Hebi and Orphanage

Today was a very long...... day.  We had to be on the road by 8:00 AM and we got back to the hotel at 3:00 PM.  It was a 2 hour drive to Hebi.  The weather was fantastic and the drive was very beautiful.  We arrived at the Police Station in Hebi around 10:00 AM to be interviewed and apply for her passport.  The orphanage was so on the ball because when we arrived here in Zhengzhou we found out they had already gotten the passport pictures taken.  We have been very impressed with her orphanage.  They are working very hard for the children and their forever families.  The officer on duty asked a few questions and we were done - took about 15 minutes!

 

The official from the orphanage (the one who brought Maddison to us on Monday) met us on the edge of town and took us to the police station as well as the orphanage.  When we arrived at the orphanage, the Orphanage Director and the Orphanage Doctor met us at the front door.  They were so kind!  They welcomed us and thanked us for all the donations that we were able to make through our church in Idaho Falls!  We took a tour of the orphanage and visited Maddie room!  We were able to meet all her buddies Wen Shin and Yuan Li (the 2 girls who are in all of the pictures together).  Wen Shin has a forever family!!!!  She has been matched and is waiting Travel Approval for her family.  Yuan Li is a little Downs Syndrom girl who is just precious!  We were also able to meet Maddie's nannies!  They loved Maddie SO MUCH!  They took her in their arms and kissed her over and over again!  It was so special that they had a chance to say good bye to Maddie!  Maddie only wanted her Mama - Robin!  Her nannies where OK, but mom was the apple in her eye.  She tolerated her nannies, but quickly went back to Robin (YEAH!!!).

 

We had such a special time at the orphanage.  They really do care for the children.  You could see that they did their best for the children.  It just breaks your heart that there are so many children left behind. 

 

The orphanage official that brought us Maddie, presented us her finding ad and offered to show us where Maddie was found!  We jumped into the car and headed off into the outskirts of Hebi.  It was another 1/2 hour drive each way from the orphanage - well worth the drive.  Maddie was either left by a bridge across the street from and open market or in the market itself.  Either way, Maddie's birth mama left her where she would be found and taken care of!  We are so blessed!  We piled out of the van for pictures.  We must have been quite a sight to these Chinese people.  This was definetely off the tour path for China.  We were probably the first white people a lot of these locals had seen!  One little girl and her brother ran up to the van and we got pictures of them waving to us!  So precious.....  We headed back to the orphanage to drop off the gal.  On the way back, we stopped at a roadside market and the orphanage gal disappeared into the market and returned with Maddie's favorite sweet bread! (apparently, this is what they give the children in the orphanage).  You should have seen Maddie eat!!!!!!!!!  The orphanage official was so excited!  We can't thank the orphanage enough for taking such good care of our little girl under difficult circumstances.  God is so GOOD!

 

We got back to the hotel around 3:00 PM and we all took a nap!  What a day!!!!  Maddie did so well and she has seemed to turn a corner with today's visit.  I'm not looking that bad anymore (thank goodness).  Maddie is now riding in a stoller and Robin is getting a little break.  She doesn't seem to be crying as much and is feeling a little better.  Please keep her in your prayers and she gets over her cold and will continue to bond with us.

 

THANKS for your prayers!  We feel them over here!!

Today we finalized the adoption in the eyes of the Chinese government.  We had to head back to the building we received Maddison yesterday to finalize the adoption.  We have a "24 hr" tryout period to see if we want to change our minds!  They have to be kidding!!!!  She is ours and will be forever!  The director of the civil affairs office for Henan province talked to us and congratulated us.  We received our adoption certificate (red folder in pictures).  She then talked to each of us. Our CCAI guide Yisha then wisked us off to the notary office to get all the paperwork notarized.  Couldn't believe it, we had to walk up six floors of stairs to get to the notary office.  We had to fill out some more paperwork and answer a few questions.  Once this was done we headed back to the hotel.  We were back before noon.

Four of the families headed out to visit the city of their children's orphanage to get the passport pictures done.  Thank goodness we didn't have to go today.  We visit Hebi tomorrow to visit the police station and get the passport done as well.  We will also visit the orphanage!  Maddie took a long nap this afternoon.  Robin stayed with her and Robin's folks and I headed down to the Walmart area to purchase clothing, formula and diapers to take with us to the orphanage.  Our church was so kind to donate some money to get things for the orphanage.  I included a picture of what we will be taking tomorrow!

Maddie is doing better today.  Tonight, I was able to play ball with her without her wanting Robin.  She isn't crying as much and is starting to come out of her shell.  She LOVES noodles!!!! and apple sauce.  We also had our first french fry today.  I ran down to MacDonalds today and she loves them.  The orphanage said she liked potatoes and sure enough, she is an Idaho gal!

Continue to pray that Maddie gets over her grieving.  She still has boughts of grieving, but is getting better.  Pray that the visit to the orphanage will go well tomorrow.  She also appears to have a little cold so pray she gets over it quickly.

Thanks for all the emails and responses to the blog while we are in China.  We enjoy reading all your encouring notes.  It is getting late and so I'll sign-off and get to bed.  We leave at 8:00 AM to go to Hebi.

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Gotcha Day!!!!!!!!!

WE HAVE HER!!!!  We arrived at the registration office about 10:00 AM.  We got off the bus and were waiting for our adoption guide to give us directions on what to do next.  She came out of the building and said "Wen Jia is in the building, come with me."  We couldn't move fast enough!  There she was across the room standing with the orphanage official.  Lots and lots of tears, but she is so precious.  We are back at the room and she fell immediately asleep.  We'll post more later.

 Here is our daughter.....

Only.......




yes that's right


more sleepless nights until Maddison is in our arms!

Beijing - Day 2 with our Adoption Group

The itinerary for the day included a stop at the jade factory, the great wall, lunch, and finish up with the Acrobatic show.

We left the lobby of our hotel at 8:00 AM this morning to head to the Great Wall.  Traffic is amazing and it looked like all of China was heading to the Great Wall.  Before we got to the Great Wall, we stopped at the government run Jade Factory to see how they carve the jade and have sales gals follow you around hoping you would buy something from the store.  Here are a few pictures from the Jade Factory:

Our Jade Factory "Guide"

Craftsman Carving

Beautiful Horses Out of Jade

Our Guide, George, Helping Reba Purchase a Jade Bracelet

After the Jade Factory, we headed to the Great Wall.  WOW!!! We had always dreamed of seeing the Great Wall, but to actually be here and hike up the wall is amazing.....  Enjoy the pictures!  It was an extremely hazy/smoggy day so not the best photo conditions.

Getting Ready to Climb the Wall

Up We Go!

 

Back to Beijing we went after climbing the wall for a couple of hours.  We stopped for lunch and then headed to the Acrobatic Show.  This was a very good show and the performers were amazing.

It was a long but good day.  We headed back to the hotel and finished packing.  Tomorrow we head to Zhengzhou about 11:00 AM.  Hard to believe, but Maddie has only 2 more nights of being an orphan!  We can't wait to get her!!!!!!!!