Meeting Myles!

We will never forget today, that's for sure! We couldn't have asked for a smoother union with Myles. We arrived on a crystal clear (typical) day in Rwanda and were greeted by Maggie and Bonita. We went to the Home of Hope (orphanage) with them and met a few of the nuns (who are French, Ugandan, Kenyan...all sent by the Mother Theresa Mission). Just as we arrived there, it began to rain-just a passing shower. We waited in a small room for them to bring Myles to us. Myles arrived through the rain-helping the nun hold the umbrella. It was SUCH a sweet meeting. He was happy to be held-very focused on our eyes, hair, shirts, and Nana's toy (after several minutes of being with him!)...he took a special liking to Peter's face-he kept reaching up to touch Peter's face. Unfortunately, due to a document we are still waiting on from the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MOGFP) -- we were not able to have him stay with us and were given a 5:30 curfew with Myles-leaving us with only 3:30-5:30 with him today.

However we had a very significant bonding time with him in our hotel room. Peter gave him his first bottle, while Myles stared intently in Daddy's eyes. We then both gave him a sponge bath which he LOVED. We had to get the orphanage smell off of him. We lathered his adorable naked body up with lotion while he lay on his towel on our bed. We talked with him and did tummy time and worked on his core. Because he hasn't been encouraged to sit up, his core is weak (but normally so considering everything). We can tell the sisters have loved him so much. He just loved being tickled and cuddled-as seen in the belly laugh pictures. We found out he has double-dimples when he smiles and laughs, like sister Lili! :) This was such a precious time. After the laughing, cooing, and cuddling, we fed Myles some rice cereal. He loved it and insisted on feeding himself with the spoon-very cute (and messy!). We got laughing together. What beautiful music we made as family!

It was incredible to experience this day with Myles' "Aunties", our friends Maggie and Bonita. Bonita works for Gladney and we are finally able to talk openly about the experience (before this we worked directly with our caseworker who we ADORE!) We have changed where we are staying. We are staying with our pastor and his wife from when we lived here. They were adopted parents to us when we lived here-and it's SO great to be "home" again with them.

We returned him to "school"-as we told him--because it just sounds so wrong to call it an orphanage, when he isn't one anymore...but he is spending hopefully just 1 more night after this at sleep-away school with his crib buddies. Please please pray that we get the document that we need on Monday so that we can be with our son ALL of the time!!!!! We head to pick him up from "school" at 7am tomorrow-that's the earliest they would let us. (I asked for 5am...)

SO much love-and special hugs to Keith and Liliana0--we miss you so much!!! (thanks Gma and Gpa for being there to hug and love them during this time...and Nana and Gramps next week!!!)

for more first-day in Rwanda pics, click on this: webalbum