Free day in Guiyang (Tuesday, September 7)

Thankfully, the day after we completed the adoption paperwork, we finally had a free day. It was really good to not have to go anywhere with Micaelyn. Whenever we were with the guide/driver/etc. she would cry to go back to her foster family. The more time we spent with Chinese people the more she would want them over us. As long as it was just us she readily wanted me to hold her (she didn't want anything to do with her new daddy!). Thus it was good to have a day to spend alone with her. We were able to take our time at the breakfast buffet, take a nap during the day (at least we tried!), take a couple of walks around the hotel, and visit an American owned coffee shop that had great sandwiches, soup, and smoothies.  It was a much needed break for Micaelyn.  The trip back to the Civil Affairs Office and orphanage the previous day (one or both of which she had probably been on numerous occasions with her foster family since the government officials had to keep records on her and monitor her development) had really been hard for her.  I think once we came back from those places she really started to understand the finality of her life with her foster family.  Her grieving was extreme.

My poor little girl was so sad.  She would look endlessly out the window, crying for her foster dad to come to her.

She kept holding the picture I had given her of her foster dad and her on her birthday.  When we sent the care package to her for her birthday many months before I was disappointed to have gotten only one photo, but in the end that photo was priceless.  The thing in her other hand is toothpaste.  I had sent it in the care package but it was returned unopened.  However, while she apparently didn't know what it was, she knew it had come from her home so she wouldn't let it go.

The window from our room overlooked WalMart, which was underground.  The glass pyramids are the entrances, the beautiful lawn is the roof.  In the very bottom right hand corner you can just barely see the river that runs through the town.

Caleb standing at the entrance to a Chinese WalMart.  It was an interesting place, to say the least!  Aside from being a great place to get food, cheap toys, and other necessities, it was  a great way to pass the time and keep the kids occupied.

Walking was a great way to give Micaelyn a break from crying.  Although she was still sad, she obviously enjoyed riding around in the stroller.

She was very interested in everything.

Standing on the roof of WalMart

When she saw the boys posing for their picture she decided she wanted to do the same and climbed out of the stroller to get her picture made.  Of course, she was grieving too much to smile, but I took it as a positive sign that she was at least interacting, wanting to be involved.

WalMart's roof was so beautifully landscaped, and in a city packed with buildings it provided a great park for all the people.

We were really impressed with the idea of WalMart underground with a park on top - what a great way to add shopping amenities without taking away from the landscape, and as well as it was maintained it actually added to the landscape.