The Calm after the Storm

Some locals on the way to Lanzhou.


Mountains from the bus...


Some local shops and stores.


Lanzhou from across the Yellow River.


This bridge is over 100 years old.


Caves in the mountains. I believe some of them are inhabited.


Wen feeding Steve M&Ms and looking at pictures of gege and jeje in her photo album. She loves looking at the pictures we brought for her and pointing out herself and labelling the Munsters, Rook and kitties.


The J.J. Sun hotel, from the driveway looking WAY up.


Lanzhou from our room.

It’s just after 9pm and I’m tired, but want to write this out before it’s lost in the fogginess of jetlag and fatigue.

We arrived in Gansu about 9am this morning. By the time we got to the hotel and checked in, it was after noon. We were told to meet in a meeting room on the second floor at 3pm and they would bring the babies then. We had a couple hours to kill, that seemed like forever. The first thing I did was blow up our power bar in my hand. That meant Steve had to go with the guide to find another. Julie and I had lunch then went for a short walk out on the streets. We came back and Steve and Julie dozed while I read, too anxious to sleep and scared of not waking up on time if I could.

We met early, and waited for others to join us. There were two other families receiving their children with us, a family from Pheonix and a couple from Alberta who were matched through Children’s Bridge as well. The baby going to Pheonix was already there, and although we were told the second baby was running late, she arrived shortly thereafter. There was some chaos of crying and squealing and picture taking. Since AnnaWen was not there yet, I took pictures of the other families.

While I was in the hall, I heard singing and giggling coming from the elevators. Knowing she was the last to arrive I raced in the room to tell Julie and Steve she was coming. Julie got the video camera ready while Steve and I gathered our bribes in her backpack. For the next forty five minutes we got to know her a little. She was hesitant at first, leaning back against the nanny from the orphanage and unsure of the toys we handed her. I tried to give her M&Ms and she was about to eat one when Steve pretended he was going to snatch it from her and eat it himself, which she rewarded with a full out cry of terror. The nanny gave her a Campino to calm her down. Anyone think of any problems with that? Yes, soothing with food is one… anyone else? How ‘bout WAY too young for hard candy! Her nanny said it’s her favourite food, and favourite kind of treat. Too bad she’s had her last one for the next five years, she’ll have to learn to eat M&Ms instead of throw them.

Once she recovered, however, she seemed good to go. She loves physical games – throwing things, including the M&Ms. She imitates really well, copying our actions and sounds. She copied “Mm, mm, MMMMM” while we ate, and has a great report of copying Steve’s games while they play. She even said “Where go?” at dinnertime, while holding her palms up and her shoulders in a shrug.

We had some time to talk to the orphanage official, but that proved to raise more questions than provide answers at this time. Apparently she has not been in foster care for some time, which is different than what I heard in July. We have the opportunity to ask more questions tomorrow. She sat with me while I signed papers and fed Steve the M&Ms one at a time, laughing with each one. Wouldn’t give me any. He has brainwashed her already. She didn’t say much at first, and the nanny assured us that she is speaking in full sentences. She has said some things since which sounded very smart – hey how many two year olds do you know who can speak Mandarin?

Supper was a bit of a challenge. She continued the throwing game which was hysterical when we first met, but less funny when it involves broccoli. Oh well. We’re moving straight into the “ignore the bad, praise the good” approach as I think we have a performer on our hands. After supper we went out to the street to buy a few things and she was perfectly happy to be carried around.

Right now she is sitting beside me in bed examining her doll. She has proven to be nondiscriminatory in terms of affection and interest in adults so we are going to have to show her who’s boss – well, not in that sense, but we’re going to have to really emphasize that Steve and I are her parents, not everyone else.

My eyes are getting heavy. It’s only 10, but we were up at 4 to catch the plane out of Beijing. G’night.

Update: It’s 3:20 am and I’ve been awake for over an hour. Steve’s up too, for even longer than me, but he slept for 3 days before that so I don’t feel bad for him. I had four hours sleep which is par for the course for me so I’m not too worried. AnnaWen is in our bed, snoring and thrashing around. She sucks on her middle two fingers. The crib they brought in for her is tiny, like Tink’s doll playpen at home. I laid her in it, and at first she thought it was funny, but when she climbed out and I put her back in she stretched out and cried. No wonder, her head touched one end and her feet pressed on the other. So she’s in our bed, which is just as well.

Tomorrow, we’ll get up and have breakfast – I’ve heard so much about the breakfast buffets here I can’t wait to try it myself -then take the bus to the Civil Affairs office where the adoption papers will be signed. Now that I’m up, I’m going to see if I can come up with a more comprehensive list of questions for the orphanage director.

So far so good, well, GREAT actually.

N