Our First Day With Milli

The first day with our new daughter could not have gone any better.  There is no doubt in my mind that God was with us every step of the way.  When our van pulled up to the building where we were going to meet Milli for the first time, she was just getting out of the van from the orphanage.  To be honest, I did not recognize her.  It's been 6 months since we had an update, but once our guide said there's your daughter, I realized she was the one I had been dreaming about for so long.  She was very
scared and wanted to stay with the caregiver.  So we went inside the building up to the room where it all happens. She still was not wanting to come to us.  Unfortunately, there were two other children between the ages of 2 and 3 that were crying and the one was hysterical.  You could tell Milli was so frightened by everything, but her caregivers kept reassuring her.  I remembered to give her a lollipop, and after that she came and sat on my lap.  We then gave her a backpack with some toys that she started to go through, but her favorite thing was to play with my camera.  She loved the buttons and when I showed her it took pictures, she started taking them of her feet and then John walked in front and she saw him on the screen and just smiled.  The orphanage staff brought the last care package box and we kept showing her the picture of our family with our names on it.  She knew all of us.  When the orphanage told her she was going to her new family yesterday, they said she smiled and was very happy.  We finished the paperwork and took our first family photo and then left.  She never cried and held my hand on the way out.  She was scared to get on the elevator, so we .took the stairs.  She was happy in the van and was scared again going into the hotel.  Luckily our guide explained about the hotel to her, and she went up to our room.  She came in and started playing with toys the entire day.  She was so happy and laughing, and making us laugh.  She is a total ham with John, but she won't let him touch her. She's not so sure about Gus yet.  She hoards her toys and will not share with him. I was told they don't get to play with toys at the orphanage.  She ate like a trooper. She has chubby little cheeks and a big belly.  I don't think we will have Gus' finicky issues.  She is also potty trained and let me help her.  She has the most quiet and sweet voice. It melts my heart.
The orphanage questionnaire indicated she was smart and outgoing.  Her fears were listed as bugs and cats. (I'm sure my sister Sue is happy about that one.)  I'm sure she will come around though. The only issue we had with her today, was when we wanted to go to Walmart and buy her some warmer clothes for the air conditioned hotel room, and she didn't want to leave. She did not like the black warm sweater I brought for her.  She did like Grandma's pink sweater though and wore that over her dress from the orphanage.  She definitely likes pink. What was I thinking? When it was time to get dinner though, we bribed her with another lollipop.  She sat at dinner dazed and tired.  She kept looking at  me so I went over, placed her on my lap and fed her.  She ate everything.  We then came back to the room and put on her pj's, attempted to brush her teeth, of which she looked at me like I was crazy, and then put her in a rollaway crib.  She started to so sweetly cry.  I tried to comfort her.  I finally put on a Chinese lullaby music I downloaded to my Iphone, and she went to sleep.
So day one had one teardrop from her.  I know there is going to be some rough spots, but for now I am so grateful and humbled.  Our sweet daughter is so brave and I am so impressed by her.  I can't wait for everyone to meet this amazing little girl.