We are home!

After travelling for 23 hours on planes, trains, and buses and busy airports we made it home! The girls were all wonderful travellers! Zoey and Jada slept most of the 13 hour flight and Kyah wanted to be held and play with everything she could get her hands on. She is adjusting well to life at our house. We have all been so tired that we have not be able to do much. Kyah keeps looking at the suitcases and wondering where we are going next. She seems to make every place her home right now. She cried when we left the hotel and she cried when we left the plane. Poor child is so confused about what her new life will be like. She smiled and laughed when she met Nai Nai and Pa and Nancy and Gabrielle at the airport. She loves to make people laugh! We cannot wait for you all the meet her.

Forbidden City

Kyah loves to make silly faces for the camera!

All Cleaned up

Writing Lesson

Outcome SCO-1.3  Student will demonstrate the ability to scribble on the paper, not the desk.

Baby sitter

The silk market has built in babysitters!

Silk Factory

Here is Jada watching the machines unraveling the silk cocoons.  It was fascinating to see this process.

Bus ride

She loves to climb around on the bus.  Her Visa says she can do this in the truck in Canada until 2013.

Always a snack

Today she wouldn't leave go of a piece of bread.

Asleep in the Crib

Finally!

Last Night

It is Wednesday night and we are happy to be coming home tomorrow but sad to be leaving China.  We had a great two weeks.  Kyah fits into the family perfectly.  She loves to giggle with her sisters and her funny personality is beginning to show.

All three are in the tub while I am typing and I can hear all three having a big belly laugh.  Kyah learned how to splash her sisters and loves every reaction she gets.

Today we went to Tiananmen Square and The Forbidden City. There was a long line of people with their umbrellas waiting to see the body of Chairman Mao.  We decided not to wait 4 hours to walk past his crystal coffin.  It was our first time in the Forbidden City and it was larger than expected.  The red buildings and the gold rooftops stole the show.  Some of the main buildings were refurbished for the 2008 Olympics.  It was not a place for peace and quiet.  The entire time reminded me of leaving Veterans Stadium after a game because of the crowd.   We had to walk whichever way the crowd was moving.

We have Kyah's passport with a Canadian entry visa and a US entry visa.  We also have a paper that proves she is a Canadian Citizen as soon as she lands in Canada!  It is a big relief to have the papers today.  We thought we might have to go to the embassy and then straight to the airport.  We leave Beijing at 4:10 Pm local time on Aug 4^th and land in Chicago at 4:03 local time on August 4^th.

Our entire group went out for supper together and our guide Yulin arranged a magic show for the kids.  After the magic, a dancer who was dressed in a traditional dress danced for them.  We also had a cake and the candle had fireworks in them.  I hope to find some to take home in the AM

 

The Girls

One happy group of girls.

Popsicle

Kyah's first Popsicle!

panda

Nova on the Great Wall

There goes daring Nova to trek around to the other side.  She had to put up the peace sign because all the Chinese people do that in every photo.

Zoey at the Top

Sweaty Zoey made it all the way up the right side of the Great Wall.  Look across the valley at the Great Wall going up the other side of the mt.

Scott and Kyah

Break time on the Wall

Zoey and Jada are taking in the sites while resting at one of the towers.

All of us at The Great Wall

We are ready to climb!

Zoey and Jada on the River Cruise

There were neon lights on all the buildings.  It was a river light show!