A Stunning Monday

This morning was our best Monday morning in a while. We packed up and loaded our 
bags onto a cart and brought them two hotels over to the Crowne Plaza where we 
met the CCAI families and CCAI founders Josh and Lily Zhong as well as Xia 
Zhong, the head of Chinese Children's Charities. We joined them on a bus to 
Civil Afairs and in a room filled with crying ( moms, dads, kids) and screaming 
( kids!) we saw 12 families grow. What a privilege that was.

We met our XinXiang friends there as they had brought a baby to meet his own 
family ( from Spain). We headed on the highway to XinXiang and stopped once in 
town to have lunch. Then we checked into our hotel, dropped off our luggage and 
were off to the orphanage. 

What a joy to walk into our First Hugs Room. So many familiar faces having grown 
so, and new beautiful faces too. Many kiddies were still napping so we got to 
play with just a few and slowly, others woke up and joined us. 

WE then helped feed the kiddoes and headed out to the playground to play with 
four of the two year olds ( and almost two year olds). What a fun time we all 
had. I could hardly stop smiling. Two of these kids have families they have been 
matched with and all I could think is what fun their families will have with 
them!!

We then went back in and Krista and I took two of the kids out for a walk in 
strollers. One, a three year old we call Thomas, is listed with GWCA and so 
loved the walk. The other was a little girl whose family is anxiously awaiting 
meeting her in the summer. An older lady from the senior citizen's home part of 
the SWI, joined us in our walk. We would love to get a partnership going where 
the seniors spend time with the kids!

Bottles for the younger kids and then more play time. JUst as were getting ready 
to leave, our Thomas dumped all the toys out of the toy box and climbed in. He 
is such a bright and funny boy. 

Tomorrow we will spend the whole day with the kids and bring some of the 
donations. Stay tuned for more cuteness tomorrow.

BTW, if you followed along last year and remember our sweet Bella, then just a 
few pounds - who I( Moya) spent tons of time feeding and wearing in a sling, the 
picture of me is with her! Isn't she gorgeous??

Ethan

Lucy and Ethan

Krista with a Ethan and Lucy

Thomas and Lucy out for a stroll

Thomas

Moya and Bella