Dianjiang Social Welfare Institute

Today we started out our day with breakfast in the hotel restaurant as we do every morning. This is our favorite meal of the day. There are many choices of food ranging from donuts and danishes to fried rice and baked beans....but, Pryce's favorite thing on the buffet is the "pomatoes"....they are basically the equivilant of a hashbrown cake thing like our order at Arby's....we tell him every morning that they are potatoes and every morning he continues to call them "pomatoes"....so cute. Mason-Kate enjoys her breakfasts as well....she will eat just about anything that you put in front of her....eggs, congee, banana bread, watermelon, oranges, whatever it is, she eats it and then drinks an 8 ounce bottle of milk....Colin enjoys the fact that he can make his own toast and then put whatever type of jelly he wants on it...his jelly of choice has been blueberry for the most part.....so, on with our day....after breakfast we boarded our little bus for the 2 hour trip to Dianjiang. At first it was a little unnerving as we swerved through the mountains beeping our horn....no seatbelts here. Then we relaxed and enjoyed the countryside of China....we saw the magnificent rice patties and vegetable fields....they are so meticulously designed....we saw babies riding on their parents backs in baskets as they plowed the fields....we saw children working in the fields....we saw ladies lined up on a dock kneeling down to do their laundry....we saw water buffalo plowing the fields.....we saw the "porters" (those are the people who tie two baskets to a pole on either side to haul their goods on their backs).....it was beautiful. Then we entered into Dianjiang....Dianjiang is a city about the size of Columbia, SC....not huge by any means but a city nonetheless.....we arrived at the orphanage and were greeted by the one male director....interstingly enough, the orphanage is in a 6 story building but only floors 5 and 6 are the orphanage....the other floors are used to care for the elderly....the boys were most intrigued by the play/excersise equipment they had outside...there were like these little elliptical machines and foot swings....they really enjoyed playing on all of this while we took pictures of the courtyard....then we went up, saw the girls cribs that they slept in during their stay at the orphanage (both girls were put into foster care after their surgery in July and remained there until just one week before our adoption), saw the playroom, saw the bathing room, the infirmary....it was all very much like we expected it to be as we have seen pictures....the orphanage only has about 15 babies to care for at this time....there were some little tiny ones too, they looked to be only a month or so old.....there was one room that we were not allowed to go into because the babies in there were said to be in very bad health.....Dianjiang is a fairly small orphanage. I asked who found MK and they did not know but suspect that she was found by these two elderly men who live there and act as the "guards"....after our tour of the orphanage, the fun began....the director took us to lunch. We walked to the restaurant and honestly the walk through the city is probably what I enjoyed the most.....just seeing the people and their way of life (I even saw the "split pants" that children use for potty training in use right on the street)....and of course we got a lot of stares and scoldings for not having MK totally covered in clothing (again she wore a dress)....anyway, the restaurant....well we went into this very nice place and entered our own dining room.....there were about 6 men who were all somehow associated with the orphanage....they proceeded to offer us rice wine right off the bat....blah....Ryan said it tases like grain alcohol minus the grain (and then they proceeded to toast to Ryan and Tom throughout the meal, hmmm, I think they liked watching the American guy's expressions as they drank the wine).....so then the food part....well we started with cold food, not sure what but I was told it was like an appetizer....there were about 4 different dishes....the food was all placed on a lazy susan and the officials would turn it to what dish they wanted and then take a bite, right from the dish....let us just say that the "no double dipping" rule does not apply in Dianjiang.....blah....needless to say, I ate nothing except rice that came separtely and this steamed bread that was an individual serving.....I was thankful to have MK sitting with me so it looked like I was too busy to eat....Colin, of course, ate some soup and Pryce, well, the pictures below will tell you what he did.....Ryan continued to drink his rice wine and sample the different dishes....so, then came the "we need to change a diaper moment"....Ryan had made a comment that MK had not had a dirty diaper yet just before we left....well, of course, it came at the restaurant.....so, I jump up and say that I will change it because that gives me yet another opportunity to look too busy to eat.....well, they don't have changing stations like in the US....I am directed to go into the "wash closet" which is a "squatty potty" station....ugh.... the diaper got changed but I am forever scarred....then we came back to the hotel....MK has had her best day yet with us....she has been much more comfortable with me holding her....while at the orphanage, a nannie tried to get her to go to her and she leaned into me....that made my day....she has laughed a lot (especially when the boys are running around wild)....she loves to play peek-a-boo, she loves to look at books, she imitates us a lot, she pulls her bow out and then tries not so successfully to put it back.....she is a keeper! One final note, Colin came back from our trip to the orphanage and his stomach was hurting....he seems fine now but please pray for us to stay healthy....can't wait for you all to meet our family of 5!

Starting the day; Entrance to the Dianjiang Social Welfare Institute

MK and Chloe; The boys getting a workout; MK with another orphan

MK and Chloe's cribs; MK in the play area

Dianjiang city street; Lunch

Pryce showing what he thinks about lunch; The Infamous Squatty Potty!!