Update...and belated look back at Beijing

I badly wanted to revisit our trip to China day by day, but I got really sick and just couldn't bring myself to expend the energy. The mom train rolled on in our house, and I endured Halloween, the following weekend, and all this week while barely hanging on by a thread. My voice came back yesterday, just in time for Shawn to come down with the stomach flu. He is now down and out... and just for those wondering, the dad train apparently DOES NOT roll on...the mom train takes over. Sigh. So, as you can see, I haven't had time to blog or read blogs..so I'm really missing some of my other bloggy friends.

I've also realized that it's hard for me to revisit the China trip the way I wanted to. With this one year milestone, I know now how much I miss it there...not only the sights, foods, and cultural experiences, but most importantly the emotional part of the trip that led up to and came after our meeting Ian. Words can barely describe what that trip meant to us. It wasn't just "cool" or "humbling". It was truly life changing...and hard to recount without some deep introspection, and I don't have that kind of energy these days. One day I'll write out a really detailed account of how that trip changed me and how I really feel, but by then it will be just for Ian. He deserves that, I think.

To catch up through the Beijing leg, I've posted a handful of our favorite pictures up to when we flew out to Hangzhou on Nov. 3rd. In the next couple of days, I will catch up with Hangzhou with a special pause to talk about that day, today's remembrance, and how we spent our first anniversary of "forever family day".

Also, welcome home mom & dad (grama & paga)! They arrived home yesterday from a 2 week dream trip through the Panama Canal. I'm still SO jealous!

First day of sightseeing...no need for introduction: Mao & The Forbidden City

The Empress's Garden in the Forbidden City. It was really beautiful

Inside the Temple of Heaven grounds. I loved all the people hanging out and playing cards and tile games...talking, laughing, smoking... It was extremely cold and windy, but you'd never know it by watching them tell stories I'll never understand, do tai chi, and drink tea like they had no cares.

For those who followed our trip, you know that my mantra was "Duck is Yuck" despite my smile. Holy cow was it different than I thought it would be!


Still one of my favorite China shots. Nothing short of going yourself could describe the odd, uneven, STEEP characteristics of certain sections of the Great Wall. If we go back to Beijing when Ian's older, it will definitely be to make him scale this bad boy. It might just be the discipline I threaten him with in the coming years.

How cold do I look here? It was below 30 degrees on the Wall and extremely windy. Who knew I'd need more than a windbreaker?

By far one of our best meals in China was in an obscure restaurant between Beijing and Baoding...

I can almost taste the garlic sauteed broccoli. I'm still trying to find a Chinese restaurant to properly replicate it.

Our Guide Anna explaining the pilgrimage of Ming's Tomb. Before we left, we taught her how to say "that's off the hook, dog!". It was hilarious to hear her repeat it back to us.


A common crowd of Chinese tourists. This was at Summer Palace.

If it weren't so cold, I would have wanted to spend more time at Summer Palace. It has the longest continuous covered walkways in the world... and every square inch is hand painted and beautiful.

I couldn't always hear or understand Anna as she explained the history at Summer Palace... But it was still breathtaking, in any language.

Preparing for the Hutong tour. It was our last day in Beijing...and we were exhausted, and only a few days away from becoming parents!

Common transportation in China. I couldn't imagine leaving without a picture of a national icon


The outside of a Hutong. That tour was the icing on our time in Beijing...and extremely humbling. I'll never complain about the things I don't have again.