Thankfully our trip home was uneventful, other than landing 1/2 hour early, only to be told customs wasn't open that early (5 am), so they wouldn't allow us off the plane. Oh well, after 10 1/2 hours, what's 30 more minutes?
My children were all awake (quite a feat for the teenagers) and anxiously awaiting my arrival at the front door on Saturday (Ground Hog day....we landed almost four hours before we left). It felt so good to be home and on the receiving end of so many hugs! My husband was even making blueberry pancakes, something I had been fantasizing about on the flight home, but since I already had three breakfasts, I saved them for lunch:)
However, coming home and integrating back into "normal" life is quite the process. I bawled my eyes out at church yesterday, and every lyric or word our pastor spoke would take me back to China. My mind kept wandering back to what the kids were doing at that moment....did they miss us? Were the nannies still taking the non-ambulatory kids out of their cribs? Did all the toys get put back into storage?
Yesterday we celebrated our countries Independence, which I so appreciate, but part of my heart was left back in China (again). It didn't quite feel right walking around the carnival and watching the fireworks with my family, while wondering if Yung Yung's mother was still alive. The really difficult part is that most likely I will not have answers to most of these questions that are bouncing around in my brain. Maybe I will feel better after adjusting to the right time zone, but I hope not. I don't want to forget, because the nannies, children, and China need our prayers...
Monday, July 5, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Quick stop in Beijing and then coming home
Well we arrived in Beijing safely, but not uneventfully! The same thing happened to us this year as did two years ago when we were leaving the Chaoyang airport. Seems the security people have way too much time on their hands, so they check our bags thoroughly. Can you see me in the background of the photo below? They made me open my suitcase and remove my hairspray from my checked bag. Their explanation for this request is the tiny flammable symbol on the back of the can. Funny how the US and Beijing didn't care, but for some reason Chaoyang did. One of our van drivers was very eager to take the products home. His head was shaven, so must be a gift for his wife! Tracie got in trouble for snapping this photo of me...silly Americans!
We decided to eat a quick lunch at the airport so we could spend more time shopping. Funny thing is I don't even eat McDonalds at home, but a burger sure did taste great. Just couldn't resist a photo opportunity with the lucky employee who got to wear this outfit.
The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping, and unless you've been here you just can't understand it. Although it doesn't seem quite as high pressure as it was two years ago, right before the Olympics, it is pretty crazy. I haggled with the gal in the picture for two dresses for my girls. She told me that she was making "no profit" but I told her she loved me anyway. She said she did love me, and agreed to a photo.
We just returned from a walk to Tiananmen Square, and some of us decided to take a motorized rickshaw back to the hotel. That was quite the experience, but the breeze cooled us down in the humidity. Now it is after 10:00 and we have to leave by 5 am.
Two groups of people leave early in the morning and one in the afternoon. Our last team member, Ying, is staying in China and catching the train to visit friends. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers over this trip. It really has been amazing, and lots of support from friends and family makes it all happen.
We decided to eat a quick lunch at the airport so we could spend more time shopping. Funny thing is I don't even eat McDonalds at home, but a burger sure did taste great. Just couldn't resist a photo opportunity with the lucky employee who got to wear this outfit.
The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping, and unless you've been here you just can't understand it. Although it doesn't seem quite as high pressure as it was two years ago, right before the Olympics, it is pretty crazy. I haggled with the gal in the picture for two dresses for my girls. She told me that she was making "no profit" but I told her she loved me anyway. She said she did love me, and agreed to a photo.
We just returned from a walk to Tiananmen Square, and some of us decided to take a motorized rickshaw back to the hotel. That was quite the experience, but the breeze cooled us down in the humidity. Now it is after 10:00 and we have to leave by 5 am.
Two groups of people leave early in the morning and one in the afternoon. Our last team member, Ying, is staying in China and catching the train to visit friends. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers over this trip. It really has been amazing, and lots of support from friends and family makes it all happen.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
So Much to Say…
There’s so much to say about today that I’m not sure I can do it all in one post. I will try and keep it as short as I can, but I’m not sure that would do it all justice.
