With love and thanks for all the support!
Kate, Jim, Lia and Jillian :-)
Friday, November 25, 2011
Home SWEET Home...
See you on the other side of jet lag!
With love and thanks for all the support!
Kate, Jim, Lia and Jillian :-)
With love and thanks for all the support!
Kate, Jim, Lia and Jillian :-)
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
That's a wrap...almost!
We are packing up and getting ready to take the train to Hong Kong this afternoon. We will fly out tomorrow morning...Tokyo bound...and then, blissfully...Newark. Not gonna lie...I am extremely nervous about those two flights...and would appreciate good thoughts and prayers if you are so inclined. :-)
In a few hours we will take Yu Ying from the only life she has known. We cannot believe how far she has come in such a short time...but this is a hard thing. We love her to the moon and back and will do our level best to provide her with the best life we can. We will help her find her path...and love her unconditionally. I hope that is enough. Jim and Lia have gone out for some last minute shopping...and I took a minute to stand with Jillian at the window overlooking her birth city...as I did with Lia six years ago...and I was overcome with it all...gratitude, worry, hope and joy...no doubt fueled by the weariness we are all feeling at this point. While I am anxious to get home...I don't want to rush these last hours we have in this beautiful country. I am trying to breathe it in...every last drop...because I know I will not walk this way again for some time. When we left with Lia...I already knew we would be back someday...but this is different. I am leaving here complete, so blessed with my girls...and ready to get on with the task of raising them. To get on with our happily ever after.
I will continue to post here from time to time...updates on Jillian's new life. I want to thank everyone who took the time to come along...to send us encouraging notes and comments, who helped us financially...and who prayed for our journey to Jillian. You all have made a difference to us...and to that sweet girl we now call daughter. As a family...we will go about the business of paying it forward...with gratitude to those who helped bring us to this place. Xie Xie.
(this photo is for you, Irene. Lia brought her pink bear to China...but guess who claimed her?? We may be on the hunt for Pink Bear #3 for Jillian! :-))
In a few hours we will take Yu Ying from the only life she has known. We cannot believe how far she has come in such a short time...but this is a hard thing. We love her to the moon and back and will do our level best to provide her with the best life we can. We will help her find her path...and love her unconditionally. I hope that is enough. Jim and Lia have gone out for some last minute shopping...and I took a minute to stand with Jillian at the window overlooking her birth city...as I did with Lia six years ago...and I was overcome with it all...gratitude, worry, hope and joy...no doubt fueled by the weariness we are all feeling at this point. While I am anxious to get home...I don't want to rush these last hours we have in this beautiful country. I am trying to breathe it in...every last drop...because I know I will not walk this way again for some time. When we left with Lia...I already knew we would be back someday...but this is different. I am leaving here complete, so blessed with my girls...and ready to get on with the task of raising them. To get on with our happily ever after.
I will continue to post here from time to time...updates on Jillian's new life. I want to thank everyone who took the time to come along...to send us encouraging notes and comments, who helped us financially...and who prayed for our journey to Jillian. You all have made a difference to us...and to that sweet girl we now call daughter. As a family...we will go about the business of paying it forward...with gratitude to those who helped bring us to this place. Xie Xie.
(this photo is for you, Irene. Lia brought her pink bear to China...but guess who claimed her?? We may be on the hunt for Pink Bear #3 for Jillian! :-))
No breakfast...but breakthroughs
As we near the end of this journey to Jillian, Jim and I both agree that it has been almost breezy (that's right...I said breezy...)compared to our first trip to China. We're not sure why...maybe because we knew more what to expect, maybe Lia made it easier for Jillian, maybe because we have a little more parenting experience under our belts...who knows??
