Jiaozou City Orphanage

Hi gang,

I am so glad that you have been able to read the updates and see the pictures of Gracie -- practically as we experience them. Amy and I read your comments and messages to the boys every day. It helps us so much to be 'connected' to you all through the Internet. I really appreciate our friends and family - it will be so wonderful to share this love and support with Gracie. And I can't wait for her to meet all of her cousins and friends -- she especially loves clothes and sunglasses - which the orphanage workers confirmed today!

Quentin and Andrew have been admirable troopers during the journey. It is amazing how resilient they have been. This morning we treated all three children with a trip to a park nearby the hotel. It included play structures, bouncy castles, merry go rounds and bumper cars. In particular, Andrew really appreciated it. He needs vigorous "play" to regulate his system and deal with the stress of international travel. Andrew insisted on staying back at the hotel this afternoon and going to the hotel swimming pool with Grammy. It served him well to get a break from the action and to go to bed early.

The park was huge and filled with a lazy river (albeit stagnant and green), senior citizens playing the harmonica and a Chinese type of violin, mothers and their toddler children, and even an old man who was "painting" calligraphy on the sidewalk with a brush and water. It is a culture that seems to be so different than ours. Bunnie found the area where seniors practice "tai chi" early in the morning, and I challenged her to join in the fun tomorrow!! grrrinnnnn

Amy, Quentin, Gracie and I paid a visit to Jiaozou City ("Jow-zow") and to Gracie's 'oversight' orphanage. Jiaozou is the city that she was abandoned in. The police discovered her in November, 2005 near one of the farms and immediately transported her to the orphanage. We are starting to piece together her life story. She spent time at the orphanage, then had her lip repaired, and then came back to a different part of the orphanage building. She was in a special care unit that is much like a "foster" home on the top floor of the six story building. It was very clean and air conditioned. The foster home is staffed by local workers and overseas volunteers. Today we met a nurse from the Phillipines, a caretaker from Australia, and another from Ireland.

Quentin was a hit with all the workers at the orphanage. One of the caretakers let him hold a two month old infant while she took a picture. I couldn't capture it on film, as I had already filled my camera up with pictures! But I know that the visit made a deep impression on Quentin. He has now witnessed some of the struggle and challenge of living amongst poverty. He claims his dream is to one day adopt 31 children of his own! Perhaps he'll readjust his plans a bit when he's older. ;-)

After Gracie's cleft palate was repaired in October 2006, she was transitioned to a foster family in the Beijing area. She spent much of her time at this location, and we have pictures of the family she was with. It looks like another child was with her. Three weeks ago she was taken back to the orphanage facility and placed in the "foster home" on the top floor. The three aforementioned caretakers gave some valuable information to us about her habits, likes and dislikes. They also shared a most treasured possession -- volunteers have kept a "memory book" for her over the years. It has pictures from her infancy, special notes and prayers from the volunteer staff, a timeline of events, and a history of all her vaccinations and medical treatments.

As near as I can tell, Gracie has an excellent disposition and attitude. She tells us when she needs to use the bathroom, she likes to keep her hands clean, Gracie allows us to bathe her and brush her teeth (she knew exactly what to do when we started a night time routine of potty/bath/brushing teeth/combing hair). It has been such a joy to start to build a relationship with her! She will certainly be my little princess, although she still prefers Amy to all others.

Unfortunately, Gracie has been traumatized by all the moves, etc.. On her first night with us she woke up in the middle of the night and started to rythmically bang her forehead against her pillow, over and over. The orphanage staff said that she did the same in the 'foster' home for the past three weeks. Although they said that there were perhaps three or four days where she didn't exhibit this behavior. They seemed to think that the behavior will fade once she settles in to the new environment. We brought her into bed with us and she settled back down. Only the Lord knows all the different traumatic situations she has experienced in her short life.

Right now all three children are sleeping and my heart is filled with peace. It's about 10pm here in Zhengzhou. Tomorrow we get a "free day" while we wait for her China passport to be processed. I'd like to leave you with a profound message from Gracie's 'memory' book (see below).

We send our love and thoughts to all of you. We can't wait to be back on home turf again (back in the USA in one week!).

All our love,

Steve, Amy, Quentin, Andrew, Gracie and Bunnie

To Fu Jin Hua:

May God bring you joy as you grow,

Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain, but by strengthening you to bear it as it comes.

Not by making your path easy, but by making you strong to travel any path.

Not by taking hardships from you, but by taking fear from your heart.

Not by granting you unbroken sunshine, but by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows.

You may not remember us, but we will always remember you as our precious child.

We will always love you, your "Baba" and "Mama" in China.

-Joyce and Robin Hill, Gracie's "mommy and daddy" at Hope Foster Home, Jiaozou Orphanage