Last Week

If you asked me.....

I would tell you I can't believe we're in our last week in Thailand. 

This trip has been amazing. 

Looking over my blog posts from the last 5 months brings a smile to my face. 

We've experience so much, seen beautiful things,

tasted delicious food, and have loved every moment.

We've been in the mountains of Chiang Mai, traveled in the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, and sunk our toes in the sand of Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, and Phuket. 

We have ridden on an elephant, and fed many more, Daniel even threw darts with one!

We held a white tiger cub in our laps and bottle fed him. 

Once in a lifetime thing for sure!

We've seen how the Thai people love children.

A shop keeper heard Bee tell me she was thirsty and gave me a bottled water, no charge. 

I was looking through some items at a sidewalk vendor and the owner gave Bee a hair clip. 

Every time Bee and I have gotten on a busy Songtauw, someone will stand to make sure Bee has a seat. 

I've joked with friends that there are easily a few dozen random Thai's with pictures of Bee on their phone or camera...she seems to attract a lot of attention for some reason.=)

We've traveled by every form imaginable.

Train, both by day and night.

Airplane with flights ranging from 45 mins to 15 hours.

Boat rides on little long-tails and high speed catamarans.

Double decker buses and small minivans.

Truck SongTauw, and zippy little taxis.

Even the very Thai Tuk Tuk's. 

And the 3 of us on a motorbike.

And every time Bee has amazed us with her ability to handle it all. 

She's turned into quite the little traveler. 

And I'm not even a little worried about her and I traveling alone from Chiang Mai Thailand to Dallas, TX. It will be long, 36 hours of traveling with 4 flights and layovers.

But Bee's done this before and we'll do it once more.

We've made new friends, and strengthened our family ties.

I spent time with the beautiful baby boys and girls of the ViengPing Childrens Home. 

Their faces will never leave my memory. 

I adored them and gave them all the love I could. 

They opened my heart and I feel like I'm leaving part of me with them. 

So we're leaving Thailand soon and hope to return again one day.

We've loved both the mountains and the islands, we've loved the people, and I've got some Thai dishes I'll need to make in the states. 

Thailand changed us...and we'll never forget it!

If you asked me.....

If you asked me, I would tell you we miss Daddy.

A. Lot.

He had to go back to the states a week ago.

We'll be apart for four more weeks.

On some days,

it feels like an eternity.

Bee is all out of sorts without him here, like not being "able" to walk because she scratched her leg. Evidently even sliding out of bed was physically impossible.

I took it as a cry for more Love and Hugs and obliged her need to be carried around.

Thankfully, she realized this morning that she could walk though only on her tippy toes.

If you asked me, I would tell you about my visit to the orphanage yesterday. So many new faces since I was there 5 weeks ago. Both in the Toddler house and the Baby House.
So many precious adorable faces.

Some familiar faces weren't there. Like little EQ. I really wanted to see him again. I'm praying the reason he wasn't there is that his Mommy and Daddy came for him.

If you asked, I'd tell you that secretly I wanted to be his Mommy. He grabbed my heart and I haven't stopped thinking about him for the last 5 weeks.

If you asked me, I'd tell you that I don't know what our future holds once we are back in the states. But I do have a Peace.
Peace that God will provide.
He will give direction.
He will open doors.

That Peace enables me to continue every day.

"EQ"

I walked up to the boys toddler house; the house mother (who will now be called Ann though I don't know her real name) was talking to someone when I approached. "Can I help you today?" I asked. Her eyes grew big, jaw dropped. "ME? You want to help ME?" (insert smiley face here...being where you are wanted and appreciated feels so good) 

She led me in where it was potty time in the house. And I quickly realized most everyone was wearing the exact same outfit...now I'm really going to have to be creative telling them apart! Ann directed two little boys in my direction and instructed them to stay with me. I never got the name of the little boy with scar on his forehead, but I did get the other who I'll call EQ. That's what it sounds like at least. The boys held tight to my hand and led me around the play ground. We found some animal statues and climbed on top. There I taught them "high five"; they caught on quick. We walked till we saw another volunteer doling out balloons and joined in.

After a bit of balloon play EQ grabbed my hand and led me away from the group. I suggested various play things but could tell he was looking for something. Something important. Ahh, he saw what he wanted and quickly led me over. A porch swing. After I sat down he climbed on my lap and I held him close while swinging and singing "I love you a bushel and a peck". He was so quiet and so calm, just soaking it in. Holding my arm, snuggling close, and hoping it could last forever. 

Me too EQ, me too.

It was then I looked at his hands and noticed he has a "thumb sucker callous" that looks just like my Bee's. Talk about pulling my heart strings. Right then I knew I'd never forget this little boy. And the porch swing he took me to? That's the area where adoptive parents sit and meet their kids. Yeah, I didn't realize this till after the fact. Precious boy. Dear God, please bring EQ home. Please bring his family soon. Godly parents to love him and hold him close on the swing singing "I love you".

Viengping Orphanage

I've been twice now with my friend to volunteer in the Baby House for 2+ hours every Thursday morning. I've been reluctant to post anything as I've still been trying to process it all my self. So, at the suggestion of my friend, I will just share what we do there. We arrive usually by 9:30 a.m. and after signing in we'll walk to the Baby House. The babies here are under the age of 2 though I really don't think any are older that 18 months. There have been around 20 babies each week and I only know this because there are 20 beds in the room we work in and they're always full. We have been told that new babies stay in a different area in "quarantine" for a week while he/she is being checked out and to avoid getting the other babies sick.
It's been so heartbreaking to me knowing that these babies cry out for a Mama to love and hold them. To wipe their runny noses and rock them when they're sick. One little boy last week had just arrived and was brought in by his grandfather. I don't know the whole story but I do know he misses his family, and cries constantly. If I could take him home I would. In a heartbeat. But all I can do is love him while I'm there. Rock him to sleep. And pray his new family will come soon. A Mama to hold him close, wipe his nose, and tell him she loves him.
About 10:30 to 11 all the babies are put to bed with bottles in their mouths propped up by a blanket or pillow. By 11:30 all is fairly quiet as they're drifting off to sleepy land. During this time I'll help with washing bowls and dishes from their lunch, sweeping and mopping of the outdoor play area, and then folding of laundry. Huge piles of laundry. Mostly rags that are then folded into cloth diapers.
I've noticed there are the same women who work in this baby house. The job they have is never-ending, repetitive, and yet they love each baby and show care for each one. This job is not easy and aside from volunteers who come and go, they are quite outnumbered. But they do it and do it well.
From my understanding every one of the 600 children in this home are available for adoption. And many of them are girls. Ending up here either abandoned or orphaned. It's not easy for an American to adopt from Thailand unless you live here. But please pray for these children. Please pray for their protection, for their soul, and for a Momma and Daddy to bring them HOME....

Update:
I found some new information since writing this. Only 300 of the children are on site here. The others are in Foster Care around ChiangMai.
And I want to clarify my statement "It's not easy for Americans to adopt". I mean that in the sense that it will take possibly longer (about 2 years) and the Thai government is more picky that other countries. However, I've come across a Thailand Adoption Blog website with blog links to a number of families that have or are in the process of adopting from Thailand as well as talking to families here. Also, if you don't use an agency and were able to come to Thailand and live here, you would be able to foster your child first while paperwork is being processed and you could have it all wrapped up in a year, sometimes less. And pay a fraction of the cost.  Note to self..... =)