The park and Temple

The famous red couch at the White Swan.

mommie and Bj

Bj and Ian

The park, mommie and Bj, look at the grade of the hill. Some poor guy was using a PUSH mower up and down the hill

Sarah, Bj, Olivia and her dad Rob, one of the parents we traveled with. We were at the Six Banyion Temple

The Buddas

The Pagoda at Six Banyon Temple

Intro to OREOS!!

The location where BJ was found

Tuesday morning we got up-breakfast, more congee, a banana, watermelon and yogurt for Bj.
Then sight seeing. First we went to Six Banyon Buddist Temple.
We were warned not to make eye contact with the beggars, they are numerous, although I admit even these kids bothered me. We stopped and they instantly surrounded our van, smiling and very pleasant. All had limb-arm deformities, most were missing hands, some entire arms. They all had bowls that were shaken at us-food please. The fact that they are begging doesn't bother me as much as the fact that they are kids. Most are young enough to have at one time been in an orphanage and then aged out,became to old for adoption, 14.
Into the temple, (I will be posting more photos one I get home on Saturday, I left my Sandisk in Nanjing and cannot upload photos.)
We were ready to climb the temple and find it is closed, this temple is the height of the Hatteras light house...pictures to follow.
We went to a local park, very nice Bj got the chance to walk around some with Ian his best friend and cell mate.
then lunch. My rule is still the same if I do not recognize it I'm not touching it. The circle of recognizable food has gotten a little smaller. It was Cantoneeze style and very good. Noodles, rice, broccoli all safe food. My entire group, the folks more adventurous than me has gotten GI upset several times from eating stuff I was wary of....

Physical time

All done!

Bj went tired...

Weight and height check

Bj is unhappy during hearing screening

Monday morning was very interesting, we went to have hearing screening and physicals done.
We got up and ate breakfast, Bj still loves conjee-which is a plain bland form of gruel... he has eaten all of my instant brown sugar oatmeal, I think it is a texture thing. He checks out the consistency of everything that goes in his mouth.
On to hearing screening, this consisted of a squeaky toy-barking dog and quacking duck. If he turns towards each sound on the left and right-Bingo! he can hear?? yes.
Then we did went to have height and weight checked. Bj was just fine until the nurses took him from me, he protested long and loud! This is a very good thing, it shows he is bonding with his mama-which I already know but Susan my guide from ASIA needs to see too. she is the one who reports back to ASIA and the CCAA-China Center for Adoption Affairs.
After height and weight on to the Dr part. This gentleman was very nice to Bj. Although he did not like this part either.
Finally finished!
I took the time to go walk Shaiman Island, it is a very nice place, safe and fewer vendors to run from like my last visit in 06. At that time it was like running the gauntlet to get down the road and not be grabbed by a shopkeeper-"come to my store and shop"
In '06 there were 22000 babies brought to their forever families. In '09 because of new restrictions new forms and more money there are 12000-are target to come home to their families.

Tuesday at the Guangzhou zoo

And he will be sick...

Or he will end up in hospital with an IV

Do not feed him people food

Lives in the forrest

The bear family

Brown bear brown bear what do you see?