We weren’t positive the boarding school kids were going to make it today since it is a school day, but we were thrilled to see their faces as we arrived. They are always anxious to see what is in our bags, and we didn’t disappoint them with crafts, toys, and candy! The playground and padding were all up and ready to go, so it was fun seeing them put it to good use. Despite us being in yet another paper today (six photos in this spread), there was another journalist and photographer team following us around. The photographer stayed with us until the very end. In fact, we even dropped him off on our way back to the hotel.
One of the best experiences of the morning was making dumplings with the nannies! We were invited to stay for lunch today and eat with the kids and staff. What we didn’t know was that we were helping to make the lunch, but I’m glad we did. They would roll out the dough (with lightning speed), and we would stuff the circles with the pork, celery, and ginger mixture that was made, then we would pinch them closed. If we didn’t do it in just the right fashion, the director did not hesitate to correct us. He surprisingly joined in though and rolled out the dough. The nannies then cooked up the dumplings and the rest of the meal (they grow most everything there), and we were able to enjoy it with the kids. I sat with Booger and another boy from the boarding school, and he was the sweetest 12 year old I have ever met. Every time my bowl was empty he would reach to get me more food. If someone spilled, he would quickly grab for a napkin and clean it up. He also walked around the entire room and refilled everyone’s drink. This boy is going to make some husband someday!
My Polaroid camera was a hit today. I was able to take pictures of the older kids with us and leave them with them. I also took pictures of some of the men that work around the place, which they loved. Even the professional photographer asked to have his photo taken. So funny that everyone was so intrigued by the old technology.
Our tradition in Chaoyang has been to throw a birthday party the final afternoon, and we didn’t disappoint. The cakes are always beautifully decorated, topped with lotus candle fireworks☺ Throw fresh leechy nuts and peaches in the mix, and voila, you have a party! The kids had a good time, and the staff joined in. All the kids from baby to teenager wore the t-shirts that we made earlier in the week.
It has also been our tradition that we leave our handprints on the walls when we leave, and we add to them each year there are new team members. Well since they are in a new building this year, we had to start over, but didn't have time for all the fancy painting that we did previously (that's slated for next year!). We would also write our name next to the handprints, and Ying would come around to write it in Chinese. We even got our guide Steve to participate!
After the party it was time to say goodbye to the boarding school kids, as they had to go back. Not before taking some group photos by the playground though. After helping clean up we said our goodbyes to each room of kids. Lastly is the nannies, which always makes it tough to keep it together if they are crying. I almost made it this time….It made for an interesting ride though, as the reporter was in our van snapping close up shots of us as we're wiping snot from our noses! It was a bit annoying, but if us showing our hearts in these photos brings more attention by locals to the children in the Chaoyang orphanage, then it is worth it!
After dinner we surprised our teammate Marilyn with good ole’ Ding Dongs from the USA to celebrate her birthday. The staff at the restaurant must have overheard us, because the next thing you heard after blowing out her candles was “Happy Birthday to You” over the piped in music. I’m sure this was a memorable birthday for her.
Tomorrow morning we fly back to Beijing for our last day in China. It will be a busy day of some site seeing, but I will try and post one last time tomorrow night.
We weren’t positive the boarding school kids were going to make it today since it is a school day, but we were thrilled to see their faces as we arrived. They are always anxious to see what is in our bags, and we didn’t disappoint them with crafts, toys, and candy! The playground and padding were all up and ready to go, so it was fun seeing them put it to good use. Despite us being in yet another paper today (six photos in this spread), there was another journalist and photographer team following us around. The photographer stayed with us until the very end. In fact, we even dropped him off on our way back to the hotel.
