She's A Fighter

Today Caroline had her medical appointment that clears her to come to the USA.  She cried when we entered the building and never stopped until we left.  I'm guessing she saw the doctors and nurses walking around in their white coats and remembered being in the hospital alone.  She has had two surgeries since birth and I'm sure she remembers them.  The doctor came out of the room after giving her a TB test and said "YOU HAVE A FIGHTER"!  She didn't have to tell me that, I already knew!  She will fit right in!  

When she cried I cried!  

When we left we visited the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial.  It was a nice chance for Caroline to run around.  The weather was beautiful and she loves being outside.  

Promises

Today was a special day as we got to visit the orphanage and see the spot where our precious Caroline was left.  Our day started with meeting our guide in the hotel lobby at 7:45.  We knew it was going to take two hours to get there and possibly more depending on the traffic.  I have mentioned it before and I will say it again, the traffic is crazy.  In China most kids don't ride in a carseat.  So here I am holding Caroline while our guide fights through the traffic at speeds of 80 mph.  We made it there finally safe and sound.  When we got there a lady came out to the car to greet us and let us know that Caroline's foster mom, who she has been with since July, was sick.  I felt a little let down because I wanted to thank her for what she has done for our girl.  She did spend over a year in the orphanage so we at least got a glimpse of life before us.  The ladies there were so nice and told us that she attaches to one person at a time.  We gave our donated gifts to them and they were so thankful!  Way to go Audubon!  Then it was time to tour the orphanage.  As we walked from room to room we saw kids that were dancing, coloring and playing outside in the courtyard.  The kids were so happy to see us and were very kind. Caroline did well until we went into the room where she slept.  She recognized it right away and began to cry and clinch my neck.  They showed us her bed and my mind immediately visualized her sleeping in that corner bed at night with no one there to kiss her goodnight or ease her fear if she had a bad dream.  It broke my heart for all the kids that remained in those beds.  The director then took us out to the courtyard where there were some kids who had some major special needs.  She told us that they were not adoptable or no one wanted to adopt them.  It was so sad.  Next, we went to the baby room where there were lots of cribs with bundled up little babies.  Most of these littles were not paper ready meaning they were not ready to be adopted.  I did see a little one who I knew had a family coming and I took pictures of him for His family.  He's precious!  They asked me if I would consider adopting again and showed me all the kids who were paper ready.  If I was not interested in any of them then they asked me to advocate for them.  I have to say that although my heart broke for all those left behind it was a nice place for an orphanage. The kids were taken care of, but nothing in there resembled a family and that is what every kid needs and deserves.   

The entrance to the orphanage.

The inside of the orphanage.  

A classroom inside.

The playground at the orphanage.  

The room where Caroline slept.

Her bed.  

This is where the people that work there live.

This little one is up for adoption.

This one too!  

The baby room.

So glad she has a family now!

The entrance when you walk in. 

The lady who walked us out.  She is part of the office staff and was so nice.  

It was now time to visit the spot where Caroline was found.  We searched and searched and finally paid a guy to guide us there on his moped.  I'll be honest and say it wasn't at all like I had thought.  I thought we would go there, we would all get out and I would have time to reflect.  The street was so busy that we barely had time to jump out and get pictures.  It was on a sidewalk facing the river.  

On the ride back to the hotel it was time for me to digest what had just happened.  Brad and I didn't say a word all the way back.  The car ride was complete silence.   I looked out the window at the smog and ran down apartments with clothes hanging over balconies and held Caroline tight.  I made promises to her, promises to her birth mother and promises to those kids left behind.  I promised to honor her mother every day.  Honor the fact that she gave birth to her.  I'm choosing to believe that she left her because of a medical need.  I'm choosing to believe that it was the hardest thing she had ever done.  I'm choosing to believe that she still grieves the loss.  I also promised that I would donate to those kids that were left behind, to think about them daily and to never lose sight of what I saw today.  I promised to never take my life and all I have been given for granted.  As I looked out that window I wondered where Caroline would be if we had not come, if we had not took the chance, if we had not followed our hearts?  Where would she be?  Where will the kids left behind be?  

