We Finally Have Bellamei

7/18/11

We arrived very late last night into Inner Mongolia. We had a very tough time getting here to Hohhot, due to our flight and airport problems (CHAOS and delayed & cancelled flights due to weather). There were a lot of angry and anxious people in that airport. It was an old military airport with no seating, no air conditioning, etc. Ying had traveled by train for 7.5 hours and was waiting in our hotel lobby for hours for us, and we finally got to the hotel at around 11 pm. We were several hours late. The flight was so bumpy! Ying was sweet and happy from the first moment. She is a real sweetie! We did paperwork until about midnight and then the orphanage director and our guide George left the hotel. (poor George had a STRESSFUL day, trying to get us here) Ying wanted to take a bath before bedtime, so Briella and I helped. She was thrilled to be in the tub and LOVED it so much. I washed her hair and conditioned it for her. She was sweet to want me to assist her. Her hair is long and in need of a trim badly. It is very dry and hard - not sure if she's ever had conditioner. We finally got to sleep around 1:00 am and it seems so short, as we had to be up at 6:30 to eat breakfast and do official paperwork at 8:30. Briella and I really needed to eat, since we had only had breakfast the day before. We completed paperwork this morning and she is officially our daughter now. There are more paperwork steps, but at this moment, she is a Jordan! We are going to go down to the pool now - Ying has never been in a pool, but she doesn't seem scared. Her personality is sweet and out-going. She is not too shy at all. The have both changed into their bathing suits and so we will do that this afternoon. At 5:00 George will be back and take us out to a walmart-type store for any necessities. Ying seems to like all the clothes and things we brought for her. I brought a ton of stuff for the orphanage, but the director couldn't take it with her on the train ride back, so George will box it up and ship it. The orphanage director said we will not be permitted to go visit the orphanage - I wish we could but it isn't possible. Briella is doing GREAT with her mandarin - and she is really enjoying herself (she is such a gem). She and Ying are already great friends, holding hands and laughing and playing. Well, signing off for now.. enjoy the pics.












Love to all.. Lisa, Briella & Bellamei Ying