the weekend

Hey hey family,
We have missed you something awful. Friday was a long day, thank you for leaving me the laptop. It rained and was in the 40's all day. We did manage to make it out of the room for Burger King. Bj had fries, which he loved, chicken nuggets-not so much and a cheeseburger, that was take it or leave it.
Back to the room, I was starting to feel a little claustrophobic-can you imagine?
Time for bed, the traffic, horn blowing and the screamer were back. I think she must have been with her boyfriend, because she would scream, he would yell a word or two and she would go off some more. It is possible she finished around 2. Traffic/horn blasting continued until 4 when I had to get up.
You would have been proud, I was ready to blow the Mandarin 30 minutes early. Susan said 545, I was ready by 515.
On to the airport, lots of stares, I think I am getting used to living in a fish bowl. Many people have stopped me and asked who he was and our story. Thankfully Susan has been there to interpret for me. We have been called kind, good hearted and special. BJ- they say "he lucky boy” How about that? I say we are blessed and the fortunate ones, which usually gets me a blank stare.
We are in Guangzhou now, with a HUGE corner room, 2 windows with a scenic view of the city....
I went to the market last night got some noodles for our bottomless pit, Susan went to a Shanghai restaurant and got us the standby -rice, eggs, broccoli.
We had a wicked thunderstorm roll through, I could not see the buildings across the street!
We have CNN, STARs, NAt'l Geographic, Discovery Channel and a few other English speaking channels. What a relief!
Bj had a blowout this morning that required a bath, and he still hates the bath. He squealed like I was killing him:o)
It is supposed to rain today, and we are scheduled to go sightseeing- the zoo and a park. Will keep you posted.
Love you and miss you awful.
Please give AJ and J a hug for me.
xo
S
---- jetucker@cox.net wrote:
> Thought that you may wanna hear about the adventure home....
>
> Found out the hard way that the Nanjing Airport doesn't open until 0700...at least not the International Departures side or the ticket counters. Lady at Dragon Air had never heard of Houston or Texas, I had to find the airport identifier for her.
>
> Flight to Hong Kong was uneventful...what a huge airport! Lots of beautiful mountains around.
>
> On a 747 for the 11 hour flight to NanFrancisco for customs, uneventful, my first time on a 747...I liked the 777 better. Customs in SanFrancisco was a joke, they waved me past bag inspection and onto the Houston connection. Apparently they were much less concerned about Americans coming in & connecting domestically as they were about the Chinese coming in with heaven-knows-what in their bags.
>
> To Houston on a packed A320...lots of turbulence coming into Houston, a cold front. Got slammed with a hailstorm while waiting for the car rental shuttle, was soaking wet and freezing. Dollar Car was a breeze, 2 minutes and I had a vehicle. Off to Deridder and stopped by a McDonald's on the way....sorry, baby, but I missed good ol' American grease a bit too much. Got to Deridder in just over 2.5 hours at about 2030 after driving through some scary weather. Andy was chowing down on crawfish; there were huge baskets of 'em in Ashley's kitchen (you would've gagged). Buster had already crashed, he had a busy little boy day catching & playing with crawfish. I showered & crashed.
>
> Awoke at 0200 and couldn't get back to sleep...Andy slept with me in Taylor's room (Ashley's folks stayed in the guest room). Left at 0530 for IAH, just picked up Buster and plunked him in the rear seat still snoozing. Andy stayed with him in the back. Got 'em a biscuit at McDonald's and returned the car, then on to IAH. Fetched the boarding passes and to the plane. Had to have some reseating done as they had us seated in different rows. Andy & Jarren both had window seats on an A319, crowded but not packed to Charlotte. Clear leaving Houston, raining in Charlotte.
>
> Connection was quick in Charlotte, got on one of those small Brazilian jets...had to reseat again, but that was easy, this flight was light. Andy & Buster had window seats again. Cloudy all the way to RIA, Jarren fell asleep shortly after takeoff. Cloudy in RIA, Angie met us at the front and off to her house. Filled her in on the China adventure.
>
> Andy & Jarren had a blast playing with Micah & Mikayla. Jarren scootered & trampolined & Andy shot BB's. Angie made some coffee for me and some macmac for Andy. She is hoping to have Andy & Jarren over for spring break, talk to her about that AYC.
>
> Spoke to Eric on the way home.....PS3 power supply failed (Dave diagnosed this, so I believe this is reliable). Dave was researching obtaining a replacement; this is a replaceable component, probably wil be about $75. Eric didn't wanna come home right away while you were still away, he wants to allow Amy & Dave to take him to school on Monday...I think that we've imposed on them enough. Will leave EB there for tonight and talk to Amy tomorrow (Sunday).
>
> The house is OK, its not trashed. Would like to go to church but its 1830 and the boys still gotta be fed. And I'm so daggum' tired I dunno if I can drive. Will let you know.
>
> How's Bj? Are you guys happy? How was your trip? I heard that Angie woke you up to let you know that we had arrived at RIC, she forgot about the time difference. Hope your hotel is nice. Write soon. Love, JET

Orphanage Day

John, Sarah, Bj Ben and Ian

Bj and his cell mate Ian. Ian would watch over BJ, they were best buds, including Ian giving snack to Bj at night.

The directors and nannies, we were eating lunch together. The same rules apply I will not eat what I don't recognize.

Bj's nanny

I'm gonna get mommie!

The location where Bj was found. The red store is the beauty shop, the yellow writing with the pig is the former chicken restaurant.

The orphanage and nannies, Bj is on the right, his little cellmate Ian is on the left. The nannies tell me that Ian used to give snack to Bj at night. I believe it because this tiny little kiddo is a bottomless pit. He could easily eat Eric under the table.

The Zhangjiagang Child welfare institute.

I see ME!

We were able to make the trip to Zhangjiagang today to see the orphanage where Bj lived. It was a long 3 hours, BJ is a great little traveler.

I am amazed at the miles and miles of new construction taking place between Nanjing and Zhangjiagang the adoption city. Tons of new apartments under construction. The Chinese however are not so interested in road construction, I don't think there is a DOT, the roads are lousy/bumpy!

We arrived around noon and it turns out we were late, the orphanage director and nannies waited for lunch so that we could eat with them. I have the potential to cause serious trouble here if there is no rice available and if I see another duck head on a plate in front of me, well I don't know what I am going to do.

It is custom with the Chinese to eat a meal and offensive to them if one does not take part in sampling everything on the table. A typical meal involves the entire group sharing a portion of whatever is served, a lazy susan is in the middle of the table, so you just give it a spin and take what you want. This is fine if I am able to eat what is served. I don't eat fish, and I am not eating shrimp with the little antenaes attached....we took the orphanage tour. Another emotional day for me.

The nannies asked if I would like a picture of his bed-where he slept. The other family in our group adopted BJ's cellmate. We both wanted a picture, so the nannies took the boys and put them BACK in their old beds to take the photo. I am concerned Bj will think I am sending him back, but he was fine. I might need therapy!

So many children, at least 25 in this nursery. This is the only one we are allowed to see. As of yesterday 3/26 there are 70 children in this orphanage. All of them are special needs kiddos. CL/CP most common. I have come to learn that because the orphanage directors are usually peasants/poorly educated it is usually determined that the SN kids are not adoptable! The directors think that families will only want beautiful healthy children-beautiful to them means no defects. I am broken hearted, and would take home as many as I could if we were allowed.

This way of thinking is common in every orphanage in China.

We finished our tour and I was stopped on the way back to our van. The director Mrs Gu, hugged me and cried! I was stunned, she said she would miss Bj.

Then we had the opportunity to see the spot where Bj's mom abandoned him. What we are told is that she is a peasant and was briefly in Zhangjiagang for temporary work. He was left in a BUSY mall area out side of a beauty shop and karaoke bar and chicken eatery. Her note said

"Dear stranger thank you for taking this baby to fortunate place and raising him to grow up like other healthy children. We are peasants from another place and we work here temporarily and cannot keep him. We hope someone with a big heart can take him"