china trip: visiting yangdong swi

After a long hard day (for everyone) my mind is at ease, I feel assured that Lilah was looked after extremely well by the staff at Yangdong SWI. The staff were beautiful and amazing, and it was truly a pleasure getting to meet them all.

At the start, during our drive to the orphanage, I had my doubts, Lilah was not happy at all. I'm not sure if it was the car ride or if she was feeling a sense of what was happening, but she was very upset which in turn made me very emotional too - I wrestled with the emotions and even at one stage said, "Let's just go back!". I really wondered if we were doing the right thing, but I'm so thrilled we hung in there and it really was so worth the trip. It was most definitely emotional, seeing Lilah's crib and finding place were very tough moments for Colin and I.

The director and staff at Yangdong SWI were all most grateful for the formula donation and they very kindly treated us to dinner in a beautiful restaurant in Yangjiang. I can honestly say it's the best Chinese food I have ever tasted! After dinner, the director and vice director took us to Lilah's finding spot, which was extremely kind. We were given a tour of the orphanage and saw where Lilah spent the first 18 months of her little life. It was beautiful and sad all at the same time, I just couldn't stop the tears. At one stage the staff put Lilah in her little metal crib, to be perfectly honest my heart stopped for a few seconds - I just wanted to take her out and hold her so close to me.

I also got to pass on some love and take pictures of two other Yangdong babies for their waiting mommies. I just emailed them the pictures and I know they will be thrilled to see their beautiful little girls. One of them slept right next to Lilah and we were told they were good friends, how amazing! I also gave the staff each of the photo albums sent to me by mommies that adopted Yangdong children a few years ago. The staff were thrilled to see the children growing up. They were all very excitedly talking about the pictures and seemed to know each of the children, which I thought was amazing.

The staff told us some little pieces of information about Lilah. They said she was very helpful and she would go get whatever they requested, so they could tend to the little babies. And she would pick clothes out for the babies to wear! Also, when a staff member was doing something that interested her, she would drag a chair over and stand on it to watch, help or join in. I totally get this, I've already seen signs of her being an amazingly helpful child. The director told us that Lilah is a very smart child and she understands everything they tell her.

The orphanage visit gave us a little more history and understanding about Lilah's life that we wouldn't have had otherwise. I am so thankful that we were able to make the trip. Her little (before us) life feels much more real now, seeing where she lived and those special people that looked after her, they are forever etched in my mind and heart.

I'm so very grateful she's ours now, our gift from God. We have so much to be thankful for.

Click here for pictures from today.
Click here for pictures from yesterday.