Robert is gone all day today visiting Dianbai orphanage. For an easy outing, the kids and I just walked to the 5-star White Swan hotel, down the street, where we stayed when we got Maya and where most adopting Americans stay. When you check in, there is a Mattel Barbie that has a Chinese baby in a front pack waiting for you in your room ... it is a collectors edition, and much coveted by Barbie fans. Anyway. It is always fun to walk around a luxury hotel, but this one has enormous Taiji fish swimming in a pool with a very tall waterfall and a lot of open halls to walk through. Also a view of the river with big ships (we saw 11, according to Cyrus). And a cage of birds. And the most wonderful bathroom in China. Clean, huge, two rows of toilets, not a squatty potty anywhere to be found. And clean! With TP and soap and paper towels .... as you can see, I was crazy about this bathroom. Jasper had his daily 20 minute poo while we were there, and let me tell you, I have experienced a lot worse with him.
Kellie and I agreed we are both feeling a little bit down having said goodbye to the artists. The two older girls were crying as they left .... it was heart-wrenching to see them, spoil them and love on them, and then see them go back to the orphanage and know that really, we didn't make much of a difference. It is a very different experience bringing Ella home. There is only joy there. This has always been a trip that is about two things .... Ella and seeing the artist. One is so wonderfully positive. The other was bittersweet.
I should say that if Robert were here reading this he would say that we are helping and making a difference by buying their artwork, sending money regularly, and in this way helping them hone their skills for future employment. Not to mention bringing the laptops, which will help in an indirect way. And he is right. I guess you could say that, along with Kenny, we are teaching them to fish instead of giving them a fish.
Ella news: She has said her first word! She now says "hi." I may have told you this before. She also gives high fives.
Gotta go. Photos tomorrow, hopefully.
Stephanie
Where In The World ...?
Guangzhou is near Hong Kong, bottom right corner. Dianbai is just below the "M" in Macau (which is south of Guangzhou).
1 comment:
Oh my Stephanie, Your message has me crying at my computer. But thank you for such an image of real life. Thank God for Ella's new life, first word and high fives. Hi, Ella, I am so anxious to see you on Sat., only six more days from now, and to also see your brothers and sister. I pray for a safe journey for Robert.
All my Love, Grandma Karin
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