Shopping

After we got back from the Civil Affairs office we had to go get Mayleah some more clothes. We found out quickly if you visit a store the previous day and say you are going to return once you get your daughter the store owner remembers that. As we were shopping a girl stopped and asked us if we remembered her and how we were going to her "place". It just so happened we were on our way there when she stopped us so we walked with her. We went back to every store we previously had been to purchase something. Mayleah now owns 4 pairs of shoes, a cloissoine vase, bracelet, calligraphy of her name written both in English and Chinese, and a two piece chinese outfit for her red couch photo. We took a picture of Ashley, Brandon, and Drew along with one of Mayleah to Stella, a local store owner, and they are in the process of etching all four of our kids into one stone, we saw it partially done and it looks awesome. We saw one Joe and Sandy had done and loved it so we made sure to get one for us.

Yesterday was a rough day for Mayleah. The morning went well but starting in the afternoon she would just start sobbing, loud, for no apparent reason. I don't know what she is thinking but I'm sure she was going through the grieving process. We sent a disposable camera to the orphanage with our care package and got the film developed. After looking at the pictures we decided not to take Mayleah to the orphanage on Thursday to visit. One of the pictures is awesome. It shows her standing there opening the care package and holding the stuffed lamb and the photo album. There are several pictures of her with two other girls, possibly her friends. The sad part to the picture is in the background you see over 10 other children behind metal bars kept out of the courtyard. There is good and bad in each picture. We were looking at the pictures during dinner. I gave Mayleah a french fry dipped in ketchup, she scrunched up her face and gave me a dirty look. It was very funny. When we left there she started to sob again so we went back to the hotel. As we got off the elevator she was walking back towards the room and her paced picked up. Once she walked in she headed over to her toy's by the mirror and you could see she felt secure. We gave her a bath and took her down to the play room. There was one other family in there. Mahleah would not leave Chris' side the whole time. I was looking at her and her eyes filled with tears to the bottom of her eye lid then she broke out again so we went back to the room. When we got to our floor room service was "turning down" our room so we couldn't go right in. Mayleah was watching my every move whenever I walked away. I went to the end of the corridor and out onto a balcony and the city lights were awesome. I walked back to Mayleah and held out my hand and she reached up and took it and we walked back to the balcony and I showed her the lights. She ended up falling asleep next to Chris and we put her in bed. She slept all through the night but when she woke she burst into sobbing again. Chris picked her up and she calmed right down and started smiling and has been real upbeat ever since. We expect more of the grieving in days and months ahead. We will save the orphanage pictures for her when she is older and secure in her new family. We put her first pair of jeans on her this morning and she went over to the mirror and checked herself out.

We have a 3:00 pm appointment today with the Civil Affairs to receive all of our official Chinese documents stating she is ours, from here on out we deal with the Americal side of the adoption. We have to go to the police station to apply for the passport today as well. Our guide, Jack, is awesome. Speaks both languages very well and he knows how the system works and he is really good at "kissing up" to the affairs office personel. At the end of week he will give us the passport and that is the last time we will see him. We were given a suggested amount to tip him for his work but we already decided to go above that amount plus we have two extra gift bags with us we can give his wife and daughter, he only has one child because of the China one child policy. He really loves his job. He has been doing this for 10 years and has placed over 1,000 kids with new families. What a calling to have.

Have a great day.

Ken