Wednesday, June 20th - My last day with Beck

I'm happy to report I write this blog from the comfort of my own home! After 3 days of traveling I finally made it! My bed felt absolutely heavenly!

June 20th, 2007

Every day Beck's greetings become more and more enthusiastic. Today was no exception as he ran to us with open arms and collapsed into my arms with a gigantic bear hug. Then immediately gave the same warm treatment to Daddy. Again we were invited to take the kids off the property so our wonderful translator suggested we go to a nice restaurant that she said we very unique. Beck was nervous about getting in the car but quickly stopped crying and began taking in all the sights. The restaurant was unlike any I've ever seen. There was a man made lake with floating gazebos which contained a table each and cushions to sit on. Beck has probably never seen a lake and he was about to take his first boat ride to our table. The small craft rocked at we stepped aboard which made him cry, but as soon as we started moving he was very entertained as we skipped across the water. He sat on my lap as we waited for our food. It was an incredibly relaxing experience, sitting out in this quiet, peaceful lake with the snow-capped mountains as a back drop. I wasn't sure what he would eat so we got some rice and a beef and vegetable dish. He eagerly ate the entire plate of rice, an adult portion of the beef and veggies (I have to admit it was incredible feeding a child who ate anything and everything you put in front of him, without protest. I'm hoping he can teach Morgan a thing or two when it comes to eating!). Even after his meal he still seemed to want more so Tim shared a dish of lamb dumplings. After about 6 dumplings (and a half a dish of ice cream) I thought it would be best to stop there before he exploded. I wasn't sure if he was eating because it was being served and perhaps he felt it was expected of him to eat whatever was being served, or if he was really that hungry.

It was hard knowing that this was my last day with Beck, but it was a wonderful way to spend it. He was content to just sit on my lap quietly taking it all in. I don't know many 2 year old that would be so easy going. I didn't want to leave our little oasis of tranquility, but knowing that he was a little boy who was so accustomed to routine I felt it important to find a bathroom for him. So we boarded the little boat and made our way back to shore. I brought him into the main restaurant and into the ladies room. Let me preface this story by stating that I have a little girl and I have never had to bring a little boy to the bathroom, but I thought no problem, he's potty trained, he sits of the little 'pots' at the orphanage, how hard can this be. I opened the bathroom stall door and much to my horror there was NO TOILET! Just this odd sink-like hole in the floor. What the heck do you do with that?! I started to panic, I knew the clock had started ticking and this little guy needed to go to the bathroom NOW! I tried my best to hold him, hovering over this odd fixture, we were contoured in this small stall and I think it dawned on him quickly that I had no clue what I was doing, and any moment we were both going to get soaked! Seeing that I was having a bathroom meltdown, our absolutely fabulous translator took charge and effortless held him in the apparently correct position and he did his business. And with that, I failed my first bathroom test.

It was time to return him to the orphanage. I tried to keep reminding myself that I would be back in 2 months and hoped he would not forget how far we've come. There was comfort in the fact that Joe would be staying behind and spending another week with him, but still I wondered what he would think when I disappeared. I asked the translator to tell him that I would be back and to continue to remind him, every time she saw him. I developed pictures we had taken together throughout the week and put them in a photo album for him and hoped it would keep our memories fresh in his mind.

By the time we got to his house the other kids were sleeping. He burst into the room and immediately shouted about the tales of the day and the caretaker rushed to quiet him. She asked him something about his newest adventure and he spun around and pointed at me and answered her "Mama!". That was a good feeling. He ran back to me and gave me a hug and rushed off to his little bed. I waved "pa ka" from the doorway and he waved back, with a big smile. It was a good last moment and one that has to keep us both until next time we meet.