Ok So What is Sadie Up To Today?

Well, I also had a few folks ask how Sadie is doing. Well she is an absolute mess, but in a good way. She attended her first wedding, (not hers) went to the county fair(loves the horses), has been made a little sister to a local Thai couple who own a restaurant we frequent and enjoys the beach, her grandparents and food of all kinds. She talks up a storm, but if you meet her she will act all shy. It is a ploy to get what she wants!

Ok the pics, at the beach, eating corn on the cob (sort of) and sleeping hard with my yellow hat.

Thanh Hoa Orphanage and Getting Sadie

Ok the orphanage. Lots of folks have asked me about the orphanage in Thanh Hoa. When were were there they were very open and friendly and it was a very clean well run facility. The babies and children we saw all looked healthy. Again this was last year so while things change I cannot imagine to drastic a change, maybe someone with more current info can update that. Ok shots 1 and 2 are of the outside and the outer courtyard of the facility. Third pic is from a balcony and overlooking an nice inner courtyard. Fourth shot is of Sadie and her nanny at the orphanage in the courtyard and the last shot is of the room Sadie lived in up until this day. From what I can remember 2 or 3 nannies lived in each room and each cared for only 2 or 3 babies. Overall seemed they got quite alot of attention. We had a meeting with the Director signed paperwork releasing the babies to the three families there and waited for a couple of days for the G/R.

The G/R in Thanh Hoa seems a little more formal than in some areas from what I can tell based on other families stories. here they have a book that all families sign, a ceremony where the child is given to their new parents and really stress they hope you help the child understand their Vietnamese heritage as best you can. Finally I had to get up and say a few words and then we all had tea and cakes with gifts( we brought t shirts and hats with cologne or soaps etc for gifts) and photos after that. A very memorable experience overall.

Van Chai Resort in Thanh Hoa

Well several folks have asked me about Thanh Hoa, where we stayed and what the area was like. First a few pics of Van Chai resort which is where we stayed for two nights after getting Sadie. It was a very nice place and a very good price. I know you can google their website for more info. Anyway , top pic is outside of our room, pic 2 is of our room with Deanna sitting on the bed with Sadie, pic 3 is the grounds outside our balcony and 4 is of the beach at the resort.

We were there in late October 2007. It was rainy and windy on one day but the other two really nice. I went swimming in the sea with the in country staff folks, it was pretty warn but a little choppy that day. The cafe on site has alot of different Vietnamese dishes and loads of seafood. We both love seafood and I grew up in coastal NC but this was some of the freshest I have ever had. Breakfast was included with the room and they had a congee(pork on day and shrimp another) that they gave Sadie. When they say baby porridge they mean regular porridge in a smaller bowl. I tasted it and it was very good, Sadie at 7 months loved the stuff as well as pho. By the way they serve a great bowl of it. The resort was about 20-25 minutes from town and 15 minutes or so from the orphange.

Been A Long Time,

Well alot has changed since my last few posts. Many things have come to light regarding adoptions in Vietnam, some pointing a US problems some on Vietnamese problems. I had posted thoughts on this many many moths ago prior to closing down but have decided with what some folks are going through it is best to delete those posts. They were my rants which is what you do in a blog but lately I have spoken to many folks who read my blog during and after our travels last year and said they liked the information. So I am editing it a little spicing things up some and adding some info on a few specifics I have been asked about, in particular Thanh Hoa which we spent some time in.