Day 3

Today started very much like yesterday. Early wake up, putz around, and breakfast. We met Pink at 1 to head to Manny's foster home. His foster Uncle, Mr. Tong, walked him down to the MTR stop so we didn't have to walk all the way to his home. Manny was so excited to see us! He shared the little bag of toys and washrag (to blot the sweat off) as well as his octopus card and water bottle that he was carrying. No one goes anywhere without a sweat towel and water bottle I've noticed. We took 3 different trains to get to the Po Lung Keuk agency and home in the Causeway Bay area. Nick grabbed a couple photos of the busy trains. (Can you see my awful swollen fingers from the humidity? LOL My toes are just as bad!)

We got to the agency to sit for a bit before we went to the group home since we ended up arriving early. We met Pinks co-workers and enjoyed the air conditioning for a bit. We played a fun game that Manny was afraid to play. Nick made a video of them playing. Unfortunately, it ended up sideways so we'll have to wait until we get home for Nick to fix it.

The first place we visited was the nursery area. We saw all the little babies in the windows as some of Manny's caregivers from when he was around 2 got to say hello and good bye to him. He didn't remember them at all.

We then went to the place where he lived for 3 years. He remembered which bed was his and he vaguely remembered his caregivers in there. We spent quite a bit of time in there because there were a couple of friends that he remembered and he ended up wanting to play with the toys. Nick sang songs with the kids in the room and they had a great time. No one wanted to leave but Manny seemed to be getting uncomfortable. We think he was hurting his head trying so hard to remember all the people.

On our way out, he remembered the main kitchen in the building so we walked by it. He shared stories of some of the other places he used to go to including an informal-type temple where they would go to pray during holidays. Pink explained that it wasn't a formal temple but worked well for the kids.

We stopped by his kindergarten school on the ground floor and his teachers were thrilled to see him. They all were so caring and loving that I felt a lot better about the home. He may have only had 2 rooms but they were filled with light and laughter and the teachers were all so wonderful. Nick and Manny played for a while on the playground. Manny didn't want to stop playing. :)

We took the hot, humid walk back to the MTR stop which was in a mall. Once in the mall, we stopped so Manny could have a snack and we could all have some much needed water. We then got back on the MTR and headed back to Manny's home. We laughed and were all kinds of silly on the MTR on the way to Manny's stop. He loves having Nick carry him. It is such a treat for him. Once we got to the MTR stop, Pink said she'd walk Manny back up to his home so we wouldn't have to get off the MTR. Manny gave us such big hugs and he looked like he was going to cry. He wanted to come home with us right away and it hurt my heart to make him go back to his foster home. Just 1 more sleep until he can come home with us! My heart is so full right now. :)

Tomorrow we meet back at the MTR stop bright and early at 9:15 so we can go say good bye to his current teachers and school social worker. That is a lot of good byes for this little guy and I am a bit worried but he handled today so well that I am praying that tomorrow goes just as well.

Day 2

Today was another early day but we at least got some really good sleep thanks to those sake drinks and all the walking. :) We went for a swim on the rooftop pool again around 7 am and then came back to the room to shower and get ready for the day. We had another great, but lighter, breakfast this morning and came back to the room to relax. I finished uploading the blog posts from the past 2 days and we just hung out. I feel a lot better this morning compared to the past few days so I think we may actually finally be acclimated to the time change and what not. I am not sure I am ready to go back outside into the humidity and we are supposed to be heading out to see Manny by bus and that is a little nerve-wracking. We have seen the buses and how quickly they maneuver and how close they are to each other. Luckily I think we are better off with the bus instead of the cab after yesterday's little debacle that we witnessed.


We had a great visit with Manny! It went better than anyone could have hoped. We met with Pink from PLK and went over all the paperwork. We went through the grand debate of MTR or bus. We confessed to Pink that we were a bit scared of the buses but felt good about the MTR so she agreed that we would be fine riding the MTR now but once Manny is with us, the bus would be better because it was less of a walk. We got to his home after a decent walk in the ever-present nasty humidity. Everyone was very welcoming. It is obvious to see the affection between him and his foster Auntie and Uncle as well as their biological grandchildren who live in the home also. That makes me really happy but hurts my heart a bit because I know what is coming. Manny's english is very formal. He likes to call us Mother and Father even when Pink says mommy and daddy. He shared pictures and cards with us and posed for a few pictures. He wanted to show off his room and his bed.

A caseworker from the state then came and we went over more paper work and she shared all the documentation they had for him. They even had a baby book from when he first came into their care at almost 1. It was so special! Manny had never seen it either so we got to look at baby pictures of him together. They had preschool graduation pictures, yearbooks, report cards, etc. Nick and I are truly in awe of how much we have of his history. I am so grateful that he will have it. The only down side is that it is all written in Cantonese. I may have to find a translator once we get home so that we know what it all says. We will be spending tonight looking over everything.

We then went for a walk so Manny could show us that he knew the way to McDonalds. (You can see his foster Uncle and his granddaughter in the picture below with Nick and Manny.) When we stood up to go, he grabbed Nick's hand like it was the most natural thing in the world. I wanted to cry. I think Pink felt the same way. I have to say that being in his home neighborhood, we were an oddity. There were no other westerners and we got a few stares. It took us a bit by surprise because along Nathan Rd. or down by the harbour, we saw westerners all over the place. This was authentic Hong Kong and it was really neat to see. Along the route of our walk, his school bus stopped and he got to introduce us to his bus driver and the care givers on the bus. He was so excited. After a little while, Nick asked him to hold my hand too and said it was my turn.

Once we got back from a small snack of french fries and OJ for him and diet soda for us (a rare treat for him), we met his other foster cousin and they kids played for a bit. Nick taught Manny to fist bump and Manny declared Nick the greatest. LOL Tomorrow afternoon we will go back and pick him up and then spend the day on the MTR visiting his previous foster homes and caregivers and say goodbye to them all. Pink told Manny we'd be back and he asked if we could start tomorrow right away. I would say that sums up our afternoon just about perfectly!