Our Treasures from Afar

Sorrowful news

2021-01-08T09:32:00.000-05:00

Last month the unthinkable happened.

We lost our precious son, Taylor. He had battled drug and alcohol addiction for several years and we thought he was finally doing better. He was staying with us to try to get his life together. We found him unresponsive one morning when Jeff tried to wake him for work. The EMT's did everything they could to bring him back but our boy was gone.

Our hearts are shattered. Taylor loved us so much and fought to overcome his addiction. He seemed to win at times only to fall again.

The narcotics officer found more of what Taylor had taken and said it was fentanyl made to look like Oxycontin. It has been coming up from Mexico, likely made in China, and he said that "it's rampant right now." Our small city is losing at least one person a week to fentanyl overdoses. Please beware....

We love you sweet boy. I know you are no longer suffering and are safe in the arms of Jesus, whom you loved.

Taken in May of 2020 when my mom came to visit. He was bored during lockdown and colored his hair. ha.

Last Christmas, Taylor spent all day in the kitchen cooking us prime rib.

Picture taken a few weeks before he died.

A crazy few days....

2019-09-21T23:10:00.000-05:00

We spent Thursday night in Nashville and got to the airport at 3:15 AM— all proud of ourselves for being the first ones at the United ticket counter. And then we realized they didn’t open until 3:30. 😡. Three thirty came and went and the ticket agents started showing up around 3:45 but spent the next 15 minutes doing something other than waiting on customers. Not that I’m bitter or anything. Ha.

Nary a word was mentioned about the hurricane/tropical storm hitting Houston which is where we had a layover. Figuring we must be in the clear—and perhaps the weather wasn’t as bad as reported, we carried on to our gate. We boarded the plane and sat. And sat. And then the pilot informed us that there would be a delay due to “some weather” in Houston. He continues to update us for another hour and a half when it was decided that we all needed to deplane until the situation in Houston improved.

We asked if it was possible to put us on a different airline that didn’t go through Houston but they said no. So we waited. And waited. Finally at 2:30 PM I again asked if we could be rerouted. This time the answer was yes but the best they could do was put us in Atlanta by 9PM and then on to Honduras the next day. After 16 hours in the Nashville airport we boarded a plane for Atlanta. The rest of the trip went well—it just meant that we missed the first day and Pastor Mario, our friend in Honduras had to drive three hours to come and get us.

We then enjoyed a drive over the mountains from Tegucigalpa to Choluteca. It’s so beautiful. I never get decent pictures from the car but I still try. 🙄

We arrived and joined the team for dinner. They had seen 135 patients and a local church some of whom were sick enough that they had to be sent to the hospital.

Today we went to another church, only 4-5 blocks from yesterday’s. We again saw 135 patients. We treated quite a few for diabetes - some knew they had it but weren’t taking medicine. A few needed a nebulizer treatment and many needed medicine for parasites but thankfully no one needed to be hospitalized. Chloe got her first taste of being on a mission trip and she loves it! Molly is an old pro so just jumped in where needed. Today she was working pharmacy all day. Chloe did intake and took blood pressures, temperature, etc. I helped her for part of the day and then did urine tests.

Off to Honduras! 🇭🇳

2019-09-18T13:21:00.001-05:00

Molly, Chloe and I are leaving this afternoon to catch an early morning flight to Tegucigalpa, Honduras for a medical mission trip! We have to be at the airport at 3:30 AM so we are staying in a hotel near the airport.

Excited to see our friends there and do medical clinics in Tegucigalpa and Choleteca! We will be meeting my mom, sister in law, Meredith, and her daughter, Maddie, as well as some others from her church.

I will try to blog nightly if I can get a good enough WiFi connection.

Venice

2019-04-18T19:22:00.000-05:00

The yellow bottomed boat is the one we took over to Venice. I didn't think we would all fit but it's roomier than it looks.

The wharf where the tourists disembark from a menagerie of different types of boats, as well as the area where some of the Gondolas are located.

The scenery is spectacular.

We toured St. Mark's Basilica. It was beautiful but to be honest, I was pretty much Basilica-ed out at this point in the trip. They all started to look the same.

It was a beautiful Basilica with a lot of gold adornments.

I got more sidetracked with less opulent beauty like this series of arches.

The paintings were quite stunning to be sure.

We were so excited about the Gondola ride! It met our expectations for fun as well as for beautiful scenery.

It was quite crowded, as you can see.

Mom's laugh is quite contagious!

In the narrow canals, we looked straight up the walls of the homes and businesses that lined them.

This shot was actually from one of the bridges and not from the Gondola. Pictures don't do it justice. Venice is definitely a charming place.

It was an amazing trip!

Six months later...

2019-01-16T18:23:00.000-05:00

...I am trying to finish blogging this trip.

The leaning Tower of Pisa is actually part of the grounds of the Catholic Cathedral of Pisa. There is a Cathedral, the Tower, a Baptistry and a Museum.

This building, the Battistero, has the most amazing acoustics. Normal reverb is a few seconds. This building will hold reverb (an echo) for a full seven seconds! It was demonstrated for us and was so cool.

"The Field of Miracles" is at the entrance. You can see the leaning Tower in the background. The grounds actually are host to several leaning buildings due to the underground water that makes the land unstable. The Cathedral and the Baptistery are also leaning.

The Duomo (Cathedral), full of works of art. The chandelier is known as Galileo's chandelier. Legend says that Galileo's theories relative to the pendulum came to him while he was attending mass and happened to be distracted by the oscillating chandelier. Unfortunately, this is only a legend because the chandelier was hung in the Doumo only four years after his discovery.

Good-bye Pisa! On to Verona!

"Little Coloseum"otherwise known as Verona Arena is a huge 1st Century Roman amphitheater which currently hosts concerts and large-scale opera performances.

Beautiful streets and buildings

Site of the setting of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" the dumbest story of all time. ha This is a 14th century residence with a tiny balcony overlooking a courtyard said to be Juliet's house.

Bah humbug.

Next stop....Venice!

Florence, The David and Church

2018-07-01T14:53:00.001-05:00

We woke up bright and early to walk down to the city center and get in line to see The David, Michelangelo's most famous sculpture. The museum was built around it and includes other statues and paintings by various artists. Additional statues by Michelangelo are featured.

A close up to keep this blog's G rating.

The museum also had the very first Stradivarius violin, according to our guide, on loan from the Medici family.

Afterwards we walked to a small International church for Sunday service. So fun to meet other Christians! About half the church was tourists.

It was a very small room and it contrasted so much with the opulence of some of the churches we have seen on this trip. I wondered if the early church met in small rooms like this. Maybe - maybe not.

Lunch at an outdoor cafe--love them! So fun!

Yum!

We got a gelato in an unsuccessful attempt to cool off. It was in the 90's and let's just say...Europeans need to learn how to use air conditioning. First they leave all the shop doors wide open and then they must have the thermostat set on 85. Ugh. It's only 5 degrees better than outside in every shop.

So cute!

