10-6-08 Chongqing time: 9:45pm NC time: 9:45

Hello Everyone!

So sorry we didn't blog yesterday! We had a very long day of touring in Beijing. First we went to an International Church to worship. The service was nice. It was nice to worship God with other fellow believers. We just really miss our church family :o)

After church, we went to a jade factory. It was very interesting! There is a tradition in China for the mothers to wear a jade bangle until their daughters turn sixteen. Then they will pass down the jade bracelet from generation to generation. Fathers do the same kind of thing. They wear a jade pendant around their necks and pass those to their sons from generation to generation. We were able to see a gentleman carving one solid piece of jade. He was carving a "Happiness Ball". This is traditionally a symbol of family unity or family reunion. The end result is a large ball with smaller ones inside (each one representing a member of the family). Each ball is free moving. This is carved from one piece of jade. It takes the carver 5 days working eight hours a day to complete. The picture doesn't really do it justice. While I was looking I found a picture from Saturday. We visited a pearl factory. The picture is a baby fresh water oyster. It had 18 pearls inside!

We ate Peking Duck for lunch! We have tried a few new things. Some have been very delicious while others have left us dreaming of The Outback!!

After lunch it was time for the Great Wall! AMAZING!!!! ABSOLUTELY BREATH-TAKING!!!

We are sending pictures, but honestly, they don't compare. I'll have to tell you details about The Wall later. Little fingers are all over the computer. I will tell you, Steve made it to the third tower!!

We went to dinner and then to an acrobatics show. Alex, you would have been amazed! We will tell you about it in detail at home. They would not allow us to take pictures.

OK. I know why you are really here. You want to know about Samuel Ty. He is doing well. We picked him up today around 3:00pm China time. He cried really hard for the first 30 min. He has come out of his shell. He is very active. He is exploring every inch of the room! He is repeating everything we say. He is tiny for a four year old, but can do everything for himself. He really enjoys playing in the tub and looking in the mirror. Now, everytime he sees himself in the mirror, he says, "I see Bin Bin!" I think his Chinese nickname will "stick" with him for a while. Now he is smiling a lot. He is up very late tonight, as you can tell. So pray for sleep to come soon! We love and miss you all!!!! Now on to the pictures........