Gotcha day...

Our guide, Echo picked us up at 2:30 today, we went a short ways to the Office of Civil Affairs.  There we went up to the 5th floor, and rounded the corner to find Elsie with Grape and her assistant.  There were a few other western families there as well, picking up their children.

We sat down and signed a bunch of papers, and finger printed over the top of some of the signatures.

Then, while Grape had Elsie looking out the window, she motioned for Anna to come over... She stepped away, and just like that... she was ours.

Grape made a speedy exit from the room to avoid Elsie seeing her; but, before she did I gave her a big hug and thanked her for all she had done.  I am sure that today was very hard for her.

As soon as Elsie saw she was gone; she began to cry.  We both took turns soothing her, I took her for a walk down the hall and she finally quieted a bit.

The visit to the office only took 30 - 40 minutes, then we went back down stairs and out to a photo studio for some official photos.  This appointment was terrible as Elsie wanted nothing to do with us, and the photographer and Echo insisted on trying to get a shot without Elsie crying.

We headed back to the hotel and along the way Elsie fell asleep on my lap; then back up to the room where she cried much more...