But heartache comes even in the breeziest of adoption situations...and we have had a few rough days as Jillian tries to figure it all out. Yesterday morning she was so very happy about leaving the room for the elevators. But when we took a turn to the breakfast buffet...the dark storm clouds rolled in. We think she wanted to go back to the little playground they have here...and there was just no communicating that we would go AFTER we ate. Finally...I decided to bring her back to the room while Jim took Lia to eat. That poor sweet baby girl just cried and cried...probably close to an hour of LOUD wailing. No attempts to console her worked...so I just let her cry it out. She broke my heart into a thousand pieces along the way...but I truly felt it was more grieving than not getting her way. And I needed to let her do that...and stand by her side for when it was over.
(and let me just assure you all that Jillian was NOT reaching for me as it apprears in this photo...any attempts to get closer to her only resulted in more crying. Poor thing.)
When she finally began to calm down, I convinced her onto my lap and we blew bubbles until Jim and Lia returned. She ate some breakfast they brought for her...and all was well.
Until it was time to go out again...and she needed to wear a sweatshirt. We planned to walk for awhile...and it was just too chilly for her favorite Tar*get shirt. She was not inclined to put ANY of the options we gave her on...and what ensued is what I like to call a "Chinese stand-off". Jillian clearly understood that we could not leave until she picked one of the three sweaters I laid out...but standing by the door glaring at me seemed a better choice. Jim, Lia and I sat calmly on the bed waiting for her to make a choice. For about twenty minutes. Finally, the tears came...and we endured crying for the second time. This time, she cried herself right to sleep.
...and she woke up two hours later...a changed girl. We got ready to go out again...and when I held up her little sweatshirt...over she came, put it on...and off we went. Like magic. Jim and I kept looking at each other sideways...waiting for the other shoe to drop...but it never did. Jillian was affectionate, followed our directions, held our hands when asked...and really could not have been more charming and, more importantly, happy.
Feeling secure enough to let Daddy help her try on one of the new pair of shoes we have for her. She didn't keep them on long...but a move in the right direction!
I feel like that was a huge breakthrough. When we got home, she couldn't get her clothes off fast enough to jump in the tub with Lia. She wore clean pajamas that we laid out for her. And she didn't want her socks OR shoes on to sleep.
Sweet little piggies...she loves to rub her feet on the sheets as she falls asleep at night:
This morning, we had our appointment at the American Consulate to take an Oath of Citizenship on Jillian's behalf. We had to be ready early...and I was worried about getting Jillian in clean clothes. Once again, she changed out of her pajamas without a backward glance and put on the outfit I had laid out. Shocked is an understatement...
We are so so thankful for how far Jillian has come in one short week...and how trusting she is becoming. We are so proud of Lia for working so hard to be the best big sister. It is a lot to take on so quickly when you are almost 7...but our big girl has once again made us so grateful to call her daughter.
I had a chance encounter at the Consulate with a middle aged Chinese man. He sat down beside me and was asking about Jillian. He said she looked "happy" and that her face was "happy"...and that we were so lucky to be adopting her. I held up Lia's hand on my other side...and agreed with him that I was, indeed lucky...TWO times over. Our road to parenthood was a long one....but here, on this side of it, I would not change one thing about it. We are ready for the next chapter...family complete...dreams exceeded. Let the good times roll...
But heartache comes even in the breeziest of adoption situations...and we have had a few rough days as Jillian tries to figure it all out. Yesterday morning she was so very happy about leaving the room for the elevators. But when we took a turn to the breakfast buffet...the dark storm clouds rolled in. We think she wanted to go back to the little playground they have here...and there was just no communicating that we would go AFTER we ate. Finally...I decided to bring her back to the room while Jim took Lia to eat. That poor sweet baby girl just cried and cried...probably close to an hour of LOUD wailing. No attempts to console her worked...so I just let her cry it out. She broke my heart into a thousand pieces along the way...but I truly felt it was more grieving than not getting her way. And I needed to let her do that...and stand by her side for when it was over.
(and let me just assure you all that Jillian was NOT reaching for me as it apprears in this photo...any attempts to get closer to her only resulted in more crying. Poor thing.)
