What a Day

This was the best day ever. I will never forget this moment. The director of the orphanage was holding Maia, and finally handed her to Laurie. I wish there were words to describe how we were feeling. Wow, just wow! She is more than we ever expected. Now that I showed you the good part, here is the rest of the story.






When we flew into Hanoi Sunday Morning, from the air it looked like there was flooding, terrible flooding, everything looked underwater, roads, houses businesses. I wish I had taken photos.

When we contacted PLAN on Sunday, they told us we would go to BaVi Tuesday if it stopped raining Monday. It did for the most part.

Tuesday morning we woke up to rain, lots of rain..

But, after a light breakfast we got in the van, and met the other two families. They told us of their failed attempt to go to BaVi on Friday. Traffic and flooding made the trip impossible.












After a couple miles it did not look good. The roads were underwater in the city and we had a long way to go outside the city. We were all determined to get there somehow.

There was water everywhere, the roads were packed, and most roads were not much more than one lane wide.















The drivers use their horns continuously. "I go beep beep they go this way, I go beep beep they go that way", was the way one driver explained it. It was just like you see in the movies, we were flying along, scooters and other vehicles inches away on either side.





Then we stopped. Our driver got out and started walking, that is him with the cover over his head. that is not a jet ski coming toward him, it is a moped. When cars on the other side started turning around and we all thought it was over for the day. Of the three routes to the orphanage, the other two were not passable and this one looked the same. Finally he got back in and we convinced him to try it. We pushed on with the water up to the doors.

We were able to continue on to the orphanage across some roads that resembled paths and through more mud and water than you can imagine...


Then we finally pulled up to the gate and the sign we were all looking for.


After meeting with the director in a formal meeting room, we were all told to go to see our babies.





Two were in the last room for older ones and the other was in the first room.


It was incredible, they were so much smaller than I had imagined Their room for 10 to 15 babies was about 10ft by 15 feet. They were all asleep and I knew her right away. Before we could pick her up, the director did and began to play with her.

Soon the nanny, definitely her main nanny had her and was showering her with love.






We both got our picture with this wonderful young woman who had such a special bond with our little daughter while she was here. We will make sure Maia never forgets her.

I tried to let Laurie see Maia and let the Nannies say their good byes as they passed her around and around kissing her and telling her things.





I got to hold my little buddy Tu whose mom and dad are waiting to pick him up. I got some photos of another little boy, Ryan, who is definitely the big man on campus.





Maia's little friend was also there meeting her family. They are so cute together.











I printed some pictures of the nannies with Maia on a couple other families visits and also pictures with Maria, when she visited. The Nannies went absolutely crazy looking at the photos, laughing and grabbing them like they were thousand dollar bills.



Jenna sent some slings which they were modeling and carrying around the babies and formula us and the other families brought for for Ryan. They also marveled at the photos of Ella with her beautiful new lip.



It was one of the most awesome hours of my life. I finally got my turn to hold the other woman in my life. Two women, it is bound to be trouble for me. Then it was time to go.



That is when the real adventure began. The roads had become worse and our ride was almost 3 hours back to the City. Every road ended in blockage, retracing our path and heading down narrower and bumpier roads, through little towns and back alleys, fields and washed out roads.


Even the main roads in town were underwater when we came back. When we finally made it back we got a quick bath, ate some pizza and headed for the SOS Clinic for a little check up and some medicine for her raspy breathing. Finally off to Bed, as my friend Maria would say "What a Day".