our trip to China: OUR HOME IS ALWAYS OPEN TO YOU

On Tuesday, June 23, we had the morning to ourselves. Hannah, Perrie, and Paul went shopping, while I rested (I still have "the bug") Perrie bought a dress, very cute, which came with a coupon for a free manicure and set of nails. So did Hannah.

Hannah had her nails done, white with red "rubies". Perrie put off her manicure until the next day as time was running short.

This is Hannah's foster brother LongLong, her foster mom JinQin, and her foster dad (I can't remember his first name) with Hannah in their home, decorated with red good luck ornaments to welcome us

Our driver took us to the family home of Hannah's foster family. We were able to sit in a relaxing atmosphere and ask questions we normally just wouldn't have time to ask or might not think of. Hannah was the first baby that JinQin fostered. But it was her husband who made Hannah's breakfast of congee and steamed egg in the morning before he left for work, and he was the person who held her and fed her. That surprised us.We asked why Hannah had such strong little legs when we adopted her, and foster dad demonstrated how he would bounce her on his knees so that she could push upward using her thighs. He also said that it was very difficult for his wife to be a foster mom. After Hannah left JinQin cried for weeks, he told us. Eventually JinQin fostered a total of five babies. The last baby was in 2005, and she was adopted by a family from Spain. JinQin is sad because she has not heard from that family. After that, her husband said "no more" because it upset her too much when the babies left for their new homes.

Hannah's foster brother LongLong is now 21 years old. He briefly attended university, but didn't like to study, so he dropped out In China, if you do not attend university you must donate two years to military service. So he put in his two years of service and came home, but he still did not want to attend university. So he moved to Guangzhou where he now works at a factory owned by his paternal aunt and uncle. Kids......they have a mind of their own everywhere!!!

JinQin got out a large framed family photograph showing her entire family....Hannah's response was "dang, I have a BIG family". We are a small family in the US, but in China Hannah has 7 aunts and uncles, plus two grandmothers, and one grandfather (sadly her other grandfather passed away earlier this year). The parents of Hannah's foster family predate China's current family planning program, though her foster family does fall under family planning and they had only one child, a son. JinQin is about 48 years old and looks very well, as does Hannah's foster father and her foster uncle (the Vice-director of the SWI).

After we finished looking at the family portrait, JinQin disappeared for a moment into the bedroom, then brought out a gift for Hannah....a beautiful strand of white lake pearls. JiangXi Province is quite well-known for pearls, and these are really pretty. Hannah immediately wore the necklace....she has not taken it off yet.JinQin's apartment is very nice....she has all the same amenities that one would expect in an apartment.....we saw that her bedroom even has a private balcony overlooking a small courtyard. Photos that we have sent her are prominently displayed throughout the home, as are photos from other families whose baby she once took care of. I really do not know if all foster families become as emotionally involved as JinQin, but it is understandable to me that she stopped providing foster care as the emotional toll was too much for her. After our visit in their home, we invited JinQin and her family to be our guests at a local restaurant for dinner.

Mama Yi (First Mama), Hannah, and Mama Er (Second Mama-Me) at the restaurant in FuZhou.

Hannah's foster brother LongLong and her foster father made a toast in her honor at the restaurant.

Following another great dinner we walked across the parking lot to a small park where lots of ladies were doing dance exercise to music booming from a giant screen TV set up at the front of the park. I couldn't help myself....I watched the dancers....it was just like ballroom dancing without a partner. So I moved into the crowd and danced a bit. I tried to get JinQin to join me but she said she did not know the dance steps.....neither did I, but that didn't stop me! The kids videotaped my dance moves.....strangely I am not nearly as graceful on tape as I imagined myself to be!

That's me trying to do the exercise dancing with the local people in FuZhou ---look at the lady behind me with her hands on her hips....apparently she didn't appreciate my attempt to join in!!

Finally we said goodbye. JinQin asked Hannah to learn some Chinese, and she advised LongLong to learn some English. Then she suggested Hannah come back and between the two of them the family could communicate. The family told us they were honored that we came all the way from America to see them, and they specifically told Hannah that their home is HER HOME, and that it will always be open to her. They said she is part of the family....I could see how proud Hannah was to hear those words.The entire trip was worth it just for that moment.Cathy