It’s amazing how a good night’s sleep can help. We all slept well. We actually had to wake Claire up this morning. She slept a good 12 hours. I imagine she can sleep through most anything having slept in an orphanage her whole life.
Today was a day of nothing but paperwork. I’m honestly not sure exactly all we did. We went to the “courts” first and finalized the adoption. And then we went to a notary place to notarize lots of papers.
I held Claire most of the time and Kyle handled all the paperwork. I’m getting more comfortable with her. I think yesterday I wasn’t prepared emotionally for her needs. And frankly how can one even prepare for a day like yesterday!? You can’t. She seems to eat a lot. But wow the food runs right through her super fast. She must be as anxious as I am. Or more :( Can’t figure out what she eats. I think it’s still mostly mushy foods. Even though she has about 5 teeth. (Maybe 6 teeth?)
One of the translators today said that all our babies were like bananas. Yellow on the outside and white on the inside. Oh and that translator’s name is Winter. These names are killing me! Our other translator and our guide is John, and I really enjoy him. Today he was wearing a University of Delaware shirt. Haha. The spurts of “America” throughout the day are really funny. What a crazy country this is. (We had to bring gifts for various people we interact with throughout this process. We brought Virginia Beach Shirts and shark surfboard keychains. I’m assuming John’s shirt was a gift from someone else at some point.)
Observations from today -
There is no place that is “no smoking”. Offices buildings are filled with smoke. So gross.
Our bus driver got a ticket today. Crazy! It seems like there really aren’t any rules on the roads. Seems he turned somewhere he wasn’t allowed to. Some rules are enforced here, I guess.
Charlie from the orphanage was with us today to finalize the adoption. His name isn’t really Charlie either.
At the notary the lady there literally passed around a shopping bag and told us to drop our fees in it. A shopping bag full of money. There is a “system” I suppose.
Got back to the hotel (SUPER nice hotel - this one really is a five star) and had a late lunch. Typing away right now while Claire takes a nap. Good to get some down time. But it makes me miss my boys so so so so much. I just need to squeeze them. Counting days now. Too bad there are still so many days to count.
Jinan - A much different city from Beijing. While Jinan is a big city, it isn’t even in the ten largest cities in China. I think less than 10 million people live here. I find that I prefer it to Beijing. There are still buildings as far as the eye can see. But they are mostly less than 20 stories.
One of the guys on this trip has been noticing all the things we have but also mentioning it laughingly saying he’s going to make a list of things the Chinese should think about adjusting as they aspire to be part of the developed world. One of those - saw a lady on a moped today on an incredibly busy street (recall it is a free-for-all here on the roadways). She had no helmet, was weaving around lanes, driving with one hand while she held a sleeping baby with her other hand/ arm. Right. And the moped texting - so crazy. Driving a moped on the streets and texting while they are driving. No helmets. Not that that matters.
Something about the families we are traveling with - they are all pretty amazing people. The kind of people we have just immediately been attracted to. This is a process really only other adoptive parents can truly comprehend. And to be doing this with 5 other families is pretty amazing. So encouraging. We’ve been able to laugh and cry together. Pray together. Look out for one another. Help one another. Cross these crazy streets together. And try this very different food together. It’s invaluable. I’m thinking often about the other families we were with in Beijing who went to other provinces by themselves. We will meet up with them again in Guangzhou.
About Claire - she is easily calmed if I hold her. That’s a good thing! But it means I hold her all the time. And that’s tiring. But I’m thinking of what she is going through and my heart just breaks for her. It wouldn’t be much different from imagining taking Tanner out of his every day life, moving him across the world, and even with a loving family it would be meaningful trauma. (There are a few two year olds who were adopted in our group.) It’s also hard not to worry about what we see. Living in an orphanage - while the Jinan orphanage is pretty remarkable - is not the most thriving environment for a child. So it’s hard not to worry about her lack of muscle or inability to do certain things. We have been encouraged by others who have adopted by the stage their child was in when they picked them up and how they make quick progress. We are also trying to figure out what Claire eats. She clearly doesn’t chew anything. Even though she has quite a few teeth. She we are keeping her on a formula for 12-36 month year old children cereal, and mushy fruit. We may try pancakes in the morning. I’m also remembering how I introduced different foods to my boys. Trying to follow that protocol but working a bit in the dark not knowing what she has eaten.
So - in the midst of some of our worry yesterday, the anxiety really heightened for me. Would you know our Bethany contact here in China, Shaiyan, called us last night to check in on us and gave us more pieces of Claire’s story. (I have heard from other families that Shaiyan is an amazing woman. Keeps up with the orphans who have been adopted, checks in on them int he US from time to time. As it turns out, Claire lived at a Cerebral Palsy hospital (although we don’t think she has CP) in order to do physical therapy to get her closer to where she needed to be developmentally. Shaiyan visited the hospital and asked for a list of kids who were making progress and began to advocate for them to be adopted. That was when we saw Claire’s referral. Shaiyan knows Claire. It was just so encouraging. God is very much alive in this communist - and sometimes third world - country.
Observations - Saw the very first pregnant woman today. Only took walking past 30 million people to find one.
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