Moments

They say, in life-you don't remember days, you remember moments. Well, I can tell you this--in less than two weeks I have so many "moments" emblazoned in memory.

There has been so much about this experience that goes beyond anything I had even imagined.

Usually when I daydream about an experience or an event I am looking forward to, the experience pales in comparision--but not this time. So much of this experience has been in vivid technocolor splendor. Yes, even the moment when Elizabeth decided to "gift" me with an entire bottle of regurgitated formula.

What I do recall especially is the moment we were waiting to meet Elizabeth. Packed in a room with 30 other parents-- all at the end of their emotional rope--with screaming babies and utter chaos--I realized Marty and I --with a W for a last name-- would be almost last to be called to meet our daughter. I couldn't take the anticipation--and somehow I managed to position myself half curled around a silk ficus tree and half leaning against a fake wall, stretching my neck to see into the room with the waiting babies. And, THERE SHE WAS. I could see her caretaker holding her like some prize she just won at a carnival --face and body front in a thick pink terry cloth suit--AND THAT FACE. I immediately recognized her from the photos and realized--That was the moment for me. I suppose it was the momentary equivalent to the childbirth experience when a baby is born and they pull her from her mother's body and place her on her chest.

Seeing Elizabeth's cherub like face and innocent yet curious stare, I feel in love-- magically. instantly and irrevocably in love.

That was a moment.

There are lots of opportunites for nostalgic leanings around here. For some reason, similar to our summer trip to Ireland, the hotels and restaurants in Guangzhou love to play American music from the 50's and 60's-not to mention Gershwin tunes.

The background music added to yet another magical moment the other night when a group of us brave enough to take our babies out dinner were sereneded by a singer who would have made Bobby Short proud. From "New York New York" to "It Had to Be You"-he sang them all and the new families danced. It was tearjerker moment for me to be sure. There was Marty and Elizabeth, May and Kayla and Sophia and her brand new American dad all dancing in this five star hotel dance floor in the middle of Guangzhou China. The Rainbow Room meets Guangzhou--and the adoptive parents of Guangzhou.

Pure magic.