Next, my mom wanted to take me to see the famous Ponte Vecchio Bridge that she and my dad had seen years ago. My dad was a history buff and loved the story of how the bridge was saved during the Nazi occupation in WW2. A German consul stationed in Florence had written letters to the German Ambassador to Italy asking to him to try ask Hitler to protect Florence from destruction. Hitler had loved Florence on an earlier trip so agreed to keep as much of the city intact as possible. However, when the Allies were approaching, it was decided that all the bridges had to be blown up. Here the story takes on several theories. One is that Hitler himself decided to save the bridge. Another is that the Germans always left one bridge to try to ambush the Allies when they crossed it. And still another theory was that American tanks were too large to cross the Ponte Vecchio anyway so there was no need to blow it up. These theories all have some merit and the truth is probably a mix of the three. The bridge was originally built in 996 and destroyed twice by floods but the current structure has been there since 1333! It is also known for having shops built on the bridge. The back shops have been there since the 17th century. They were originally butcher shops but are now mainly jewelry and watches.

Since my dad loved this bridge we asked someone to take a picture of us in front of it.

We walked around Florence all afternoon, shopping and sweating.

Incredible street art

Since had already eaten gelato, we couldn't have these but mmmmm.....they looked amazing.

Good-bye Florence!

Tomorrow we go to Pisa, Verona and end up in Venice.

Assisi and Florence

2018-06-30T15:52:00.004-05:00

I'm too tired to blog tonight so I will just post pictures from the bus trip and a few stops we made along the way. We are in Florence at a pretty dreadful hotel (i.e: allergy attack from moldy smelling, ancient room with unfriendly staff - ha).

Pretty much the prettiest village ever. Gah! Tomorrow we are going to an International Christian Church and will also see 'The David." In the afternoon we are free to wander around Florence.

The Colosseum, Mamertine Prison, and Ostia

2018-06-29T16:39:00.000-05:00

The Colosseum was the first area to visit today. What an incredible structure!

This was just inside. It was very much like a baseball stadium - except arches and ancient rock. ha.

You can see the pits in the bottom. There was a floor over them and all the gladiators, animals and prisoners were down there. During the games, there would be multiple events going on all over the stadium to keep the interest of the spectators.

You can see where the floor would have been in this cutaway.

Because earthquakes are common, the stadium was built to be able to flex. The guide described it like giant Legos. These holes are where large brass knobs held the 'lego' pieces together. When Rome was conquered, the brass was taken down and melted. I forgot to ask the guide how it was held together now. heh

Closer view of the lower level. There is some disagreement over whether or not Christians were thrown to the lions here. Some say it never happened. Others say it happened occasionally. Some say it only happened to criminals. I would venture to guess that since criminals were thrown to wild beasts here, there were probably some Christians who were considered criminals because they would not bow to the Emperor, Caesar.

I'll leave it at that.

Just outside the Colosseum is the triumphal Arch of Titus. He destroyed Jerusalem and brought back all the gold from Solomon's Temple and used the money to build the Colosseum.

We then walked a short distance to the Mamertine Prison where it has been recorded that Paul was imprisoned for a period of time. He was under house arrest for two years, set free and then rearrested at a later point (possibly after Rome burned and Nero blamed the Christians for starting the fire). It was after that second arrest that Paul was imprisoned here.

Looking down into the cell. This is where the food was thrown down to the prisoners. It is believed that since Caesar's palace is nearby and Paul, when under house arrest, talks about the Christians that lived in Caesar's palace, (Philippians 4:22) they may have been the ones who brought him food. Presumably, at great risk to themselves.

Mamertine Prison was the worst of the worst. According to Roman historian Sallust, it could have been called the House of Darkness. Few prisons were as dim, dank and dirty. It's 'neglect, darkness and stench" gave it "a hideous and terrifying appearance." It is lighted now so we can see it but since it's underground with no windows, it would have been pitch dark except for small oil lamps if the prisoners had them.

The room was so small I could not get back far enough to take a picture of the ceiling and all the way down to the floor. The round hole in the ceiling is the same food hole in the previous picture. Prisoners were not fed by the Romans so they were dependent on family or friends coming to the prison and bringing food to them.

The hole in this photo was actually a spring where Paul could get water. It is said that he baptized any converts he made in the prison with that spring water. Normally, prisoners were not held for more than a few days prior to their execution but Paul seemed to be an exception. Perhaps Nero wasn't sure what to do with him. Some scholars believe that Paul wrote the book of 2 Timothy while in Mamertine (with Luke as scribe). In 2 Timothy 3, Paul asks Timothy to bring his cloak before winter.

"For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day..." 2 Timothy 3:6-8

Seeing the prison, while heartbreaking, was my favorite part of the day. It is so easy to read our Bibles and not really comprehend what the early church endured. Paul was their leader - a very beloved one. And he was in chains...in prison... What a sweet passage there is in Act. 28 where it says that as Paul was being taken on his journey to Rome some of the Christians came a long way to greet and encourage him.

(Acts 28:14, 15 "....and so we came to Rome. The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged.")

After lunch we were taken to the ruins of a city called Ostia that has been uncovered. There are extensive ruins there which were interesting for the first hour and then we were tired, hot, and dirty so they all started to look the same. heh

The menorah on the top of the pillar proves there were Jewish people living in the city.

Those cool mushroom shaped pine trees that I'm fascinated with? Turns out they produce these huge pine cones and inside them are pine nuts! I have eaten them many times. The pine cones were extremely heavy. I would have loved to bring one home but it probably wouldn't have traveled well.

Tomorrow we ride the bus to Florence.

The Vatican, St. Paul's Basilica and Tre Fontane

2018-06-28T15:59:00.000-05:00

Our first stop today was the Vatican. The crowds were absolutely overwhelming. I have never seen anything like it - not even in China.

The high walls around the Vatican

Crowds like this stretched around the block with a 3-4 hour wait. Our tour group had a reservation so we didn't have to wait in that line, thankfully.

UGH! It was like this inside as well...just a swollen mass of humanity (and sweat) surging from room to room. When exiting the Sistine Chapel we all had to squeeze through a doorway only large enough for two at a time. I kept thinking what a horrific fire hazard it was. ha!

Unfortunately, no one in our group could understand our guide due to her heavy accent so I have no idea what most of these rooms/paintings, etc. are. I will just post a few without comment.

I'm obsessed with windows and doors. ha!

These colors look oversaturated but this is an unretouched photo.

Inside St. Peter's Basilica

I found the blue sky to be a simple, calming beauty.

Our second stop was at St. Paul's Basilica where it is thought that Paul was buried. It is said that after he died, mourners came to visit the spot and erected a memorial. Eventually, Roman Emperor Constantine had the Basilica built there.

St. Paul's Basilica was much more peaceful than the Vatican and about 7 km from the city center.

The portico

Inside the Basilica

Ancient wood carving of what Paul may have looked like.

From there we drove to the site of Paul's execution by beheading. It is called Tre Fontane.

It was so peaceful here.

There is a building built here over a spot where they found a small jail - more like a holding cell. The Romans executed their prisoners quickly and didn't require many jails. This may have been where Paul was held a day or two before his death.

We walked down into a basement area where there were two cells. The is the larger of the two.

From the jail there is a walkway to the spot where it is said that Paul was executed. As I walked along, I wondered if Paul was rejoicing as he walked these last few steps, knowing he was minutes away from meeting his Jesus for whom he had suffered so much. I can imagine he was counting down the moments, knowing he had finished the race that was set before him - and he had finished well. A warm welcome awaited him as he stepped into eternity.

