We have Nathan!

And it couldn't have gone any better!  I don't even know where to begin.   I had a mini-mental freak out this morning for the first time since we started the process to adopt Nathan.  You other adoptive parents know what I'm talking about, I'm sure.  For those of you not so enlightened, it's the "What in the world was I thinking?  What have we done?" moment.  Anyway, I was NERVOUS.  Amy, our guide showed up while we were having breakfast this morning.  We chatted about questions we wanted to ask the orphanage director and what we would do the rest of the day (if all went well, that is.)  Also at breakfast, we met two other families here to adopt babies, so it was great to make those connections as well.

We headed off to civil affairs around 9:40.  When we walked into the room, only one woman was there, the vice-director of Zhuzhou orphanage. Amy introduced us to her, and then another woman, the head of the foster care program in Zhuzhou, walked in with Nathan.  He was smiling and goofing around and not at all shy!  He knew instantly who we were.  Here are some photos:

We did some paperwork, and Marc entertained Nathan while I talked to the vice-director about our boy. We learned that  he left his foster parents just this morning, and that both of them were crying when he left.  This breaks my heart.  We made plans to visit Zhuzhou Thursday where we will visit the orphanage and then travel out to where his foster parents live.  We will get to visit his school as well.

In the car once we left, we asked Amy to ask if Nathan were scared.  He said he was not scared of us but that he was scared because his foster parents cried this morning.  He then pulled off his shoe, pulled out a folded up piece of paper with a letter from his foster family.  I am crying as I type this.  Here are a few lines from their letter:

How are you?  We are very glad that Xu will be adopted by your family.  Xu came to our family 6/29/04.  At that time he was 3 years old.  He has lived with us for 6 and a half years.  Through our good care to him he grows very happily and lovely.  Xu is very kind.  He is very generous and loved us very much.  He eats anything, he is not picky about food.  He is strong and very healthy and has never been sick.

We love him very much.  It is very lucky for him to be adopted by your family.  That is his blessing.  For Xu’s future we become relatives from different countries.  We wish Xu will grow up happily and become a useful person for the society.

What a gift to have their blessing on his adoption.

After doing even MORE paperwork in the hotel room, Amy took us out to lunch, and then off to the bookstore to look at some electronic translators.  We aren't sure we need one, so are going to see how it goes for the next day or so with him. 

Our new little man is pretty much exactly how we thought he would be. HE IS ONE BUSY KID!  He is very curious about everything.   He is quite small for his age.  I would say he is a little bit bigger than Grace, and very thin and wiry.  Nathan smiles quite a bit and does not have a shy bone in his body- he pretty much talked to everyone everywhere we went.  He is extremely active, jumping around, leaping down the stairs, etc.  I can only imagine what life is going to be like with him and Grace in the same house together!  He LOVES the remote control car I brought for him and also the DS and the digital camera.

Martha, if you are reading this, you would not believe how much he reminds me of Sam!

Here are a few more pics:

With the vice-director

At lunch, showing off his sketch of Mom

Back in the hotel. 

That's about all for now.  We are going to possibly hit the pool for a little while, but I already feel that jet-lag headache and fatigue setting in...hope we can stay awake!