Orphanage Visit

What an amazing day we had today! I am so thankful that we took the opportunity to visit the orphanage. We found out on Tuesday that we had been granted permission to go and as excited as I was about it, we did have reservations whether it was in Eva's best interest to go back. After thinking it through, and praying for God's wisdom, we decided to take the two hour trip to Suzhou.

Fred and our driver picked us up at 8am and along the way Fred told us about Suzhou, Eva's birthplace. It is the 3rd largest city in the Jiangsu province with a population of approximately 3 million people. Suzhou is known as the land of fish & rice and for its beautiful gardens. It also has a No. 1 silk factory. Because it is a developed city it has fewer cases of abandonment and adoptions.
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Immediately upon entering the city you feel a different vibe. The landscape is beautiful; you see the traditional Chinese style black & white homes, and the Grand Canal just gives an overall different feel.

The Suzhou Social Welfare Home is not only home to the orphanage but also an elderly living facility. It too has beautifully landscaped gardens, tree lined pathways and felt peaceful. The home is 300 years old this year. They currently have 300 children in their care, with about 100 younger in age. About 300-400 children are adopted a year from this orphanage compared to 1200+ as the average in others.

We were met at the gate by the two ladies who brought Eva to us here in Nanjing. Immediately they tried to hold Eva but she wouldn't go to either of them. We were then escorted to the administrative office where we were greeted by the director. He lovingly referred to Eva as a favorite and that we were getting a jewel of Suzhou; of course we had to agree with him!! After visiting with him for a few minutes he presented us with a gift from the home, a framed woodblock painting. I can't wait to see it hanging in Eva's room!

I really was expecting this to be about all we were going to get to see but then the two ladies escorted us across the grounds into the children's home. Immediately upon walking through the gate you see the outdoor playground with all kinds of fun, bright play equipment. I know there are a few pictures of Eva playing out there in the journal that they gave us on Monday.

Next we went up to what was Eva's classroom. We had to wait a minute before entering and take off our shoes because they had just disinfected it, which is always something a new mom likes to see. Upon entering the room, I felt like I was stepping into a photo because this is the room where her birthday pictures were taken. Right there in front of me were the shelves of toys that I had loving seeing in the picture; there was the ride-on toy that she was sitting on in one of her updated photos...How amazing it was for me to be standing in the room that I had only been able to imagine what it was like up until now! As we were looking around, in walks the nanny that was holding Eva in her birthday picture. Eva immediately went to her and you could tell there was a bond there especially since Eva screamed when it was time for me to take her when we had to leave.

We then walked a few rooms down to the bed baby room and were able to touch the crib that Eva has napped and slept in for the last two years. There were about 40 cribs in the room and about 6 caregivers; all of the children were napping and we were not allowed to take photos there. As we were standing there, one of the nannies handed me two little identification cards that had hung on Eva's crib. One has a photo of her at 6 days old when she first entered the orphanage and the other is a more updated picture. What a treasure to have a picture of my daughter as an infant! I am so glad that I had the opportunity to thank these ladies for the care they have given Eva. I also think that it has to help the nannies to see the family that the child they have loved on is becoming a part of.
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So now I thought for sure our visit was over, but then we were invited to lunch! The director joined us, Fred, our driver and the two nannies that met us at the gate for a family style lunch, because as the director put it we are all family now. It was just a wonderful time of visiting and sharing about ourselves with one another. It was unique to do it through an interpreter so hopefully nothing got lost in translation!! The director wanted to know that we would provide Eva a good education and he gave us his business card to email him updates and photos of her. We just really felt like he had a love for his job and the children. We thanked him for his time, hospitality and for the care of all the people in the home. The lunch was absolutely delicious, Eva actually out ate David!

Since we have had Eva the only real words we have heard her say more than once are what sounds like the letters "e" "r" "e" and as we were walking back to the car, she started saying them. We were so happy to find out that she's say 1 2 1 2...it's marching!! We now know that when she says this while we are holding her she wants to walk.

For one last time, Eva walked through the gates of the orphange, this time with her family holding on!!

After leaving the orphanage, we drove to the hospital where Eva was found on the steps two years ago. It is no longer a hospital and is currently under construction, but it was still emotional to see this place. It sits right next to the canal and as I looked around I couldn't help but wonder about her parents. Had they pulled up by boat and dropped her off? Did they work in the silk factory 5 minutes away? Were they still here in Suzhou and had we possibly seen them somewhere on the street while we were here? I just pray that they somehow know she is okay!

Next we went to the silk factory. Like yesterday at the brocade factory we were able to watch the process of silk being made from the silk worm (actually touched live ones..they are extremely soft!) to the finished product. Nicholas even left with a live cocoon which he fortunately decided to leave on a bush here at the hotel! We bought a few souvenirs including silk pillowcases for Eva in the future.

I am so grateful that we will be able to share with Eva all that we saw and experienced today!

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Eva did really great on the trip. She slept most of the way going and coming back.

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She did have quite a meltdown this evening back at the hotel. After holding her through it and getting her calm, David & Dawn took the boys for ice cream while I finished giving her dinner. Not long after they left, she starting screaming again. I needed to catch my breath for a minute so this time I put her down in her crib and as soon as I did she stopped fussing completely and just sat there. She never reached for a toy or tried to get out, she just sat. Everytime I would go to pick her up she would shake her head "no" and start to cry. I'd walk away and she was quiet. It just broke my heart that she was happier to sit alone than be held. Obviously this is what she is used to from the orphanage. Now what hurt more is that when David got back and if either he or the boys tried to pick her up she would go to them, just not me. I think we have the only adopted Chinese girl that would rather a male than a female! I guess it's just like my boys though, when I punish them who do they want...Daddy and vice versa. It's just hard because I love her so much and I want her to love me too. I guess that I have had the time to grow to love her while staring at her picture for 5 months and she's only known me a few days. I'm probably expecting too much and I just pray that with love, understanding and patience we will be able to get her through this. She's a beautiful baby and we want nothing more than to see her smiling and giggling all the time!!