Another Beautiful Chinese Day!!!

We got up early today and headed out on a bus to go see the Shaolin Temple which is where the martial art of Kung Fu was founded. I wanted to see as much of Eisley's home province and country as possible, so I'm glad we went. We travelled for about 2 hours to get there and a lot of it was in the city. I can't believe how huge this city is, it just keeps going and going and going. Finally we got out of it and started getting into the mountain regions. They are beautiful. The mountains are huge and there are lots of trees and when the haze from the city cleared a little it was a beautiful day! We stopped for a little squatty potty break, which is one the best things about China, truly !!! HAHAHAHA! Then we arrived at the temple where 8000 boys practice Kung Fu daily. It was really hard to understand our guide because he had a lisp and a very very thick accent but from what I learned the boys leave home and come live at this huge school. They run for two hours every single day and then practice. They are formed in groups where they can move up and then one person is chosen to be the best out of the group. He then can get a really great job as a bodyguard or some other high ranking security type job. It costs their parents lots of money to send them here and they also learn basic schooling and I assume some sort of Buddist religion since there are monks all over the place. We walked a lot and up lots of stairs. We saw lots of big Buddhas and learned that Chinese Buddhas are chubbier and smiling with their arms folded, the other Buddha that is normally seen is an Indian Buddha which is skinnier and has it's eyes closed and hands together in meditation. We also learned that Buddhism is all about balance, peace and serenity and this really was a peaceful place. There were lots of people, pushing and shoving, which we have come to realize is very very normal. I had quite a few Chinese ladies come up and try to cover Eisley's legs and kind of shake their heads at me like I was doing something wrong and I just kept saying "it's ok, it's ok" they are very particular about bundling their babies and usually the poor things are sweating so bad, they must be so hot!!! I even had a monk come up and try to get me to put her down because he thought she obviously shouldn't be with me but then our guard explained why all the American's were here with Chinese babies and then he said "oh, very very good!" I really liked the temples and little pagoda's and statues all over, and the gardens were beautiful. There are big statues all over and incense burning at every entrance to the next phase of the temple. It is surrounded by such gorgeous scenery and it was a nice little oasis from the very busy city life we've been around the last few days. We got to see a Kung Fu Show which was fun to watch. They really are very talented and very very strong, it is obvious this is not an art that is taken lightly here.

Eisley was very good for most of it, her little personality is showing up more and more. She does not like to sit, she wants to stand and be held, when she doesn't get her way, she throws her head back and kicks her little legs as hard as she can so it's pretty hard to hold her. For being as tiny as she is, she is very strong and stubborn! She should fit right in! She is a great little eater and is very friendly and happy and waves to everyone! She uses some sign language which I'm sure she learned at the Healing Home, she says more, hungry and a few other signs that we can't figure out. She doesn't vocally say anything at all, except maybe mama and lala, she tries to sing when someone is singing and dances a little, it is so cute when she does that! I am anxious to see what the Dr says about her cleft palate and lip, I think her lip looks great. She has about 10 teeth, it's hard to tell for sure, and the roof of her mouth is completely wide open. She can't suck a bottle very well, but if I sit her up a bit, she seems to do ok. She is so sweet and so beautiful, I am just so grateful for this opportunity. On the way home from the temple today everyone in our group was singing and talking. We had such a great time, I am with some really amazing people. All of us are so different, but I am blown away by the goodness, kindness and Christlike qualities these people have. I have loved getting to know them and learning their stories and meeting their children. I feel like there is a reason we were all put in this group together and I am so happy to have gotten to know them! I am also so very very grateful for Loreen and Becky. They are troupers, carrying around bags, taking a billion pictures, supporting me in all my craziness and helping me a ton. You would think three grown, very experienced mothers would be able to get it all together and take care of one very small toddler, but we work as a team to give her her bottles, dress her, bathe her, feed her and help each other. I wish I could have them at my house when I get home to help me because they have been lifesavers to me on this trip. We gave Eisley a bath last night (which she really really hates) and we were trying to help her to calm down so we decided to give her a "spa" treatment and I held her with her head over the bath in her towel all wrapped up while they washed her hair and massaged her head. it was hilarious because Eisley was just in heaven. I won't be able to do the spa treatment at home alone ha ha ha! And they help me when I lose my phone and every other new mom scatterbrained thing I'm doing. I will have to get it together when I get home, but for now, I'm very grateful to have them be my brains and my packhorses! They are wonderful and I love them and their sweet families for letting them come with me and sacrificing their busy lives to help me on this incredible journey! I miss my family and home, but I'm so happy to experience all that I'm experiencing-what a wonderful opportunity this is!!!!