Thursday April 7 - Orphanage Visit

The main event of today was visiting the JiangCheng orphanage where Sonia was from when she was a day old until I met her.  The Vice-Director and others we met were very welcoming.  We met 4 women and I got pictures of another but weren't able to see all the nannies.  We did get to meet and get a picture of Sonia with one nanny that traveled with her to Guangzhou the day I met her.  When I showed the picture of that day, they went and got her.

They put out a table of fruit and treats and gave Sonia a hanging decoration and also the pictures from her file there.  It's really nice to have the originals of these 4 pictures from across her first year.  I also learned a bit from Sonia's time there which adds to my understanding ... for now, it went over Sonia's head while she played with a couple little ones, but will eventually be important to help fill in bits and pieces for her.

We got to go in the baby room for just a minute and see the crib Sonia was in with another baby while there.  In 2011, when Sonia was adopted, there were more than 100 babies there.  Now, there are fewer than 30.  A very different place and we were told that they may be moving to merge with another of the four orphanages in the area as all have relatively few children these days.  So, I'm happy we were able to visit now.

They loved the pictures that we brought from other families with children from JC.  We were also able to see two children whose families are waiting to travel adopt them.  Sonia gave them stickers and treats and got to play a little with them while the adults talked.  I took as many pictures as I could to send to the families.  

The visit ended with the vice-director taking us to lunch.  It was very nice and we were sad to say goodbye.  Sonia waved until the car was completely out of sight.

In the later afternoon, our guide took us to the coast so Sonia could play in the sand.  She loved having her feet in the sand and it was a nice decompression from the morning.

Finally, back to the hotel and dinner with our guide... quite a day!

A few pictures (JC families who might be following - I'm happy to share all the pictures I took and any details to questions I can if you'd like once we're home with faster internet)

Entrance 

Showing picture book she made

 Some other pictures from visit

Lunch with vice-director (including playing rock/paper/scissors before food arrived)

Visit to sea afterwards