bella!

at some point the words will catch up with me.  but right now, i am just racing out ahead.  it is like being caught in a thunderstorm...the good kind.  i am drenched to the skin.  completely saturated in the blessings of the past 24 hours.  rick and i decided this morning at breakfast we wouldn't be even able to describe how wonderful the past day has been.  we met our daughter.  enough said.  we have prayed for this child...longed for this child...and here she finally is, in our arms.   we fell head over heels in love with her...it is completely miraculous how God can draw up this kind of love for a child we have only just met.  she was immediately ours.  she fit into the crook of my lap...nestled in like she had always been there.  she rides in her daddy's arms like she has been at this command post her entire life.  her smile is sweet....her giggle infectious...her personality joyful.  we are simply amazed.  we just keep staring and staring and staring.  rick had to prompt me to eat at breakfast this morning...i only wanted to sit and watch her.  it was our first meal together.  
 

my only regret is that our four other children cannot be here too.  we should have taken another mortgage out on the house...sold all that we had...it would have been worth it.   i cannot wait for the day when we walk off that airplane and they meet their new sister.  they will adore her...and she them. i am sure of it.  leaving the civil affairs office yesterday i was overcome with the desire to just grab our bags and head for the airport.  we wouldn't have gotten very far...i realize that.  but i simply cannot wait for our family of 7 to be all on one continent...all under one roof...all in one place.   we were able to skype with the children last night.  as we dialed them and waited for the video connection bella fell asleep in rick's arms.  they met their sister through the computer line...their first glimpse was bella fast asleep.  she'd better rest up...the mcnatt household is not for the weary! 

i know some of you would like me to chronicle step by step what our gotcha day was like yesterday and what our adoption day was like this morning...but i just cannot do it quite yet.  my words seem entirely inadequate.  i will post some pictures and am hoping these tell enough of the story for the time being.  i am sure at some point the words will catch up...just not quite yet. 

going to get bella

"sing to God, sing praise to His name,

extol Him who rides on the clouds --

His name is the Lord --

and rejoice before Him.

a father to the fatherless,

defender of widows,

is God in His holy dwelling.

God sets the lonely in families,

He leads forth the prisoners

with singing..."  ~ psalm 68:6

we woke this morning to the china sunshine streaming through our windows.  our first waking thought: this is the day.  this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it....this is the day ordained by God long ago.  this is the day bella grace will be set in our family.  this is the day.  we sing, we extol, we rejoice.  and we thank you, our faithful, faithful friends for joining in our complete and incredible  joy. this is, indeed, the day.

*** less than four hours.  we will leave for the meeting place at 2pm our time.