One of the best experiences of the morning was making dumplings with the nannies! We were invited to stay for lunch today and eat with the kids and staff. What we didn’t know was that we were helping to make the lunch, but I’m glad we did. They would roll out the dough (with lightning speed), and we would stuff the circles with the pork, celery, and ginger mixture that was made, then we would pinch them closed. If we didn’t do it in just the right fashion, the director did not hesitate to correct us. He surprisingly joined in though and rolled out the dough. The nannies then cooked up the dumplings and the rest of the meal (they grow most everything there), and we were able to enjoy it with the kids. I sat with Booger and another boy from the boarding school, and he was the sweetest 12 year old I have ever met. Every time my bowl was empty he would reach to get me more food. If someone spilled, he would quickly grab for a napkin and clean it up. He also walked around the entire room and refilled everyone’s drink. This boy is going to make some husband someday!
My Polaroid camera was a hit today. I was able to take pictures of the older kids with us and leave them with them. I also took pictures of some of the men that work around the place, which they loved. Even the professional photographer asked to have his photo taken. So funny that everyone was so intrigued by the old technology.
Our tradition in Chaoyang has been to throw a birthday party the final afternoon, and we didn’t disappoint. The cakes are always beautifully decorated, topped with lotus candle fireworks☺ Throw fresh leechy nuts and peaches in the mix, and voila, you have a party! The kids had a good time, and the staff joined in. All the kids from baby to teenager wore the t-shirts that we made earlier in the week.
It has also been our tradition that we leave our handprints on the walls when we leave, and we add to them each year there are new team members. Well since they are in a new building this year, we had to start over, but didn't have time for all the fancy painting that we did previously (that's slated for next year!). We would also write our name next to the handprints, and Ying would come around to write it in Chinese. We even got our guide Steve to participate!
After the party it was time to say goodbye to the boarding school kids, as they had to go back. Not before taking some group photos by the playground though. After helping clean up we said our goodbyes to each room of kids. Lastly is the nannies, which always makes it tough to keep it together if they are crying. I almost made it this time….It made for an interesting ride though, as the reporter was in our van snapping close up shots of us as we're wiping snot from our noses! It was a bit annoying, but if us showing our hearts in these photos brings more attention by locals to the children in the Chaoyang orphanage, then it is worth it!
After dinner we surprised our teammate Marilyn with good ole’ Ding Dongs from the USA to celebrate her birthday. The staff at the restaurant must have overheard us, because the next thing you heard after blowing out her candles was “Happy Birthday to You” over the piped in music. I’m sure this was a memorable birthday for her.
Tomorrow morning we fly back to Beijing for our last day in China. It will be a busy day of some site seeing, but I will try and post one last time tomorrow night.
Not a Failure...
This post is a tribute to my wonderful husband, whom encouraged me to go back to Chaoyang again this year while he stayed home with the children. When I spoke with him this morning, he informed me he was a "Tooth Fairy Failure," because Jaelyn lost her first tooth yesterday, and the "tooth fairy" forgot to pay a visit. Thank goodness children are so forgiving:) When Jaelyn woke up she said "Daddy, you forgot to be the tooth fairy last night!" Mike felt terrible and apologized, to which Jaelyn responded "I forgive you Daddy, but don't forget tonight!"
Mike, you aren't a failure, just a busy single dad! Jaelyn, Mommy is sorry she missed your first tooth, but I promise to take a picture of you in two days and post it on the blog, just like I did for Kaia two weeks ago. See you all soon!
Mike, you aren't a failure, just a busy single dad! Jaelyn, Mommy is sorry she missed your first tooth, but I promise to take a picture of you in two days and post it on the blog, just like I did for Kaia two weeks ago. See you all soon!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Love from Across the Ocean
Like that title? That was the headline for the article on us that was in Tuesday’s paper. It was actually a very encouraging article that I hope encourages some of the locals in adopting or fostering children. They snapped many photos when they were visiting, but selected one that included every one of us in it, playing with the kids. Yesterday there were more reporters and a photographer there, and evidently were going to be featured in a larger paper, The China Daily. That one is supposed to be online too, so if I get a link, I will post it here.
