Day 2 in Beijing..... WHAT GOES UP, MUST COME DOWN

Today our big site seeing event was going to the Great Wall of China.  We traveled about an hour and a half to get to the area of the wall we were going to climb.  We had a choice of two different sides to climb.  When we were here in Beijing in 2012, I had climbed the difficult side and had made it up over 800 steps.  Today, we opted to climb the "family" side or what they told us was the EASIER side.  Molly Kate and Callie Beth were really excited about climbing the Great Wall.  Of course, I knew they probably wouldn't make it very far because the steps are not ordinary steps----they are of all different heights, with some of the steps being at least 18 inches high, and there are areas of the steps that are SO steep that we could almost touch our chests to the next step up.   Did I say that I knew the girls wouldn't make it very far????  Boy, was I ever wrong!!!!  We climbed and we climbed and we climbed (and stopped quite frequently to catch our breath), and then we climbed some more.  Callie Beth was my climbing partner and Molly Kate was Roger's.  Because of Callie Beth's depth perception problem, I pretty much either held her hand and we climbed, or had her climb in front of me, holding on to the rail.  She was SO funny.  She talked NON-STOP all the way up to our "pinnacle."  Of course, all four of us were stopped numerous times on the way up to have our picture by Chinese people of all ages.  You would think that Molly Kate and Callie Beth would blend in quite fine here in China,  Well, they were celebrities today, as they have been on every outing we've had since we've been here.  I think it's maybe their BOWS that has drawn the attention!!!  

ANYWAY, we finally made it to a point where I said I was ready to call it quits.  Both girls wanted to continue farther, but we wouldn't give in.  We rested for awhile and then decided we'd better start back to our bus.  Of  course, after climbing UP all those steps, we had to go back DOWN them.  I again held Callie Beth's hand and I decided I would count how many steps we had climbed.  Well, Callie Beth decided she would count with me, and she did so at the top of her lungs, taking time out every now and then to have a giggling fit.  Molly Kate and Roger were right behind us, and Molly Kate was counting very loudly, too.  It was definitely easier going DOWN the steps, but again, there were places that the steps looked like they were almost a straight up and down.  Add those many extra steep steps to that, it was no less than a feat!!!  DRUM ROLL please......  Our little China girls, along with their mommy and daddy climbed and descended SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FOUR STEPS!!!!

After leaving the Great Wall, we visited the Jade Factory.  It is a very interesting place to visit in that there are items to see that range in price from $1 to $1,000,000.  I bought Eiley Joy a very pretty jade bangle bracelet to give to her for a special occasion when she gets older. 

After the Jade Factory visit, we ate lunch----you guessed it----at a Chinese restaurant!!!  One thing I will say about the Chinese food we've had already---it has all been very different, and of course, NOTHING like the Chinese food in Kentucky.  It really was a delicious meal.  However, I don't think it's going to take many more Chinese meals to be totally burned out on the food!!!

After our meal, we had time to get back to the hotel and rest for about 20 minutes before getting back on the bus and going to the Chinese Acrobat Show.  We had seen the show when we were here two year ago, and it was definitely something I didn't want to miss this trip either.  It was simply PHENOMENAL!!!  I really thought the girls would like it, but unfortunately, their 684 step climb caught up with them, and they slept through the whole show!!!!

We ended our day with a little bouncy house playtime for the girls, and then a short stroller walk.

We will be leaving the hotel  at 6:30 in the morning to fly to Zhengzhou, Henan.....and the FINAL countdown will begin.....two more days until Eiley Joy is in our arm!!!!!  We are ALL excited beyond words, and it just warms my heart through and through when I hear Molly Kate say, "I'm getting a little sister, and I'm SO excited!!!!"  Callie Beth talks about Eiley Joy all the time, too!!!! 

Please pray that the transition will be easy for Eiley Joy.  Pray that she will feel our love for her, and that she will feel safe with us from the beginning.  We are SO ready to have her as a part of our family!!!!

Vicki :)