To China, with love...

We sent San Ping two care packages today.  I meant to take pictures of the things we sent so that we could show her someday, since there is a chance we will never see the items again.  So right now I'm a little annoyed with myself for forgetting to do that.

In one box, we put some things just for her - a photo book with pictures of our family (including the dog!), complete with Chinese labels very helpfully provided by our agency; a "lovey" blanket with a cute bear face and satin edges; a ball with a bell inside it;  and a disposable camera labeled with her name, so that her caregivers can take pictures of where she has lived and the nannies and children whom she has known.  We hope to at least receive the camera back.  The other box contained some clothing, a few toys for the children (bubbles, an inflatable beach ball), a small box of candies for the orphanage director, and a cloth book handed down from the boys.  Each box contained a letter to the orphanage director - again, provided by our agency - explaining what the box was for and expressing our thanks for caring for our daughter.  We also had a place to indicate on each letter whether we wanted the items back or not.  We indicated "yes" for the first box, and "no" for the second, because we would like the orphanage to have those things.  I'm so grateful to our agency for giving us the resources to make it easy to send packages to San Ping.  It means a lot to be able to have some contact with her, however remote.

It all feels so inadequate, though.  For easy passage through customs, the packages are supposed to be no larger than standard shoeboxes.  The postage almost cost more than the items themselves.  This is our daughter, and these are the people who are caring for her, and we can do so little.

On the advice of someone who works closely with the orphanage in Jiaozuo, I didn't include anything for the nannies because San Ping isn't being cared for there.  We aren't supposed to send anything to the charity who is caring for her, because the U.S. and Chinese governments have strict limits regarding the contact adoptive parents can have with anyone outside the child's legal guardianship, which is through the orphanage.  It's all for good reason, but frustrating nonetheless because we know where she is but can't send things directly to her or to the people who are taking care of her.  Someday we will be able to thank them.

Speaking of the orphanage and guardianship, one bit of good news I received from the woman in Jiaozuo is the fact that, while San Ping will return to the welfare institute prior to our adoption, she will continue to be cared for by the same charity with whom she's been living for the past seven months.  This is especially good news because the orphanages in Henan province are not among the best in China.  When the time comes for San Ping to return to Jiaozuo in order for us to complete the adoption, a volunteer from the charity will accompany her from Beijing to Jiaozuo.  Then, rather than returning to the orphanage division, she will stay on the 4th floor of the institute, which is where the charity now has a brand-new facility to care for children.  So she will continue to receive more TLC than she would in the orphanage.  This was a huge relief to us, and we've been able to see pictures of this facility on the charity's website - it's bright, cheerful and well-staffed.  We are so blessed...