Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Today we split up to divide and conquer. Also it took away the risk of a heart wrenching separation. I, Monte, took a van to Kristen’s Orphanage in Jiangyin City – about two hours east of here (Nanjing). I, of course, wouldn’t travel with out my trusty assistant and translator Genie, so together we were driven through the “suburbs” between the cities (which looked an awful lot like little field after little field of rice and other crops.) I was truly captivated by this scenery and had visions of what “old china” must have been like. I saw many farmers working in their fields – all by hand, no machinery. I did see a single ox pulling a plow across a field but couldn’t photograph it in time. Also, since we were traveling parallel with the Yangtze River, the canals that we crossed were teaming with barge-like boats taking grain and goods to and from it.

When we arrived at the orphanage, we met with the director and his assistant again and they were VERY kind and welcomed us with great hospitality. It was about 45 degrees today and I finally figured out why the Chinese clothing police give us dirty looks for not having 5 layers of clothes on our babies – it is because they leave the windows and doors open and it is freezing in most of the rooms. The facility was very clean and he proudly pointed out the awards they had received for excellence. We found the room where Kristen slept and where she ate and played. Apparently, the majority of her life was spent in those two rooms. I was able to meet the woman who was in most of Kristen’s earlier pictures and gave her a gift of thanks. When I got back to the room and was scrolling through the photos, Kristen was really enamored by seeing her and made the hand sign for “more”. There is a nice public school just beyond the gate of the orphanage where the older kids go. I was able to pick a rose from the garden there to have as a keepsake and remembrance of her time there. The experience was so good, and we are so thankful that Genie was able to arrange for me to go.

The assistant director wanted to take us to lunch and so – again – I got to experience some TRUE local cuisine. We had: lamb parts, radish salad, pork bites, dried beef, water spinach, radish soup, green stuff filled dumplings, a new variety of rice, watermelon and black tea. I ate it all except the soup. They kept offering me a fork – but I persisted with my chopsticks.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Suzanne and the group toured the park of “Ming’s Tomb”.

Suzanne & Kristen had some great bonding time together playing and learning through lunch. She has learned some sign language and was very active throughout the day. She spent part of the day picking up all of her things and putting them away. She continues to eat well and we had a great time feeding her fish congee and fruit at dinner.

One of our friends here took this last close up picture and it was too cute not to share.

More tomorrow – Good Night!

We Love You and thank you all for the support you have shown us.

Monte, Suzanne & Kristen