When she finally began to calm down, I convinced her onto my lap and we blew bubbles until Jim and Lia returned. She ate some breakfast they brought for her...and all was well.
Until it was time to go out again...and she needed to wear a sweatshirt. We planned to walk for awhile...and it was just too chilly for her favorite Tar*get shirt. She was not inclined to put ANY of the options we gave her on...and what ensued is what I like to call a "Chinese stand-off". Jillian clearly understood that we could not leave until she picked one of the three sweaters I laid out...but standing by the door glaring at me seemed a better choice. Jim, Lia and I sat calmly on the bed waiting for her to make a choice. For about twenty minutes. Finally, the tears came...and we endured crying for the second time. This time, she cried herself right to sleep.
...and she woke up two hours later...a changed girl. We got ready to go out again...and when I held up her little sweatshirt...over she came, put it on...and off we went. Like magic. Jim and I kept looking at each other sideways...waiting for the other shoe to drop...but it never did. Jillian was affectionate, followed our directions, held our hands when asked...and really could not have been more charming and, more importantly, happy.
Feeling secure enough to let Daddy help her try on one of the new pair of shoes we have for her. She didn't keep them on long...but a move in the right direction!
I feel like that was a huge breakthrough. When we got home, she couldn't get her clothes off fast enough to jump in the tub with Lia. She wore clean pajamas that we laid out for her. And she didn't want her socks OR shoes on to sleep.
Sweet little piggies...she loves to rub her feet on the sheets as she falls asleep at night:
This morning, we had our appointment at the American Consulate to take an Oath of Citizenship on Jillian's behalf. We had to be ready early...and I was worried about getting Jillian in clean clothes. Once again, she changed out of her pajamas without a backward glance and put on the outfit I had laid out. Shocked is an understatement...
We are so so thankful for how far Jillian has come in one short week...and how trusting she is becoming. We are so proud of Lia for working so hard to be the best big sister. It is a lot to take on so quickly when you are almost 7...but our big girl has once again made us so grateful to call her daughter.
I had a chance encounter at the Consulate with a middle aged Chinese man. He sat down beside me and was asking about Jillian. He said she looked "happy" and that her face was "happy"...and that we were so lucky to be adopting her. I held up Lia's hand on my other side...and agreed with him that I was, indeed lucky...TWO times over. Our road to parenthood was a long one....but here, on this side of it, I would not change one thing about it. We are ready for the next chapter...family complete...dreams exceeded. Let the good times roll...
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Lazy Sunday in Southern China
Not much to write today. We slept in until almost 6 am...which is actually great news. I have lost that "running into walls" stupor I have slugged around for over a week. We enjoyed the buffet breakfast here at our hotel. Jillian is a fairly good eater...but prefers starches and meat over any kind of fruit. Jim carried her around the whole buffet one morning and lifted each lid so she could see what it was. She either gave a small nod "no" or pointed her finger at what she did want. Not surprisingly, we got the most support in the Chinese food section...with steamed bread rolls and sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves being her favorites. Now I am also addicted to the sticky rice (which has the funniest label on it...something like "glutinous rice steamed in lotus leaves"...no wonder I originally passed it up. They could use some advertising expertise on that one!).
Yeah...I led with a report from breakfast. This COULD be the most boring post ever. Sorry.
After breakfast, we visited the Pearl Market. We bought Jillian a string of pearls for her wedding day at the same store as we did for Lia. Then, our guide, Kelly, took us to another small store so Lia could pick out some Pandora like charms and have a bracelet made. She loved that...and we loved being off the beaten path a little bit. Kelly got us started and then left to help other families. Lia does not seem to notice or be bothered by the fact that no one can understand her English. She just chatted away to the sales girl about Jillian...and was satisfied with the polite smiles she got in return. :-)
After the Pearl Market, we returned to see the Chen Family Temple. We toured there with Lia as well in 2006. It is a beautiful Temple with such ornate carvings. We were able to tour freely and the girls really enjoyed running around on the grounds.
