for you! As I write this your sound asleep, dreaming of your days ahead and cherishing every moment.
Love and God Bless–enjoy, enjoy, enjoy your daughter is breath-takingly beautiful and so are you as a family! She has your eyes kelly!
Congratulations!!! She is beautiful and you guys are BEAMING! So glad that everything went smoothly. I can’t wait to see a picture of those dimples :)
Beautiful! Congratulations, she is adorable. Those are great pictures of a great moment!
She is absolutely wonderful! Congratulations. :)
I woke up this morning thinking about you and I am tearfully writing my best wishes to you! Lydia is precious. The pictures took my breath away. I am so delighted for you and the whole family!!!!
Congratulations, Raudenbush Family! I loved this post since the streets and the Civil Affairs Office are so familiar to us. It looks just the same as it did last month when we received our Isaac right where you are standing!! And the streets you’re walking down…you were on your way to get the family picture taken, weren’t you!!!
Lydia is so beautiful….I am so excited to see another little Xi’an baby come home.
Blessings,
Courtney
Kelly! She is beautiful and you all look wonderful together. I’m so, so happy for you. We’ll continue to pray for you all during this time of transition! Keep the pictures coming!!
I came home and rushed to the computer to see if you have updated! Congrats to you all!! You certainly have reason for a ridiculously big smile!! She is so beautiful! She is a little peanut for being a year old. I am sure you can’t wait to get her home! Praying for everything else to go smoothly and for safe travels home!
So excited for you!!! She’s BEAUTIFUL!!!
She is beautiful. I love seeing your pictures – one day my son and his wife will go back and we will visit. They were in Beijing for two years but when they return, would like a more remote area. Once while riding his bike in Beijing, our son was lost for 3 hours!
Congratulations. Again, she is beautiful.
Yaaaaaay! Kelly, I’ve never seen such a big smile on your face! You look like a radiant new mom! Lydia is beautiful and I’m so excited that you’ve finally gotten this long-awaited child. And I’m even more excited that Lydia has a long-awaited Mommy and Daddy! Hurray, God!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! This is Monica from NY– I see that the 2 people in your photo are the same 2 people who accompanied our daughter to us! We were told that she was a nanny (not the director of the orphanage) and that he was the director! Everything they told us about our daughter turned out to be true so I hope the same is true for you! She looks beautiful and you guys look so happy!!! I find it interesting that they let you into the Civil Affairs building– we were told no adoptive parents were let in there anymore– maybe it was because it was just the 2 of you- when we went there were 3 other couples adopting at the same time! Thank you for sharing your story in your blog! Congratulations!!!
So excited about your Gotcha Day! I hope everything is going smoothly! Enjoy Xian and your first precious days.
Gina and Mia
She is just precious!! Praying for you and understand exactly where you are emotionally. Can’t wait for more~
I cried reading this! I am so happy for you! You and Mark look so happy! What a relief to finally hold her in your arms, huh? Love the picture of you holding her with an enormous smile on your face! She is a beautiful addition to your family! Enjoy her!
Yeah!!!! We prayed for you in our SS class today. I am so excited that it went so well for you. I will pray that she continues to bond with you. She is so cute.
O my goodness!!! How EXCITING this all is…
I am so happy for you and your family. She looks like she’s smiling already and looks so comfortable with you all. We will have to visit you at GVF sometime to meet this precious angel that was sent into your lives.
I have been waiting for this post!!
How amazing! … she is beautiful, your smiles are so huge, and yay, she lost the puffy pants :)
Hope she is adjusting well. Love and prayers- Amy
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She’s here, she’s yours!!! I am SO EXCITED! She is such a little peanut. So sweet.
You guys look like you’re walking on cloud 9! *sigh*
I am so, so very happy for you!
yea yea yea, finally. Of course I started crying when mom called me this morning after you talked. We cannot wait to have you get home.
Lydia, Aunt Erin, Uncle Brian, Bohdan and Audrey Love you very very much and so excited to meet you very soon. I think Audrey is the most excited! Enjoy this time getting to know your mommy and daddy.They have waited for this day a long time…we all have.
Love you all!
PS-we just got home from a fun birthday party for a Mr. Drew Raudenbush! Fun for everyone and yummy food. Mom and dad need a nap, but they are having a good time.
She is SO beautiful, and it is so wonderful to see her in your arms, but OH….this is the first blog post when I realized they just hand you your child, and…..off you go…… I mean, I knew that all along, but it seemed so strange!!! :)
I am so thrilled for you both, and so glad to hear that Lydia did fall asleep for you…I’m sure there are tougher days/moments ahead, so I am still praying for you ALL!!!!