"For to me, to live is Christ but to die is gain...I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far..." Philippians 1:21, 23

First Day in Rome

2018-06-27T15:09:00.001-05:00

We flew from Athens to Rome this morning and arrived around 11AM. Our hotel rooms weren't ready when we got to the hotel so we went to a nearby open-air cafe for lunch.

We enjoyed our first taste of pizza and calzones in Italy

Across the street from our hotel

After lunch we went to visit the Catacombs. It has been rumored for many years that the persecuted Christians used the Catacombs to hide from the Romans. This appears to be a bit of a raging controversy as some say it isn't true. I'll let you do your own research. In doing some Googling, there are some who believe Christians did hide there during a later time of persecution. At any rate...what CAN be proven is that the Christians during Roman times used the Catacombs to bury their dead. Romans always cremated their dead so this was a significant departure from the norm. Roman Christians considered cremation as lacking reverence and belief in the resurrection. To bury their dead in the Catacombs carried a significant financial cost and put them in danger of persecution. (Incidentally, it was likely with cruel intent that many martyrs were burned at the stake, denying them a burial. Not only did it deny a proper burial but it seemed to mock a future hope of eternity with Christ that Christians were known to believe.) Romans were also so uncomfortable with death, that seeing a funeral was considered a bad omen and they were only held at night. Christians on the other hand, led joyful funeral processions like a march of triumph in broad daylight.

There are many Christian symbols on the walls of the Catacombs. This is a symbol that means Jesus Christ, Alpha and Omega. Interestingly, Constantine used the X and P --which are the first two letters of Christo in Greek--on the shields of his soldiers. They came to symbolize Constantine but his original intent was to emblazon Jesus Christ on his men after having a dream telling him to do so. This was similar to the symbol for Christians that we saw in Ephesus and it's my favorite of all the symbols used.

We weren't allowed to take pictures in the Catacombs because the Vatican has a copyright on all images - so I found this one on the Internet. Hopefully they will not arrest me. ha. There are a labyrinth of narrow underground passageways that only permitted us to walk single file. The walls actually looked black but that may have been due to the dim light. We needed flashlights to see where we were walking. The rectangles shown in the walls were where the bodies were placed and there were still some remains visible (dust and bone fragments).

One more image from the Internet. Once the bodies were placed in the crevices, a piece of marble generally covered the hole with a name, date and Christian symbol(s).

This is the symbol for a preacher

This is the fish symbol we are all familiar with

This is a dove with an olive leaf, symbolizing peace.

To hide the symbol of a cross, they added to it to make it look like an anchor. The anchor could also give it another meaning of Christ being our Anchor.

This is the Shepherd with a lamb on his shoulders. Some of the Shepherd symbols had a whole flock of sheep.

Since we were walking single file in the cold and dark, I had some time to think about what it must have been like for the Christians in Rome. My heart ached as I thought of all they went through. I'm sure whatever I can imagine is still not the half of it.

We returned to the bus and were driven around to see some of the sites of Rome. Most we will not have a chance to visit.

This is the famous Circus Maxiumus where chariot races were held. It was featured in the story of Ben Hur (although I'm sure Hollywood just built a replica).

Directly overlooking the Circus Maximus is Caesar's Palace.

We drove past the Colosseum and will be returning to tour it on Friday.

I'm fascinated by these trees. Our guide doesn't know what they are and said she calls them mushroom trees.

Athens

2018-06-26T14:36:00.001-05:00

The day started out rainy, including thunder and lightening. Disappointing! I started to pray and asked God to please slow or stop the rain by the time we got to the Acropolis. I knew He could but I didn't know if He would.

It was still pouring when we got there, so we bought umbrella's from the inevitable peddlers hawking their goods. We had rain jackets but needed a bit more relief from the deluge. However by the time we climbed to the top of the Acropolis, it stopped completely. Within the next half hour, the sun came out and it was beautiful until we got back on the bus a few hours later - when it clouded up but just sprinkled off and on. I was praising God...so thankful to be able to experience the Acropolis without the rain.

Rain, rain, go away!

Starting the climb to the top

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus (theatre)

Because of the rain, the crowds were much thinner. heh

(This was another blessing of the early morning rain!)

Entrance to the Acropolis, part of which was a marble monument dedicated to the goddess Athena (goddess of wisdom)

The entrance in the middle of the structure

On the other side of the entrance stands the Temple of Athena Nike. The statue of Nike inside was wingless and legend said her statue would mean victory would never fly away from the city.

The Parthenon, Temple of Athena

Detail of the pillars - each one is all one solid piece

Directly across from the Parthenon is the Erechtheion. It is the Temple of Athena Polias (guardian of the city) but also named for Poseidon, King of Attica. It was divided into three areas and contained the altars of Poseidon, Erichthonios (half-man, half-serpent son of Hephaisos and Mother Earth) and Attic hero Boutes.

I give you these details to help paint a picture of the idol worship that existed in Athens when Paul was there.

A different angle of the Erechtheion showing the Parthenon in the background.

View of one small part of the city from the Parthenon. The Parthenon is on top of a tall hill so that it could be seen from all over the city. Everyone would see it as a daily reminder of the goddess Athena. The city in Paul's time was much smaller, of course.

Mom and I in front of the Parthenon and a close up of the finger of the kind soul who took our picture.

We are still on the hill but you can imagine how the view of this temple cast a proverbial shadow on all who lived below it.

Close up of the ground on which we gingerly walked.

Heading out of the Acropolis and toward Mars Hill (the Areopagus - Acts 17:19)

The big rock in the middle of the photo is Mars Hill where Paul preached to the people of Athens. In the valley below you can see some other structures that resemble the Parthenon. This was the Agora (what we would call a marketplace). Acts 17 talks about how Paul spoke daily in the marketplace and in the synagogue daily with God-fearing Jews and Greeks. The Agora contained shops and many temples because the Athenians were so steeped in the worship of the gods and wanted to be sure they covered all their bases. This was the city that had an altar to "the Unknown god."

The Athenians were in constant pursuit of wisdom by way of philosophy so they were willing to listen and debate with Paul. In fact Acts 17 says there were some who spent their time doing nothing but talking and listening to the latest ideas. Perhaps an early form of social media. heh. There were two distinct groups in Athens - the Epicureans, who were lovers of pleasure and the Stoics, who tried to live to please the gods. Both groups took issue with Paul's teaching that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead and accused him of making it up (aka being a babbler).

Eventually, after listening to him daily for some time, the people brought him to Mars Hill - a meeting of the Areopagus (some type of council) and asked to know more about his 'strange teaching.' Paul, being bold and direct did not mince words. He started off by telling them--as he stood in the shadow of the Parthenon, a gloriously built Temple --that the "God who made the world and everything in it does not live in temples made by human hands. Rather, He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything He has." "For in Him we live and move and have our being. We are his offspring." (These last two sentences were a quote from one of their own poets that would have been quite familiar to them.) He then goes on to tell them that we should not think of God as an image of gold, silver or stone and that God would no longer overlook such ignorance. God now commanded all men to repent and that He had set a day when He would judge the world. Paul said God had given proof of this by raising Jesus from the dead. When they heard this, some sneered (I'm guessing they didn't appreciate being called ignorant) but some wanted to know more. Eventually a number of them believed but the church in Athens was smaller than the one in Corinth.

