Scrolls From China

Part of this journey has been the long awaited meeting with the artists and a reunion with Kenny. It was truly an incredibly special time. There were many hugs, tears and conversations of hope for the future.

First off I want to personally thank Dominic for all of his web design help. You are incredibly talented Dominic. Thank you for sharing your talent with Scrolls From China. Sarah - has been the backbone to the website and is incredibly talented and wonderfully professional. I encourage anyone to check out the resource page for their contact info if you are ever in need of hiring someone to do marketing and web design for you. Dominic and Sarah - I wanted you guys to know that I gave a blessing to the artists and it was from you guys as well.

Most importantly for this trip was to give the artists and several orphanages laptop computers. I was able to get many laptops but they didn't work due to a variety of reasons. My brother in law is extrememly talented in this field and was able to take all of these computers which didn't work and create 20 functioning, Dell wireless - Pentium III processor computers! Most things in China are relatively cheap because they are made directly here. This is not the case with electronics. Computers, digital cameras and other items of this nature are extremely expensive because of the tariffs that are placed upon them from the Chinese government. So a typical computer would cost almost 2 to 3 times more than for us in the States. The first computer that I gave to the artists two years ago - I purchased and then shipped it to a family in California who personally delivered it to Kenny. (This way, instead of mailing, is the best way to save money.) So to give 20 computers to those with practically nothing was quite an event. Stephanie and I gave each of the artists some clothes with Bend Oregon on them, plus some candies and a blessing and then of course the computers. There is nothing that I can say that will ever convey my love to Tim for his self-less help in making this happen. You see, computers are like lifeblood to these kids. There are educational websites that allow them to improve their academic skills, English comprehension and a host full of other educational skills that can be learned via free web sites that are established for anyone across China. But for these orphans - education is never really stressed on the whole. In addition, they don't have parents who are motivating them to learn and all in all the spiral of destruction continues to go downward for them. But here face to face with them and to be able to give them 20 laptops for them to learn with - what a gift. What an act of hope that will bring them to a place where they will strive harder because they now have the opportunity. Thank you Tim. Thank you for sharing your talents. Thank you for your love.

The White Swan

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

Reunion Photos

Robert with Kenny and the kids.

The guys enjoyed hanging out together despite the age difference.

Kellie really took to Yue Feng (which means Little Moon) and got to hold her for this photo.

We all ate breakfast together at our hotel twice. These kids had never seen a buffet before, nor had they tried so many different kinds of Western food. I was surprised that they didn't go for the Chinese breakfast food, instead I saw french toast, sausage and cinnamon rolls on their plates.

Yue Feng in her new dress. The morning they left she was very sad and did not want her picture taken.

Shopping

I have finally figured out what book I will write someday. It will be called The China Diet. I will tell people that if you want to lose 10 lbs in two weeks, go to China and adopt a baby. You will be so busy, plus the food is strange, plus there is the whole traveling-jet lag-yucky feeling involved that the pounds will just melt off! Hm, looks like I just wrote the book ... so much for royalties.

Yesterday Robert, Kellie and Connie took the kids shopping after lunch. Well, first they had lunch at McDonalds. This was like a trip to Disneyland for these kids. Seriously. They had heard of McDonalds, of course, since they have them in China and there are commercials, but had never been to one. Robert said they all ordered coffee because that is so cool and American ... but no matter how much sugar they poured in they could not drink it! Then Robert and Kellie really wanted to buy them things. They took them to a posh shopping center and bought them clothes.

One of the artists is a little girl, 4 years old, about the same age as Maya. Her hair is cut very short, like all the girls in her orphanage, because no one has time to take care of long hair. (Seeing her and Maya together, this difference is the most obvious ... one has a mom to brush and fix her hair. One does not.) Kellie bought her a beautiful pink dress and matching hat. When I saw later she was beaming, laughing, twirling her dress. She was beautiful.

While Robert was spending time with them I was in charge of all four kids for the first time (happy mothers day to me!) and it went well. Whew, I think I can do this. I took the kids out to dinner to the American restuarant, Lucys, where you can sit outdoors and there is place for the kids to run (and they did). They ordered spaghetti and pizza. I had a cheeseburger that was very good. The only hitch was when all three of the older kids said they had to go potty ... all at different times. The potty is in a building that anyone can access, and all the potty are squatties (hole in the ground, and you're lucky if there are handrails and TP). I had to draw on all my mommy skills to make sure everyone was safe. When we got back to the hotel I gave the girls baths together ... first time. The formerly quiet meek little Ella has really come out of her shell. She kept trying to climb up the side of the tub, and she loved splashing. Within 60 seconds she was wet from head to toe. Maya was very patient with her and careful of her.

