Today we woke up feeling excited, nervous, emotional and scared. We were so uncertain of how Hailey would respond when leaving her foster mom. There were so many questions running through our minds. We had a wonderful morning talking and praying together as we prepared for the big moment. Our boys have been amazing this week and they were prepared for Hailey's reactions, whether it be laughter, screams or tears.
It was such a strange feeling to walk out our door, knowing the next time I passed through the entry, Hailey would be in our arms!
When we arrived at the adoption office, Hailey and her foster mom were waiting for us on a couch. She looked so adorable in her aqua outfit, which matched mine perfectly! I just wanted to scoop her up! Hailey seemed very calm when we walked in and didn't cry when seeing us. The social worker commented that she appeared to be ready, and that tears and grieving would be normal. We were presented with more gifts from the agency, and Hailey's foster mom gave us formula, food, clothing, shoes, etc. Wow! We're actually considering buying another duffel bag since we have so much to bring home! We signed some official paperwork and received Hailey's passport and documents.
We are now Hailey's official guardians since our adoption will not be finalized until approximately six months. Korea requires three post-placement visits with a social worker, then we will complete the finalization in court in Orange County.
These are the first photos taken with Hailey after leaving the offices:
Hailey's transition has gone fairly smoothly. There have definitely been a lot of tears, but she is warming up to us quickly. She LOVES to be snuggled and insists on being nestled into our chests. She also likes the Ergo carrier, and we decided to venture out in the afternoon for a stroll. Hailey is very curious and loves looking at everything. We went to "COEX," the largest underground mall in Asia, located in the Gangnam District/World Trade Center (just a few blocks from the guest house). We tried "potato pizza" at Mr. Pizza and it was delicious! We found out that Hailey likes pizza. Actually, she likes to eat whatever we're eating!
We are so grateful that Hailey is attaching so quickly. We've captured a few smiles, adorable baby words and even some yelps of laughter. She loves watching the boys and seems to be taking in her new world, faces, sounds and smells very quickly. We will post more photos soon. We have been overwhelmed by all of the support that we have received this week from friends and family all over the world! Thank you for celebrating Hailey's Gotcha Day with us!
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