In the morning, when we walked in, we were excited to see that the ayis (nannies) had already taken most of the children, from one of the severely disabled rooms, out of their cribs and into the upstairs playroom. In my three years coming here I have never seen them do that, so that was exciting progress. What’s difficult is putting them back in, but I am hopeful that after seeing us interact with the children, this will be a more frequent thing.
At lunch, one of the local gals, we met at the square, Nancy, came and ate lunch with us. She is a very sweet and bubbly girl. She also served as our personal shopping guide as she took Micah, Tracie and I around a shopping mall last night!
Today will be our last day, which is always an emotional day. The older children are supposed to be coming back from the boarding school to celebrate in our birthday party. I will try and post tonight, as we have an morning flight tomorrow back to Beijing.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Is Today Tuesday???
It's becoming difficult to remember which day it is, as we are up to the sounds of busy streets early and pack our day with many things. Needless to say we are tired at the end, but wouldn't trade this experience for anything!
Today in the morning we got all of the children in one room that are confined to their cribs, out at the same time. I can't imagine how long it has been since some of them have seen outside the four walls of their room. What joy was on their faces (well all but two enjoyed it) as they were propped up against us or able to lay on their bellies. One sweet child managed took about 15 minutes to scoot across the room, and we all cheered when he finally made it! He burst out into the most beautiful smile you have ever seen.
We broke out the bubbles in the afternoon, and the guys were able to purchase some soft padding for under the playground, which is supposed to be done tomorrow. I can't believe we are down to just two days left with the kids. We continue to visit the mother I posted about, and her son has warmed up to us a bit. When I played with him today, he gave me a picture he colored. Guess I need to make room on my already crowded refrigerator:)
Dinner was at a fantastic Korean BBQ. Can't remember the last time I at this much meat. Not so much the squid though! We watched some street dancers in the evening, then headed back to the square where we ate ice cream, watched some amazing jump roping, hackey-sacking, and hip hop dancing. We also chatted with a lot of the locals about a variety of things. They are interested in my Chinese daughters, talked with Mark about loving Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns, and flirted with Micah!
Today in the morning we got all of the children in one room that are confined to their cribs, out at the same time. I can't imagine how long it has been since some of them have seen outside the four walls of their room. What joy was on their faces (well all but two enjoyed it) as they were propped up against us or able to lay on their bellies. One sweet child managed took about 15 minutes to scoot across the room, and we all cheered when he finally made it! He burst out into the most beautiful smile you have ever seen.
We broke out the bubbles in the afternoon, and the guys were able to purchase some soft padding for under the playground, which is supposed to be done tomorrow. I can't believe we are down to just two days left with the kids. We continue to visit the mother I posted about, and her son has warmed up to us a bit. When I played with him today, he gave me a picture he colored. Guess I need to make room on my already crowded refrigerator:)
Dinner was at a fantastic Korean BBQ. Can't remember the last time I at this much meat. Not so much the squid though! We watched some street dancers in the evening, then headed back to the square where we ate ice cream, watched some amazing jump roping, hackey-sacking, and hip hop dancing. We also chatted with a lot of the locals about a variety of things. They are interested in my Chinese daughters, talked with Mark about loving Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns, and flirted with Micah!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Monday in Chaoyang...
If you haven't looked back at the last couple posts yet, make sure you go look at the photos. I have been emailing Mike some pictures and he has been posting them from home. Sorry there is no explanation with each one, but hopefully it is self-explanatory.
The trip to the orphanage has always been an interesting drive, but this year it is much more so due to all the construction taking place near by. The drive used to end with a beautiful tree lined road, but now we have to take a dirt road turnoff before, to get around the pile of rocks and dirt they have used to block the road to traffic (funny thing is that by the end of each day, someone has moved the dirt to make a driveway). This dirt road is full of dips and potholes, and runs right through tiny farm plots and homes. Well today we had an issue with our van bottoming out and having the spare tire that was underneath drag on the ground, so we had to stop and fix it. Since the road was only wide enough for one vehicle, we had quite a few cars lined up, waiting for us to move.
