What a Difference a Week Makes

Monday, Nov 3rd -
One week ago I went to the orphanage to get my precious little Lucie! It already seems like a lifetime ago. Mom and I agree that Lucie has really blossomed during this week. When we got her she was very quiet, now she talks up a storm and cries (screams?) when she wants something. We could feel her little ribs, now we cannot :) She has probably doubled the amount of formula and cereal she was eating a week ago. She would not put her feet on the ground the first few days. Now all she wants to do is walk, walk, walk. She's also pretty good at crawling - when she wants to. She was attentive and inquisitive a week ago, and even more so now, and she will imitate many things. Yesterday she found out that she could stick out her tounge and blow and it makes funny noises (and spit goes everywhere). She can also blow raspberries. She smiles and laughs much more than she would a week ago. I think she feels comfortable and safe with us. She likes to tap things with her hands - I think she is going to be a drummer. We will have to get her some drums when we get home. She likes her book that we brought with us, which is great. I know we will have many hours of enjoyment reading. In yesterday's bath she learned how to splash in the water and she loved it! I have lots of toys waiting for her in her bathtub at home. Well, we thought we were teaching her pretty well but she definitely has us trained to do exactly what she wants us to do :) Lucie is my blessing, my little miracle. I had given up on being a mother and now God has given me this chance by bringing us together.

We completed the final step in the process here in Viet Nam. We had our US Embassy interview and got Lucie's IR3 visa, which means that when our plane lands in LAX she will be a US citizen. We are ready to go home now!

Tuesday, Nov 4th -
Day #6 here in Hanoi and Day #6 of rain! We have had our last night here in Hanoi. Today we pack and rest up for the trip. We leave the hotel at 4pm this afternoon. It takes an hour to get the airport - maybe longer if the streets are still flooded. Our flight leaves just before 8pm tonight, or 8am EST. We fly from Hanoi to Hong Kong, have a quick turn around in Hong Kong, then the long flight to LA. Thankfully we have a basinette on that leg of our journey, and hopefully Lucie will get some sleep. When our plane lands at LA Lucie will be an American citizen. In LA we will get our bags, clear customs, go through a special immigration line for Lucie, and then we are on a red eye flight from LA to Atlanta. We will be home Wednesday morning - 2 1/2 days earlier than we planned. Please pray for us on this flight home - that it is a good and safe flight and that we make it with little Miss Lucie who has a mind of her own.

We are excited about heading home, and in about 40 hours or so we'll be saying Good Morning Georgia!

Good bye Viet Nam, for now. We will be back one day.