Revisiting Vlora

For the first time since getting Ellie's passport in December 2006, we revisited the city we called home for nearly 4 weeks that eventful month. We wanted Mom and Dad to see where Ellie had lived and where we had such a significant time in Ellie's adoption journey. It was a long, hot drive from Elbasan (nearly 3 hours) and I was inwardly hoping we wouldn't be so tired that we would regret it once we finally arrived. However, once we drove through the city and got to the shore, the long drive felt like a distant memory and our eyes took in the sparkling waters of the sea. Wow -- I forgot how beautiful it was! The drive to Elbasan is beautiful through the mountains and there are some beautiful views from our hotel windows once you're in the town, but I wouldn't exactly describe it as a beautiful city (sorry, Elbasani friends!).

We first stopped at the New York hotel where we had some significant meals (after first meeting Ellie, then on the day we were able to take her out of the orphanage).


The water was so close, it was nearly more than Ellie could stand to not just jump in it!

(below) Now Ellie is just getting downright tortured, sure that it's all a big tease. In her defense, the meal came out quite slowly, with Nathan getting his food last after most of us had finished ours.

We then made the short drive to the "Coldwater Orphanage" to show Mom, Dad, and Ellie the place where she spent the first year and a half of her life.

The photo above is a little 'de ja vu-ish' for me (reminiscent of a photo of me peeking into Ellie's room to see her for the first time). Part of me was excited to see the place again, and part of me dreaded it. There are about 30-40% fewer kids and we only encounted three workers (two of whom we didn't recognize), so over all, it just felt very hollow. I left feeling a great sadness I can't describe. I also left with a feeling of gratitude that our son is blessed to be where he is for now. What a contrast.

Showing Ellie her sleeping room and the place where we spent so many hours on the floor playing with her. Remarkably very little had changed.

We were very nearly not allowed in, however this lady below came down when she heard the commotion of our arrival in the stairwell. It took her a few seconds, but then we could see that she remembered us. This woman was the first caregiver we ever 'met'. She was the one who held Ellie in her referral pics (click here) that we got nearly four years ago!

We finally got to the sea and Ellie couldn't be happier.

Mom and Dad are 'water' people so we were pretty sure they'd enjoy the beach. We were just sorry we didn't have more time!

Ellie quickly got over her reticence at the waves ...

Her thrill at being in the water made me so happy -- she's been beyond good for us on this trip, many days not getting to do what she'd prefer to do, but obediently going along with us for long 'sit downs' at meetings, meals at restaurants, or simply playing at a hot orphanage with few toys and no kids who understand her. Yes, we've tried to provide some entertainment by going to the frigid hotel pool, or the little kid rides at the park, but this really satisfied her deep sensory needs on many levels. I just wish we could have stayed much, much longer! I hope you can sense her enjoyment in the photos below.

If you were a blog follower back in 2006, then this photo might look familiar (click here).

I know we're headed into a weekend, however we have bunches of photos from this past week ready to share for posts tomorrow and Sunday. We said goodbye to Mom and Dad Waggoner this morning and had a couple of meetings this afternoon with Altin and our Bethany reps. We're finally back at our home base here in Tirana and thoroughly enjoying access to wireless internet, AC, a washing machine, and a kitchen! We're missing our little boy bunches and making plans for his first birthday party in one week!!!