Presentation Day of Luciana

Monday, February 1, 2010, is a day that we will never forget. We were told to be dressed and ready at 11:00 am. Our presentation appointment was at 11:30. We were dressed and ready at 10:00 and nervously waited for Isabel and Jhony to take us to Ayudame.

Once we arrived at Ayudame we were warmly greeted by Maria Clemencia Marquez Gutierrez, the director of Ayudame. We sat down with Maria and Isabel (our Colombian representative) and we were updated on Luciana's medical history. We were told that she was a very precious little girl, and she certainly is! Hearing her story and listening to how fond Ayudame was of Luciana's mother and of Luciana has made the moment all the more special!

After we signed paperwork Maria and Isabel went upstairs to get Luciana. When they went to get Luciana she had fallen asleep in her crib.

The picture below is of Maria Clemencia and Luciana before she was brought downstairs to us.

Isabel took this picture of Maria, Luciana, and one of the caretakers that works at Ayudame.

Dave and I were eagerly waiting to see Luciana downstairs and poor Jacob was lying on the couch to the right of me. He suddenly felt sick while we were signing the paperwork and needed to lay down.

When Maria was handing Luciana to Dave she gave us a little smile. Her little smile melted our hearts. We had prayed that she wouldn't be afraid of us and to see her smile was our answer to our prayer.

Jacob was excited to hold his new little sister but he felt bad that he wasn't feeling good at all. Poor little guy didn't look so good, he slept on the way back to the Hotel and later arfed. He claimed he had been holding it from kindergarten.

The last picture before we left Ayudame.