We have her!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are back with her in the hotel room. She wants to remain in her coat and snow pants, but she has not cried yet. I really can't write much because I want to give my full attention here. here are some photos. We are doing well and very very happy. God is good.

Random thoughts from Bibi

We are only one and a half hours away from meeting Shu Ping. Thought I would jot down a few random thoughts Bibi has shared since last night. She told me these things while in the dark, holding hands in bed, at 5:00 a.m.

"I miss Bobby, mommy"
" Mommy, is Shu Ping cold?"........... "Yes or no?"
" Mommy, dont let Momma Aya take me back to the orphanage"
"I liked the puppy, but why was the boy kicking him?" " You told on him, right mommy?"
"Why didn't you and Daddy come when I was a baby?" "Why you don't do that?"
and the one that got me the most.............
"I my children at Changsha are the island of misfits , because Santa does not like them." " We have to tell Santa they are good except Hu Lou..........he bites me".
"Lets write Bobby a letter today, Mommy"

Bibi's visit to Changsha SWI 1 & 2

What a day. I cannot begin to describe our visit to Bibi's orphanage. We traveled to her old building first (where she spent the first 3 years) followed by a lengthy journey out in the country side to the second orphanage(where she spent her 4th and 5th years).

It was cold, rainy and damp inside both orphanages. I felt no heat anywhere and babies were swaddled in cribs to stay warm. There were over 100 children at Changsha SWI #1 and we only saw about 6 caregivers. Many of the nannies were glad to see Bibi and commented about how well she looked. At Changsha SWI #, we met a boy who was badly burned over his entire face. He held his arms up to me as if he wanted to go with us. I stood there with tears in my eyes, unable to move, as I questioned the unfairness and ugliness of his poor life. I thought about how much this little one needed a mommy and daddy to hold him and tuck him in at night.

As we were leaving, I met a boy who was about 12 years old. He was obviously mentally challenged. He kept following Bibi and calling out, "Mei Mei, Mei Mei" (that means Little sister, little sister). Bibi shyed away from him, but later told me she used to "love that boy". I gave the boy a chocolate bar as were leaving, but he had trouble getting his mind focused off of Bibi.

I have trouble thinking of our Bibi living under the conditions I witnessed today. She just seems so "Bibi", living in our modern day comforts, as if she has always been there. This was a true eye opener for me as to a huge part of Bibi's life.

I will mostly likely bring these children home with me, locked in my memory forever. But then, that is what I wanted, a chance to get a glimpse of the shadows of Bibi's past. As we walked out of the orphanage, I could not help to see the significance of Bibi leaving with her family while leaving behind the loud thud of the heavy steel gates.

Bibi is struggling tonight. She cried herself to sleep on the bus after leaving the orphanage. She is heart sick about not getting to see her nanny (the director said she is retired) and very dismayed to see the reality of where she came from. We want to help her as much as we can and are holding her as close tonight.

We are here!

Finally, after flying all Friday, all day Saturday and quick hotel stay Saturday night, up again Sunday to fly into Bibi's birth city only an hour ago. Our agency called Bibi's orphanage and prepared them for our arrival. The director is on his way over now to meet us and escort us into the orphanage.

I must sign off now to meet them in the lobby , but wanted to get a quick note out. More later with photos. Lets pray Bibi does well and that this visit to Changsha Orphanage helps her heart heal from the loss she has felt with her nanny.

-Donna

We leave in less than 24 hours

So much to still do!!! ............. Nanny gifts, Bibi's orphanage gifts, paperwork & banking business, making sure everything is in order for Bobby's stay with his older sister and the adult day program in Florida, housecleaning, packing and re-packing, and even Christmas preparations! I have three lists: High priority, medium and low. The medium and low just got cut.

If this blog should be silent when we get there, then we are having difficulty with China's internet. If that occurs, we will have our oldest daughter, Jessica, post updates for us. I doubt I will have time to write anything else until we get settled in Dec 9th. So, until then Xie xie (thank you) for everyone's support, Boa Boa (Big hugs) and Zai Jian (goodbye) for now.

Donna

Changsha, Hunan Forecast : Weather Underground

Changsha, Hunan Forecast : Weather Underground

Our Schedule

We leave Friday, Dec.7th at 9:30am Lex-Detroit-Tokyo-Guangzhou. Arrive in Guangzhou at 10:30 pm Dec 8th, and get into a hotel nearby the airport. In the morning on Dec 9th, we fly into Changsha, Hunan. Once we arrive, we plan to travel to Bibi's orphanage and spend the afternoon with her old caretakers.

On Dec 10th, 8:30am we will drive to the Changsha civil affairs to receive Shu Ping. We will be walking through the exact same doors , and will be in the same room, as when we adopted Bibi last year. This will surely bring back a flood of emotions and memories for Bibi.

After we get Shu Ping we spend the rest of the week in Hunan, and hope to travel to her orphanage to meet her little friends and nannies. I have become fairly close with another family waiting for one of Shu Ping's friends. I hope to go there and meet their little one, get some photos of her and even play with her if allowed.

At the end of the week, we fly back to Guangzhou. There, we finish legal paperwork to get her Visa and get sworn in as an American citizen. First thing Dec 20th, we will fly back to the states. Since China is ahead by a day, we arrive on the 20th as well. Flight arriving will be coming from Detroit -Lex at 4:30pm.