We started off our Winter Break spending a week in Shanghai... and catching up on some time doing one of our favorite things -- Visiting the children at the Healing Home Orphanage.
While I typically go and play with the infants during the week while the kids are in school, I love going to the toddler room with my kids because there is far more energy and activity. Ayden is the one that asks most often to do this, yet we never seem to get there as often as we would like.
We were happy to see that there were a few new faces in the play area and some kids that had recently received their first surgery to repair their cleft palates. When prepping my kids to do these visits, I was most concerned they would find some of the physical malformation a lot of these children have alarming or scary. As a nurse, I could explain to them in detail what a lot of these children go through in having their surgeries etc. What surprised me the absolute MOST though was how my kids handled seeing some of these children and how they honestly seemed to not even notice some of the physical and even hard to look at deformities. As a parent, this was so rewarding for me to see and proud doesn’t even do justice to how it makes me feel to go there with each of them.
It also has surprised me that not once has any of my kids asked me if this is the type of place where they were from. My gut says that even if I did tell them, they wouldn’t believe me.
Sometimes, when we are passing time there, we talk about what name fits each child based on their personality. It is often hard to pronounce their Chinese names and much easier for us to associate them with their English names usually given to them by a monetary donor. Like many kids, you can often see a child and just know what they would be named. This little guy facing the camera (above) had awesome hair.... and no doubt got the name Clayton. He definitely needed and old soul name and his name totally fits his personality. Full of wisdom yet very laid back.
Johnny also pictured both above and below in the striped sweater is FULL of energy. We were discussing toys we could bring on our next visit and most of our ideas were inspired by Johnny. He is the ring leader of the group and most impulsive with behavior. Blocks or anything hard to throw was out...
Clayton took a liking to Garrett’s mild mannered ways and spent most of our time there finding one of our laps to perch on. The little boy next to him we all call “Happy Hooligan” because he smiles all of the time.
It is nice to watch your own children spend time with children younger than them... These kids bring out such a soft side in each of them.
No surprise Jordan befriend the most rugged and silly boy in the group (note Johnny again). We taught them the game “Tickle Torture” and they spent the better part of our time there lifting up their shirts to be tickled. I am sure the Ayi’s are very appreciative of what we teach them while there.
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