Day 4...

Jeter slept pretty well!  He woke up a few times and cried a little, but he calmed down quickly.  He started out sleeping beside me but ended up on top of me most of the night.  I didn't mind that one bit!

The kids enjoyed a little play time before breakfast.  Those smiles melt my heart!

 Then it was time to get ready.  Jeter loved helping brush the girls hair!

Then it was time to met Gerry to go back to the Civil Affairs office to finalize the adoption and have a small official ceremony. There were two other families, who we had met there the day before, doing the same.  We were able to visit with them a little bit before heading out again.

all smiles in the car! 

Reese opted out of the picture!

 It only took about 15 minutes total and then we were on our way to Ningbo to visit Jeter's orphanage.  It was about 2 hours to get to Ningbo and Jeter used that time to catch up on some sleep.  

 The orphanage treated us to lunch at local restaurant (term used loosely) which was just outside a Buddhist Temple. This area, including the area around Jeter's orphanage was very pretty and peaceful (outside of the city). 

After lunch (which was quite gross interesting food) we went to the orphanage to meet the Director and give them our "donation."  They gave us a sweet little book of facts and pics about Jeter. We also got to ask them some questions and found out a little more about him.  This was the hardest part of the trip so far because Jeter obviously knew all the workers and didn't want to leave them. They were his "MaMas" and you could tell that he loved them and was very comfortable with them. This part was really hard for me because I really felt like I had bonded a good amount, and now he wanted nothing to do with me. 

His Ayi was so sweet.  She kept asking him where his MaMa was and he would point.  He didn't want to come to me but at least he remembered I was his Mama!  

 After leaving the orphanage we headed to a local government office in Ningbo to apply for a passport. Jeter cried for about 5 minutes in the car and then Ryne distracted him with a few selfies!    

Once we pulled up to the biggest DMV type place ever, we took a selfie to document getting Jeter's passport! This process was very stressful because we were being rushed around everywhere, and Jeter was still very distraught from earlier. He now wanted to be with any Chinese person rather than with us. Not fun!  He would yell MaMa at any female he saw and practically jump out of my arms to try to go to them.  It was HOT and crazy inside.  It seriously may have been the longest hour of my life!

 When we finally were finished, we went to Jeter's "Finding Spot."  This was the (approximate) location where he was abandoned and found a day or two after birth. It was a very busy area. We spent a few minutes walking around and trying to take pictures - most of which Jeter was still not happy from the events earlier. This was a special but sad and emotional moment.  It is so hard to imagine someone giving up this precious boy.  I can only imagine that it had to be the hardest, most painful, thing his birth parents ever had to do.  I don't know their reasons...but I do know that when he was found on July 7th, 2014, God knew that He would be in his forever family in 685 days.  I am so grateful for God's masterplan.

Then it was time to start the long drive back.  We stopped at a rest stop, that may have had the most disgusting food truck and bathrooms!  But, the girls (who hadn't eaten anything earlier!) found a McD's so they were pumped!  Our guide wasn't with us so Jeremy just pointed at pictures and we walked away with 2 chicken nugget happy meals and 2 very happy girls!

Jeter didn't care for the nuggets or fries, but loved this Zone Bar!

We were all pretty emotionally drained once we got back to the hotel.  We grabbed dinner at the hotel and then tried to call it a night.  Jeter did not go down as easily as the night before.  I think he was so stressed out and overwhelmed it was hard to get him to relax.  He would sleep for a little bit and then wake up and cry.  That repeated every 30 minutes or so all night.   Poor little guy.  I know he is mourning his old life.  I hope soon he knows how incredibly loved he is.