Olivia Climbs The Great Wall!

What a great day we had. We started with a very happy baby and a great breakfast. We all loaded into the group van and our first stop was the Jade Factory. This is the biggest Jade Factory in China and we got to see and learn how Jade is processed and were shown how to tell the difference between the real stuff and the fake stuff. We also bought a few things for Olivia for gifts when she is older. Our next stop was the Great Wall. It really was awsome. While I certainly don't want to minimize the greatness of it's history, or seem ungreatful for such an incredible opporunity, it was pretty set up like a tourist attraction with lots of people and lots of commercial business going on. I would have loved to go to a part of the wall where there were no other people just to be able to get a better feel for it's awesome nature. At any rate, it was very cool. I only went as far as the second tower because I forgot to wear my runners so was stuck wearing thongs which aren't good for climbing. Ron, on the otherhand, decided that he wanted to be able to tell his daughter that he climbed the Great Wall with her, so up they went to the third tower which was a very steep climb. Afterwards, we went to the Friendship Store and Cloissonne factory for some great shopping and a FABULOUS chinese food lunch - probably the best meal we've had since we got here. There were no official appointments today, but tomorrow morning we have to be in the lobby by 7:00 to go for the babies' medical exams.

A little more about Olivia: She is such a blessing. I'm so very convinced that she was truly created just for us - I just hope and pray that her birth mother has some peace with her decision, and could somehow know that Zhi Meng is now with a family that will aboslutely cherish her forever. She continues to amaze us with the progess she is making both in her physical abilities and in her emotional well being. Her fourth tooth is just piercing through. She is soooo happy to see us all the time now. When I approach her, I get a HUGE ear to ear grin and she loves to giggle and play with both of us. She holds out her arms and cuddles right in to me when she wants to be picked up or held. Ron has become very protective and gets really agitated when the Chinese ladies want to pick up Olivia and start wandering around with her. I don't think this bodes well for her dating years.

Olivia is sleeping now, so we gotta get a few things cleaned and organized and off to bed ourselves. Here are a few pics of the Great Wall and one of Amanda, who was at the orphanage with Olivia. They are only 3 days apart in age.