Friday, May 4 - Sunday, May 6 - To the Great Wall We Go!

Today we headed out to the Great Wall. The ride there was interesting, very HOT, NO Air, and the holiday traffic was unreal! Everyone in China was going to the Great Wall today. The drivers here create their own traffic lanes.
I kid you not, there were at least 3 lanes in 1 1/2 real lanes on the road. Jonathan was waving at the people that were VERY close beside us. We could have jumped in their cars with no problem! We made it safely, that's the main thing! It was very hot and crowded at the Great Wall. Jonathan was again THE attraction. He was tired and we didn't stay long. It was Sarah Hope's, Sunny's, and Jonathan's first time there.
We got their pictures and left. After that we went to the LH Orphan Training Center. The kids really enjoyed their time there. The girls loved playing with the older girls. Jonathan loved playing with the balls they had. We got to meet the Kennedy's. They are the couple now working there. They are really sweet. Dwain enjoyed his time with them. He is still sick so he enjoyed sitting and talking with them. Sunny also enjoyed her time there. She could really relate to the childen's situations. We are looking forward to being able to spend more time with the kids later.











Saturday, May 5 Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, and Peking Duck

Today Sunny, Dwain, and Anna Brooke went out. I stayed at the apartment with Sarah Hope, and Jonathan. There was NO WAY I was taking by blonde boy out in the holiday crowd! We played on the playground, played inside, and took us a long nap!
I sure was needing that nap! The crazy trio braved the holiday crowds. They went to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City first. Anna Brooke really enjoyed the Forbidden City, she told me all about the emperors and how they lived when she got back. I haven't gotten as much school done as I would like. Oh well, it's not every day you can take a Field Trip to the Forbidden City! (or China, or Great Wall, or orphanages,....) By then they were getting hungry. Sunny was wanting Peking Duck, so to the Peking Duck they went. They all ate duck. I am so glad I was home! The kids and I had left over spaghetti! Dwain's friend, Elizabeth, came over tonight. She lives in Shanghai. She is a very dear lady. We enjoyed our time with her. Everyone enjoyed their day.


Sunday May 6

We all stayed in and rested this morning. It is so hot and dry here. Jonathan's nose is really messy. I am sure it is allergies and the pollution. The pollution is bothering all of us some. Anna Brooke and I take turns wheezing. We took the kids out for a little while. It was pretty hot, they didn't last long out there. After naps all the girls headed out for shopping with Sunny. We went to some famous street that is lined on both sides with department stores. I didn't buy anything. Sunny got some things to take back to friends. She was excited to buy a Peking duck to take back to her friends. The girls were hungry so Sunny took us down this side street for food. It reminded me of carnival booths with foods. However most of these "foods" were on sticks....starfish on a stick, seahorse on a stick, bugs that are still moving on a stick...ok, do you get the idea? Well, the girls settled for chicken on a stick. That I thought they could handle. Anna Brooke ate half of hers and wanted something else. We spotted fruit on a stick. She had strawberries dipped on honey or something sweet that was hardened. It was really good. Dwain couldn't believe I fed them off street food. I said, "Hey, they were hungry and you said street food was your favorite here!" Hopefully we won't be up all night with sick kids!