There is a quote: "LIFE IS NOT ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORMS TO PASS.... IT'S ABOUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN."
With 12 children and 5 adopted from Russia, we have had challenges and trials along with our joys. We have decided that we must
learn how to "dance in the rain." We must notice and acknowledge the joys and miracles in our lives.
They exist daily -- we just need to make sure we do not miss them!! This blog is to remind us of these miracles and joys!

Sunday, October 5, 2014

AUGUST 13, 2014 -- TONGLI

TONGLI
AUGUST 13, 2014

A colleague of Dad's invited us to a 2 day trip to Tongli and Wuzhen.  Mandy was a visiting professor at University of Arkansas last winter semester and her daughter has attended the university and just graduated in May of 2014 and is continuing on in a masters program.  Mandy lives and teaches at a university north of Beijing.  She was visiting a university in Shanghai for a presentation and asked to come see us and go to dinner.  When she called her friend to see if she could borrow a car, he said "No.  I will take you and your friends and we will go on a trip."  The kind man took all of us on a 2 day trip with meals, hotels, etc. and it was incredible!!!!

 Our first stop was a small water town called Tongli.





 Bethany and Rebecca


 Amy

























 Everyone loves Mason and his red hair!  Mason is such a good sport and takes pictures with everyone!


 This is one thick, concrete door!











 Rebecca

 Daniel

 Bethany and Amy
 Mason and Dad -- Mason hits the ceiling







 Benjamin and his new shirt


 Rachel

 Bethany
 David and Mason



 Mason likes to pose for his pictures!




 He chooses his own poses!













 This is a famous picture spot because it is where the leader of China came and he had his picture taken here.




This big rock is a good luck stone of sorts.  Legend says that the higher up you can touch the stone, the longer your life will be!



Benjamin refused to participate.  :)  
He wasn't going to let a rock decide his fate!

 Dad showed us all how it is done!


 Bats are good luck.  This circle on the ground has shapes of bats in it and there is a certain way you walk around it for good fortune in life.



 Rachel loved seeing a Chinese artist at work.



 A man making combs out of animals horns
 Wow David!!! 


 These are names of movies made in this water town.











 If you walk across this bridge, it will bring you good luck.




 Rebecca "photo bombs" the picture of our cars.  
They had 3 cars with drivers to take us around.

 We were treated to a very fancy Chinese banquet.  
We had 16 people around this huge round table!


These traditional Chinese dishes tested the strength of some of us.  We ate dead silk worms, eel/snake, and unique vegetables, shrimp with their heads and eyeballs intact, and fish with lots of bones.   Our host just was so confused because we didn't drink tea or coffee.  They ordered apple juice which the kids LOVED!!!  Oh, and plain rice for Mason, of course.


 David tried Chicken Feet!

 Our host, Mr. Yu and his wife




 Mason makes a toast!


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