Saturday, April 05, 2008

The Best Day Ever - Part 1

The only way I can describe the last few days is by comparing it to being a kid and waiting for Christmas. Yesterday morning was just like Christmas morning when your parents made you wait to open your presents. But what a wonderful present she is.

So our day started very early as I had to work. Jen took the day off since as the week wore on she was getting more and more frantic. By Friday she was just about ready to drop so she wouldn't have done anyone any good in front of a classroom.

I got to work pretty early but right away there were some rumblings that referrals might be arriving. Around 9am I saw that someone had reported that referrals were arriving in Spain. I immediately called Jen to wake her up to tell her to be ready, the call may be coming today.

About an hour later I checked one of the boards and saw that someone in the US had gotten the call, on second look I noticed that that someone was Kristin from our agency who shares our Log In Date. My heart almost jumped out of my chest. About a million things ran though my head....We are going to get the call.....I need to call Jen, no, I can't she may be getting the call right now....I am going to be a dad. I waited a few minutes and called her. She picked up the phone and said "Kristin got the call!" I said "I know, OK Bye."

Jen called me about ten minutes later. I expected to hear Congratulations Daddy or something. Nope, she asked if I had gotten the call yet. Apparently our agency had called Jen's cellphone but the call got disconnected. Then they called our home phone and that got disconnected as well. Jen kind of panicked, emailed me and then called me. We decided that she should at least call the agency back and leave a message that we lost the call, but are home waiting.

About ten minutes later (the longest 10 minutes of Jen's life) she was able to talk to the director of our agency and got some basic info about Gracie Lu Hu. Fortunately for us we have most of this on video. It makes for pretty funny watching, albeit not for Jen. See the video below:


Part 2 tomorrow.......

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonderful video..your joy is very palpable...made me cry because I remember that is EXACTLY how I felt in Sept 2007 when I received the call for my Natalie Grace...
CONGRATULATIONS!!Baby Grace LuHu is a sweetie...

CTG from RQ

Kath said...

I am soooo excited for you guys! I can tell already you'll make great parents and she is so adorable!

Anonymous said...

What an incredible video.....I had a big lump in my throat and tears in my eyes just watching the emotion unfold!! Great job and again, Congrats Mommy and Daddy!!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!! I cried for you when you missed the calls! How exciting, I can't wait to follow your journey.

Kristin said...

I had every intention of videotaping our call but I was so floored when I saw China Adoption with Love on the caller ID, that I forgot to press record on the camera!!!

I did manage to redeem myself by recording our referral meeting!

Linda said...

Congratulations, guys! She's a cutie!

I'm sure there is a tiny baby under all those clothes!!!!! Seven months is amazing!!!

Our little gal was 10 months old and still very much a baby. She became a toddler pretty fast though!

Enjoy your preparations.

Canadagirl from RQ

Anonymous said...

Very touching video guys. Nicely put together :) By the end of the video, it'll make you teary eyed, but c'mon... Jen missing the call twice? That's CLASSIC! In retrospect, funny :) I'm sure at the time, it was almost traumatic. Congrats guys! We can NOT wait to meet her in person! What a cutie!

Anonymous said...

Just watched the video and cried even more tears of happiness for you guys! I love that you taped yourself receiving (ok, and missing) the big call! I'm sure one day Grace will get a chuckle out of her Mommy missing the calls.

Anonymous said...

What a great idea to make the video to show baby Grace Lu Hu about the day she came into your life. I was crying with happiness for you both as I watched the video. I could almost feel Jen's heart hit the floor as she missed the second call. I am sorry for that. Grace is beautiful, Congratulations Mommy and Daddy!

Julie said...

Wow, you've made me cry! Congratulations and what a wonderful memento for Grace Lu Hu!!! I can't imagine what that day feels like, but can't wait to experience it for myself!! We'll be getting our Sarah Grace's referral in August.
LID 12/29/05, but put on hold due to a surprise domestic adoption

Vicky said...

Your video was awesome.. I have tears running down my face...

Vicky a fellow RQ reader
mom to a little Hunan princess already home

Bianca en Fred said...

Steve and Jen,

Congratulations to you from Holland. Yet another Yifeng girl going to wonderfull parents. We loved to see your video.
We got our babygirl Zhuang Lu Su just before Chinese New Year and she is truly wonderfull.
You can see the pictures on our blog http://mika-uit-china.blogspot.com , it is all in Dutch but one of the posts on her referral we wrote especially voor all Rumourqueen readers. But although it is all in dutch, the pictrues will speak for themselves.
I think you already know but there is also a Yahoo group on the Yifeng SWI, filled with photo's over the last few years of the orphanage.
Hope your Travelarrangements will follow soon. We will follow your blog because our daughters might have said "hi" to eachother when strolling around in the rolling seats (don't know the name in english).

Enjoy the moment and big hugs from Holland,

Fred, Bianca and Mika

Anonymous said...

Amazing video!! I already knew the story but I was still holding my breathe as you missed the calls...of course it lead to a very sweet ending. Thanks for sharing. Congrats Mommy and Daddy!


Liz

Carrie said...

Loved the video. Brought a tear to my eye.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations again on your beautiful baby girl!! Your video was so sweet, and you made me cry because you were crying!! She is such a cutie and it's so nice that she is only 7 months!! And almost shares her Mum's birthday!! What a great 1st birthday she will have with you two as her wonderful Mum and Dad!! Best Wishes to all!!

Nancy and Andre from Montreal, Canada
nancynandre@hotmail.com

Sarah said...

Congratulations! What a sweet video! That's something that I would do, for sure... miss the call that i've been waiting for... for oh so long! How exciting!

Jen, Dave, Leah and Daniel said...

Congrats to both of you. I'm reading and watching with tears in my eyes. Such an exciting time. She is so precious!

Tammy said...

CONGRATULATIONS! Your daughter is beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Your video was a replay of mine.LOL This day is terrific after all the waiting, but Gotcha Ya Day is the best. Start packing now, time will proceed with jet speed. Congratulations to you both! She is a beautiful baby.

Hubeimomma

Tracy said...

The look on yoru face when you realized you missed the call again was priceless - LOL!

Great video!! I could feel your happiness watching it. It is the best feeling ever. I love that "in love" feeling that I know you are feeling right now!