Our last day was incredible and will stay in all our memories forever. We started with a great breakfast with Trent, Lori and Sadie for our last time to meet, as we would both be living Taiwan for home. Sadie and Callie had fun talking to each other and Lily was able to take part in some of their conversation. They then walked with us to Campus Books, a Christian book store, not far from the restaurant we met at. I was able to buy quite a few veggie tales and adventure in oddessy dvds in Mandarin. We have gained friends and I'm so glad we met them!
In the afternoon, Brandon and Lidia picked us up to take us to Guanyin, Callie's home town. It's about an 1 1/2 hr. drive from Taipei. We didn't have any addresses, so Brandon was a bit nervous we may not be able to find her home, but Callie knew exactly where she was going! She first pointed us to her school. As school's go in Taiwan they're usually quite large, even elementary schools. This was a smaller school, probably just because this is a small town compared to Taoyuan and Taipei. The school was beautiful and we could feel the cool breeze from the ocean near by. There were still people around, even though school was out. We were able to have the school academic director print out her report card from 3rd grade, the last year she attended there. Callie didn't really us to have it, but I told her I wouldn't be able to read it anyway, and we would love her, even if her grades weren't good. Then she agreed to allow us to take it.
We left the school and she pointed us down the streets to her home that she lived with her grandfather, before he died. I was not prepared for what she pointed out as her home. It's basically a hut and it had a notice posted on the front door that the government now owned the home. We were told at Chung Yi when we picked up Callie, that the home was going to be torn down by the government, soon. Rick and I walked around the back of the home through thick brush, as the whole house was grown over with vegetation, concrete walls and floor with open ceiling to the rafters with plastic roof. We got to the back and realized that the small home was located on a beautiful lake or bay. We got through and found that the back door was missing, so we went in. It was ere because it looked as it someone just picked up and left without any of their things. Just inside the door, I spotted something on the floor and picked it up. It looked like a passport, but the front writing was entirely in Chinese. Inside, there was Callie's picture. It turns out it was a visa from China for a time when she visited China with her Grandpa, who's relatives live in Hunan Province. We were standing in the kitchen and it there were still pans on the stove, and dishes on the shelves. It was a very small room with a tiny bathroom in the corner. Then we went down the hallway to find a bedroom with many clothes hanging on a pole with suitcases on the bed. This home hadn't been lived in for about 4 years, so everything was covered with spider webs. Down the hall on the walls were drawings, which Callie (who came in later with us) said she had drawn on the wall. When we reached the area of the front door, there was another small bedroom. Callie told us this was the bedroom she shared with her Grandpa. I do not know who stayed in the other room. It was too dark in that room for us to go in - possible snakes, so we stayed out. At the end of the front hall, there was an open door way into a lean-to on the side of the house. Here we found a tea cup of Callie's grandpa (took that with us) and also some of her school work in a plastic bag. It was in good condition, so we took that too. Then we spotted her bike under some plastic. It was pretty rusted, as was a push scooter also in that room. Rick went through some other things in a storage cabinet, but most everything else wasn't in very good condition anymore, or had mold on it from Taiwan's high humidity. Callie handled it well. No tears shed, so I'm not sure what she was thinking as we were walking in the home. It was a really emotional thing for me, but I held back tears, as I didn't want to upset Callie. I hurt for her and Lily sometimes. Lily said her grandmother's home was just like this. I never imagined their homes like this. I was able to video tape the house inside and out, hopefully this will be a good memory for Callie as she gets older. I'll just share a couple photos here, the rest is for her to decide to share, later.
We left the house and went down the street back to the main road. Then, not very far, we stopped where she told us she lived with a family there, after her grandpa died. Luckily, the Dad was home along with about 6 older ladies that were all neighbors and knew Callie. They were all so excited to see her again and so excited that we were adopting her. One lady kept telling me thank you and stroked my hand for a long time. She basically wouldn't let go and we stood there for about 10 minutes before she did finally release my hand. It was precious! The dad then called his wife on her cell phone, so Callie could say good-bye to their 3 kids that she lived with. She was on the phone for about 15 mins or so. We had to get going, as we needed to pack yet, so then the Dad took pictures of us all and we headed back to Taipei.
Later, we were at the airport at 9:30 to check in for our 11:30 pm flight. We were barely in the door and we heard screaming girls and they were running towards us. We knew that one of her caregivers were going to meet us at the airport, in order to give us some photos they had developed off negatives of Callie and her grandpa. We didn't know that all the kids were coming! I counted 17 or 18 people! These were girls from the orphanage and girls from her class. Her classroom teacher and an office staff person even came! There were all giving her notes and some small gifts and basically hanging all over her. It was pretty cool, until it went on and on and on. They were also all taking pictures with her and with us. Then the crying started for most all of them. A few of the girls cried harder than others, one kept making jokes in order not to cry. We then said we had to go check in for our flight, as it was now 10 pm. They followed us there, too! We got checked in and this entire time they never let go of Callie. Then it was on to the security line and they followed us through that, until we got to the person that checks your passport and boarding pass. At that point, we had to go into a different area with smoked glass. I was rather glad that this signaled an end, as it was obvious the adults there weren't going to pull the girls back. Callie then cried a little. Not hard, but she had quite tears rolling down her face. Rick and I hugged her and told her we understood it was hard. Then, one last time, these girls found a clear section of glass that was probably just 2 inches, and started screaming their goodbyes, again! At this point, I just want to grab her and run. I was so afraid that this was just ending up making things worse for her. In the end, I think it was probably more a good thing. She will never doubt how much she was loved by her friends in Taiwan!
We did then get though security, with Callie looking back for a friends a few times. She was quite, but we just hugged her and didn't say anything. Then it was on the plane headed back to the U.S.
Flights were all good, with no issues. Callie's home and now we start the adjustment phase. We'll be playing a lot of charades for awhile, I'm sure, but as time goes by, we will become a family.
I may post a few more updates as she adjusts, I'm not sure. But either way, I so appreciate all of you following this blog and praying for us during this journey! We often felt the prayers and don't know if we would have done this without the continued support of our family and friends. God Bless all of you!
Kaye
