It’s 37 degrees today in Melbourne. Stinking. Hot. I put Bubba down for her afternoon nap in a singlet and nappies and jacked the aircon up a notch, just like her Papa – she feels the heat.
She had a good sleep, around an hour had passed before I heard her little ‘come get me’ whimpers. I kind of love picking her up from her afternoon sleep, it’s when she’s at her cuddliest and she just snuggles into me for ages. She was damp with sweat when I got her, little half-curls flicking out under her ears. I snuggled her close and smelt that beautiful baby smell, but I could smell something else too – no, not what you’re thinking – I couldn’t place the smell but then it came to me. Dozens and dozens of drowsy, sweaty little babies in orphanages in Vietnam I had the honour of cuddling to awakeness a few years ago.
It’s funny how some smells just bring everything rushing back isn’t it? I think about Vietnam a lot, I volunteered there in December 2008 and then went back in October of 2009 – when I met my Viking and my life changed even more. I often say that I gave to Vietnam and Vietnam gave back to me – by giving me the Viking – to which he replies “what about me? I didn’t give anything to Vietnam, I didn’t volunteer.” and I tell him he still owes Vietnam.
But thinking about all of those babies makes me wonder where they are now, many were adopted and now live in Canada, France, Italy and the States. I had the absolute honour of being present when three brand new mums and dads came to pick up their babies. I handed one baby to his new parents and was the first to congratulate them and tell them how wonderful their son was. I wonder now, when that little boy wakes up from a nap, overheated and sweaty, whether it takes his mum back to that day in the orphanage, with twenty or so babies in one room, without air-conditioning, all in make-shift nappies and sharing mattress-less cots. I bet she holds him tightly too.
Here’s the blog post I wrote while I was in Vietnam, after the babies were adopted. If you’re interested in reading any more they’re under ‘Steph flies away’ under Categories.