The Great Wall

is pretty awesome, even when it’s the second time you’ve seen it and it’s stinkin’ hot out and you only got about 5 hours of sleep ‘cause your throat is killing you – it really is an amazing site. Even on a smoggy (or foggy, not sure) day when, despite the family pressure to sit this one out, I knew we would regret it if we didn’t go. I really wanted Danny to see it this time and to have a picture memory of it for the girls. We’ll skip the Forbidden City (as incredible as it is) because I know I can’t carry this sweet (read sweet yet amazingly heavy) up and down those stairs for hours. Nope, can’t do it. As it is, my left arm is throbbing most of the time. I brought a snugly (thanks Nicki) but sweet Milana doesn’t like it (me thinks she was tethered too many times) and it’s too hot to insist, so carry her I will. We brought the double stroller but it is huge and heavy and really only good for walks and the airports (which would be impossible without it).

Things are better every hour and every day, thank God! Milana is really coming out of her shell and Dahlia is enjoying her new role more too. Of course, having her BF Angel here has really helped too.

We went to the Pearl factory and the Cloisonné factory where I was reasonable (ahem – ok, I sent Danny out with the baby because it was just too hot for her ya now and she was sleeping so I didn’t want any questionable purchasing to disturb him…I mean her). J I did get the little pearl bracelets that I didn’t pick up the last time (duh, I’m not sure why). So now each girl will have one. Huh….ok, the 3 of us then!

Here are a few pix. I’m off to bed. (Oh bed, you glorious thing. Although, if you’ve never been to China, you don’t know what a hard bed is. Both hips hurt from sleeping on my side, and I have padding built in. Nonetheless – it still will be glorious – I just popped a Gravol.)

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz