Guangzhou

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JinCi Temple

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Taiyuan

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Beijing

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Yes, We're Home!

Sorry for the long blackout period. We made it home Friday night after some of the most chaotic moments of the trip. Let me just say that you could not pay me enough money to be in Beijing next summer! Talk about airport chaos... Once we landed at Dulles, we met some of the most unfriendly people of our entire trip. To those grumpy (and that is an understatement) customs officials I say that I'm sorry that you are overworked and that you have to put up with some seriously unintelligent people. But, we are people, not cattle and despite traveling with 4 children for over 24 hours, we still do have a brain and prefer to be treated as such. We had even decided that it was almost not worth the non stop flight to have to deal with the one hour we spent in immigration!!!
There was quite a crowd waiting for almost 2 hours for us to finally show our shiny faces. Thanks!!!! It was such a sweet welcome and we were overwhelmed with the love and acceptance you guys showed our family and Caleb. We could not ask for better friends and family. Your prayers and presence are such a gift and we thank you!
We've managed to make it to church today and play practice yesterday but are having some nasty jet lag. Ken, Sarah and Caleb were asleep by 6pm so we'll see how early they are up tomorrow. Poor Nathan doesn't know what to do with all of us in our wacked out body schedules!

One last post from China...

The bags are packed. The kids are bathed. The empty Pizza Hut boxes sit outside our door, testament to one last fast food meal on this side of the world. We will be leaving for the airport in the morning for our flight to Beijing and then at 7pm China time (6am EST), we will get on the plane for our long journey home. I have mixed feelings. I soooo want to be home. I miss Nathan (even if he doesn't miss us :) ) and all the comforts of home. I have no plans on eating at a McDonalds, KFC or Pizza Hut in the next year!!! Home cooked meals are going to be so nice! So will ice cubes, brushing our teeth in running water, and sleeping in our own beds. I'm even looking forward to doing laundry!
But I will miss China. I really do love this place, with all its oddities (at least to my American eyes), rich culture and generous people. This is the birthplace of two of my children - how could I not leave a little piece of me behind? So I am anxious to get on that plane tomorrow but I leave with a hope that someday we will be back to explore this amazing land again with my family.
Good bye China. We have had a wonderful trip!!!

ps - thanks for the prayers for our friends! They were able to get everything done and are leaving with us tomorrow - Praise God!!!!

The Feeding Frenzy

Caleb has definitly learned how to eat!!! We were remarking this evening after an hour long food fest how well he has learned this skill in just 10 short days. Of course he makes a mess - that will change once he has his surgery (at least we hope :) ). I thought you'd like to see him enjoying his food - I sure am celebrating!!