Power Packed Days in Beijing

Busy days full of experiencing Chinese culture, learning about its history, and seeing first hand the beauty of this land has "helped" us adjust to the 13 hour time difference.  We arrived after supper on Friday night, slept until three and then all woke up hungry. We ate, laughed a bit, and then feel back asleep. Saturday morning we meet up with three other families who are adopting. They were here a day earlier than us because they are meeting their children a day earlier than we meet Chloe. It was great to spend the day with them.  We will meet them again in Guangzhou, China where all adoptions are finalized.  Here are a few pictures from our two days.

First stop Tiananmen Square…it was cold but not as cold as Chicago when we left home!

No smog and clear skies were a blessing.

Right beside Tiananmen Square is the Forbidden City…stop number two.

                                         

 Pinch me!  I can hardly believe we are standing on the Great Wall of China!

 Looking down the wall….the guys went a great deal further up the wall than Em and I.  The steps are tall and steep and very uneven.

Summer, our guide in Beijing,  surprised us and ran out to buy a Chinese birthday cake for Nick while we ate a delicious duck dinner.  It was a very special 17th birthday for him.

 Day 2 started at the Bird's Nest site of the 2008 Olympics.

Stop two!  The Emperor's Summer Palace is immense!  It would take hours to walk around the entire property.    This is the property that the emperors used as their summer property when they were not living in the Forbidden City. 

This is a picture from the ground in front of the main building at the Summer Palace.

Now a picture from the top of the building looking down over the property.  All I have to say is I am glad I do not need to walk those steps every day!

These last few days have helped us adjust to life in China.  Now it is time to travel to our daughter.  I have thought of the Christmas story lately and how Mary traveled on a donkey right before giving birth to Jesus .  Wow~   I am on my own journey as a mother and cannot image giving birth to the Savior…in a stable..in a strange place…after traveling.  I know how many questions I have about tomorrow.  I can only image the questions that Mary had about her baby boy.

I guess we just trust…trust and obey.

"How much is a life worth?  Ask Jesus!"