We returned to the hotel at lunchtime...so we walked across the street for McDonald's. Our hotel has a small outdoor park and we took the food there and had a picnic. It was glorious to 1) not be eating in the hotel room...and 2) not to have to worry about maintaining restaurant manners. :-)
(Why yes...that IS the same shirt she has been wearing for four days. The one I snared for 1.00 at Tar*get the week before we left because I was worried about not having cool enough clothes. The one that is too big. The one that she sleeps in as I type this right now. But we are slowly making some progress...tomorrow's post... :-)).
While Jillian napped, Lia and I worked on her homework (DONE! THANYOUVERYMUCH...and Mrs. M...if you are reading this let me just apologize ahead of time for any re-teaching you may have to do on that whole "using addition to understand subtraction" unit. I apparently cannot use addition to understand subtraction...let alone teach it to someone else. We have now determined that homeschooling will NOT be in our futures...).
We plan to take the girls out for a bite close by tonight...and look forward to a quiet day tomorrow as well.
Tuesday, we will travel to the US Consulate to take an oath of Citizenship for Jillian. Wednesday, we receive the necessary papers to leave China with Jillian. We will take the train to Hong Kong, stay overnight...and then fly out Thursday morning for home sweet home. Thanksgiving indeed.
Yeah...I led with a report from breakfast. This COULD be the most boring post ever. Sorry.
After breakfast, we visited the Pearl Market. We bought Jillian a string of pearls for her wedding day at the same store as we did for Lia. Then, our guide, Kelly, took us to another small store so Lia could pick out some Pandora like charms and have a bracelet made. She loved that...and we loved being off the beaten path a little bit. Kelly got us started and then left to help other families. Lia does not seem to notice or be bothered by the fact that no one can understand her English. She just chatted away to the sales girl about Jillian...and was satisfied with the polite smiles she got in return. :-)
After the Pearl Market, we returned to see the Chen Family Temple. We toured there with Lia as well in 2006. It is a beautiful Temple with such ornate carvings. We were able to tour freely and the girls really enjoyed running around on the grounds.
We returned to the hotel at lunchtime...so we walked across the street for McDonald's. Our hotel has a small outdoor park and we took the food there and had a picnic. It was glorious to 1) not be eating in the hotel room...and 2) not to have to worry about maintaining restaurant manners. :-)
(Why yes...that IS the same shirt she has been wearing for four days. The one I snared for 1.00 at Tar*get the week before we left because I was worried about not having cool enough clothes. The one that is too big. The one that she sleeps in as I type this right now. But we are slowly making some progress...tomorrow's post... :-)).
While Jillian napped, Lia and I worked on her homework (DONE! THANYOUVERYMUCH...and Mrs. M...if you are reading this let me just apologize ahead of time for any re-teaching you may have to do on that whole "using addition to understand subtraction" unit. I apparently cannot use addition to understand subtraction...let alone teach it to someone else. We have now determined that homeschooling will NOT be in our futures...).
We plan to take the girls out for a bite close by tonight...and look forward to a quiet day tomorrow as well.
Tuesday, we will travel to the US Consulate to take an oath of Citizenship for Jillian. Wednesday, we receive the necessary papers to leave China with Jillian. We will take the train to Hong Kong, stay overnight...and then fly out Thursday morning for home sweet home. Thanksgiving indeed.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Red Couch gone wrong...very very wrong...
First of all...I want to thank you all for taking the time to comment here and/or on Facebook or e-mail. Your words of encouragement mean the world to us here. I wish I had time to respond and thank each of your personally. We are grateful.
All families from the United States must end their adoption trip in Guangzhou. The American Embassy here finalizes the visas for the children to be able to enter the US. The standard trip here is one week in Province with your child to complete the Chinese side of things...and they roughly one week here. (It just happens that Jillian is in Guangdong Province, where Guangzhou is located...so we stay put for our entire trip.
