Remembering Gotcha Day

As I snuggled with Lily on the couch this afternoon, listening to her read, it seems impossible that she has only been ours for a year.  This time last year, we spent our last day without her.  I had not held her yet or heard that pitiful howl as she grieved.  I had not touched her hair, held her hand, or heard her giggle.  A year later, I can't even imagine a life without her in it.

I remember the night before we met her, I don't think any of us slept.  I just kept wondering what it would be like once she was really ours.  I prayed and worried about her most of the night.  Before sunrise, the big kids piled in our bed and we talked about what might happen when we met Lily.  None of could really imagine what would happen.  We were all excited but also really nervous.  We knew our lives would never be the same.

Snuggling early, early in the morning.  Our nerves would not let us sleep. 

As the time came when we knew that Lily had left the SWI (orphanage) and was on her way to us, I sobbed.  I already loved her and my heart broke for the life she was leaving.  Would we give her everything we could?  Love her?  Take care of forever?  YES!! but she didn't know this yet.  She left all that she knew and it broke my heart to think of how that felt for her.  

We went to the buffet for a very early breakfast since we had been up for so long.

Mary Ashtyn and Reece chopstick fighting to pass the time :)

Nervous Mama and Baba...hurry up and bring our girl!!!

Back to the room to stare out the window and wonder if one of the vans had our Lily Joy in it.

Some of her toys waiting for our little ladybug.

Waiting in the lobby for our Lily...this was so agonizing!

Watching and Waiting for the first glimpse of the little girl who had stolen our hearts nine months ago.

As we sat in the lobby growing more anxious by the second, our guide (Aggie) called to tell us that heavy fog had delayed the van!!  More waiting!!  AAAHHHH...it was terrible.

Four sad Bambergs went back to the hotel room once again to wait and try not to have a panic attack.  Well, that was probably just me, but it was bad.  Aggie knew how disappointed we were and called to invite us out for lunch to a traditional hot pot.  We definitely needed a distraction.

So thankful for the time we spent at the restaurant with Aggie and our driver, Rocky.  We were laughing so hard at ourselves trying to spear our boiling food with chopsticks, the clock actually started moving again :)

Aggie ordering for us.

Aggie's Mom was our server.

Here comes the boiling pot, Aggie was protecting Reece :)

The hotpot

Lamb and peanut butter sauce...everyone liked it but me!

LOTS of food

Reece ready to cook his lunch.

Trent concentrating to catch his lunch from the hot pot!!  LOL

They felt sorry for the kids and just brought them rubber gloves to eat their lunch :)

Beautiful building on the way back to the Sheraton.

All kinds of transportation in the streets of Hohhot

We made it back to the hotel, more than ready to finally see Lily.  We got back into our room and the phone was ringing.  Aggie let us know that the van with our sweet girl was five minutes from the hotel!!!

Our first glimpse of our daughter, no words can describe how it felt to finally see her coming through the lobby doors...

For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him! 

(1 Samuel 1:27)

Blessed by the year that God has given us with our littlest miracle.

To Be Continued Tomorrow...It's Gotcha Day!!!!