Today we took the babies and went on our faithful bus to the Hunan Academy which taught ancient religion and is next to Hunan University.  This place was really cool with beautiful gardens, incredible gates and lecture halls.  We were treated to a concert by musicians who were playing instruments recovered from old tombs that date back 2000 years.  Hanna lit right up and really enjoyed the music. 

 

We got a rare smile from her when the young ladies talked with her. She is starting to open up slowly but it is still on again off again.  Sometimes she looks so sad it seems the weight of the world is on her little shoulders.  She is so beautiful and I just know there is a big smile hiding behind that constant frown.  She seems to have periods where she will open up to strangers a bit...mostly young girls or children. 

 

She really hates the old Chinese grannies who come up and pull her shoes or try to tickle her.  We don't know what they are saying to her but she kicks at them and yells something in Chinese. 

 

After the concert, we went out to another incredible lunch.  It seems we all look forward to the lunches more than anything since they are in small restaurants and the food in really good.  Mostly vegetables, noodles, rice, tofu, and some meat dishes with spices that are strange and delicious.  Some are familiar like the beef with cilantro. 

 

I asked our tour guide to have them prepare at least one spicy dish and I was one of the few that could eat the hot peppers that were in the sauce.  Hanna eats really well and again if you could only see her wield those chopsticks you would be amazed. 

 

Well, I saved the best for last.  After dinner Debbie and Hanna headed back to the room while I tried to update the web site from the Business Center.  I could not get on the site so no update last night but I am kind of glad because of what happened after I got back to the room.

 

Debbie just smiled at me and said, "Want to see something really incredible?"  Come with us.  I went with them to the 21st floor where the hotel had spread a large number of toys of all kinds in the lobby for the babies to play with in the evening. 

 

Now bear in mind that for days Hanna has smiled at everyone but us and will not even make eye contact with me.  As far as she is concerned I am still the pack mule and servant who carries things and leaves her alone. 

 

Debbie is now Mama with a capital M and Hanna is really bonding to her.  But all in all she has been very sad, quiet, not moving around or playing at all.  All this is normal as she is still grieving and trying to figure out why she has been kidnapped by these strange white people with funny eyes. 

 

But last night was magic.  As we stepped off the elevator her eyes lit up and she ran to the toys and started to play.  Debbie had just been there earlier while I was downstairs and the same thing happened to her. 

Hanna just started to act like a regular kid.  Debbie said that when she came up the first time there was a bottle of kid's bubbles on the table so she put the bubble wand up to Hanna's face and the poor thing stuck it right in her mouth!

 

Well, she blew out anyway and made a BUBBLE come right out of her mouth!  From then on she just played and played.  She was laughing and giggling and shrieking and as happy as a clam.  Just like a normal kid.  The deep sadness was gone for a moment.  About then I took a chance and tried to make eye contact with her.  She had just picked up a plastic bowling ball (thank god a little one) and so she not only looked me in the eye, she threw the ball and whacked me in the head.  Then just burst out laughing.  That laugh could not have been sweeter if it had come from an angel.  For a moment she was real and got to be just a little girl with toys.  She was probably wondering why her pack mule was crying.  Well, it was out of happiness I asure you.

 

She was chasing the young floor attendent around in circles with a remote control hippo and blowing bubbles with Debbie until the jar was almost empty.  This went on for almost 2 hours and needless to say she was not in bed on time this night.

 

What a breakthrough!  Debbie and I were crying and laughing at the same time.  And Hanna was just beautiful. 

 

A late night tonight.  Tomorrow we go to a park and then shopping in a big department store.  Stay tuned.