Many of the facilities related to the adoption are located on Shamian Island and most of the families stay right on the island. There is a huge hotel there called "The White Swan" that caters to adoptive families. We ended our trip for Lia there in 2006. On the second floor, there are red velvet couches...and it is tradition to take a "red couch photo" with your travel group...with all the children adopted from each province. We have a fabulous photo from our Shaanxi travel group...11 babies...2 tipped over, 7 crying, 1 crawling out of the photo. Priceless.
But alas...much to our disappointment, the White Swan closed for renovations in August.
We couldn't stay there.
I was cheered immensely when I found out I could still go in the first two floors. The red couches are on the second floor. The White Swan totally hooked us up. :-)
Today, after getting Jillian's TB test read (she doesn't have it...eliminating TB as one of the causes of her hacking cough. Ha!)...we mosied on over to the old White Swan with visions of photographic genius dancing in our (okay MY) minds.
There were a few complications.
1) Jillian is still VERY attached to her clothes. We bribed her mightily in order to get a clean shirt on today...but we won only with the addition of the pants she wore from the orphanage (I had them laundered). I guess that's a draw...but it doesn't matter because an apple juice spill at lunch that drenched us both demanded a change into the only dry shirt I had...which Jillian put on with no problem. Jim thinks maybe we should dump some apple juice on her pajamas in the morning in order to facilitate a quick pajama change (not happening now!) to make it to the breakfast buffet in a more timely fashion....apparently we can be a little snarky when we're hungry. :-)
2) Jillian didn't really CARE about tradition and the red couch. Apparently NOT important to her.
3) Lia didn't really care about tradition and the red couch either.
So...I think you are getting the picture here. Epic fail. Except, like most times, I adore the outtakes almost better than perfectly posed photos...and I imagine these will find their way onto my walls at some point. They really kind of capture our day...and our time here.
Our day started calmly enough at 5 am with some coloring...
But by early afternoon...the girlies were done.
The look I got when I asked her to get on the couch:
Big sister was not much help:
She cracks herself up. And if Mommy gets aggrevated...even funnier...
The only cooperative family member. I shudder to think what HE captured on his camera...
...and, so, without further ado...I bring you Red Couch Photos Gone Wrong...
There ends this day in China. They are numbered now...hard to believe. We completed and turned in the paperwork for our Consulate appointment on Tuesday...and I am not ashamed to say that I felt a huge weight lifted off of me in doing that. I have been paper chasing for both of our adoptions since 2005...and I am ready to hang up my pen!!! :-)
All families from the United States must end their adoption trip in Guangzhou. The American Embassy here finalizes the visas for the children to be able to enter the US. The standard trip here is one week in Province with your child to complete the Chinese side of things...and they roughly one week here. (It just happens that Jillian is in Guangdong Province, where Guangzhou is located...so we stay put for our entire trip.
Many of the facilities related to the adoption are located on Shamian Island and most of the families stay right on the island. There is a huge hotel there called "The White Swan" that caters to adoptive families. We ended our trip for Lia there in 2006. On the second floor, there are red velvet couches...and it is tradition to take a "red couch photo" with your travel group...with all the children adopted from each province. We have a fabulous photo from our Shaanxi travel group...11 babies...2 tipped over, 7 crying, 1 crawling out of the photo. Priceless.
But alas...much to our disappointment, the White Swan closed for renovations in August.
We couldn't stay there.
I was cheered immensely when I found out I could still go in the first two floors. The red couches are on the second floor. The White Swan totally hooked us up. :-)
Today, after getting Jillian's TB test read (she doesn't have it...eliminating TB as one of the causes of her hacking cough. Ha!)...we mosied on over to the old White Swan with visions of photographic genius dancing in our (okay MY) minds.
There were a few complications.