(Acts 17)

The base of Mars Hill (Paul and the Council would have been on top where you can see people walking)

Inscription in Greek of what Paul said that day.

Standing on top of Mars Hill with the Parthenon and other temples of the Acropolis in the background

Some think Paul was 'unsuccessful' in Athens. My personal belief is that God does not necessarily measure success by numbers.

We then had to tear ourselves away from this amazing spot and finish the day touring other places in Athens.

First stop was the very first Olympic Stadium -- all in marble! It is still used for various activities, mainly the finish line of marathons, which start in....Marathon, Greece. Hmmm....who knew? The distance from Marathon, Greece to the stadium in Athens is...you guessed it...26.2 miles!

They drove us past a few other beautiful buildings but they are a bit too dull to include in a blog so I will proceed with the rest of our day. Some of us chose the option to go shopping in the old city. A very touristy section but fun to have lunch and walk around.

All the restaurants were open air -- which I love. You just have to watch your feet because cars could literally run them over.

Street musician

Gelato! Yes, please!

Picture is a bit crooked but loooooove this door!

Quite picturesque

Overall, Greece has been a wonderful experience. I am rather hilariously thinking in their accent and saying, "Gleek" in my head instead of "Greek." I have also smothered giggles when I hear the phrase, "It comes from an ancient Greek word meaning...." Yes!!! They really say that just like in My Big Fat Greek Wedding!

I'm very much done with all the key chains of male body parts, and statues engaged in inappropriate activities, however. Seriously, why? UGH. I can see why Paul would have been 'greatly distressed' after coming to Athens.

We fly to Rome at 0-dark-thirty tomorrow. In the afternoon we are scheduled to tour the catacombs where the Christians lived to escape Roman persecution.

Corinth and Mycenae

2018-06-26T10:49:00.005-05:00

We started the day in Corinth, which in Paul's day was larger than Athens and the most prosperous city in the region. It was in a strategic location which made it ideal for trade with East and West. It had a large port and was situated on a mountainside, which protected it from invaders. It became rich due to a narrow isthmus that saved ships from a perilous journey around Cape Malea. Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great and Nero all attempted to build a canal but were unsuccessful. Ships were instead pulled across on land. Still, this was preferred over almost certain shipwreck and death if an attempt was made to go around Cape Malea. Life in Corinth centered around the worship of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Her temple was in the middle of the city and was a hotbed of immoral living. So much so that everyone in the pagan world made up the verb, "Corinthianize," which meant living of life of wanton immorality. Their sacrifices to the goddess were often in the form of young boys and girls who then became slaves for immoral purposes.

This is the current canal the allows narrow boats to avoid Cape Malea.

Corinth was built on a hill (although I don't think it was this one...sorry...fried brain from information overload)

First glimpse of the ruins of Corinth

This roped off area is actual remains of a road. There is an inscription to the right of the little boy that I will explain in the next photo.

In 2 Timothy 4:20, a man named, Erastus is mentioned. He is also mentioned in Romans 16:23 and described as the city's director of public works. For many years, historical scholars scoffed that Paul must have made up his own set of facts since the name Erastus did not exist as a real name. No archaeological evidence had been found to prove Paul's account. However in 1929, this inscription was found near the theatre. It read, "Erastus, director of public works, in return for his ship laid the pavement at his own expense."

Looking across the field toward the city of Corinth from the theatre area.

Getting closer to the city. These beautiful flowers grow all over Greece.

Aaaaand....up close.

These body parts were from people who had an ailment in that particular part of the body. They would sculpt the offending appendage and take it to the priest, who would offer it to the god of Asklepeion, who was the god of healing. (As an aside, in Israel, the pool of Bethesda was built and dedicated to the god Askelpeion, which was why Jesus did not instruct the lame man to get into the pool for healing. He healed the man himself so that Bethesda--and the god of Asklepeion, would not get the credit.) There were other body parts on the left side of this case that I choose not to photograph due to um...inappropriate content. Ahem....and ewwwww.

Menorah's and Jewish writing are always proof that Jews lived in a specific place.

Sometimes when people died they were laid on funeral beds rather than buried. The Greeks often used the term, "sleeping" rather than "dead."

This has nothing to do with anything. I'm just obsessed with doors and thought this looked cool. It was a side door of the museum. heh

This was a marble representation of the 13 martyrs - the 12 disciples and Paul.

Paul first met Aquila and Priscilla when he arrived at Corinth from Athens. He stayed with them and worked with them since they were all tentmakers. Acts 18:4 says: "Every Sabbath he reasoned with them in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks." Eventually many of the Jews became hostile and abusive to Paul and he 'shook out his clothes in protest' saying to them,"Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." Acts 18:6 Crispus, who was teethe synagogue leader, did become a Christian however. In the midst of this discouraging situation, God appeared to Paul in a dream and told him to keep preaching because He had many in the city who would become believers. So Paul stayed in Corinth for 18 months.

Eventually, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him to 'the place of judgement' or Bema. (Acts 18:12) They accused him of persuading people to worship God in ways contrary to the law. Gail was proconsul in the area (Achaia) and basically yawned when Paul was brought before him at Bema. He had no interest in listening to the Jews complain about arguments within their own religious laws and drove them off. Not to be ignored, the Jews then turned on poor Sosthenese, the synagogue leader and beat him on the spot while Galio looked on with complete disinterest.

The Bema - or Judgement Seat was the top of this wall (there was a platform there). The spot where our guide is standing is exactly where Paul was brought and would have been standing. Sosthenese was beaten here.

This is the view Galio would have had from atop the Bema. Paul would have been where the people in the photo are standing.

Close-up of the ground where Paul and Sosthenese would have stood. For some reason it almost makes me weep.

This verse is on the top of the Bema. And to think Paul is there...enjoying glory.

These pillars were the remains of the temple where the Corinthians worshiped Julius Caesar. The Romans persecuted the Christians for only one reason. It wasn't because the Christians believed that Jesus Christ was God. The Romans were open to any gods and didn't much care who you chose as your gods. However, Julius Caesar was worshipped as LORD. It was this one word that antagonized the Romans so deeply. When Christians worshipped Jesus Christ as LORD rather than bow to Caesar as their Lord, they were put to death. Christians were sometimes challenged by being brought to this temple and told to say that Caesar was their Lord or face death. Many were killed in this very spot.It makes 1 Corinthians 12:3 take on new meaning. "...no one can say, "Jesus is Lord, " except by the Holy Spirit." Indeed.

It should be noted that the Corinthian church had much to learn about righteous living. They truly had no idea how to live a godly life, nor did they have a clue about what love was. Their only view of 'love' was the temple worship of Aphrodite who encouraged just about every imaginable, repugnant immoral act, including selling their own children as slaves. Our guide pointed out that although we think of 1 Corinthians 11 as the 'love chapter' to be read at weddings, the Corinthian church needed to be taught what love actually was. They had no idea whatsoever what love meant. Our time in Corinth was the most touching of the trip so far. We could really imagine what Paul was up against as he tried to teach them about Jesus and how to live happy, fulfilling lives of purpose and meaning.