Once we made it to the orphanage we got busy with kids, and bringing in the playground we purchased. We were surprised to see Beauty, a young lady who used to be one of the children, but whom now is employed by the orphanage. We had been told the day before that she worked somewhere else, but I guess that was lost in translation!
Turns out the quality of the playground was not top notch (go figure), along with the fact that the orphanage grounds are still under construction, so we decided to make it an indoor playground! Ever put together furniture from IKEA? Well it was a lot like that, with no directions, few screws, and poor construction. The guys did a good job though, and are almost finished. Now we have to purchase some mats to go underneath, but hopefully the kids will be playing on it before we leave.
We had a good time beading, making puppets, and just hanging out with the children today. We learned some good news about another of the children whom we had not seen, Min Bo. Min Bo was unable to walk, spending all his time in a crib. One of the team members last trip took him out often and spent a lot of time with him. He even insisted they pull out one of the wheelchairs so he could go to the amusement park with us. Turns out he was a candidate for a surgery (I think on his spine?) to help him walk. This was arranged by an American team, and he had the surgery and it was successful! He now lives in a foster home five hours away. This brought tears to my eyes when I heard it.
We had two wonderful meals today, and am especially loving the eggplant! Today we also had deep fried bean curd sandwiches, and they were tasty:) Tonight we went back to the square, which was packed. As expected, we found ourselves at the center of large crowds. There was a college age group of dancers, and Meme and Micah were brave enough to dance with them in front of the crowd of onlookers. They were great sports, made many new friends, and probably now on many camera phones.
As always, I hope my post makes sense, as usually I am writing this while being exhausted, and am not sure of my grammar and typos...
The trip to the orphanage has always been an interesting drive, but this year it is much more so due to all the construction taking place near by. The drive used to end with a beautiful tree lined road, but now we have to take a dirt road turnoff before, to get around the pile of rocks and dirt they have used to block the road to traffic (funny thing is that by the end of each day, someone has moved the dirt to make a driveway). This dirt road is full of dips and potholes, and runs right through tiny farm plots and homes. Well today we had an issue with our van bottoming out and having the spare tire that was underneath drag on the ground, so we had to stop and fix it. Since the road was only wide enough for one vehicle, we had quite a few cars lined up, waiting for us to move.
Once we made it to the orphanage we got busy with kids, and bringing in the playground we purchased. We were surprised to see Beauty, a young lady who used to be one of the children, but whom now is employed by the orphanage. We had been told the day before that she worked somewhere else, but I guess that was lost in translation!
Turns out the quality of the playground was not top notch (go figure), along with the fact that the orphanage grounds are still under construction, so we decided to make it an indoor playground! Ever put together furniture from IKEA? Well it was a lot like that, with no directions, few screws, and poor construction. The guys did a good job though, and are almost finished. Now we have to purchase some mats to go underneath, but hopefully the kids will be playing on it before we leave.
We had a good time beading, making puppets, and just hanging out with the children today. We learned some good news about another of the children whom we had not seen, Min Bo. Min Bo was unable to walk, spending all his time in a crib. One of the team members last trip took him out often and spent a lot of time with him. He even insisted they pull out one of the wheelchairs so he could go to the amusement park with us. Turns out he was a candidate for a surgery (I think on his spine?) to help him walk. This was arranged by an American team, and he had the surgery and it was successful! He now lives in a foster home five hours away. This brought tears to my eyes when I heard it.
We had two wonderful meals today, and am especially loving the eggplant! Today we also had deep fried bean curd sandwiches, and they were tasty:) Tonight we went back to the square, which was packed. As expected, we found ourselves at the center of large crowds. There was a college age group of dancers, and Meme and Micah were brave enough to dance with them in front of the crowd of onlookers. They were great sports, made many new friends, and probably now on many camera phones.
As always, I hope my post makes sense, as usually I am writing this while being exhausted, and am not sure of my grammar and typos...
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