1) Jillian is still VERY attached to her clothes. We bribed her mightily in order to get a clean shirt on today...but we won only with the addition of the pants she wore from the orphanage (I had them laundered). I guess that's a draw...but it doesn't matter because an apple juice spill at lunch that drenched us both demanded a change into the only dry shirt I had...which Jillian put on with no problem. Jim thinks maybe we should dump some apple juice on her pajamas in the morning in order to facilitate a quick pajama change (not happening now!) to make it to the breakfast buffet in a more timely fashion....apparently we can be a little snarky when we're hungry. :-)
2) Jillian didn't really CARE about tradition and the red couch. Apparently NOT important to her.
3) Lia didn't really care about tradition and the red couch either.
So...I think you are getting the picture here. Epic fail. Except, like most times, I adore the outtakes almost better than perfectly posed photos...and I imagine these will find their way onto my walls at some point. They really kind of capture our day...and our time here.
Our day started calmly enough at 5 am with some coloring...
But by early afternoon...the girlies were done.
The look I got when I asked her to get on the couch:
Big sister was not much help:
She cracks herself up. And if Mommy gets aggrevated...even funnier...
The only cooperative family member. I shudder to think what HE captured on his camera...
...and, so, without further ado...I bring you Red Couch Photos Gone Wrong...
There ends this day in China. They are numbered now...hard to believe. We completed and turned in the paperwork for our Consulate appointment on Tuesday...and I am not ashamed to say that I felt a huge weight lifted off of me in doing that. I have been paper chasing for both of our adoptions since 2005...and I am ready to hang up my pen!!! :-)
Friday, November 18, 2011
Beginnings and endings...
...I'm convinced this trip to China is made of them.Ups and downs...highs and lows. I feel like the whole trip is a marathon...and we are sort of at the point where we would like to hit that runner's high thankyouverymuch. I continue to fight the desire to wake at 4 am...and am ready to crash by 7 pm. I see the weariness in my travel group's faces...and I know I mirror that. This morning, my heart ached when an experienced mom OF TWINS no less, traveling without her husband and children, dealing with a very sick little girl...stopped to ask me if I thought everything was alright with her daughter. She had tears in her eyes as she told me that her baby girl spent a good deal of time banging her head on the crib mattress at bedtime...and was also slapping her from time to time. While no expert...I was able to relate my experiences with Lia...and I could honestly tell her that it WILL get better. There is just no way around the heartache that invariably comes with this journey...the worry, the what-ifs, the anger at the injustice of it all...and finally the hope and conviction that we ARE doing the right thing...and that it really will be alright.
We spent an easy morning shopping at a nearby mall. Jillian has been very attached to her shoes. Our attempts to lure her with shiny new ones have been met with no interest. We bought her a new pair of Chinese shoes today at the mall. The salesgirl talked to her in Chinese and she allowed us to measure her feet...but so far the new shoes are still in the box.
This afternoon we visited Jillian's orphanage. The trip out of the city took about 25 minutes. The weather was rainy and gloomy for the first time since our arrival...and I found myself glad to have everyone with me.
When we arrived, we were met by the director. She told us the children in Jillian's classroom were just cleaning up from a birthday party. We waited a few minutes before we were able to go upstairs and see the room where Jillian has been attending pre-school. Most of the children at the orphanage actually live with foster families in apartments near the facility. They come for the day at the orphanage...having class in the morning, lunch, nap and then an afternoon class. We got to meet the nannies who were in teh birthday photos we received the week before we traveled. They were so glad to see Jillian...and she seemed glad to see them as well. She stayed securely in Jim's arms...but smiled a lot.
Next we saw the sleeping quarters where Jillian slept...before she was in foster care...and for the weeks leading up to our travel as they returned her to the orphanage in preparation for us (not our choice). The room was extremely neat and clean...but it was still very emotional to see SO MANY little beds. This was the only time Jillian became visibly upset too...shaking her head no when Jim started to walk in the room. He just stayed in the hall with her and she was okay with that.