We then continued on to Mycenae.

Paul was briefly at Mycenae. This is the Lion Gate which dated back to the Bronze Age.

I leave you with this image of an alabaster jar - which is probably similar to the one that a woman broke when she poured out perfume on Jesus' head at the Passover to prepare his body for burial. (Mark 14)

Crete and Santorini

2018-06-25T15:30:00.000-05:00

We sailed through the night and woke to the Island of Crete. After breakfast, we visited Heraklion and the ruins of the Palace of Knossos. It is believed to be the Labyrinth of King Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. The Greeks say it was the first civilization but several other cultures also claim they were the first, so who knows?

Pillars outside the bedrooms of the King and Queen

Entrance to the city from the Sea

The throne room.

Original artwork. They were very fond of sports and games - this scene depicted a runner jumping, flipping and landing over a bull. It is very similar to a gymnastic routine on the horse that we see today.

We were also told this civilization had the first flush toilets, which was very impressive. Not sure why that idea didn't catch on a little quicker for everyone.

I had to buy this drink to get 5 minutes of WiFi (because the bus was leaving to go back to the ship) but it was worth it. A yummy drink and five minutes of texting with my girls!

We went back to the ship for lunch and some time in the sun before we headed around the coast of Crete to the city of Santorini. It is famous for it's beautiful views and quaint shops.

Beautiful white cliffs

We took this boat to the shore.

We then took a bus up a ridiculously high, narrow, winding road. This black van couldn't make the turn because there wasn't enough room so the bus had to back up. We then rode 40 minutes through beautiful, but somewhat terrifying mountain roads with tiny guardrails that wouldn't have kept a bus from going over. Heh.

But the views.....ahhhhh..... Even through a smudgy bus window they are breathtaking.

The entire island of Crete is made from volcanic lava. It's amazing.

Santorini had no shortage of tourists.

Gah! Gorgeous!

I waited and waited for this girl to move so I could get a frame-worthy shot but she didn't cooperate so I'll have to photoshop her out when I get home. haha

Pretty much dying over this prettiness!

My poor mom was such a good sport waiting around for me to take pictures (there are lots of more pics of doors because I'm trying to find enough of them to do another door collage). There were hoards of people and she waited patiently while I ran around and/or waited for people to get out of the way to get the shots I wanted. I took them on my iPhone for the blog and also on my good camera for using at home - so double waiting around for her! (The photos from my good camera take forever to load on the blog so I use iPhone pictures.)

Because this part of our trip was organized through the ship, it didn't have the Christian connection that some of our other stops will have. So...here is my own research. Paul spent time on the island of Crete during his fourth missionary journey. It was there, he met Titus, who was a fellow evangelist. There was a body of believers in Crete but they struggled to live in an orderly fashion. Later, Paul sent a letter to Titus to try to help him give practical advice to the Cretians.

Isle of Patmos

2018-06-25T14:38:00.000-05:00

Trying to catch up after a few days on a ship with no WiFi. Ack!

We boarded the ship in Kusadasi, Turkey. Our first destination was the Isle of Patmos.

Port in Kusadasi

Our room on the ship was a bit nicer than the accommodations Paul had -- and we weren't shipwrecked either.

Isle of Patmos

The Romans used Patmos as a location for a prison due to the rocky, barren landscape. John arrived there as a prisoner when he was in his 80's. (He returned to Ephesus after serving an 18 month sentence and lived there until he died at age 104.)

View of the Port at Patmos from a hill.

Squid anyone?

Monastery of St. John

Entrance to monastery

View of the harbor from inside the monastery

Bells on top of the monastery

This guy kept stepping in front of every picture I tried to take. Duuuude.... Exasperating! hahahaha

Working windmills that date back many years.

Outside the monastery

We then visited a cave where it is claimed that John received the revelation that became the book of Revelation in the Bible. It is only a possible location - made so by its logical location. Although it is quite possibly not the actual place John received the vision, it still gave us an idea of what it may have been like. Unfortunately, the cave was so small that the pictures didn't turn out well enough to see anything but a dark wall of rock.

We then returned to the ship by small boat and continued on to Crete.

Hello from Ephesus!

2018-06-22T15:20:00.002-05:00

Ephesus, as in Turkey! I am here with my mom on a two week trip to visit some of the places where the Apostle Paul and John the Apostle walked.

Today was our first day of the tour and we visited the city of Ephesus. The way I picture Bible stories and events seems to never match the places I have visited.

This is just outside Ephesus...beautiful mountains and tropical plants cover the terrain.

This is at the entrance of the current ruins. Ephesus was a port city in Paul's time but due to the build up of silt, the Aegean Sea is now about 5 miles from the ruins.

We generally think of the fish to be a symbol of the Christian faith but the early church also used this one. It is explained like this:

A section of the city that looks out at the mountains that surround it.

This is the main road heading down to the library (which was not there during Paul's time). He would have walked this street through the city, though. There are side streets going to homes, shops, the main bath house, latrine, etc.

Nike statue. I believe she was the goddess of victory and is always depicted with this form (hence the Nike swish the brand).

Another view of the main thorough fare in the center of the city.

Along the roadside there are stones mixed with ruins that will not be restored.

Mosaic's still visible at the foot of the terrace homes of the wealthy.

The library

The latrine. Ewwwww.... This was only for the men. Not sure why anyone would want to socialize while engaged in this process but whatever.... All I can say is: GROSS!

This is the road to the Grand Theatre. You may remember from Acts 19, the Grand Theatre was the site of a two hour riot against Paul and his companions. The silversmiths who made shrines of the pagan goddess Artemis became enraged that Paul was putting them out of business. They started shouting, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians," and continued shouting that for two hours. Paul had to leave the region the next day after living there for two years.

Inside the Grand Theatre. Paul wanted to appear there and talk to the crowd but his friends compelled him to stay away. A local official finally was able to disperse the rioters.

According to historians, John the apostle lived in Ephesus in his later years and possibly brought Jesus' mother, Mary, with him. John died there around 100 years of age. We visited St. John's Basilica but it's late and it's taking forever to get these pictures to load so I'm not going to post them. He is supposedly buried there.

Tomorrow we take a ship to the Isle of Patmos where John was exiled and received the vision that is recorded in Revelation.

Harvey Work Crews

2017-09-03T21:30:00.008-05:00

Today's crew had a much easier day. We were sent to two homes, both of whom had already removed their soaked carpet.

The first house was another couple in their 70's but they had family who had been helping them with cleanup for 3 days. No raw sewage anymore - thankfully. They needed help getting things in boxes and removed from rooms so they could remove drywall. The owner asked me to pack up her dresser. As I lowered her underwear and socks into boxes, I felt so bad for her having strangers handling her intimate things. Other drawers were filled with momentos from her children and from her years as a school teacher. I was so glad for her that the water had not reached the drawers and they were safe and dry.

As we help people, one thing is always the same. They are often at a loss about what to do. They're a bit dazed and doing their best to just put one foot in front of another. And one thing that always amazes me is that they don't complain. They tell me stories about certain items. "This was my mother's porcelain powder dish..." Or "These were my parents' Russian hymnals." "Please don't throw that dish away--it was my grandmother's." One had a piece of Chinese furniture she had purchased on a trip to China and had shipped home. She was hoping it could be saved because it was teak wood.

