Sunday in Xian

Hello from China.
We've decided that we could actually live here if we could read and write Chinese. The people are so friendly and the customer service level is topping a new word for excellent. However, we miss seeing the blue skies. Jenny said that they only see blue skies after a hard rain or snow. Otherwise it's always overcast with pollution and is gloomy. I can do it for a while, but I miss seeing the sky.

Sunday was a fun day. We went downstairs for breakfast and Rachel Qin can eat! Then Jenny came at 10am to take us shopping at the local mall which is about a 5 minute walk up the street. It was an interesting strip mall sort of reminded me of port plaza (in Green Bay in it's good days) although some places let you pay at the end, while others make you pay and then come back to that aisle to pick it up. No rhyme or reason which aisle is which.

I guess most people need food for their room, we made a list like she said and we wanted a suitcase, some clothes for Rachel Qin (undies, socks, dress shoes, some tights, a new outfit, some toys) and we wanted soda and snacks. They don't sell tights because it's considered winter now and kids don't wear dresses in winter. Also they don't sell dress shoes for the same reason, you can only buy sneakers or sandles (shower shoes) for kids. So we bought her a new pair of pink sneakers. The sizes are wacked...so we tried the button up top on her to make sure it would fit. The lady in the store was trying to sell us an outfit that was huge. Mama is a born-shopper so I found the perfect size. Soon we have a crowd around us wondering what we are buying.

Okay, so it's 70 or more degrees outside. Everyone around us is cold. Our little girl is wearing a short sleeve shirt, a heavy sweater, and her winter coat. John and I have on short sleeve shirts. John also has on shorts. People look at us like we are crazy. I would drop if I tried to wear a coat, I was sweating in the mall it was so warm.

The mall was very Walmart-ish. Made me miss being at home. Oh--we also bought a few books for her. Some flashcard words, some playing cards, some little police cards, and legos in a little purse. She loves the legos and cars.

Oh she was eyeing up this bike in the store, I told Jenny to tell her she can have a bike at home. She nodded her head yes.

When we came back to the hotel she had to look at everything and then proudly sat on the floor and looked at all her things.

Then we went to dinner and she tried hamburger. We had hamburger, fries and noodles. :) She loves American food.

Then we checked out the pool and hottub. She's not afraid of the water and will be swimming in no time. She loves the water.

Our little doll :) baby, she makes it all worth that 15 hour plane ride.

**s**