Finally...we got to see the children from Jillian's class. They had just finished school for the day and were all seated in a room, watching tv and having a snack. This was teh most emotional portion of our visit. While all of the children seemed happy and well cared for...it was difficult to imagine that some of them might never know the love of a forever family. One little boy with a bilateral (repaired) cleft lip ran right up to us and said, "hi". Honestly...it took every fiber of self restraint not to pick him up and run out of there.
We finished our rather short visit by giving the director the donations we carried for the orphanage. She seemed very thankful and she was visibly emotional when she told us that Jillian "was very cute and I love her very much". Jim asked if she had an e-mail address and she gave it to us. She asked us to send photos and let her know how Jillian is doing. I am so happy to have this connection to Jillian's early years.
Again...I know this post is all over the place and jumbled. I just want to get my thoughts down now so I don't forget them. It was an extremely emotional day for us...but it also seemed that Jillian undertood that she is one of us now. We saw a marked difference in her personality after the visit. Our attempts to teach her english words has backfired and she is now insisting we say xie xie da-shu (???) when she hands us something. One other thing we learned yesterday is that Jillian's foster mother is Cantonese...so Jillian speaks a mixture of Mandarin and Contonese. Our guide for the visit yesterday told us that...which is probably why our other guide has not understood some of the words she is saying.
It was a difficult day...but I am so glad we were able to have the opportunity to visit Guangzhou City SWI. We will not doubt reflect on this visit a lot in the coming years.
The names of the children who stay in this room. Jillian's is the first name.
These are the children who were in school with Jillian. The older girl is back from Foster Care because her family is coming this week to meet her for their adoption.
The director with our family.
We spent an easy morning shopping at a nearby mall. Jillian has been very attached to her shoes. Our attempts to lure her with shiny new ones have been met with no interest. We bought her a new pair of Chinese shoes today at the mall. The salesgirl talked to her in Chinese and she allowed us to measure her feet...but so far the new shoes are still in the box.
This afternoon we visited Jillian's orphanage. The trip out of the city took about 25 minutes. The weather was rainy and gloomy for the first time since our arrival...and I found myself glad to have everyone with me.
When we arrived, we were met by the director. She told us the children in Jillian's classroom were just cleaning up from a birthday party. We waited a few minutes before we were able to go upstairs and see the room where Jillian has been attending pre-school. Most of the children at the orphanage actually live with foster families in apartments near the facility. They come for the day at the orphanage...having class in the morning, lunch, nap and then an afternoon class. We got to meet the nannies who were in teh birthday photos we received the week before we traveled. They were so glad to see Jillian...and she seemed glad to see them as well. She stayed securely in Jim's arms...but smiled a lot.
Next we saw the sleeping quarters where Jillian slept...before she was in foster care...and for the weeks leading up to our travel as they returned her to the orphanage in preparation for us (not our choice). The room was extremely neat and clean...but it was still very emotional to see SO MANY little beds. This was the only time Jillian became visibly upset too...shaking her head no when Jim started to walk in the room. He just stayed in the hall with her and she was okay with that.
Finally...we got to see the children from Jillian's class. They had just finished school for the day and were all seated in a room, watching tv and having a snack. This was teh most emotional portion of our visit. While all of the children seemed happy and well cared for...it was difficult to imagine that some of them might never know the love of a forever family. One little boy with a bilateral (repaired) cleft lip ran right up to us and said, "hi". Honestly...it took every fiber of self restraint not to pick him up and run out of there.
We finished our rather short visit by giving the director the donations we carried for the orphanage. She seemed very thankful and she was visibly emotional when she told us that Jillian "was very cute and I love her very much". Jim asked if she had an e-mail address and she gave it to us. She asked us to send photos and let her know how Jillian is doing. I am so happy to have this connection to Jillian's early years.
