1/25/2008 - Visit Jenny's Orphange

It is 2 pm in the afternoon. It is a quite time for the family. We had been running around so much in the past few days. Everyone was so tired. Berthold is taking a nap right now. The boys are in their room alone reading and doing homework. Anna and Jenny are watching a movie – Fox and Hund. It is so peaceful.

We had a busy morning. We visited Jenny’s orphanage. Jenny has two best friends in the orphanage. One is a 16 year old boy whom she calls “Gege” – big brother in Chinese. Another one is a 14 year old “Jeje” – big sister. They both go to local schools during the day so we did not get a chance to meet them. Last night, Jenny prepared some special gifts for them. For her big brother she packed some of the bubble gums and chocolate we gave her. She also packed a family picture of ours. It was actually a picture card Sue made for Valentine’s Day for Joshua. It happened to end up in our luggage. Two days ago, Jenny found it and we told her she might keep it. For her big sister, she gave her a blanket. It was a blanket we bought one each for her and Anna. We had given her a small carry on suitcase. She had been keeping these and some other important thing she considers “hers” in that suitcase. It is so moving to see her willingly give her precious things to her big sister and big brother. On the way to the orphanage, Sue suggested that we should bring some candies and snacks to the children. Jenny protested. She said candies are not good for the children. We should bring fruits. So we did. We bought four cartons of sweet oranges.

We only saw less than a dozen kids in the orphanage. The director of the orphanage told us that they send all health children to foster care. The orphanage only houses special need child. There were more boys there than girls. We were able to take a picture of the infant room where Jenny spent a few months of her early days in the orphanage. We also visit her room and saw her bed. She shared room with two other girls. One is deaf and one is her big-sister who is severely handicapped. We meet the deaf girl, but did not see her sister. We were told she was in school. Her Nannies told us that Jenny is a very caring person. She always helps other kids, especially her big sister.

In the past few days, Jenny had been telling Sue stories about her birth mom and dad. She told Sue she has a big brother, not the one in the orphanage. All these stories were coming up randomly. For example when we had dinner with the Szalai’s who adopted an 18 months old boy, Jenny ordered a high chair for Jon and then told Sue that her birth mother put her in the high chair when they went out to eat. So Sue asked her more. Jenny then said her birth mom took her brother and left her to her dad and her dad sent her to the orphanage. In another occasion while we were eating again, she told Sue that she had to finish her food or her birth mother would be very mad of her. It sounds like she remembered her birth parents and how they sent her to the orphanage. It surprised us because her paper work clearly stated that she was found at 3 months of age in the horse racing field. Berthold thought that it could be that she was making up stories, stories she heard from other friends in the orphanage. But the way she said these things and how they randomly came up makes Sue think that these are real. Today, as Sue had some conversations with the orphanage director, Sue felt comfortable enough so she asked why Jenny keeping telling us that she remembered her birth parents. It turned out Jenny was in a foster care until she was 4 years old. Her foster parents had a boy who is older than Jenny. While still caring for Jenny, her foster parents went through a divorce. Her foster Mom took the boy and left Jenny with her foster dad. He then sent Jenny back to the orphanage. It all makes sense now. The foster parents are the only parents she remembers so she refers them as birth parents. It also explains why she is so comfortable with family life and so much looks forward to having family life again. As we leaving the orphanage, Sue told Jenny in Chinese that we are keeping her forever!

We are so glad we had this visit. We would never know what was going on with her story if we had not visited the orphanage. On the way to the orphanage, both Berthold and Sue were very emotional. But the visit was short and sweet. We left with great satisfaction and relieve. We thank you all for your thoughts, prayers and positive vibes to make this happen. We thank God for everything that has happening to us.

On the way back from the orphanage, we stopped by a folk craft manufacturer where they make cashmere sweaters, camel wool jackets and blanket and Inner Mongolian dresses. We bought the girls including Mom some Mongolian dress and some other souvenirs. We had to leave because we are now more brokeJ. But it is all worthy it. Jenny and Anna had great time.

Back in the hotel, the girls show off their costumes to the Murphy’s and Szalai’s. Mrs. Murphy was so nice to give all the kids a socks and yoyo, both having lady bug prints on them. When I ask Jenny to say “Xiexie” – means thank you in Chinese. Jenny responded with “thank you!” in English. Way to go Jenny!! What a quick learner!! I think by the time we are home, she will be fluent in EnglishJ.

Tonight, we will go to Pizza Hut for dinner for a group celebration. We got Jenny’s passport. We are ready to go. We will pack tomorrow and leave Hohhot in the evening.

Sue rent a minibus for later this afternoon. We will go out with the Murphy’s and Szalai’s to take a tour of the city before heading to Pizza Hut. It is the only way to see the city in this cold cold weather.