Hangzhou Family Vacation Pictures

I started this post in the next entry down. (A First Time For Everything) So...scroll down, read the next post, and then come back to this one. Otherwise this entry won't make as much sense. Sorry, I can't figure out how to change the order of the entries.

Some of the pavilions on one of the islands in Xihu (West Lake.)


We spent our second day hiking these mountains. Hiking in the rain all day, we started at the arrow on the right and went to the arrow on the left. I have no idea how far it was (as in miles) but it wasn't just trails/paths it was lots and lots of stairs. At least more than 1000 we did. But what's really amazing is not that we (Michael and I) did that. But that Gabe did every single one of those steps by himself. That's a lot for those little legs. We were so proud of him becuase he wanted to do it!


A view of the lake and the "Melting Snow On Broken Bridge" from the mountain. Seriously, that's the name of the bridge.


Baochu Pagoda. In the distance on the top of the mountain. First built in AD 963. Amazingly the original did not contain an internal staircase. A engineering feat for something that tall. Less than halfway through our hike. A look back at the ground we had covered so far. A great view.


Chuyang Platform is just visible in the distance on the mountain hillside.

Here we are inside a park containing "Huanglong Dong" or Yellow Dragon Cave. This place is famous for its never-ending stream of water spurting from the head of a yellow dragon several meters down into a pool below.






If you look at the first picture in the "A First Time For Everything" entry you will see the nice first class waiting room at the Shanghai train station. This picture of the waiting room at the Hangzhou train station. It's not first class, it's everyone else. This room was chaos!


Well that's it for now. I have been trying for over an hour now to get more pictures into this entry but it isn't happening. And it's late, I am tired. So I am heading off to bed soon. Hope you enjoy what I was able to get posted. But before I go, there are two things I wanted to mention.

First, there is a family that we have connected with and been praying for over the last year. They live in the States. They recently lost their 3 year old daughter, Anna, to cancer. I won't take the time to go into all of the details. But please, please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers. Their faith in our Father has never wavered. In fact it has been stronger than most people I know, even over the last 14 months as they fought an awful fight. Thanks for your prayers!

Secondly, there is no official word still on if we are staying or going. I am getting more anxious and less patient by the hour. I feel like I keep saying this but, hopefully we will know something soon! Goodnight.

A First Time For Everything

This past weekend we went on our first family of four vacation. We visited the city of Hangzhou, which is south of Shanghai. Here is a little information on Hangzhou. The city’s history can be traced to around 8,000 years ago. The city was developed around a lake called Xihu. Which, translated into English means West Lake. The lake is 1,606 acres. For you MI people that is around 2/3 the size of Gull Lake. And for AL folks it's roughly 1/27 the size of Lake Martin. (Ha! Not much of a reference point.) For you MO folks, sorry to say I have no good comparison. Anyway, the lake is located at the city's center. Numerous small canals run off the lake and the city was built with its buildings on the edge of those canals. Back then, the canals were used as roads. All the buildings faced the water so the passers by could visit, see each other, and shop. Unfortunately, most of those buildings are long gone, but you are still able to get the general idea.

We had a great time on our vacation even though it was raining off and on most of the weekend. Hopefully we will be able to go back for another visit when it won't be raining. We took over 120 pictures while there for 2 days. I can't put them all on this sight. But I will put up a few of the best. For those of you with Facebook, I put them all on my page. Check them out if you want. Here are a few...

First Class waiting area at the train station. Open, clean, quiet, overall very nice.


Michael and Maddox on the boat ride to the islands in the lake.


Jessica and Gabe waiting on the boat.


Gabe said he wanted his picture taken with his leg up on the rock because, "I look good." Then he said Maddox needed to be in the picture, "So he can look good to." This picture was taken on one of the islands in the lake. The islands name is "Chong Er" which means Endless Romance Here.


A view from the island. In the background is "Leifeng Xizhao" or Evening Sunlight at Thunder Peak Pagoda. Rebuilt in 2002 after the origional collapsed in 1924. The foundation dates back to AD 976.


Now you can scroll back up and finish reading the previous post. (Hangzhou Family Vacation Pictures) Sorry for the confusion. I am technology challenged.

The Middle or The End?

I know it has been a long, long time since the last post. It is not that things aren't happening here. It's just a matter of finding the time and words to describe them. Michael and I often say that so much of what we see and experience here is hard/impossible to describe for those back in the States. I wish I was more gifted in the area of creative writing. I'm sure my posts then would be more frequent and fun filled. Sorry to you all!

The Middle or The End? Is April 2008 going to be the middle point of a two year adventure here or the end of our one year stay? We do not know. Some of you may be saying, "What? How could you not know? April is next month! Don't you need to know soon to make your plans for the future?" My response is this.....We are more than ready to know! April will be here before we know it. So we are attempting to make future plans for whatever happens. We are really hoping to know something definite soon!!! In the event we are not staying, we will pack up and fly back to the States for good at the end of April. We will leave here with a boat load of amazing memories, adventures, and friends. In the event we do stay, we will come back to the States for a period of a few weeks at the end of April/beginning of May. We would plan on spending some time in Alabama, Michigan, and Missouri seeing friends, family, and tying up loose ends that come about from spending another year here. Then return here for another year.

Another big question we are being asked, "What do you want to do? Go or stay?" Honestly, it depends on the day. Most of the time we truly love it here! As I have said so many times, this is an AMAZING culture, place, and people. We have a great life. We have made so many international friends. Our "world" has been made so much larger by the things we are exposed to and can reflect on. The boys are getting to have a life that not many kids get. We really feel that they are getting to see and experience things that will help them live their lives to the fullest when they are older. This is a once in a life time opportunity for us, we don't want to miss out on all the things it has to offer. But, on the flip side of the coin, we really miss a lot of things. Our family, friends, church, Krispy Kreme, family, no situations made crazy by everyone not speaking the same language, Qdoba, driving, friends, not having to pay $5 for a box of Kraft mac & cheese, our dogs, not being able to "be right there" for people in times of need, family and friends. You get the idea I'm sure. And while our experiences here are great, at times the longing and sadness I feel for the things of "home" gets pretty huge. Especially on Sundays. Which have always been a day for church, family and friends. The bottom line? Whatever God wants to happen will. We know that. And we have confidence and feel good about that. But what do we want? Overall we want to stay here. Being here is temporary. We will end up back in the States at some point. And for now, if it's His will, we want to stay here and continue to experience, enjoy, and grow from our adventures. For us and the boys.

We will try to keep anyone interested in what our plans are "in the loop." I'm assuming some of our readers are actually interested. (I think that is a safe assumption. I hope it is.) Pray for us if you will. That the answer will be from Him and come swiftly. We are ready to know!