FJC Day (Frankie Jade Coden Day)

The pictures actually start from the bottom up (I messed up, I'm tired). We started at the airport, we didn't end there.

Anyway, this was our day yesterday--the "Day of Frankie..."

We had an early breakfast before leaving Guangzhou and the White Swan hotel. All three familes (The Norris', the Simpsons' and us) met up with Peter at 8:50 AM to go back to the Guangzhou airport. (See the bottom two pictures). We did the whole security and baggage thing and got on a 2 hour flight to Chongqing (worst flight ever--thankfully we were all together so we could laugh about how horrible it was). We got off the flight only to get into a van so we could drive another 3 hours to the orphanage. When I tell you the ride was the craziest ride ever--I'm not kidding.

I don't think there is any way for me to describe it so you get the full effect, so let me just say that we drove through slums that made Detroit look like freakin' Malibu, roads that were broken up so badly our driver had to beep the horn so others knew we were coming because there was no way to drive on our side of the road, and the rest stops-- oh, the rest stops...I just won't even go there. Trust me, you don't want me to. Wendy, Cathy and I decided that we are traumatized for life from the rest stops. There is no toilet in China. There is like a porcelin thing in the ground and you can imagine what it's filled with and what is all around it. Yeah... I'm supposed to squat and go in there? Um....REALLY????

BARF.

Needless to say, my beverage intake was MINIMAL yesterday.

Anyway, after a very long and tiring day, we finally made it to the orphanage, nauseaus and anxious, around 5:00 PM. It was wet, cold and rainy. Perfect. We first had to go to the office of the Orphanage Director. He had us sign some papers and he gave us the camera we sent with Frankie's care package. The rest of the time we spent there was kind of a blur so I'll try to remember as much as I can:

We were told where Frankie was dropped off (by the front gate) and I just lost it. I regained my composure back in our van just in time to go into the orphanage. Our visit there was very brief. We walked in and I remember it was much smaller than I thought it would be (and it smelled really bad). The smell was overwhelming. Now, the people who know me real well are probably cracking up because I KNOW I HAVE SMELL ISSUES , but I'm telling you, it was pretty rancid.

I believe the Simpsons' were given Cameron first, and then the Norris' were given Catherine and after what seemed like an eternity, one of the caregivers reached into a crib and pulled little Frankie Jade Coden out and then she handed her to us.

FINALLY. While the other two babies were crying instantly (that is a good thing, it shows that they were attached to their caregivers), Frankie was just looking around, not making a peep.

We were hardly in the orphanage for a moment, I didn't even really get a chance to see the other kids (which was probably a good thing), and before I knew it, we were being whisked off back into the van for a long, three hour ride to our new hotel in Chongquing.

Frankie did great on the ride to the hotel. All the babies did. She had some trouble with all the bumps from the broken road, but who wouldn't?

We were exhausted when we got here but not too tired to notice that our hotel suite is SWEET and we should be very comfortable here for the next five days. Frankie was not into the bath we tried to give her but she slept pretty good last night.

We have had a pretty rough day with her today but we are optimistic that each day will get a little better. She has several of the "institutional issues" that I was afraid of, but also expecting. On top of that, it seems she is teething and probably constipated (the gas this little girl lets off would bring Bin Laden out of his hiding place). She won't let us feed her so we've had to resort to getting liquid to her through the dropper that comes with the Baby Motrin. She mostly cries a lot which is hard because I know some of it is grief and some of it is from just being uncomfortable.

I about lost it today when she had one crying spell I didn't think was going to end, but I felt so much better after I read all of your great comments. Cody, I don't know how, is still managing to make me laugh. He is unreal. He rocks as a Dad. He's even better than I thought he would be. Wait til ya'll see him in action. He's a natural and it only makes him hotter than he already was!

We love you guys. You are all so "fetch." (Hee hee)