Halfway point....

It is so much fun to be able to be a big kid for 6-7 hours each day! Today it was cool enough to take the kids outside to play. We played with the parachute, took walks in the garden, played on the playground, made crafts, and played a little volleyball with one of the nannies (who was one of the orphans last year, but is now employed here). Needless to say, I got my exercise today (as did the kids...see tired boy below), topped off by another evening of walking around the city. We went back to the pagoda, which is teaming with action. While there we observed chinese writing on the sidewalk with a big broom, buddhists chanting, ballroom dancing, a form of hacky-sacking, and several forms of kung fu. And all of this for free! Better than any show we could've paid for.

Please pray the cribs to make it to Chaoyang before we leave Friday. Our guide offered the driver a big tip if he can get them here, and we really want to see them and help put them together. The mattresses are here already, and we have 20 handmade quilts ready to tuck the kids in. Although, in this heat, I don't think they will want to use them right now!