I think the saddest sight has been pouring water out of the photo albums of the lady who had 5 feet of water in her house. She had shelves of photo albums and all but a few at the tops were completely saturated. All of her son's baby pictures. Pictures of trips she had taken. It was so heartbreaking. She just stood there in the room looking at them helplessly. We helped her carry them outdoors but I don't think any of them will be able to be saved. Now that we have digital files, make backups and put them in different places. I hear people saying, "Stuff can be replaced. Pictures cannot." This same lady had also done a lot of ancestry research which was apparently all on paper. I didn't see a computer in her home. She mentioned several times that now all her research was gone.

Our second house was a young Chinese family with a baby and a 3 year old. Their house was a year old and only got an inch of water. Still....ick. The mom was totally stressed out tho and left for a hotel with the children. It was a good thing because the house got very dusty once sheet rock started to be cut and removed.

This is definitely the hardest on those with small children and on the elderly. I have seen so many messages on social media asking for help for families who have lost everything and the mother has just had a baby or is about to have a baby. Can you imagine?

Despite the trauma, many Texans are expressing how much they love seeing the kindness toward others and how they wish it could always be this way.

Maybe it can.

Let's do this, crew!

Packing up

Jeff removing flooring

and more flooring...

Zoey learned to use a crowbar like a boss!

Sheet rock, insulation and flooring out but the smell of mold was still overpowering.

The never-ending piles of garbage

Most of the donations that are coming into the church are going out quickly but we o have shelves started indoors. We are supposed to get heavy rains on Tue so things need to start being stored indoors. Its also a bit easier for families to 'shop' for the things that they need in the a/c.

Hurricane Harvey

2017-09-02T21:56:00.000-05:00

We currently live in the Houston area and I have been posting updates on Facebook about the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Our family was not flooded so we are trying to help those who are suffering around us. It just occurred to me that I could be posting the Facebook posts here too, in case anyone is wanting to know what is going on here beyond what you can see on the news.

This was yesterday's post.

I've never done anything as gross as I did today. And I've done some pretty gross things.

I truly cannot imagine what it must be like to see your memories covered in muddy fecal water.

Driving through neighborhoods with street after street lined with years of memories brings an instant lump to your throat. Once you walk up to a home the smell is the first thing to assault your nose. We will never forget the smell. Ever.

The first house belonged to a couple who was in their 80's. They had lived there for 40 years. They were so sweet. The wife had a stroke about a year ago and now a flood. The water got about 2 feet high in their house. A crew from our church was there yesterday so we just had to finish up. We poured water out of lower cabinet items and had to throw most of it away. Anything plastic or porous is unsalvageable.

Honestly, I wouldn't be able to eat off of anything that had been in that water. There just isn't enough bleach in the world....

On the way to the second house we drove through some hard hit areas and were in awe at how high the water had gotten. A small creek had swollen into a river that seemed as wide as the Mississippi. It was incredible. And the power of the water...it bent fences and broke down brick walls.

The second house was much worse. The water had gotten about 5 feet high inside. We were the first ones there and the stench was worse because mold had started to grow. A lady probably in her late 70's or early 80's lived there with her cat. She had a lot of magazines and cookbooks which were so soaked that they sometimes fell apart as we tried to lift them. I had kitchen duty and emptied pots, pans, and any containers in the lower cabinets. I dumped the sewage water as carefully as I could but it sometimes splashed on me. Gag! One big splash went down the front of me and into my rain boot. Is there enough bleach for that?! The kids were such troopers. They lugged soaking wet carpet, furniture---whatever necessary. At one point Jake said to me, "Mom, I stink." If boys think they stink... 😂

The second lady had a grand piano which was so special to her. It was completely ruined. It had to be broken into pieces to get it to the street because it was so heavy. She started to watch the demo and I sent her back inside. Some things are just too hard to watch.

Bless her heart, she wanted to keep her pots and pans, silverware and glass items. But she has no idea where she is going to clean them. And again...is there enough bleach? 😳

We put our shoes and boots on plastic bags in the back of the car, sat on plastic bags and had to keep the windows down to breathe on the drive home.

If our stuff smells that bad I truly cannot imagine that anything that flood waters touched can be cleaned.

Jeff and Jillian will be going out on a crew with us tomorrow. Kate and SaraGrace are a bit sad that they can't help but with their heart conditions they cannot be around all that bacteria.

Soggy piles of people's memories

A view of the street. Every street in this neighborhood looks like this.

My team

This was the owner of the first house thanking the kids for coming. After this, he invited them back inside to chose a hat from his collection.

Kind of hard to see but the fence is bent over and covered with debris.

Brick wall broken down. It went on like this for over and block...just piles of bricks

Entering another neighborhood

Jordan's feet at the end of the day. This was after using Clorox wipes. Ick.

Something I have already grown to love about Texans is their spirit. There has been no complaining. No hand writing. Sadness and grief, yes. A numb disbelief, yes. But the victims are able to try to pull themselves together while church groups, friends and neighbors come, roll up their sleeves and just get things done. We saw several homes with their belongings piled outside but their American and Texas flags still proudly waving.

Last Stop - Guangzhou

2017-05-08T22:13:00.000-05:00

Guangzhou.
Shaman Island area of Guangzhou to be exact.

It's where all of our kids received the paperwork needed to become American citizens when their feet touched US soil. I couldn't wait to show the girls around the place that felt like a second home.

Except I knew it would have changed tremendously since we had been here last.

The American Consulate is no longer on Shamian, so most families stay near its new location while waiting for their paperwork to be processed. The famous White Swan has even had a complete facelift.

I thought one day on Shamian would be enough.
I was so wrong.

If we are able to take the younger kids on a Heritage Tour, we will definitely stay an extra day or two. I wasn't sure if the girls would like Shamian or find it a bit boring.

They LOVED it.

Jillian said it was the only place in China she wasn't afraid to cross the street.

I also need to mention that Guangzhou is not part of the tour. The Heritage Tour ends in Guilin. We opted to take the bullet train to Guangzhou because I really wanted the girls to see where we spent a week of every adoption trip.

After checking into the White Swan--and being totally WOWED by our room--I took everyone across the street to see Christ Church that we attended on every adoption trip. I wish we could have been there on a Sunday this time.

Second stop...Starbucks. We needed coffee and some lunch!

Shamian is so peaceful. My mom and the girls fell in love with it.

Happily, the Phillips family had also planned to come to Guangzhou so the girls all had one more day together.

We have pictures of Zoey and Kate with this statue. So fun!

I was so excited to introduce my family to Michael and his sweet wife, Lily. They remembered us and it was so fun to catch up on their family.

It started pouring so we headed back inside for some pictures in the White Swan. I was thankful that the indoor waterfall was still there.

Molly in front of the waterfall when she was a baby.

And our little blond Chloe as a baby in front of it.

We didn't get to stay at the White Swan when we adopted Jillian (much to our disappointment).

The rooms are now twice as large as they were when we adopted the kids. Unbelievably nice.

And the bathroom.....we felt like princesses for the night!

Another family from our travel group also went to Guangzhou and we all met for dinner at a place with only a Chinese menu. The mom from that family ordered for us. All was yummy except for...

...this tasteless chicken dish which seemed to be boiled and served with the head.

Afterward we went for a walk along the Pearl River. So beautiful at night.

The view over Shamian from our hotel window.

Very early breakfast overlooking the river the next morning before heading to the airport.

I made the girls take this cheesy picture - but we WERE very sad to be leaving China.

Zaijin, China! Hope we can come back someday!

Yangshuo and Guilin

2017-04-27T22:49:00.000-05:00

I forgot to document some of the afternoon after our boat ride down the Li River. Immediately after disembarking, we met a bevy of vendors on our way out to the vans. It looked liked this...

A bit claustrophobic...

This guy was selling photo ops with his cormorants for 3 yuan.

We then went to a large market area where there were stores and restaurants 'for cheaper prices.' We actually saw cooler items in the vendor area but we were told to wait and shop at the market. Rats!

The fruit looked good.

The rat did not. Ewwww....

Then it was time for some fun! There was a 'spa' that offered fish nibbling. You plunge your feet into a fish tank and let the fish eat the dead skin off your feet. Kind of like a pedicure sans the nail polish.

Kind of.

The girls had tried it a few days prior and wanted me to experience it.

It tickled excruciatingly the first few minutes, followed by a pins and needles feeling, and eventually relaxation.

Well...sort of.

Until you looked at your feet and thought,

"Why am I letting fish nibble my feet? How gross is this?"

See for yourself...

********************************************************

The following morning came bright and early with the offer of a group tai chi lesson. I was quite disinterested but the girls wanted to experience everything in China. So off we went.

The scenery was beautiful - which somewhat made up for the early morning and empty stomach. And no coffee.

In fact, it was so beautiful that I soon became bored and distracted (oh look! Squirrel!). I wandered off to take some pictures.

Ahhhhh...fabulous view.

Li River Cruise in Guilin

2017-04-23T17:38:00.001-05:00

I have always wanted to do the Li River Cruise in Guilin. The pictures I have seen were fascinating and beautiful. None of them prepared me for the breathtaking scenery however. It was stunning. My pictures could not capture the true magic of the place. You will have to go see it for yourself!

Chloe and Molly and their new friend, Grace

Delightful meal offerings. We had a box lunch provided by the tour instead.

After a four hour boat cruise (that seemed like half that time because we were in awe), the girls were taken to a cooking school to learn to make four Chinese dishes. Yum!

Getting ready to start the class.

Concentrating...

Chopping...

Serving up Kung Pao Chicken. Yum!

While they were cooking, Mom and I took a walk along the Li River. So pretty.

Don't be jealous.

We ate a delicious dinner of this Kung Pao chicken and two different types of dumplings. It was so delicious. The parents all agreed that it was the best meal meal we had in China.

After dinner, we attended a famous light show designed by the same man who did the Beijing Olympic opening and closing ceremonies. It was quite a feat, with 700 actors and actresses.

Street scene outside the amphitheater.

A very enjoyable show despite the constant loud talking behind us. haha Our guide told us that we needed to tell people to be quiet if they were loud - but of course we didn't. It's a very different culture so we just go with it as much as possible.

Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi'an

2017-04-21T21:38:00.000-05:00

We are home and since I finally have a connection again, I'm going to finish writing out our trip so I can print it for the girls.

I have always wanted to see the Terra Cotta Warriors so I was very excited about going to Xi'an. We arrived in the afternoon and went to the city wall for a bike ride. So fun! It looks very similar to the Great Wall -- just not built on a mountain. It was originally around the entire city but the city has expanded well beyond the wall now.

Kite flying is very popular on the wall.

Off they go!

The next day it was off to see the warriors bright and early. First we stopped at a Terra Cotta Warrior factory (aka touristy gift shop) where we could get warriors at a cheaper price.

Welcome!

We made a few purchases and then it was time to see the warriors. I had seen pictures of it but was still amazed.

The first Qin Emperor built them, wanting to take his army into his next life. He had all of them built in secrecy underground. All who didn't die during the building period were put to death when it was completed to keep the secret. Within four years of his death, the next emperor located it, smashed all the warriors and set it on fire.

It lay there unknown until 1974 when some farmers, digging a well, uncovered heads, arms and legs. In terror, they reported their find to the government. Excavations began and are still continuing. There are three pits, each containing thousands of warriors, horses, officials, etc.

I had no idea that the warriors had all been smashed. Only one was found intact. They are putting them together piece by piece. What painstaking work!

The first sight...so amazing.

A closer look

So many broken pieces!

Some of the horses

The warrior hospital. As the men are reassembled, they look like this. They glue as many pieces as they find and fill in the rest. The detail is incredible.

We were then told we could go into a special room where there was a chariot and horses which was 'very special.' There was a crush of people and the 'special room' was the bottleneck. Too late we realized there was no turning around. At one point someone started pushing and I had to throw a body block to keep Molly from getting trampled. I was literally pushing back with my entire weight. Nuts!! All for a glimpse of a chariot that I never really did see. Kevin took my camera, held it over his head and got this shot. Then he went back to body blocking to keep his nieces from being crushed. Whee!

And in other news...

Funny sign of the day on the door of the bathroom stall (bottom right).

Pandas in Chengdu

2017-04-14T05:07:00.003-05:00

Today was the much-anticipated trip to the Panda Park.
Or Panda Ark, as the sign said.

As an aside, I have had to only post the pictures I take with my iPhone to the blog because I can't get a decent enough connection to post the huge files that my good camera produces. Sorry for the blurryish pics.

On the way to the park, another tour bus pulled up beside ours at a light. Everyone on the bus was wearing a panda hat. Do you think they were going to the Panda Ark? I started waving at them and they waved back.

The restroom facilities were decent, although only the squatty potties. There was one western toilet with a long line. Thank goodness it was barrier free because I'm not sure what one would do with one that had a barrier. heh. It was a single stall and when one unfortunate soul attempted to evacuate it, SIX tiny, old women rushed in. SIX. I heard someone yelling 'one' in Chinese and eventually five of them dejectedly filed back out to wait their turn.

Enough with the bathroom stories.

Pandas.
They are ridiculously cute.
You can hold one if you want. For $300 US dollars.
So we didn't.
Obviously.

They are pretty much the same. Except one has a cute jacket. That's all.

Adorable babies. (Don't worry, Katie, I have good pictures of them on my good camera)

Asking to take pictures with random American strangers is still a thing here. I always oblige and now I have started taking pictures of them too. haha

Our new friends from the tour bus checking their phones to see if their photos with American strangers were flattering enough to post to social media.

Selfie-sticks are also still wildly popular and you need to walk carefully to avoid being poked in the eye by them.

My mom wasn't sure she wanted to walk the entire panda park but was kindly encouraged by other members of our group with the enticement of "there is a gift shop at the top of the hill." hahahahaha

This guy was so cute! He rolled around and put on a brief show for us. Pandas barely move because there is not much nutrition in bamboo. What little there is must be reserved for moving around--hence they rarely do so. They are second to koalas for lack of movement.

"I've used up all my energy for today."

We found many 4-leaf clovers in the forest. "Very lucky."

Group photo! So many beautiful girls.

Then we went to eat some typical spicy Sichuan food - although I think they went easy on us because most of it was not spicy.

