Day 4

We started the day off by our usual breakfast buffet. We had french toast for a change. The food is getting kind of boring. Nothing really new. Well today there was smoked duck. bones, head and feet!! We met Echo and our driver for the 2 hour drive to the Zhangshu SWI pronounced jungshoe. The ride was really beautiful. Once we were out of Nanchung, which is full of car and motorbikes that beep the horn all day long. it doesn't stop for a second and we hear it all day in our hotel room. The traffic is like nothing i ever seen before. There are no red lights or stop signs or even lanes. you can pretty much drive how ever you like turn when there is traffic coming there are people walking everywhere. And motorbikes or mopeds are everywhere. The most common thing is mom on the back of a motorcycle dad driving and baby sitting on the front. Yes babies, kids 3-4 people on a motor cycle with no helmets. There are no car seats here or seatbelts. You cannot believe the way the traffic goes here unless you see it for yourself. if you have a minute google nanchung driving on youtube, you will get somewhat of an idea. Well once we were out of nanchung in the country it was so peaceful and scenic. Farmlands with all kinds of cattle. Men on donkeys riding around the farms. We saw rice patties, duck farm and Carfur (which is grown here in Emma's province). The drive was about 2 hours. Emma liked being in the car. She fell asleep for about 45 minutes. Once we hit Zhangshu the road were really bad potholes everywhere. This town was very poor. There were alot of people and the apartments looks very dilapidated. This is most likely were emma's birth parents live. I wonder if we saw them today? THe orphanage is across the street from a school, and behind some stores and apartments. it sits in a square with 3 buildings and an office. Most of the rooms are for older people. It is a nursing home and also housing adults with special needs. There is only one room for the babies. It was a very tiny room with pergo like floor with a little tv and couch. Then there is another room with a bed for the nanny and 3 cribs. The orphanage can only house 3 children at once. Me and Ryan took turns going in because we did not want Emma to go back. The conditions were dirty but you can tell the love that the nanny and orphanage directors have for the children. We brought a pic from a little girl who was adopted a couple years ago from Zhangshu and they were so happy to see her. They knew who she was and was so grateful for an update. They hugged the pic and pleased asked us to come back with Emma some day. After I went in to visit, the orphanage director invited me to his office for some food and drinks. We watch some of the basketball game LAkers and Boston. They love Cobe Bryant and really don't like Chinese basketball player because he plays for the US and not china. IT was a nice visit,but a heartbreaking one. There were two new babies in there care that they just found last week. These teeny tiny babies, it was hard to see. I understand now by visiting what kind of life Emma had for the first 14 months of her life. the only real activity she had was with the walker. The only time she could be held was when the nanny wasn't taken care of the other two babies. One thing I am sure of is that she was loved. They had so many questions for me on how we were going to take care of her and that we love her and give her a great life. They kept saying that over and over. They were so happy that we chose Emma, they told me we can see how much love you have for her already. They were happy to see that. We can't post any pics because we only took video. When we get home we will post the video. We really feel blessed to be given the opportunity to be Emma's parents. We love her so much and truly are super lucky she came into our lives. She is so cute and lovable. We are getting along great and can't get enough of her. As for the rest for the rest of the day we went swimming again and had dinner. We just got done bath time and are getting ready for bed. Tomorrow is shopping for sweaky shoes and we are going to go to a bridal shop and check out the bridal shops here. Echo is excited to go to a bridal shop, and I am excited to see there styles here. We are really tired today I think the jet lag is catching up with us.