Day 5- Orphanage Visit

Today has been a long day of traveling! We are actually still in the van driving back to the hotel as I’m typing. But today has been completely beautiful. After a four hour drive on a highway that is under construction and the speed limit is only 45 mph…..yes only 45mph….we made it the Weifang Orphanage.

Theo jumped out of the car and ran to the orphanage director’s arms (he called her something mama). It was just so amazing watching her and everyone else hug and want to be with our son. Theodore was so proud to take us around his home of the last four and a half years. He pulled me from room to room and talked so fast to everyone. I have no idea what he was saying, but he sure was happy. Every once in a while, he would exclaim, “Mama” and run for me to hold him. Be still my heart!

Then something so sweet happened. He was sitting in his “classroom” and his best friend was brought into the room. The two boys instantly hugged and started playing with all the toys that Theo had in his backpack.

It was so so sweet to watch and to make it ever sweeter, the other little boy has Down syndrome like our Miley! We were told that he is five years old and a quick learner, but does not have a family coming for him. They said he is “paper ready” which means he is allowed to be adopted, but needs a family to say yes to him. They asked if we would take photos and videos of him and advocated for him. Oh my goodness how could I say no to that?!!! I told them that we would adopt him, but per China’s new regulations Theo is our last Chinese adoption. I can tell you that my heart is not going to rest until that precious child of God has a family!

The orphanage director then led us to have lunch with them. It was so nice to see Theo in a comfortable environment eating fairly well. We have been struggling to get him to eat anything other than french fries and watermelon (he and Miley are going to be best friends). Jeff and I enjoyed the lunch but the big kids were a bit unsure of it. Travel challenges. One unique custom we learned is that people enjoy eating raw garlic cloves after dinner to refresh their mouths! So Jeff joined right in...oh wow...his breath did not smell refreshed. He said he was going to bring that custom back to Tennessee. Who wants to join him?

After today, we are confident that our son was loved on, played with, and cherished by the workers. As we left his closes nanny stood outside the van to watch him as long as she could. I know she is going to miss him. Theo on the other hand, jumped right into the van and had to be reminded to say goodby. I know he will miss them once reality sets in, but today he knows who his mom and dad and sibling are and he was excited to leave with us!

Our guide, John, then took us about a 30-45 min drive to his finding spot. This is the place that our loved son was abandoned. All I can say is that time stood still while I was there. Trying to place myself in his birth mother and father’s shoes was heartbreaking. I’m sure after giving birth to their son, they felt immensely terrified to raise a child with physical special needs. They must have felt helpless and thought that abandoning him and hoping that he would be taken to an orphanage was the best option. The majority of the town is farm land, so they were probably farmers. At least the orphanage could pay for his medical bills. I have no idea why they gave their son up, but this is just my assumptions based on all the stories I have read.

Next we were taken to a much happier place, a kite and wood block painting store. Weifang is famous for their hand painted kites and block painting. We bought lots of fun suiveniers for only a few dollars and started our journey back to the hotel.