Certified Parents

Today our little Mohawk dumpling awoke promptly at 6 am. She went to bed at 8:30 and slept through the night. I am told one benefit of orphanage life is a strict schedule, not true for life at 86 Lessing Road just ask Colton.

So after a bottle and breakfast all six families boarded the bus and headed to the Civil Affairs Office yet again for an interview and approval. After it was completed we became certified parents. The Chinese seem to love adjectives especially the word certified and authentic.

At the interview we meet Director Ling again. She is the woman in the picture below. Ms. Ling was very grateful for the fruit, cakes and other gifts we had sent to the orphanage over the past month or so. Cha-Lian as they call her was the only baby of the six that lived at the orphanage her entire life. The rest of the babies had been in foster care. Director Ling saw Cha-Lian nearly every day. Director Ling brought her two children a boy and a girl.
The children are actually the two older children pictured with her and the fruit basket in my earlier post. Director Ling adopted her daughter and we really could see the love she had for Cha-Lian in her eyes. The Director had presented each baby with bell bracelets which Cha-Lian proudly is wearing. And after the paper work was complete we received our certified certificate and a porcelain gift.


At this meeting we also presented the Director with gifts from our family. We also gave her the many blankets and hats made by the angles in Vermont. The Director was so moved she actually took pictures of our family. As I am writing this I have tears swelling up in my eyes....as we were leaving the office we traveled with Director Ling and one of Cha-Lian's care takers in the elevator. When they saw her they held her hand so tightly and tears streamed down their cheeks. While I am so happy for our family I feel the sadness that these women are experiencing. It appeared giving Cha-Lian to us was a genuine loss. They cared for our little one since she was 2 days old. She has been with them almost a year. It was very hard for them. To know that she was loved fills my heart with joy.
After civil affairs we went to the police station to be photographed (slightly intimidating) then back to the hotel for a short break. Next we will are going to see a notary and off to the super Wal-Mart to get baby stuff. By the way I had ordered a baby backback filled with everything I would need from my agency, but somehow they did not get me one so I am here without much other then meds. A very generous family has given me many of the items they purchased because they did not need them their daughter is nine. They are life saviors because without them we would be bottle-less. After the Wal-mart we are going to send our laundry to be done and then off to a special Chinese dinner. One of our new friends, new dad and travel companion , Jim is celebrating his birthday today.

I hope all of you are well and will keep the updates coming... I have put more slide show phots below....

Wo Ai Ni (I love you}