It's Amazing Here! 01.09.12

Entrance to Forbidden City

This is where all the Emperors Lived

The back of Greg's Head and the entrance to the last section built of the Great Wall

Sophie Made a new friend, Libby (age 6) adopted from China 5 years ago

The day before yesterday was a full day of touring Tienanmen Square, The Forbidden City, and of course the tour wouldn't be complete without seeing  and walking the steps of the Great Wall.  The tour guide took us to the last section built which was completed approximately 400 years ago.  Imagine that!  The Wall began construction 400 to 500 BC.  Crazy isn't it! 

Needless to say, we really enjoyed the rich history of China and we met 2 other couples and their families.  One couple had adopted a 10 year old girl and they joined us for the tour before they left home to Wisconsin.  The other couple started their journey the same day as us.  They are adopting a little 2.5 year old boy with albinism.  Yesterday we both left the hotel at the same time to fly to our perspective provinces where our sons await for us.  We look forward to seeing them again when we fly into Guanghzou.

Today, is Monday, 1/9 and we can't sleep with the excitement.  We will be leaving the hotel at 8:30am to pick up our son at the Civil Affairs office.  Poor little guy was removed from his foster family to somehow ease the transition for us to receive him.  We arrived in his city, Xining, yesterday afternoon.  Our guide Emma is wonderful.  She gave us a lot of history of this small city.  The name Xining means Peaceful West.  It's a small city that isn't used to seeing foreigners.  They stare at us quite a bit especially at Greg.  I don't think they've ever seen a tall white guy in person.  We slept most of the day and evening which was much needed.  We will keep you posted with new pictures of our little boy.  We can barely contain ourselves!