Orphanage Day! Incredible

We're having some internet problems from my computer so this is from our hotel computer.  Please excuse any typos :)

The day started at 4 am when we went down to see if the gym was open or we could get coffee or rent a Panda phone. All three were strikeouts-hotel was dead silent until 6 am. Our driver came for us at 7 am today. We had a 2 hour flight at 9 am on Hunain Air to Xian and then a full four hour drive ahead. We have a wonderful translator and guide and very good car driver (although they do drive like crazy here and it scares me to death when they pass these big trucks carrying fruit in the rain!) In fact, Belle and Tim had me change seats today in the car so I can plant my nose to the outside versus front window. We literally drove 4 hours like sardines in our little van with 5 pieces of luggage, the translator, the orphanage director and her son! Nobody could speak a lick of English but our fabulous translator.

We arrived at the orpahage at 4 pm and I was just stunned. We pulled in a long dirt driveway and wham--there we were amongst about 80 kids at the orphanage. The director and some nannies came out to greet us. Some of the older kids were at the lobby, and they were smiling and ready for our visit. We just learned again today how rare it is to go and visit the orphanage, and it was a day to remember indeed. I am almost without words. We walked room by room and met the other kids and walked in last to Xiaofang's room (Belle) and there she was laying on her belly in the crib. She was in an a very old crib that lined the wall with about 10 other children in cribs. Her nanny asked us to go down the the special needs room so we could visit more. We had made a long list of questions and were able to go through it.

They handed her over to me and I wept and just stared at her with complete humbleness that she is ours. She is uniquely and wonderfully made. She is very small still-7 kilos so about 16 pounds. She is holding head up but not sitting up on her own or crawling. She definitely has the one very small ear and one large ear which makes her even more special. We know we will find a good doctor who can "even this up" in the future. She has no teeth yet and is still drinking from a bottle and takes baby formula and rice cereal. We will be trying to get some of these local items soon that she is used to.

Belle Johnson got some great video and photos. I cant wait to post some--maybe on the next post.

There is just too much to share at one time. We got to go see the new orpahange being built, too. Then the director took us out to an authentic Chinese dinner--more on that later. We got some great laughs, too! We are all exhausted and have a full day tomorrow. We make the long trip back by van and air. Baby Belle travels by land with the director for 8 hours in a car. Please pray for our trip to the capital of Gansu to begin the paper work process. She will officially get to stay in our room tomrrow night! I better go grab a few hours of sleep while we can!

Carissa