Again...I know this post is all over the place and jumbled. I just want to get my thoughts down now so I don't forget them. It was an extremely emotional day for us...but it also seemed that Jillian undertood that she is one of us now. We saw a marked difference in her personality after the visit. Our attempts to teach her english words has backfired and she is now insisting we say xie xie da-shu (???) when she hands us something. One other thing we learned yesterday is that Jillian's foster mother is Cantonese...so Jillian speaks a mixture of Mandarin and Contonese. Our guide for the visit yesterday told us that...which is probably why our other guide has not understood some of the words she is saying.
It was a difficult day...but I am so glad we were able to have the opportunity to visit Guangzhou City SWI. We will not doubt reflect on this visit a lot in the coming years.
The names of the children who stay in this room. Jillian's is the first name.
These are the children who were in school with Jillian. The older girl is back from Foster Care because her family is coming this week to meet her for their adoption.
The director with our family.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Big Strides...
...so bath time. It rolled around again today, like it always does. :-) Lia gave it her level best to make that water and those stacking cups look like the BEST fun ever. Jillian and Jim viewed it all from behind the window that looks into the bathroom from the bedroom. (and here...I feel the need to digress. While WE have found some use to the window...would most people? There is a shade that can go up and down...but really...what WOULD be the proper situation to put that blind UP????)
Jillian watched and laughed all from the safety of the bedroom. I got Lia out and we started to dry her off. I planned to try Jillian's bath after our McDonald's dinner (yum!). The next thing I knew Jillian got up and came into the bathroom. She went on the potty...AND THEN STRIPPED OFF THE REST OF HER CLOTHES. I wasted no time in filling the tub again...and in she went. She had a ball. She did everything Lia had done...and loved every minute of it. And we even got her reasonably clean. :-)
She cried WHEN IT WAS OVER.
What a difference a day makes. We continue to be amazed with Jillian and Lia...and are so proud to call them each daughter.
In official business...Jillian passed her medical exam for her exit visa with flying colors. She charmed all of the clinic personnel...and didn't even cry when they administered her TB test. We will return to Shamian Island on Saturday to have that read.
Tomorrow we will visit Guangzhou City SWI. After talking to our guide and feeling good about Jillian's adjustment, we have decided to take both girls with us and go as a family.
We are half way through our trip to Jillian. In some ways that doesn't seem possible...and in other ways I feel like we have been here for months. We are excited to take in some local sightseeing in the next few days...with visits planned for several parks and a temple.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and good thoughts. We definitely feel them.
This one's for you, Laura! Jillian loves the soft nightgown. It's way too hot...but she won't take it off. :-)
Jillian watched and laughed all from the safety of the bedroom. I got Lia out and we started to dry her off. I planned to try Jillian's bath after our McDonald's dinner (yum!). The next thing I knew Jillian got up and came into the bathroom. She went on the potty...AND THEN STRIPPED OFF THE REST OF HER CLOTHES. I wasted no time in filling the tub again...and in she went. She had a ball. She did everything Lia had done...and loved every minute of it. And we even got her reasonably clean. :-)
She cried WHEN IT WAS OVER.
What a difference a day makes. We continue to be amazed with Jillian and Lia...and are so proud to call them each daughter.
In official business...Jillian passed her medical exam for her exit visa with flying colors. She charmed all of the clinic personnel...and didn't even cry when they administered her TB test. We will return to Shamian Island on Saturday to have that read.
Tomorrow we will visit Guangzhou City SWI. After talking to our guide and feeling good about Jillian's adjustment, we have decided to take both girls with us and go as a family.
We are half way through our trip to Jillian. In some ways that doesn't seem possible...and in other ways I feel like we have been here for months. We are excited to take in some local sightseeing in the next few days...with visits planned for several parks and a temple.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and good thoughts. We definitely feel them.
This one's for you, Laura! Jillian loves the soft nightgown. It's way too hot...but she won't take it off. :-)
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