We are a family of four!!!!!!!!!

Hello everyone!!! Gabriella is sleeping at the moment, so I thought I would take a minute to tell you how things went with meeting our baby girl! We call this day "Dia de Milagro, Numero Dos". Day of the Miracle, Numer 2.

Barry and I were just staring out the window, waiting to see if we could see anyone coming at noon. I was SOOO excited/nervous. Barry had butterflies as well. I had told the social worker that we would come down at noon, but Antonio was sleeping, so I figured they would just call us if we weren't down there. She finally called, but they had been waiting for us. Oops!

So, we went downstairs to the lobby. We immediately saw them- Gabriella was so beautiful and petite in her features. Barry was videotaping and we went to her and said hello and gave the foster mother a warm hello. I started crying, it was just so beautiful. I didn't take Gabriella right away- I didn't want to upset her. We just talked to her, etc. I held her for a moment after a little while. I had the foster mother carry her upstairs to our room. Antonio's previous foster mother also came along, so she came over and said hello to us as well! I noticed later that she was wearing the locket that we gave her, with his pic inside!

Anyway, we all came upstairs to our room- Gabriella was definitely tentative towards me, and not particularly happy to be touched or held by me. Antonio was just like a dream with Gabriella. It was so sweet and darling. He was showing her pictures of the animal flashcards that Gammy gave him for the trip. He seemed very tender with her, just like a wonderful big brother. We all visited for a while- Gabriella was on the ground- she crawls! We got a ton off information about her schedule, eating, likes, dislikes, etc. We got a ton of information about their birth mother- as some of the ladies with us had met her.

Antonio's previous foster mother was very emotional. She was crying a number of times. Antonio didn't remember her and didn't really want much to do with her, so that was sad for her. But she seemed happy to see him. We had brought along a framed photo of Antonio for her as a gift.

We gave all the ladies our gifts (they do not open them in our presence- not something they do down here). I bestowed a bunch of stuff on our foster family- foster mother has three adult daughters and just had a grandchild born. She gave us a photo album she had put together- it was very sweet.

Gabriella apparently loves music and dancing, eats well, likes other kids, has a little bit of a temper, loves to "go", sleeps in a bed and in a crib, has a bit of a crazy schedule (uh oh, unleash the nazi in me again! hahah! Look out Gabriella!) She loves to look at books like her big brother, too!

When they all left, we put on a DVD that the foster mother left with us. Apparently Gabriella loves this DVD. So, we watched it while I held her. Antonio asked to hold her, too! He helped feed her her bottle and fed her some snacks. His reaction to her has been like a dream come true. She did pretty well- I was worried when the foster mother left, but she handled it like a champ. She was a little nervous- and I am sure we have lots more to come. But overall, the initial responses are not nearly as difficult as with Antonio. BUT, stay tuned on that..... we haven't been alone too long yet, as she has been sleeping for an hour.

I look in the bedroom and I think- I have another child???!!! It's a bit surreal. But wonderful. I have two beautiful children. The Lord has blessed Barry and I a thousand times over.

hey mom- her socks have butterflies on them!!!!