The Orphanage Visit (August 17)

I have to admit I was very nervous about going to the orphanage this morning.  After the night we had last night with Lyla I was sure she would not want to leave with us when it was time to go.  First let me say, this orphanage is probably the nicest place I’ve ever been.  Very clean (it actually smelled clean!), and the kids you can tell are very loved.  There is lots of touch, lots of color, and lots of sensory stimulation here.  It didn’t feel like an orphanage.  I left with a very happy heart.  Mostly because Lyla didn’t pitch a fit when it was time to go.  She actually led us to our van!  At the end the orphanage director came out and spoke to us.  She was the only person that Lyla smiled and wanted to see.  She hugged all over my baby.  When it was time to go it was very sad to see them say goodbye to her.  They were sad to see us go!!!  We exchanged email addresses and websites.  I made sure I let them know how much we appreciated them taking care of her.  They were very appreciative that we genuinely cared about the Chinese people.  When we got off the elevator on the 3rd floor and Lyla realized that we were on the floor that she used to call home she immediately tried to pull me back into the elevator.  She wanted nothing to do with it.  Her nannies came out and tried to hold her and she kept saying no.  We actually only stayed there less than five minutes on her floor.  She kept repeating the same phrase over and over again and John, our guide, told us she said she was scared.  So we have been home tonight and she has been different.  She’s let down her guard a bit.  Showing a little bit of her stubborn side and just acting a little bit more like a toddler should.  I think it’s because she knows somehow that she is ours and that she’s had some closure. Great day. Thanks for your prayers.  Tomorrow we will go to the train station where Lyla was found and take a family picture.  More closure.  Tonight was just as horrible for Lyla when bed time came but we think we may have figured out why.  She keeps repeating the same thing over and over again.  Of course it’s in Chinese and we have no idea what it is.  But after 45 minutes of her screaming so hard this Chinese phrase and us wanting to slit our wrist, we gave her the play cell phone, she walked right over, laid down, and went straight to sleep.  :)  So tomorrow, the phone will come out first thing.  Who knows!  Thanks again for your prayers!  Two more days in Jinan!

Paige