End of Day 15

We are the last few hours of our time in China. Jing Huan is very excited and seems to be ready to start her new life with our family. Today was another incredible day. It was very special having Veronica as our personal guide, as she was able to help Jing Huan and I communicate. I had planned on staying in the hotel relazing before our long flight, but at the last moment, I thought, how we could we leave without seeing the China Pandas? We had the time, so we did! Tessa loved the zoo, and I will be taking her to our zoo in Miami when we get back.

JIng Huan also wanted to see the Peacocks andI was very happy to tell her there are tens of them in Miami in our neighborhood that roam free. JIng Huan talked a lot about seeing her Baba. She told Veronica that she had spent a lot of time with him already and had fun swimming with him.

She told Veronica that she loved her Mama and that her Mama loved her the most of everybody. Veronica said that Jing Huan was very happy to have a family and to be loved. Of course, this made my eyes fill up and they are filling up as I type this. Veronica said that Jing Huan seems to be a very loving child and is happy that she is loved!

I've had mixed feelings taking this wonderful child home to America. Leaving her homeland and wondering about the loss that her family must feel not having this wonderful child who seems to bring joy to everyone she meets. But I know now that she was meant to be with me and with Joey and we were meant to be her parents. I don't think I could love this beautiful child any more than I do, but I know I that every minute, I do love her more and more.

Veronica explained the one child family policy that was started in 1970. Men must be 23 and women must be 21 to marry. They are to be 25 before they can have a child. If they have a child before that, the child cannot get "papers" to receive insurance or to start school. The couple would have to purchase the "papers' and this is very expensive. A child with "Papers" obtains free health insurance until they are 18. There are new exceptions to this policy, however. Children that are abandoned are mostly from the poorer rural villages. China is 80% farmers in rural villages.

I am now a mother because of this policy.......