5/22/08

Wild weather and unexpected news!


What a crazy day it is! Hail was crackling on our deck this morning when I got an email from a friend (thanks for checking on us, Viv!) asking if we were OK...
In fact, we were in the kitchen, sipping coffee in our PJs, blissfully innocent.
About an hour north of us, meanwhile, a large tornado was wreaking havoc in a town near Fort Collins. Within an hour, M's work beeper was bleeping madly as the news station put out a general call to all reporters. On the local stations, reports of baseball-sized hail were whizzing across the wires.
As he dressed for work, M made me promise to take the dogs and the laptop and a phone into the basement if I heard any sirens.
The wind whipped around the house, and bouts of hail (none baseball-sized, thank goodness) soaked the gardens periodically, interpersed with patches of brilliant sunshine. Other than that, nothing.
And then I got another email...we had new pictures of QiuQiu!!

Here she is, our little tornado girl! Looking healthy and contented in her lovely crib. And with two tiny new teeth!!

Isn't she beautiful? I just can't believe how much she's grown - look at those long legs!! I have been sitting here just gazing at her pictures, completely entranced. I can hardly believe my eyes. I feel so incredibly blessed that this beautiful creature is our daughter...our daughter!!
It's simply amazing. Those are the only words I have. I am so pleased to see her looking so healthy and comfortable, and growing so quickly! This is really a day like no other!

28 comments:

Yoli said...

OH Maia, I am so happy you got these pics!!!! She is gorgeous and growing up so fast. AND SHE IS YOUR LITTLE GIRL, YOUR FLYNN!!! Doesn't that feel amazing. You have a daughter on the other side of the world just waiting for you.

J said...

Oh, so sweet! I love those big, wide-set eyes. She is a lovely little girl & will grow up to be a beautiful woman, you can just tell.

chrissie said...

O goodness she is so sweet I just want to squeeze her! She looks so great! Happy and peaceful! I just look at her thinking wow I get to watch her grow up and that just makes me giddy!!! Ihad no idea you guys were having bad weather today! We can for sure relate to tornados! Glad you guys are safe!!! Hopefully there were no trips to the basement! Love to you guys!

Fliss and Mike Adventures said...

Number 1 of 2 things... #1 - I am glad to hear that you are both safe... the closest I have been to a tornado is when we were in a hurricane about 2 years ago and it went across the back yard (it was only a small one)... twisted the tops off the trees... then a water spout out in the ocean... now #2... AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! What a brilliant surprise to know that little Flynn was sitting in your computer and you open the letter and there she was looking at you... what a gorgeous surprise... Do you need a babysitter when Flynn gets home???? I am so happy for you guys... take care and keep that basement door open...

(her name is Torrie) said...

She is so darn cute. I can't wait til you can scoop her up in your arms!

Tish said...

soooo beautiful! with mesmerizing eyes! her orphanage looks clean and nice...bet that gives you comfort in your heart!

Vivian M said...

Those eyes are amazing, they say eyes are the windows to the soul. Flynn is quite the looker...and I can tell she will melt your hearts with her smile! So cute...
Hubby think M should get a baseball bat now.
I am so glad you are all safe and sound! Whew.

kitchu said...

Is it totally ridiculous that I'm crying??? SHE IS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!
And watching you go through this, the 3 of you becoming a family, I don't know, it just makes it seem all the more real- like it might REALLY happen to me one day. I'm just so happy for you guys.

And I totally admit I haven't read about the weird weather yet, I jumped right to Flynn!

"M2" said...

Just gorgeous
and she looks just like her mom
seriously

M said...

Those eyes! She really is the most gorgeous little thing!

Brynn said...

Flynn. Your Flynn. Mom. Flynn's Mom. These pics were a ray of sunshine in my day. A lifetime's worth of sunshine in yours. Mmmmmmmmm. Someone needs to event a whole new language for these kinds of moments.

Margaret M said...

She is beautiful!!!! I love her eyes. You could just swim in them.

Snowflowers Mum said...

good lord Maia, she is truly beautiful

Carrie said...

Maia I want to cry she is so beautiful!

Beeb said...

Gorgeous! Such sweet eyes.. And, they're giving her tummy time! Awesome!

Mamacita said...

I'm sure this has been asked before, do you say her name like "Choo Choo"? She is so lovely! I like the fancy shoes on her bedding! Quite adorable!

Anonymous said...

Dear Maia;

I am so happy for you! I remember checking my e-mail a million times a day for updates and staring at them forever when they came! Couldn't go anywhere without copies of all the pictures with me.
So nice to see Flynn Qiu Qiu growing up so well and with toys and things to look at in her bed. How amazing to have a picture of her with Jillian Rose! What a moment in time for both girls. Do you know where Jillian will be living?
Can't wait until you are over in Nanjing to get your daughter. Thanks again for letting us share all the excitement!

Anonymous said...

Oops! Sorry to leave that comment anonymously by mistake. xoox

Juliette said...

Yes a real ray of sunshine after this crazy weather you got!
She looks so good, just ready for her Mommy to hold her! TA come soon...

tiffany said...

Your baby is getting prettier and prettier! How exciting to get updated pix. :)

Anonymous said...

Wow! Look how she's grown! She IS a cutie. And I was also pleasantly surprised at how nice and clean the orphanage looks. Flynn is a happy baby if you ask me.
(I was wise enough to make sure there was noone around this time. They all made fun of me when I cried happy tears over the first pictures :-) ) I'm so happy for you guys, Maia. Love M. xxx

kerri said...

Maia, so happy you got the pictures, how fast your daughter is sprouting!!
Scary stuff those tornadoes, let's hope you have seen the end of those, yikes.
Thanks for sharing your pics. :)

Heather said...

Yippee! New pictures! She looks like she is so well cared for! That must make your heart happy. And those eyes are amazing.

I'm glad to hear you are safe.

Mom-of-Bean said...

Flynn is a sweet soul I can see it in her eyes, and leggy like her Momma in Denver! So good to see she is well taken care of - under the circumstances...and glad to hear you guys are well..I couldn't believe me ears when I heard the news this morning - tornados still freak me out!

Unknown said...

I'm so thrilled that you got these photos -- she is ever so beautiful!

insanemommy said...

She has the most intense eyes!! I know you can't wait to hold your sweet girl in your arms. She is precious.

Michele said...

She looks wonderful. Hopefully you will be on that plane soon to bring her home.

Stacie said...

she is so gorgeous and she looks so mischevious and spunky! we have a pic of zoey doing the same tummy kick and let me tell you she is a tornado! glad to hear you are safe i heard on npr you had a tornado your way and thought of you.... i hope to get flynn's gift to you soon. z locked herself in the bathroom today and i had to call the fire dept to get her out. not one of my more stellar days as a mom.