Qujing Orphanage

Our guide was able to obtain permission for us to visit Weston's orphanage. So this morning at 8 a.m. we drove two hours to Qujing. The countryside was extremely hilly, but that didn't stop any farmers from growing corn on the steep hillsides, even if it was a small strip. Other areas were stepped up gradually, growing a wide variety of crops. The trees had a wide variety of flaura, with palm trees growing next to evergreens.

Since our guide had never been to this orphanage before, we arrived at the outskirts of Qujing City to meet our escort and followed them. Not much longer we turned off the main road, took a few corners, passed through a large, open lot between two buildings, and then through the final gated fence.

Practically the entire staff came out to meet us, and be reacquainted with Weston. He hopped from arm to arm, and was given lots of candy.

Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed in the orphanage. Two main rooms on the bottom floor. First room was a the play room, and very clean & sparse. Two other older children were sitting in high chairs, one of them was Leah, who is going to be adopted next by John & Rebecca. We were told that Leah and Weston were two of the first children brought to the orphanage when it was opened about 2 years ago.

In the 2nd room was the crib room. We were shown which crib was Weston's. There must have been almost 30 others, all filled with what I would guess were less than 1-yr olds.

Upstairs was a play area, and they had some lego like toys on a table. Weston didn't act like he had ever seen them before. We also saw a room where they had some small wooden study tables where some of the older children took their lessons. We were told there were many of the older children were off at school. The Qujing Children's Welfare Institute has about 30 children currently living there. Then we went across their private road to where the kids eat, and could see a very large industrial kitchen. Other than that, that was it. All the nannies cried when we left, and Weston screamed up a storm that lasted well over an hour on the car ride back to the hotel until he finally fell asleep

The director took us to the finding site, which was a small park by a roundabout. We hopped out in traffic and took some quick pictures. Then we returned the director to the orphanage and went home. West cried almost the whole time.

We relaxed at the hotel, and then took a walk looking for somewhere new to eat. Most restaurants were only open for supper, so we ended up going with "Dico's". Which is a fast food chicken sandwhich restaurant. Mason had a lot of fun climbing their cartoon climbing wall.

Right next to the restaurant was the Green Lake park we went to earlier in the week. We jumped on a paddle boat -- much to Mason's insistence. Glad we did, it's the best way to enjoy the park: away from the people, and a leisurely way around (quickest way too, as we didn't have to follow the curvy, confusing pathways). We got a whole hour to pedal around, and by the end, Mason was giving out orders like a real captain.

We came back to the hotel and blew bubbles on the 2nd floor hotel balcony. Weston loved it! His first real belly laugh. He liked how it felt on his face. His hands. And loved grabbing for them. He even learned how to blow some bubbles all by himself. He cried when we ran out of bubble solution..

A pretty restless, late night last night. Weston kept getting his shoes and making mom walk him down the hall. Over and over and over.