Xi'an

OK - since we couldn't blog earlier - let us recount the first part of our trip. We decided to go to Xi'an instead of the customary Beijing trip because we wanted to see something different - and we really wanted to see the Terra Cotta Warriors. So we flew into Beijing, collected our bags and went through customs, then checked onto Air China and after a 1 1/2 flight delay we were on to Xi'an. We arrived there about 27 hours after leaving Dayton. We arrived Saturday night, spent all day Sunday and most of Monday sight-seeing and then left Monday night for Nanchang.

The highlight of our trip as we mentioned earlier were the Terra Cotta Warriors. They were made to be part of the emperors burial tomb from the first emporer or king of the Qin dynasty back around 22o something BC. supposedly to protect the tomb. Over 8,000 life size soldiers, chariots, and horses were believed to be made. They were found when a farmer was digging a well back in 1974. We got the autograph of that farmer!

We didn't realize how important Xi'an was to the history of China and how long it had been the seat of power in China. It is also the starting point of the Silk Road, a very important ancient trade route in China that also passes through Lanzhou (where we got Adam). We stopped at a silk factory and bought our girls (we miss you Mackenzie and Makayla) some silk scarves.

We really enjoyed our guide - and we had a guide all to ourselves. She told us that she didn't have a favorable impression of Americans adopting in China - but that changed with us. She was initially surprised at all the luggage we had for a two day tour - but when she realized we we at the first part of a two week adoption trip she was amazed at why we would would want such a large family and care for three Chinese orphans. She asked to be our guide next time we went to Xi'an.

We got stares from people when they saw us with Adam. Little did they know he has actually been an American afor almost 2 years and couldn't understand them. We get even greater stares now with both Adam and Aiden. We actually, in kind of an absurd way, enjoy that. Maybe because we've come to expect it and it confirms what we are doing is the right thing - God has called us to be aliens and strangers - we know that is meant in a spiritual sense - but everyone should get to experience what it feels like to be a stranger.