WOO HOO….can’t believe you are IN China and you HAVE Lydia with you!!!! Surreal indeed!!!! :)
Kelly,
I am so excited for you both! She is just beautiful! How blessed you are!
Nicole
Yeah God! She sure looks great in your arms! What a sweetie! Ask them if you can have her finding clothes. We asked and they sent them by courier to the hotel the next day.
Congrats!
Kim
Kelly, everything sounds wonderful!! What a great day its sounds like you had. I am so happy for you guys. I am sitting here cring what you must be feeling after all this time, to finally have her in your arms. Take every moment in and capture as much as you can. Hope the rest of the trip runs smoothly for you guys.
Tears of absolute joy for you both!!! Your faces are just beaming with happiness, and your Lydia is just so beautiful and precious! What a long wait for your precious daughter. I cannot wait to see more pictures of you guys and your Lydia. Lydia – your big sister and brothers are probably over the moon excited too!!!
Rejoicing with you as you are relishing in these first few days with Lydia.
She is adorable.
So glad to hear you already got some smiles! :)
I can see and feel your joy! Happy Happy Day! Love to all of you,
Lynn
WOW…What a sweet little baby you have! She FITS you good! Hugs as you go through the transition!
I must comment on your ‘fans’ too, you really get the comments!
Donna :0)
I kept refreshing my screen before church. I was so anxious to see and hear about your day. So now, through my tears of joy for your family, I want to say Congratulations Raudenbush Family!
YAY! She does smile! Can’t wait until you can capture some on camera!
She is such a peanut…especially next to Mark! I totally LOVE the picture of you holding her and looking back at Mark. I am just beside myself for you – she is so gorgeous! Continuing to pray!
you smile is just about off your face!! i’m overflowing with joy for you all! welcome, baby lydia!!!!!
Wonderful – your smile is very special!
She is so beautiful Kelly … Congratulations to you & Mark…..what a perfect day ! I too cried when I saw the pictures & read your story….. so happy for you …. can’t wait for us to travel one day to get our Eliana. Anxiously awaiting more pictures & stories & praying for your smoothe transition.
~Wendi
She’s beautiful!! I recognize tha man in the picture but the lady is new as of our trip in 2006. Enjoy Xian and your daughter!!
It looks as if she has been with always! What a beautiful, beautiful baby!!! Congrats!! We are so enjoying seeing a glimpse of what lies ahead for Angie!!! Keep all the details coming! We are glued!! :)
So happy for you, she is absolutely beautiful!! Congratulations!!
Yipee! Happy happy day! I’m so glad it finally came for you. Blessings on all of you! Can’t wait to meet Lydia!
Love, Lynn
Congrats! I’m a friend of Erin’s who brought home a little boy from Korea almost a year ago. I’ve enjoyed seeing your China pictures. We’ll be praying for you adjustment.
She is PERFECT!! And so is your smile, Kelly! So glad to hear everything went well and that your sweet baby is sleeping! :)
She is just beautiful! Can’t wait to see what she looks like underneath all those layers! Enjoy Xian. Violet
Kelly, I’m just thrilled for your family! Lydia is such a beauty – and I can just see the love you two have for her :-) What an AMAZING blessing – such an incredible time in your life. Congratulations!
We are sending our application to Living Hope today, God Bless you!
Oh Kelly!…look at that little peanut ~ she is a HUNNY!!! I LOVED seeing that big ol’ smile on your face, just priceless! The wait was long for you, but as you can see, God had the PERFECT plan! She is just darling and seeing her in your arms takes my breath away.
Enjoy getting to know your daughter. You all remain in my prayers. Have a blessed week! <>< Love and Hugs,
~Tanya
What a beautiful answer to prayer. Have a wonderful time! Congratulations.
Another precious little Lydia!!! Of course she has to be beautiful with such a beautiful name!!!! How I loved seeing your smiling face with Lydia in your arms. Oh it is such a joy and I am right there with you remembering back to our time almost a year ago!!!
Enjoy every moment!!!
love and prayers,
Naomi
What a happy day! Congrats!
The Verguldi’s
I’ve been enjoying following your journey to this place and ultimately to Lydia. What a beautiful story! I continue to pray for you guys.
Our family’s hearts are full of love for your family Kelly. Lydia is so beautiful and what wonderful smiles you all have. You are radiating joy! You finally have your sweet little angel you have waited so long for.
Hugs,
Jonni