A Homecoming - of Sorts

After a 14 hour overnight flight safe and arrival in Guangzhou - one would think an easy day would be in order.

One would be right - but that's not what we did. 

We immediately pied into  van and drove 5 1/2 hours to Cami's SWI (orphanage) for a visit. She had been asking for over a year - and since we had to be in country anyway…..

They had a nice welcome sign for her - 

But the very, very best thing was that minutes after we got there - her foster mom arrived! 

 Cami lived with her for almost the entire time she was in the SWI - about 5 years. Cami would go to school at the SWI during the day and then live with her family - just like a "normal" kid. The actually call them "imitation" families. 

 We also got to meet the nanny/nurse who was in charge of Cami when she immediately came to the SWI and then went to Hong Kong with her in 2008 for her surgeries. It was awesome! (She remember Cami's favorite melon and got her one as s gift). This woman has been with the SWI her entire life (not clear if she was raised there or not) and has never married - we were told it was because she was too devoted to her children and elderly patients there. 

 Her teacher and the associate director with her Maoming mom and nanny.

 We then walked over to her Maoming mom's house - and weren't a minute out of the SWI when the group of ladies accosted us on the street! They remembered Cami and were so excited to see her! Cami was quite the celebrity! 

 Cami's bed in her Maoming house 

 Cami put together a photo book for her Maoming mom - and it was such a joy to see how joyful she was to see Cami's new life. 

 Cami's moms.

 (No house in China is complete without the chickens …..)

 Back at the SWI - the required photo at the statue...

 Then we got to visit some of the classrooms. My Becky BLEW me away - up to this point, she had been struggling with the whole day - withdrawn and clearly uncomfortable. She saw those kids - and responded. 

 As we were finishing up - another awesome encounter. Cami's Maoming daddy came over after he was done work. Cami doesn't speak too often about him - we suspect that he had a more typical "rough" exterior as is not uncommon with the working class Chinese men. But you could tell - you could feel and sense - the emotion he had...

 I can not begin to express my appreciation to this family for loving on Cami for those years. For making her feel loved when the rest of the world stated at her. I directly credit THEM for how confident she is in how she looks and how well she handles the stares of strangers. 

 The other statue picture. The little boy in this photo needs a mom and dad - I think maybe they thought if they put him in this photo, it could be us! 

I have said this before - our family was formed in the non traditional way. 

This woman (and her family) will forever be a part of our family. 

We are grateful that Cami has this part of her history. For kids from adoption, there are SO many holes in their history that are also holes in their hearts. 

Cami has some of her history  - and yesterday, some of of the holes in her heart got a little more filled up.