Monday July 16th

back to at the hotel

this is Sarah

this is Abigail

We have the girls! It was very different then we had ever imagined. We came around the corner at the orphanage and saw Sarah first, she is so tiny and she immediately turned away from us. Then we noticed Abigail in the crib close by, she is bigger then we thought, they look almost the same size. I picked up Abigail and she started to scream and wanted nothing to do with us. Matt put his hands out for Sarah and she went immediately to him and clung to him and would not let go. Abby would not come back to me after they changed her clothes.


They asked for clothes for the girls and laughed at us. Abby's bearly fits and sarah swims in hers. Then they asked for shoe, which i did not have. Socks were not good enough. We were planning on buying them after we got them so they would fit. This did not go over well. The director of the orphanage was a little upset over it and told us we needed to go. I felt horrible but I wasn't sure what they expected from us. How was I suppose to know what size shoe they were wearing? So we started things off to a bad start with them and had to promise that when we went to the giving and recieving ceremony tomorrow that we would have shoes for them.


We left immediately, we were maybe there for 30 but I doubt it. I am truely sorry to all the waiting families. do to everything going on I was not able to get pictures of you children. We were told be would be there for 1 1/2 hours but we offended I think and were asked to leave. Cherrie did get pictures of lost of babies thought. Again I know you were all looking forward to them and i am sorry.

As we entered the van to leave Sarah was holding onto Matt so tightly and abby was screaming in my arms. loan, Dr. Hongs neice took abby who immediately stopped crying and feel a sleep in her arms. She held her the 1 1/2 hour drive home. Sarah feel asleep in Matt's arms with her hand grasping his shirt. Everytime we would go over a bump she would grab tighter.


I cried the entire way home, it was hard knowing they did not want me. I was prepared for it before we went but it did not make it easier.


We got back to Hanoi and got there passport photo's taken. We decided that I would take sarah and matt would take abby. Sarah reluctantly went with me, as long as Matt was with in sight and Abby went right to Matt.

Back at the hotel we had them first looked at by cherrie who is an RN and she said not scabbies or lice. We were thrilled. We went up to our room and gave them bathes and played with toys. They love there toys and play pretty good together. We were shocked when Sarah started to talk and talk and talk. We have another talker on our hands. Then she started to smile and laugh.

Things we have found out about Abby:


she is big for her age

she is a mover, walking really well and climbing

she does not like to be held when having a bottle

loves her stacking toys

has taken to a sippy cup really good

she loves to share

we are concerned about her teeth, she has bottle rot on three that I can see

she has an eye infection


Things we have found out about Sarah:
she is not shy or quiet

she hates the sippy cup

she very picky about food and drink

she does not like mom only dad

she is potty trained, only if matt takes her, bonus for mom

she sucks her middle and ring finger

she is very posesive about her things

she is very ticklish




Matt is going in the morning to apply for there passports and then tomorrow after noon we are having our giving and recieving ceremony, which everything will be finalized on the Vietnamese side of thing, they will be offically ours tomorrow.