WE’VE GOT HER!!!!!!

Andy here... She’s ours! We came to the Civil Affairs Office around 11:00 AM local time and sat down. A few minutes later, in came a whole group of people.. Some holding 2 babies and two others walked in by themselves. Teresa was one of them... She looked lost and afraid, but quiet. She looked around and I think, recognized us from the pictures we sent with the Care package. When introductions were made, Sharon scooped her up as she became hesitant. She cried for a few minutes but soon calmed down. Sharon sat with her and Taylor was the perfect big sister... offering her the stuffed animal we brought and wanting to help as much as she could. Tess calmed down for awhile, but then one of her caregivers came back in to give us the silk outfit we sent, and she started to cry again and reaching for the woman. She really wailed for quite a while, and was very agitated. It was good in a way because she reacted as she should have for the situation. She refused any food or drink, but we quickly removed her from everyone else and waited in the lobby downstairs. She sipped from one of our water bottles, called Sharon "Ma Ma" and I think she muttered "Ba Ba" (although it might have been wishful thinking on my part).
She fell asleep on the bus ride back to the hotel and is now sleeping on the bed. She looks like a raggamuffin in her mismatched clothes. She must have three or four layers of clothing, even in this hot climate. She needs a bath, but that will come...
Sorry this is so fragmented but I’m trying to capture everything and remember it all before it escapes me. We will add more as it comes but wanted everyone to have at least this.
We are heading out to eat in a few minutes... thought about staying with her, but want to provide as much normalcy as possible to her life as soon as possible.
Taylor is a trooper through all this. She decided who was going to hold Tess (mommy) and who was going to hold her (Daddy)... Everything is going to be all right from now on... Our daughters are united finally and we are whole. The circle is complete..
Gotta go...
Lots of Love and Hugs to everyone...
Andy

Sharon here, only about two hours later and this little girl who screamed (no not cried), kicked and hit is now somewhat smiling hesitantly, ate rice, corn and ham after some prodding and keeps staring at Taylor, who is now asleep in the stroller only because we promised her that she could go to the pool! Okay, change the hesitantly smiling to a full belly laugh! We introduced her to markers and she’s laughing every time a new color comes out and she can draw on the paper. Oh and did we mention that she’s potty trained! AND she’s tall and skinny! I haven’t changed her yet but she reminds me of Taylor’s Suixi Sister Stella - Tall and slender and oh so beautiful~ with a full set of hair too! I’ll attach a before and after photo so everyone can see the 2 hour transition. I think her crying is not over as we will see the orphanage director again tomorrow and that may trigger her to have another response, but in the mean time I think our littlest one just got a little more comfortable with her new family!
And on a side note, I thought that the pollution/smog was bad in Beijing on our last trip, boy was I WRONG. I don’t know if it’s the pollution, smog or the smoke from the fires we saw yesterday but it hurts to breathe! We only walked across the street today for lunch and it was terrible!

Okay, once again we can't post pictures! SORRY!!!! Send me e-mail to sharonkrawiecki@yahoo.com and I'll forward a HUGE e-mail with the two pictures I want to post!