This is our boy

We met him. I'll try to explain it all in words. I'm still overwhelmed, it's a lot to take in. But I need to write it all down so I don't forget. Today is not a day that can forgetting.

We had our appointment for 10am. Giramateu was to pick us up at Afroland Lodge where we are staying. We were awake around 730 from the construction outside and then could not sleep after that. I woke up and had a knot in my stomach, excited nervousness I will say. I could hardly eat breakfast as my stomach was flip flopping. We got ready and went downstairs at 10. At 1005 we started to panic. What if the driver forgot us? What if he went to a different place? What if we had the wrong day? Arnie started to panic and asked to see the email again. We went upstairs and could not connect to the internet. We had our driver's phone number on an email but could not get on to check the email. I went downstairs and asked if the owner knew who Giramateu was. He said he might have his number and started searching his book. It was 10 after ten and I said we were getting nervous. He said, "You have to understand something about here, it is normal to be half hour late or so". African time. But this was not the day we wanted to find out about African time. Finally the internet come through and we got our driver's number. We called and he told us he would be there in 30 min. I was so excited and nervous that I had to sit with my shirt off to cool down in our room. Arnie was just laughing at me but he had been panicking as well. He finally arrived at 1050 and we were off.

We pulled up to the gate. We had previously seen this gate yesterday as we made our driver take us to see it. But this time the gate opened for us. I was shaking by this point. We got out of the car and walked to a little sitting room where we waited before we could go in to see the babies. They told us they were doing diaper changes and it smelled really bad so we had to wait. Then they came to get us. We followed them into the baby house and straight into Isaac's room. There he was. He was laying in his bed playing with a bottle. I went over to his bed and started to cry. I tried to stuff the tears in so he wouldn't be scared. He looked at me and gave me a strange look. I kept saying hi and crying, at this point he started to cry. They took him out of the bed and put him on the mattress on the floor where he continued to cry. He did not like us! They set out two other babies in bumbo chairs so we could play with all of them. The other baby took one look at us and started to shreek as well. So there we are, sitting on the floor with two babies shreeking at us and the other just staring. At this point we were laughing... but Arnie kept looking at me and saying, "Don't overwhelm him!" Hahaha. He was the one sitting next to him and he was panicking. I was so worried that he would just hate us and this whole first meeting would just scare him. He kept crying. I was sitting near another baby who grabbed my hand and didn't let go, he didn't cry or make strange with me. I was getting a bit worried when one of the nannys came in and picked Isaac up. She brought him some food and he ate. She help him on her lap and he ate this runny soup made of tomato, pasta, beef and carrot. His eyes started to get heavy but he fought sleep and kept eating. Meanwhile I got to feed the baby that had my finger stuck in his fist. He was flopping around in the bumbo chair, probably about 6 months old or so. When the lady was done feeding Isaac she put him back in his bumbo. He cried a little more but then started to settle. We brought baby puff snacks and were trying to feed the babies them. Arnie kept handing one to Isaac, he put it in his mouth, sucked a little then spit it out. Arnie kept playing with him, handing him the puffs then taking them back and pretending to eat them. Isaac thought this was a fun game and soon started to laugh and then we saw them.... his dimples. Oh he is a lady killer, those dimples are ridiculous. He is so cute, no photo does this boy justice. From this point on he was ours, we won him over. The other babies went to bed so it was just Isaac and us. We tickled his toes, tickled his back, petted  his cheeks but we couldn't pick him up.  I wanted to snatch him up and smother the boy so I'd say we had some good self control. We continued to play games with him. He copied everything Arnie did. Spitting and burring his lips. shaking his head, playing peak-a-boo. He was so sweet. He thought he was hilarious. He was showing me how he hits his head and laughs. We were laughing so hard at him. He loved it. Arnie kept playing with the little puffs with him. He would stick the puff under his nose and hold it up with his lip then Isaac would reach over and grab it then offer it to Arnie to eat, then he would sneak it in his mouth. I admit we wound him up when it was his bed time, but I will not apologize. That was the best hour. At one point he started waving his arms around and rocking in his bumbo because he was getting so excited. One of the nannies came in and showed us how he could say mama and papa. They actually took the time to teach him that. We were so proud of him, we started clapping for him, he just stared at us! Then one nanny came and said she was putting him to bed so we got up to leave. She picked him up and held him up to me to kiss! I gave him a big kiss then Arnie got to kiss him. She held him up to me one more time and I couldn't help myself, I kissed about ten times over. The nanny laughed at me then put him in his bed. He kept laughing at us and was not interested in sleeping. We then left the room and went outside where I snuck to the window and saw him crawling out of bed... what a rascal. He is very small. His legs are tiny. He can't crawl and can hardly sit up. But all that will change soon. He doesn't get a chance to use his legs much as he goes from the crib to the bumbo and back. His head is very flat from laying on his back so much so we will need to work on some tummy time!
I can't explain how my heart feels. I did not want to leave him and I miss him already. We love him so much. He is perfect and I can't wait to start figuring him out.
We were so sad that we would not see him for four days that Arnie called the lady at Kids Link and begged her for  more chances to see him before court. She hummed a little and said that we could have one more little visit. We decided to go sunday so it will break up the wait a little bit. I can't wait to see him again. My husband was so great with him, I love having a partner in this. I love that we can tag team him. I love that we are a family. Finally. 7 years in the making and he is here. We could not be more blessed with this gift. Our God is good, he has given us a gift we do not deserve and we give him the glory for Isaac!

Isaiah 12 :4
In that day you will say, give thanks to the Lord, call on his name. Make known among the nations what he has done and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things. Let this be known to all the world, shout aloud and sing for joy,  people of Zion. For great is the Holy one of Israel among you.