Monday, December 15, 2008

china trip: shopping for the orphanage

lilah chinese dress

A quick post as Lilah decided that naps aren't necessary today, but by this evening we all realized - oh yes they are! We also have to be up early tomorrow morning as we are driving (and 8 hour round trip) to visit the orphanage - not that we've been sleeping past 3am since we arrived anyway! Not Lilah thankfully, just Colin & I!

Please pray that this visit to the orphanage won't be too traumatic for Lilah. Giving her these few days to bond with us before visiting should have helped a little. She is a very sweet child and we are counting our blessings every day. Right now she is very clingy with me, and the only place she truly has confidence to run around acting like a silly crazy girl is in our hotel suite. Everywhere else she grips onto my neck and sometimes even squeezes her knees into my waist to hang on oh-so-tight. It's going to be so hard transferring to Beijing on Wednesday, I hope it doesn't set her back too much.

Today we went shopping for the Yangdong Social Welfare Institute. We felt it necessary to try and help out in whatever way we possibly could, after all they have done for Lilah. Our Church friends kindly gave us cash instead of baby shower gifts and we put this money towards a gift for the orphanage, we truly appreciate their generosity, it was really overwhelming. Our guide asked the orphanage director what they needed, and he said they could do with some formula for the babies. So formula it was! We went shopping with our guide and bought 60 bags of formula. You can see some pictures here. There was a sign right next to the formula saying it wasn't contaminated, I sure hope not!

Oh yes, I almost forgot! Lilah said her first words today! As Colin was leaving the room to go to the bank I said to him "bye-bye baba", Lilah was in my arms and she turned to me and said, "ba.....ba" with a big smile on her face! I had to call Colin back and let him hear her say it again. You could say he was a little bit thrilled!

Sorry, only one picture of Lilah today, unfortunately I haven't time to upload them all tonight.

11 comments:

  1. That's so cute that your sweetie said, ba...ba!! We will pray for your visit to the orphanage, that it won't be too tough on, Lilah. So good that you were able to help out the orphanage like that.
    Praying,
    M xo

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  2. What a sweet little girl your Lilah is!! Ba Ba must be so proud!! I am praying that all goes well during your visit to Yangdong and will be on pins and needles waiting to read all about it. Blow a kiss in the direction of our little Ruby to let her know we are coming, hopefully soon!

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  3. A real Christmas photo.
    Little Miss Lilah Claus looks real pretty in her red dress and bow,and such a sweet smile,LOVE it.
    Will keep you before the throne of Grace in a special way tomorrow as you visit the orphanage,such a blessing to be able to make this visit to Lilah's orphanage with such a useful gift.
    LOVE to all mum&dad xxx

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  4. Lilah is stunning - especially in red! Love her smile and that she said "ba ba". Praying your orphanage visit goes well and looking forward to seeing those photos. Blessings, Wendy

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  5. So happy for you all. Will be thinking of you as you visit the orphanage tomorrow.
    Lorraine xxx

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  6. Okay, I REALLY need to read slower! I almost choked when I read you bought 60 bags of formula, then I realized it was for the SWI, not just for Lilah! Now it's funny.

    I hope you enjoy your visit to Yangdong. Katie did just fine, and even the older baby in our group (19 months) did well. In fact, Abbey was like a different child after visiting -- when we got back on the bus to leave, it was like a switch was flipped on that little girl and she became a vivacious, giggly toddler!

    Have a wonderful journey. Enjoy YangJiang and YangDong. Stop at the knife store if you can, the area is famous for it's knives!

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  7. LOVE this photo of Miss Lilah! She looks so happy and like she has been in your care forever. That is wonderful that she said Baba...soon it will be Mama!!!!

    Kim

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  8. We are so very happy for you.We appreciate the wonderful pictures,she is gorgeous! what a lovely smile to-day! Love Merv and Marion

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  9. You are a Family, and all the joy and happiness is showing nad glowing.
    Wowow!
    love Julia

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  10. Oh I just love her sweet smile!!!!
    I bet Colin was so happy to hear her say Baba!!!!!! Truly music to the ears....

    When you said that Lilah squeezes her knees into your waist to hold on tight.... it instantly made me think of Lily. She did that the whole time in China and almost 2.5 years later she will still do that.

    Praying for a good visit to the SWI!!!!!!!

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  11. Great post today and she said baba!! Yeah!!! Eliza squeezes her legs into me too, to this day. Sometimes it feels like she can't get close enough to me. I love that. Loved all the pictures. Take it all in. Thinking of you. Sarah

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