We had a great day at the Dabu Social Welfare Institute. They were excited to see us and were so thankful that we brought Mandy back to visit. They treated us like royalty. I posted a lot of pictures on Picasa at this link and added captions to the pictures and tagged them into groups. I thought it would be helpful for me to make notations now versus later.
We started out at the orphanage and Mandy was a ham for them. She hugged and kissed all of them and asked if she could sing for them. They said that Mandy looks much the same except for bigger. They remember her as a baby that cried alot and was quiet but yet happy. They smiled and said she doesn't seem quiet now. They were so grateful because in their interaction they could tell we loved her very much. They treated us to a lot of local fruit and then a special lunch with lots of local specialties. Again this included chicken feet and head. Mandy decided this time she would suck on the legs and she said she enjoyed them. I think it was the attention she was getting that she loved the most.
The Bao Hong Hotel looked much the same as it did in our pictures from 2004. They did tell us that they assume that the reason they chose the outside of the hotel is because it is across the street from a local hospital and that assured the birth parents that care would be provided. The hotel is in the middle of downtown which we had taken quite a few pictures of.
Tammy Prins traveled with us to China and her family adopted a child from Dabu when we adopted Mandy. Last year they again adopted a 7 year old girl now named Isabella from Dabu. They asked that we locate Lily's finding spot for them and take pictures. They had come to the orphanage before and their camera broke and they had no pictures of the experience. You will see that we posted a lot of pictures of this site. We had to walk about a 1/2 mile in a small village to the location. Tammy I hope you will enjoy the pictures and I cannot wait to talk with you.
The nannies and director were emotional with tears at different times and it was so reassuring even this many years later to know that they truly care and love the children that they provide care for. It is great to have this interaction with them and He Li Na expressed several times that she would love to email us and for us to send her pictures periodically.
We are having a great time and are so thankful that we could add this to our trip to adopt Michael. We will all have these memories for life. I am also thankful that Mandy's personality showed through today and that she was not shy. They saw the true Mandy today. John and I shed tears periodically throughout the morning in thankfulness to God for the protection that He provided Mandy in those first 10 months of her life.
I hope you enjoy the pictures but please do not feel like you have to take time to look at all of them. We are posting most of them so before this trip is over there will be hundreds.
Blessings to all of you, Sheila
No comments:
Post a Comment