Visit to Shenzhen

Today we were lucky to visit the orphanage that Aubrey lived in for the last 3 years. It was about 2 and a half hours from Guangzhou. The typhoon was coming inward on the South China Sea so we had some rain on the way but overall the increased wind and slight drop in temperature was appreciated.

The orphanage was dreary and bleak from the outside. Once inside we found the heat unbearable. I now understand why Aubrey will not sleep with a blanket covering her. There is only 1 other family with our group. We visited their 4 year olds living quarters first. There were large rooms with row upon row of cribs with babies up to maybe 5 years old. After that age they are sent to kindergarten.

Next we saw Aubrey's wing on the 4th floor. I was appalled. The conditions on her wing were grim at best. It was all I could do to keep my emotions in check to ask the caregiver questions I had written in advance. Dave was the fortunate one. Aubrey clung to him like glue as soon as we arrived in the area where she had a preschool class. As soon as we began to climb the stairs to the 4th floor she panicked. Dave took her outside to wait while Chris and I finished the tour. If you can picture the images of the Romanian orphanages years ago as shown on tv, that is what our little girl lived in for 3 years. There were children from a few months to 16-17 years old on her wing. I didn't believe her nanny about the scratches on her face when we got Aubrey, after seeing the older children in varying degrees of mental and physical capabilities it became crystal clear how it happened.

The assistant director refused to allow us the memory books made by her teachers in the Half the Sky program. We were allowed to take pictures of the book, in pics of Aubrey as early as 9 months her little face is scratched up. She has quite the temper and will slap all of us if she doesn't get her way. Tonight when she was refusing to go to bed and Dave walked over to pick her up she cowered and covered her head with her arms as if he were about to strike her. We do not know what has been done to her but by her reactions and behaviors we are sure it wasn't always good. Please keep her in your prayers that she will heal with love and forget the traumas she experienced here. Dave and I both saw caregivers who loved and cared for her deeply so we know she did have some wonderful care here too. They do the best they can do. When there are 40 children and 2 nannies a lot can happen that shouldn't.

Altough smelling strongly of urine and being way to hot, the childrens indoor play areas were cheery. Dave and I were both impressed that all the classrooms had pianos in them. Pictured above is the actual crib Aubrey slept in.

On Monday I took Aubrey to her medical examination. She is running a temperature, and the docs found a heart murmur that was not previously documented. Thank God I have brought Motrin and antibiotics from home.

Tonight Miss Aubrey was feeling better. I think the trip to the orphanage helped her to be okay with us. She definitely did not want to stay there! She is Daddies girl for now, not wanting much to do with Chris or me. As long as she is attaching to one of us I am thrilled. Each day seems to get a tiny tiny bit easier. I never thought it possible to find a child more stubborn that Nate, but we managed to do just that. When I told Nate "She's more persistent than you", he just laughed.

For all the naysayers, Chris has done us proud, he has eaten: crayfish, herring ( whole, with head and eggs inside), dragonfruit, dried seaweed, fried pumpkin, chicken satay, possibly duck or pigeon(I know that it was not chicken!), and the list grows daily. He has only used the peanut butter 2 times on this trip so far!