A Quiet Day Around Guangzhou Until The Ultimate Walmart Experience...........China Style

Today we went to the breakfast buffet downstairs in the lobby again. It's very nice, but when brad lifted the lid on the chicken claw he almost vomited right there!  I actually thought he might pass out.  We then headed back up to the room to Skype with Memaw, Pepaw, Nana, Pops and the boys.  We miss the boys so much and know that Caroline is going to fit right in with them.  After a nap we headed to the Police department to apply for Caroline's passport.  I took out my camera to take a picture and a policeman came over and said no picture.  I actually thought they were going to take the I-Pad and make me erase it, but they didn't.  I was a little nervous to say the least.  Once out of there we headed to Walmart.  It was an experience, but luckily we had our guide to help.  When we first walked in there were fish tanks full of fish, eels, turtles and all sorts of creatures for you to buy and not as pets:). While in Walmart Caroline actually got down and walked or ran around.  This was the first time we have been able to put her down outside of the hotel room.  She is normal because there were things she wanted and when I told her no she literally got on the floor and started to throw a fit!  She did end up with a few things because she's just too cute and dad just can't say no.  She has come so far and we are so proud of our Sweet Caroline.  Tomorrow we visit the orphanage and see the spot where her mother left her.  Please say an extra prayer for us.  It is going to be a very emotional day!  

Hanging out after breakfast.

Welcome to Walmart!

How many of these do you want?

Picking her out something.

Piles and piles of single wrapped chocolates and candy.

You can purchase a duck neck if you want?  Oh my!

Chinese New Years things.

Ready to eat chicken feet.....claw included.

The meats were not wrapped individually you just get what you need. 

Rice

She's running away!!

The cookies dad let her buy.

This is the look I give when I don't get what I want.

Bye bye Walmart!!  

It Was Family Day

It was family day today so we decided to venture out to the grocery.  That is an experience all in its self!  We needed diapers, water, cokes and a few other things.  Brad thought he was buying regular lays chips and we ended up with Italian Red Meat Flavor.  Yuck!  Caroline woke up happy today and played most of the morning.  She is so cute when she smiles because her eyes just disappear.  She has been doing that a lot lately.  It's amazing how far she has come in just two short days.  She also started saying Momma and Dadda today.  We couldn't believe it!  Brad assured me that she was talking about the Chinese lady in the elevator, but I'm choosing to believe different.  No really she is saying it even once we get back into the room.  

Here are some things we've learned about her so far:

She is a great sleeper and will go to sleep without a fuss.

She still loves her toys and piles them all together as if to say they are finally all mine.

She is really scared in new places and will not let us put her down on the ground.

She is a great eater, but is still hoarding food in her mouth.

She does not transition between getting a drink and eating.  Maybe they only did one at a time in the orphanage?

She is starting to really like Brad.  She let him hold her today.  I'm sure he will win her over soon.

She is smart and seems to me to be right on track developmentally.

She loves to run to us and giggle.  When I pick her up I feel like she looks at me like "finally" I have a family.

She is okay if you leave her in one room and walk to the other.

She has no idea what a toothbrush is or how to use it, but she's learning.

She loves, loves, loves her pajamas.

Chinese people say, "big girl", but really she's only in 18 months to 2T clothes.  

She loves candy!

As you can see we've learned so much and will continue to learn more in the days to come.  Some people say she has been blessed, but the truth is we feel blessed that somehow, someway we get to be her Momma and Dadda!

PS ..... I have better photography skills, but I cannot get my pictures from my good camera to the I-Pad:(. 

Look at that SMILE!!

Momma and her China DOLL.

Bamboo scaffolding at least 6 stories high.......Brad thought this was crazy!!

Do you want to eat there?  

They have Frozen Squid Head?   No thanks!!!

Love this place...American food with good ole Bruce Springsteen playing on the radio.

I'm in my PJs and so proud!!