What did we do today?

((Notice the correction on the last post! We get Mia 4pm Sunday China time which is 3am Sunday your time while you all are sleeping! The time difference gets confusing...not enough sleep, sorry!))

It has been a great day and we are glad we had this day to relax and settle in before meeting Mia tomorrow. Our guide is a perfect match for us. Sherry is a 27 year old fun girl that I know will be great at helping Mia transition. She has known exactly what kind of stores to point out to us and we've had some great conversations about Chinese culture with her. Today we met her at 11:30 and went out for some "shopping". The purpose of our time with her was to give us a "walking tour" of our surroundings so we know how to get snacks, meals and do a little shopping when she isn't with us. We spent about 2 hours walking the area. We went to the Muslim Quarter where I picked up a few things for Mia as keepsakes and then we found Starbucks.


The most hilarious thing happened while we were shopping at a silk vendor's storefront. She and several of the other shop tenders kept pointing at Bobby and giggling. We asked Sherry what they were saying and she reluctantly told us that they were saying Bobby looked like Buddha. Sherry was afraid we would be offended, but I thought it was hilarious. Since we've gotten back to the hotel Bobby has gone to the workout room. He's trying to ditch the Buddha figure. Too funny.

Tomorrow we will be on our own until we meet Sherry at 3. We will go to the bank and exchange the necessary money and then walk to meet Mia at 4:00. The Civil Affairs Office where our meeting would normally take place is being remodeled so we will meet her in a hotel just down the street from us. We will walk there, but Sherry will call a car to drive us back to the hotel. Crossing the street here is quite an adventure and I can't imagine trying to do it with a traumatized 7 year old.

We know that you are praying for all of us tomorrow. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.


Leaving Charlotte... the first leg of our journey.


Bobby and I had a funny conversation on the plane. We talked about the places other couples fly on planes together. We talked about places we dreamed we'd visit early in our marriage. China wasn't on either list. God's plans are certainly different than ours. But, despite the enticement of luxurious vacations, there's no where I'd rather be than right now than in the middle of HIS will. Although I hope one day he'll send me somewhere with sun and sandy beaches.

See kids, we saw snow too while we were in Newark. We can't wait to hear about the fun things you did in the snow at home. You can barely see my face here, but it is filled with terror as I realize that the plane is going to have to be de-iced.

Our hotel... The Grand Mercure

Muslim Quarter