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This morning after the Kathleen and Jonathan spent time following each other around the room in our slippers we headed out to the local "market". All the guides take the adoptive parents to Walmart (my least favorite store on the planet) when the first receive their children. Looking at the prices, though, I told our guide we could find better prices at a local market and she agreed. So she told us how to get there and we explored there some on Tuesday and we got Jonathan a shirt. We knew we had more time to explore this morning, so off we went for our walk…with NO strollers this time. It's much easier doing the stairs without a stroller.
The way from our hotel to the Wan Shou Gong Shang Cheng local market is a short walk (if you are an urban walker) taking you down a typical street in China lined with businesses of all kinds, restaurants, shops, and bakeries. All the shops had their glass doors open for business. The sidewalks are lines with tiles I would normally expect to see at an entrance to a mall or large shopping center. Many are cracked or broken, but the work that went into making them and installing them is incredible and visible on every street. Since we were here in 2008 just before the Olympics, it seems trees have not just become an element of beautification, but a reality for China as it begins to tackle the effects of industrialization and massive urban growth and development. Spaces for trees have been created along all the streets of Nanchang, typically along the sidewalks. Often forced into the street to walk due to crowded walkways or painters working or children playing, you need to stay alert. China is still the proud home to more bicyclists than any other nation in the world. Bicycles (and motorized scooters and mopeds) all get a semi-designated lane on the far right side of the road in both directions. This doubles as a passing lane, bus stop lane, walkway and peddlers set-up zone. The hustle and bustle of Asian streets are a photographers dream! So many photo-ops and so many accidents waiting to happen, but rarely do. Several minutes walk down the lu (street) and we are at true pedestrian only walkway, referred to as a walking street. This street is solely for pedestrians and is lined with shops and semi-permanent sales stalls in the center. Be careful of the puddles on a sunny day! They are where the local children relieved themselves (usually on the sewer line, though, so it's easy to avoid). (Now you can truly appreciate why people ask you to take of your shoes before entering their house!) Of course, KFC and McDonald's (two, in fact) can be found along this walking street. We have to confess…we did go to McDonald's yesterday. But we only used it for me to change Jonathan's diaper. No food was ordered there by us!
There are some fun little finds in the shops along the walking street, but better buys are had at the local market (Wan Shou gong Shang Cheng) at the end of the walking street. If you don't know what you are looking for, then you would likely miss it. It's a typical Asian market building. You enter and you see vendor after vendor selling their wares to you. And in true Chinese fashion, all the fabric vendors are on one floor, all the children's clothes and shoes vendors are on another floor. Seven floors in all and you wonder why there are so many deaths in earthquakes in developing or third world countries.
Kathleen picked out a pretty dress for herself. Despite the sales ladies trying to convince her of other dresses, she knew what she wanted. We also found her a "Tinkerbell" skirt (a green tutu-style skirt) for only $3! Love those finds and I LOVE bargaining! Sometimes I just want to ask the Target manager if I can get a better deal on a shirt than the tag says. Sure wish it would work! We found Jonathan another shirt and then made our way towards the delicious Chinese restaurant we found yesterday. Unfortunately, BOTH Kathleen and Jonathan fell asleep in our arms on the way back. (My achy breaky back!)
We ended up ditching that idea and headed straight for our hotel. We figured we'd just order something from room service for the two of us and take the kids out when they woke up. On the way into the hotel Kathleen woke up when we met a family from Oregon who had just adopted a little albino girl. We ended up sitting down to chat while Jonathan slept in my arms. We connected immediately as we both like to get out and explore the local culture. We were able to give the wife some hope, too, as her daughter screams whenever she comes close. Jonathan has been reacting like that to Kimmer whenever I am not in the room. We are not alone in this adoption journey!
After lunch, we were able to do something very special for us and Jonathan. We were able to meet his foster family. As we said before, the Nanchang Social Welfare Institute has apartments on the grounds. Within those apartments is a "house" for six children and Jonathan's foster parents took care of those six children in that home. They had him since he was just a baby (it was estimated he was a month old when we arrived). Because they are on the orphanage grounds, we were not able to see the orphanage itself. It was so kind of his parents to come outside of the orphanage to meet with us for just a few minutes in the van. We got about 15 pictures for Jonathan's adoption book. We were able to tell them how thankful we were that they took such good care of him and we gave them a token of our appreciation (a small gift). Because we respect the CCAA and the work they have done in allowing us to adopt Jonathan, we will not post pictures of the foster family, but keep those for Jonathan. We look forward to returning someday with Jonathan to visit them, meet with the orphanage director and hopefully tour the orphanage. The director was so gracious when she came to bring Jonathan to us at our hotel. She has a lot on her plate and seems to be doing so well.
As Jonathan got to say goodbye to his foster parents, he cried and was visibly sad, but with just a minute he was calling me Mama again and had a smile on his face. I believe it was good closure for him. Each child is so different, but I think that last goodbye is helpful for our little ones as they are facing so much change so quickly.
Praying both children sleep through the night and my stomach issues settle down (ate something that is causing my ever-present amoeba to get upset, I guess). Kimmer had the joy of trying to feed both children at dinner by himself. The funny thing is that the staff in the restaurant went over and fed Jonathan and took care of him since Jonathan wanted nothing to do with Kimmer. They both survived, though! Jonathan's eyes seem to be less goopy. Praise God!