This was posted on the three steps leading out to a patio. Something got lost in the translation....

We were then taken to a popular local shopping area where we had the choice to shop or get a massage. Aahhhhhh.... The girls went shopping and mom and I (along with 5 others) went for the massage. They put us all in one large room and went to work. It was amazing, as they always are in China. No wimpy back rubs. They get in there and work every tight muscle. All for only $25 per hour.

Heavenly.

The girls purchased pendants with their Chinese names written on a grain of rice and put inside the pendant. Really cool keepsake!

Tonight we are going to a Chinese opera after dinner. It is probably the only thing we are doing on this trip that I am not looking forward to. If you wonder why, google Chinese opera. You will be shivering from the awful tonal sounds.

Chengdu, Sichuan

2017-04-13T09:24:00.000-05:00

Most of today was spent traveling to Chengdu so I don't have many adventures to share. We arrived mid-afternoon and were taken to a local park where many people come to have tea and play games. In an odd twist, you can also pay to have your neck massaged and your ears cleaned.

Yep...you heard that right...ear cleaning.
It's a thing.
At the park.
With your tea.

Because that's a logical activity to go alongside taking tea at a park.

So we joined in.

The girls have forbidden me to share any pictures of them getting their ear massaged with various instruments of torture. So I guess I'll take one for the team.

Random street scene.

For dinner we met an American basketball coach who lives here and has a ministry to coaches and athletes. She and some of the athletes on her team took us to eat typical Sichuan food. Soooooo yummy! Sichuan is known for their spicy food but they went easy on us and only got 'little' spicy. Not 'mouth feeling numbing' like our guide told us about.

The restaurant

This dinner totally made up for the dreadful fish I couldn't eat on the plane. I was ravenous by the time dinner came. Mmmmm...delicious.

This adorable little girl came with her Mama and reminded me so much of my girls when they were little.

This woman was a professional soccer player but is now retired.

And here is a picture of mom at the airport with some of our bags. Kevin said it was Mom with all her suitcases full of souvenirs -- which totally cracked us up (because it's so plausible).

Street scenes at night in Chengdu

Beijing - Day 4 Forbidden City

2017-04-12T08:25:00.000-05:00

Today was full, exhausting and fun!

We started the day at the Forbidden City. The girls have been hitting it off with so many of the girls on the tour. I have a friend who I 'met' on the Internet when we were both adopting our first daughters. We have kept in touch through the years and her three daughters are similar ages to our three oldest. We didn't realize we were both on this tour until a few months ago. So fun! Definitely a sweet bonus from God.

Panda rode around the Forbidden City in my camera bag. He was too tired to walk.

My girls and Linda's girls

After Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City, we were treated to the Hutong section of Beijing where 300 year old homes have been preserved and are still lived in. We were taken there by rickshaw - one of my favorite modes of transportation. It was a huge hit with the girls. We then ate lunch in a traditional Chinese home. It was delicious!

Lunch in a Hutong family home

Pathway along the lake in the Hutong area

After that it was off to the CCCWA-- the Chinese Center for Adoption. During our adoptions, it was the place of great mystery and the focus of our thoughts and prayers. They handled the paperwork for all of the babies and adoptive parents. There is a department called the "Matching Room" where the babies and parents are matched. Only Jillian and Molly were chosen for us this way. After that we chose our children from waiting child lists -- but the matches were still confirmed and processed in the matching room. I think most of the parents got a bit emotional today as we entered the building. Their current site is not where they were located when we adopted most of our kids. They moved there in 2007, so only Jordan, Zoey and Kate would have been matched there. We were allowed to see the room and also the thick files holding all the information of current children waiting to be matched in the room next door. It was pretty moving.

The girls then went upstairs and had a lesson in Chinese calligraphy. So fun for them! They did a great job. The hardest characters for them were their names.

Chloe's calligraphy

Afterwards we went to a local restaurant for the infamous Peking Duck. They served the meal in the usual way - with about 10 different dishes first and then the Peking Duck at the end. It was another delicious meal. It's a good thing we have been doing a great deal of walking or we would be gaining weight despite eating with chopsticks at every meal.

Peking Duck

Mom has been a magnet for the relentless vendors at every stop. This has earned her a great amount of teasing from Linda's son-in-law, Kevin. He is here without his wife and since mom is solo as well, he has taken to calling her Grandma and pairing up with her. He keeps telling her he is going to have to hold her wallet until she can be responsible with it since she doesn't wait for 'best price' and just gives the vendors what they ask for without bargaining. hahahaha It's been quite entertaining. He has killed several sales for them because he talks her out of purchasing things. My dad would be getting a huge kick out of it.

'Rolex' watches....very cheaper for you.

Mom's new grandson, Kevin.

Tomorrow we fly to Chengdu!

Beijing Day 3 - Great Wall

2017-04-11T08:19:00.001-05:00

Today was an exciting and exhausting day! We were up early to take a bus with the rest of our tour group to climb the Great Wall. On the way, there was an obligatory stop at the Jade Museum where we were given an explanation of how the jade was made into items for purchase. After debating over several items, Jillian, Chloe and my mom were about to make a purchase when suddenly, the stone fell out of the necklace Jillian was about to purchase. Talk about an immediate sales killer. ha Both girls backed out and then mom also bailed, leaving the sales ladies bewildered and disappointed. They said, "You can just glue." Um....no. We will just go to JCPenney and get the same thing for less money.

In case any of you wowen need to use the bathroom....

Shu-Shu thought the rings were pretty.

We were so excited to get to the Great Wall. They took us to a place that is extremely steep---ahhhhh--we were hoping for the location with the ski lift to the top. Rats! Molly and Chloe wanted to go all the way up and went with a friend. Jillian, Mom and I went quite high but had no interest in going to the end because we were basically about to die. Our legs were like rubber when we came down but it was worth it. We all loved the Great Wall!

All smiles at the base of the Wall

View through the window in one of the guard houses.

Beautiful blossoms

Yes, it IS as steep as it looks.

After the Wall, we were taken to lunch at a place that is in the same building as a Cloisonné Factory. I have been taken to the Jade Museum and the Cloisonné Factory on almost every adoption trip. So it was fun to show the girls -- but not buy anything because the prices are ridiculously high for tourists.

Painstaking work.

Yummy lunch!

We arrived back at the hotel around 3:30. We were so exhausted. We ventured out to try to buy water and a few snacks which the girls found very interesting.

They chose some candy which was challenging since it was all in Chinese. They liked everything except one. Fortunately, the candy is very inexpensive so no great loss if they don't like something.

For dinner we went to a noodle shop and the food was delicious! And cheap -- only $7 for all four of us. They wanted Baskin and Robbins afterwards which was $14 for three of them. Hmmmm.....

They love China but have found crossing the street to be terrifying. I had told them it was like Frogger and now they understand what I meant. You don't just cross all the way. You go...then you stop halfway across so you don't get hit by the oncoming traffic. Sometimes one of the lanes has a driver who will stop but the one next to him does not. So... Frogger. It doesn't matter that you are in the cross walk. This time there are a lot more motorbikes and three of us have had near misses with them.

Tomorrow is Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, rickshaw ride to the Hutong area for lunch and the afternoon at CCCWA offices where the girls were matched to our family.