It is early Monday morning. After breakfast Kenny and the kids get back on their bus (these kids have never been on a long distance bus before this trip, also have never spent time in a city before! A lot of firsts for them on this trip. Even the hotel .... the tv with all the channels ... the computer that comes with the room! The boys loved playing on that). And Robert is taking the arduous trip to Dianbai orphanage. We debated a long time about whether he should go. The trip is 4.5 hours one way, and it costs a lot of money to hire a car and driver. The final factor in deciding it was realizing how precious it would be to have a photo of the little 4 year old boy that Ella was close to there. So ... Robert will go to the orphanage, take photos and video, but mostly he is going just to meet this boy.

I will have to post photos later unfortunately .... I hope I am still able to blog at that point!

Stephanie

Whoops - Here are photos

OK - I accidentally clicked on the link to post the last post instead of clicking on the link to grab another photo. Remember, it is all in Chinese so I am not actually as stupid as you might think.

Here are the photos I meant to put in the last post .... the boys went to an amusement park the other day, and had a great time with Dad while the girls and I shopped for shoes.

Also, I love the photo of Ella in the cream flowered dress. She is holding a toy that sings Chinese music and flashes lights, and she is twisting her body, dancing in response.

Continuing the blind posting ....

Here are some photos. Ella had her official medical examination so that she could be released to leave China. Some children who are being adopted go to this exam and everyone discovers for the first time that the child has a special need that was previously unknown, like deafness. Then sometimes the Chinese govt will not want you to adopt the child or maybe they will give you the option of taking another child (I know, it sounds awful if you aren't familiar with all of this). We happened to get there a bit late, Friday at 430 when they are trying to close and go home for the weekend, so her exam was a bit rushed. We did not mind at all.

The photo of myself, Ella and the doctor is funny for Robert and I because this was the same doctor who examined Maya three years ago. Robert got really upset with him because it was very hot in the clinic, and Maya was tired and crying a lot, and there were people everywhere waiting in line, and when the doctor tried to listen to her chest he couldn't because she was screaming. Finally he told me I needed to make her be quiet right now ... I was outraged because I hardly knew this child and had no idea how to make her be quiet! Robert got all protective and angry, and it was all he could do to keep it together and not antagonize this guy. With Ella's exam, he was perfectly nice, by the way.

Writing blind

Sorry we haven't posted in awhile, but we have tried! For some reason we aren't able to view our blog at all anymore. I understand you all in the US are able to .... must be one of those China things.

I am very surprised to be able to get to this page, where you can post, and I am not sure if this will work or not. And also since i can't see our blog, I won't be able to see for myself. So if someone could email me directly and let me know that they saw this post, I would appreciate it.

Our friend Kenny and 5 kids showed up yesterday afternoon after a 10 hour bus ride. Robert and I just had a Scrolls From China meeting with Kenny at Starbucks (!) which was great. We got to talk about a lot of things that are hard to discuss via email and phone. And last night we went out for Chinese food at this place that only the locals and Robert (because he talks to everyone) know about. (Our guide Jocelyn was very very surprised to hear that we had eaten there because she thought it was a secret). No white people there, and it is on the fifth floor, no elevator (it might be good for my calves, but it doesn't feel good), no high chairs for babies, no baby food, no bottled water for foreigners who can't handle the local water. BUT - excellent excellent food, really amazing, and soooo cheap you would not believe it.

I could talk about food forever. Instead, let me say that this reunion with Kenny has been wonderful. We are teaching Maya and Ella to call Kenny "shu shu" which means Uncle. He is so great with our kids, as in fact the artists are, too.

Ella is doing super. It turns out she is very active and curious and into EVERYTHING, just like any other 13 month old. She has been smiling a lot and even laughing. She keeps learning so much ... today we have been working on giving high fives and giving kisses, and also she is starting to make the sign for "more" when she wants more food.

I better try and post this before it disappears.

Stephanie