March 17, 2012

Things we know about Callie Beth........

When we received Callie Beth's file to review, we were thrilled to find ten pictures of her included with the file, along with bits and pieces of information about her early life.  The following are things we were told:

Callie Beth was abandoned on June 24, 2009 in Jiaozuo City, Henan at the No. 1 People's Hospital in the women's restroom in the pediatric ward.  That day, since the Jiaozuo City Civil Police conducted a thorough search and could not find any clues as to who had abandoned her,  she was taken to the Jiaozuo City Welfare Institute for rearing. When she arrived at the institute, all she had with her was one milk bottle.

Callie Beth's Chinese name (Fu Xia Yan) and her birthdate were determined and estimated by the institute's employees.  In other words, May 19, 2009 was the birthdate she was given, but we really don't know when she was born.  The meaning of her name is:
Fu - Surname;  Xia - Summer;  Yan - Beautiful

When she entered the institute, she was diagnosed with imperforate biliary atresia, and on June 29, 2009, the orphanage sent her to the China People's Liberation Army No. 91 Central Hospital for related surgery.  The surgery was very successful.  On August 3, 2009 she was returned to the orphanage.

The earliest picture of our little beauty

At 1 year old, Callie Beth is described as an adorable, especially intelligent little girl who was developing well in every regard. She is reported to be able to crawl, walk freely, move her thumbs and fingers nimbly.  She can take a block out of a cup and put it back in.  She can understand everything adults said to her, and point out her different body parts.

Her favorite toys are those that play music and ball toys.

Her personality is described as very gentle. She loves to smile, she loves to play with toys, and she has an exuberant energy.  Her reactions are quick.  She listens and is obedient.  She rarely cries.  She sleeps and eats well, and is closest with her caretaker.

Her measurements a year ago, at age 19 months old were:
Height:  31.89 inches
Weight:  26.11 lbs.
Head circumference:  18.50 inches
Chest circumference:  20.08 inches
Teeth:  18

We received the following updated information in November (age 2 1/2) about Callie Beth:
 Height:  36.6 inches
Weight:  29.4 lbs.
Head circumference:  18.1 inches (her head has SHRUNK!!!!)
Chest circumference:  21.6 inches
Feet:  6.3 inches (if this is accurate, she is running a close race with BIG FOOT!!!!)

We will see whether or not these measurements were anywhere near being accurate.  Apparently, there was an error with the head measurement one time or the other, and I'm thinking her foot measurement was done on the outside of her shoes she was wearing.

The pictures below were taken in early October 2011 by a sweet lady who works in the orphanage.  They were taken at Callie Beth's preschool there in the orphanage.

One shoe on and one shoe off....I'm practicing to be a KY girl!!!

I think I may love to read like my Mama does!!!
I LOVE my teacher and my teacher LOVES me!!!!!
We received the following pictures with our November 2011 update.


Callie Beth with her "Dora" haircut.


Our little booger with a BOOGER in her nose and VERY short bangs!!!!
 

When we received Callie Beth's file to review in early August, and I found out which province and orphanage she was from, I began researching to see what I could learn about it.  My research turned up basically NOTHING!  The only thing that would come up when I typed in Jiaozuo City SWI was entries about Show Hope, meaning Show Hope as associated with Steven Curtis Chapman.  About the only thing I could deduce from what I read was that Show Hope was actually located in this orphanage.  For two months, time and time again, I researched, in hopes of finding out SOMETHING about where our baby girl was living.  I was really a little worried that she might NOT be in as good of an orphanage as Molly Kate had been, and that she might not be getting the care she needed.  Knowing how serious her condition had been, this was a VERY scary thought to me.

FINALLY, one October day in the wee hours of the morning, on a whim, I decided to send an email to Show Hope.  I had been on their website MANY times, searching for info about the Jiaozuo City SWI, but all I could figure out was that they did occupy space there.  SO, I sent an email requesting any information they might could give me about the orphanage.  I told them Callie Beth's Chinese name, and that I didn't expect them to know her----BUT, if by chance they did, I would appreciate any information they could give me.  I told them I wasn't asking for them to tell me anything that would not be kosher for them to share, but that I just really would love to know something about the place where our daughter was living.

The next afternoon as I was checking my email, I opened an entry, thinking it was from our adoption agency, that simply said, "Can you verify your daughter's birth date?"  Well, dumb dork me typed in Molly Kate's birth date, and then it struck me, "Why does CCAI need HER birthdate?  I looked back at the email and saw that it was from Show Hope!!  I corrected my mistake and typed in Callie Beth's birth date, and immediately sent it.  A few minutes later, I received a response that was music to my ears!!!  YES, even though the birth date I was giving them was different from what they had, which they thought was probably a clerical error, they believed our daughter was actually UNDER THE CARE of their Show Hope Center in the orphanage.  The lady from Show Hope who I was corresponding with, Cathy Troyer---who coincidentally is from Paducah, 25 miles away from our home, and who has a sister who lives in the same town as us----asked me to send a picture of Callie Beth to her, just to confirm that we were talking about the same child.  I did, and she immediately responded that, YES....she was the little girl, whom they referred to as Emy, who was indeed under their care, and had been since she was dismissed from the hospital after her surgery in early Augustof 2009.

There is nothing anyone could have told me that would have made me any happier than to know that Callie Beth was receiving the BEST of the BEST care!!!  Even though Show Hope can't give us information directly about her---and I truly do respect that---they are able to tell me that she is healthy and doing well.  Cathy has also been able to let me know that the three care packages I have sent to her were received.

Back in January, Show Hope featured Callie Beth in a blog.  You can view this blog at:
http://blog.showhope.org/page/3/


We are hoping to receive more updated information on Callie Beth SOON!!!  Every little tidbit we can find out about her is a treasure to us!!!!!