Unsure Thoughts!

Wow! I can't believe that I have not posted to my blog since September 25, 2007. Well here I am, we left for China on Oct. 1st at 7:15 a.m. from the Eugene Airport. We got up at 4:30 a.m. after going to bed after 1 a.m....we started out tired but very excited. Our airfare tickets were a great price, but the seats were so close together it was a long trip from San Francisco into Beijing, China. Popa's epidural wore off five days before our trip began, so his doctor arranged an emergency injection on Friday before we left on Monday. It worked and Popa was able to walk the many hours we spent on our feet in China. The trip was probably the most awesome trip we have ever taken, it seems surreal and we have only been home a week. We met many wonderful people, had a fantastic interpreter, and a more than gracious hostess. Our accomodations were more than we expected and we were even able to do a load or two of laundry in the Chinese washing machine provided in our bathrooms...thank goodness for a western toilet. Even some of the finest businesses in China still have the "squatter style toilet". I can honestly say that two weeks of practice does not make perfect. We felt that our FATHER did a wonderful job of planning our entire trip. We were privileged to get to spent 4 hours at the University of International Relations with the English students in a one on one English speaking exchange. The Department Head treated us to a lunch fit for royalty, literally! They honored us with beautiful gifts in exquistely wrapped boxes. Our trip to the Great Wall was a day to remember for so many reasons. We had an excellent van driver that FATHER so graciously arranged and beautiful sunny weather. I was amazed to stand in that spot and realize that the sky is the same everywhere, as are the mountains, the bodies of water, the vegetation, and the cycle of life....it is simply the people and the culture that vary. We found the Chinese people to be very warm and accepting of us and we formed many loving relationships with those we met. we returned home on the 13th of October with a borrowed suitcase to hold all our trinkets. We did a day of shopping at the Pearl Market, it was fun and exhausting all at the same time. It is our intent to return to China in the Spring of 2008. I would love to share more details with any of you who are interested in person. I will return to my bloggers state of writng on a semi-regular basis. We missed the grandchildren and their parents. We have seen them all this past week and are happy to report that they are still the delights of our hearts. Nona