I Fly

A family recently had the ability to visit Sidney’s orphanage. She was kind enough to share her blog and photos. Not only were her photos some of the best I have seen of China, but they were very stirring. We were unable to travel to the orphanage. During the H1N1 scare, we were seen as a threat to the health of the children. As Sidney’s mother, I had mixed feelings about our inability to visit. I felt relief, avoiding the feelings that go along with seeing children forced to live in a situation and place beyond their control. There was another part of me that had to grieve not seeing where she lived. I felt it was my duty to understand anything at all which might benefit her. When I saw the pictures, it gave me some sense of this mysterious place. Run down streets with people in everyday life on the streets around the orphanage, and inside the walls and rooms of a place I have only seen a handful of times in photos. We have photos of Sidney in the orphanage, but they are images of her in different poses in the same room.

Watching her tonight was such a gift. We went trick or treating. Eli was dressed as a storm trooper, and Sidney was dressed in her butterfly costume. Afterward, as I lifted her out of her carseat, fumbling with bags of candy and McDonald’s Happy Meals, I set her down. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she took off running, yelling “I butterfly. I fly!” Yes, sweet girl. Not only will you fly, you will soar!