A long but wonderful day!

Anya continues to amazing us!  She woke up this morning, looked around and saw the girls playing on the next bed and wanted over to join them immediately.  She was quite cuddly and wanted to be in my arms when we were out and about...unless she was hanging out with her sisters or brothers playing games.  Daddy, Anya and I went back to the government building today so Anya is officially ours.  We met up with the other families who also received their children on the same day and they all seemed to have settled in well...including the 6 year old so that was somewhat of a relief to see.  Then I realized that we hadn't brought anything for the directors and staff at Anya's orphanage, although she only lived there for her first 2 months.  The donations that we bought were to go to the foster home floor of the orphanage and not directly to the director.  So our guide suggested that we go over to the supermarket and buy some powdered milk and other things that the kids would need.  We had fun filling the cart with supplies for her orphanage and Scott commented that our guide loves to shop as much as I do.  Always good to have someone who knows what they are doing when shopping in China.  You never know what you could or may not come out of there with.  We then drove out to the orphanage where we were able to visit with some of the babies and children.  We had paperwork to do (paying fees, notary paperwork, etc.) which is always an interesting process  Our guide did some talking and was able to get my Mom into the local cleft surgery building next door and we met with a couple of families whose babies had just had their surgeries.   After that we were fortunate to be able to visit two very special ladies who volunteer by taking in some of the children from Anya's orphanage.  Jenny is from Australia and has the top floor of the administrative building where she and some other ladies run a program called COAT (Chinese Orphans Assistance Team).  She collects up as many of the at risk children that she can and provides a loving and more family friendly environment for them.  We were also able to drop off some supplies a few minutes away to an American lady named Donna who quit her job this past December to move to China to do the same with some of the orphanage children in an apartment nearby.  These are amazing people with big hearts who make a difference one child at a time.  Since we were halfway there we also decided to visit Anya's finding spot which ended up being a long way out in a very rural area.  We would have loved to have had more time to explore those rural areas so far out but perhaps another time.  Today my Mom got to check out the famous squaty potties that she has heard so much about and got to take in some real rural driving in China.  Basically solid lines are optional, bikes and scooters appear not to have lights even at night, whoever gets there first gets to go (or whoever is bigger), and the key is for the drivers to try not to make contact and just to go.  I think Scott's advice to my Mom was the best...just don't look!  We are back and the kids are tucked into bed.  Hard to believe Anya has only been with us for two days.  The staff at the government building commented today that we are lucky that Anya knows english and they are so surprised does not speak Mandarin.  They also commented that she really likes our kids and they also really like her.  The highlight of the day...yesterday when Anya hopped up on Scott's lap they played a game that he would pretend to sleep and start snoring.  Anya would then hit him to wake him up.  Then he jumped awake and she laughed and laughed.  So today we were in the van and Scott though he would close his eyes for a few minutes.  Suddenly Anya looked over and saw him with his eyes closed and whacked him!!  Serves him right I might say!!!  Tomorrow we are off to a local primary school (Bailey is questioning the safety of that after our last visit) and then an afternoon to hang out and swim.