The Story Continues

Ai Ai's Chinese Grandparents gave me this beautiful bouquet of flowers !

Here is a picture of Ai Ai's Chinese Grandparents, New Parents (Tony and Aimee), and Ai Ai

This is Ai Ai and her Grandparents in our hotel room!

This is the orphanage where she lived the last 4 years.

This is the whole family the day before we got Jin Ai.

The 3 girls all laying in bed together.

This is our translator and guide "Suzan." She is very helpful!

Above are a variety of pictures of (our tour guide) Susan, the orphanage Jin Ai is from, and some of the family. The first 3 pictures are of Ai Ai's Chinese Grandparents! The story continues below.

Now the rest of the story ..........

After we left the orphanage, Ai Ai started talking alot to our tour guide. She told her that she had a mom that was lazy and did not want her. Her mom wanted to marry a man and they wanted to have a child. She was left at the local department store because you can only have one child in China. Susan, our guide, thought someone at the orphanage must have told her that story. She was so young when she was abandoned how could she remember? We were told she was three when they found her. Anyway, then Ai Ai said she has a momma that works in Beijing and a grandmother who lives in Tianjin. We were all very confused. I was wondering if it could be partly true because when we went to the food and clothing street earlier she was very familiar with the location. Could it be that she has been with these people walking around the city? So, Susan, our tour guide said, "Did your momma and grandmother get very sad when you left the orphanage?" Ai Ai said, "Yes, my grandma cried. She left me her phone number in my writing tablet and when I tried to call the number, my new momma (Me) told me no." I did tell her no, but I thought she was just playing with the phone. Right when we got back to the hotel she wanted to call her grandma. We decided to let her. They had a long conversation and Ai Ai told her where we were staying and our room number. This is where it gets very interesting. We had a translator from the front desk of the hotel help us with the phone call. We found out a lot of information about Ai Ai over the phone, but it was when her grandparents came to the hotel that it was overwhelming! This is Ai Ai's story. Her grandmother and her daughter(They are not her real realatives) were at the local Tianjin Department store and they found Ai Ai all alone. They tried to find someone that possibley new Ai Ai or new why she was left. Basically, they just wanted to find help for this little girl. They took her to the police station and the police officer took her to the orphanage. The local newspaper put an add in the paper for 1 month. They were hoping that someone would come forward and claim this littl girl. No one did. After that time, Grandmother and Mamma kept in touch with Ai Ai for four years. They had the opportunity to take Ai Ai into their home at least 3 times a month. They have kept her overnight on many occasions and celebrated holidays with her. She has been a big part of their family. Her grandparents even tried to adopt her, but they said they did not qualify for adoption. They even shared pictures of Ai Ai t they had taken over the last 4 years. Grandma said, "This one was taken in October of 02 when she was one." I looked at the picture and Ai Ai looked very young. She looked like a baby of 1.5 , or 2. She did not look like a 3 year old to me. Her grandparents told us she just turned 6 and Ai Ai tells us she is 7. Her birth certificate will say she is 7. One year is not a big difference to me, I just wish I knew for sure. Whether she is 6 or 7, I am glad we have her in our arms! We then went out to eat with the grandparents, three other Chinese people, and Ai Ai. We had a chance to hear all the things Ai Ai likes to do and that she likes to keep moving by dancing and jumping. It was a very moving experience. They gave us pictures of themselves, their home address, and e-mail. They want us to make sure that we keep in touch with them. They love Ai Ai. When it was time to leave, her grandmother cried and I cried. We just held each other and cried. She kept saying Thank you, Thank you for giving Ai Ai a better life in America. She was very heartbroken. It was a moment I will never forget. One mother giving her child to another mother. I know she is not her birth mother, but she was the next best thing to Ai Ai. So Ai Ai has been loved. I don't know about the first few years, but I know the last four years she has been. The saddest part to me is that she has a mother that gave birth to her, then a grandmother that loves her, and now me. I hope God is saving the best for last. I really want to be the best mother she could ever wish for.