As Sarah and Don pack, Kevin is getting Grace into her pajamas, and I have been asked to write today’s journal. We are all still in awe of our experience yesterday during the visit to Grace’s “homeland”. They take their eating seriously here as we had an incredible lunch and received such an honor. It was obvious they were proud of their small and very humble orphanage and grateful to the kind of family that Grace has been “delivered to”. The director told us that children born near the water and the mountains are the most beautiful!
We learned today that there are many orphanages that have children, but don’t want to do the paperwork necessary to find families. The CCAA is trying to assist these facilities but there is much resistance. Instead these children continue to live in the orphanages and are put to work by age six. Our guide Katherine is truly dedicated to this effort and hopes to gain the trust of more orphanages. Grace is the 116th child to be adopted from the Fujian Province (2006). We have been very fortunate to have Katherine’s guidance in this incredible journey to Graceland!
Grace does not look or act like the same baby we met on Sunday. She is animated, giggles, snuggles and demands things her way. She also has had the first layer of skin kissed off so even her face glows! Her photo was taken the first day for her passport. She has an entirely different look about her now. We picked up her passport today, which, you guessed it, more tears…of relief and joy. Tomorrow we fly to Guangzhou. We are all looking forward to the next phase of this process, and have had a good time here at the Lake Side Hotel.
The four ˝ of us took a paddleboat (this time we got a real paddleboat) out on the lake today. Kevin, Don and I took turns at the paddling. Sarah held onto Grace. It is obvious the people here are playful and like to have fun. After dinner, Kevin and I played one game of Bowling. My first bowl was a strike, and then it went downhill after that. Final score Kev 72 me 59.
Well, the packing is nearly done and Don wants at his computer back, so I am off. Wait, one more thing. Sarah has transcended into official Motherhood, she’s EXHAUSTED. She admitted to me she was so tired last night she propped up Grace’s bottle in bed to feed her!
