a few opening Gotcha Day pics ...
First, leaving the airport hotel for our early Monday morning final flight to Maeve, Kath snapped these workers waiting by the side of the road through our bus window.
Next, our flight to Nanchang is finally posted for boarding, everyone cheers.
Next, one of Marcus and I boarding the flight ...
The last three are pics of "Cheeksy"---that's the name that came on the colourful Mandrill plush toy we brought to give to Maeve ... You may recall we sent Maeve a care package a couple of days after receiving our early December referral. It contained another plush toy, a doll that was in a pea pod and came with the name "Sweet Pea". Included in Maeve's care pack was close-up photos of us, us holding Sweet Pea and Cheeksy, and then Sweet Pea and Cheeksy holding each other.
Hopefully she'll recognize this far-travelling Monkey (and we especially hope to receive pics of Maeve's foster parents in the small album we sent, for we left spaces for them to add to it, and requested they do so).
Cheeksy waiting on the big beautiful bed we'll be using to let Maeve explore and play on later tonight.
But growing restless, Kath decided Cheeksy needed to be at the window, looking out to see if Maeve is coming. This ape's been waiting a long time for his proper human handler, our daughter---and is finally about to meet his match ...
Ciao, G Minus 2.5 hours,
Mama and Baba in the Galactic!
11 comments:
Hi Pat and Kitty!!!!!!!!
We are still up here at chez Hays-Forde celebrating, overjoyed and counting the minutes with you. We love you sooo much and are breathless with vicarious -- and our own -- anticipation.
There is a beautiful song that Bruce Cockburn wrote for his baby-in-the-belly called Little Seahorse and in it he repeats, "I already love you and I don't even know who you are...". I sang that song to myself so many times when we were expecting Miller and Bram. Today you will finally begin that most precious, awe-inspiring and rich journey to knowing your beautiful daughter.
Daughter! Mom and Dad. Such beautiful words... three beautiful people. We love you and are there with all our hearts as you walk across the street.. to the magic that is your Maeve. Kitty will make an amazing mother. Pat, you will make an amazing dad -- and we will share Dad stories and wisdom and wonder for years to come.
All our love.
Geoff, Sheila, Miller and Bram
yeah - i kinda LOVE that photo of cheeeksy being cheeky and takin a peaky down at the road there... waitin for his maevey baby to hug him.
i found some beautiful Chinese traditional music MP3s - i know you must have some yourself... but this is what i've been listening to here while i toast the 3 of you and sip away to the brightness and joy of what the future holds for the 3 of you...
this one really struck me because it's called river water and when you told me that the Chinese story connected to adoption is of two rivers of water flowing down a mountain that will converge...
River Water
anyway - i admit, bringing on some tears of my own - two little rivers down my face... but you gotta know they're 99.999% tears of joy tonight...
woa ai ni
crazeeeee aunti nainsi (thought i'd use my gaelic spelling tonight for that other little Gaelic cailin over there...)
we ARE there with you! we are there with all of you...
give her a kiss for us, won't you?
sheila
xoxo
Our cheers to you...
Proud and Overjoyed Auntie
Proud and Overjoyed Uncle
here's the most perfect song about the first joyful moments of new parenthood by another celtic cailin... kate bush...
This Woman's Work - it's only a bit of the full song - maybe Pete can download the whole thing... this one's for you my brother as you start the craft of the father...
love nance
for all the daddies out there, in fact... kate bush has some kinda voice.
so here are some more traditional chinese mp3s i downloaded - for when you get back to the hotel with her - these are very calming... i hope they bring her some peace. i hope they bring you peace too - so your souls will all become soothed - i know it will be traumatic for her because she's had a foster family - i'm thinking of her birth mum today too - how hard it must have been to leave her in that doorway - especially as she's so damn beautiful. it's heartbreaking. thank god and goddess and buddha, vishnu, jesus, danu... thank GOODNESS she was so brave - to give a better life for her daughter than perhaps she felt she could give - and thank GOODNESS for her birth mommy's sake that you two are the ones taking her in your arms - if the birth mommy knew you, her heart would be at peace too - i wish her peace too... it was meant to be. and you know how big i am on fate. she's been walking these past 10 months towards your loving, waiting arms. This is for your honey, for your moonchild...
Moon Over XunYang River
Two Fountains Reflecting Moon
Moonlit River in Spring"
Violin Concerto - Liang Zhu
here's a couple of my favourite celtic songs by kate - just so she has a little of that too to relax to...
Under the Ivy
Mna nA h'Eireann (woman of ireland)
i love you both.
i love that maeve lili cai ling.
makin my heart sing tonight.
i'm gonna go dream on her now - dream on the day i get to hold her myself and look into those dark eyes...
all my love
nance
you know.. the beginning of mna na h'eireann kinda reminds me of the title track of crouching tiger, hidden dragon.
these are ancient cultures that are embracing her... Chinese. Celtic. two beautiful spiritual cultures. she's lucky. you are so lucky. we are so so so VERY lucky.
so maevey baby - on the Forde side - you're number 10. grandchild number 2 on the Fong side. but as far as you're parents are concerned this day...
you're number 1.
woa ai ni, my little honey.
crazzeeeee (sleeeepppppy) aunty nance
this one's in memory of the matriarch, our opera-singin' nana - silly lily gilligan...for one lily and another lili an ocean away...
(and one of nana joanie woanie's favourites...)
i toast this to maeve's birth mother - to her foster mother - to our kit yee who will be her mother the rest of her days...
this is a song about another mother... yeah it's heartbreaking but it's beautiful - and like a dear friend once said - being mortal is about taking the joy with the sorrow in life. here's hoping this little life is gonna have lots of joy to soothe the sorrow of her early days...
puccini's um bel di (one fine day)...from madama butterfly (as sung by maria callas)
wishing you all one fine day - one fine year... one fine life the rest of your days together...
love nance
With you today, in spirit and love, looking forward to more news,
I hope all three of you will be able to sleep,
much love to all
carmel, dan, alex
Dear Pat and Kathleen,
By now you will have your whole world in your arms. We are with you in thoughts and prayers.
Your real journey is just beginning and we know how lucky both you and Maeve are in finding each other.
Looking forward to the pictures when we arrive home tonight.
Congratulations and all our love,
Col, Will, Chris, Kiks, Sar, and Mike.
ah fer gosh sake's paddy, will ye blow yer nose and give her to kath and post some pics already... stop yer wailin! (talkin' to pat here not maevey cai ling) - look i know it's hard to focus the camera when your eyes keep fillin up but she's YOURS now- you get to KEEP her - she ain't goin' anywhere. you don't even have to take your eyes off her - just point and click...
(you know i'm teasin' ye)
we're all waiting... so when you can spare a moment's attention away from your little angel...post us a pic or two of the new mama and baba and nuer.
love nance
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