Thankful Thursday!!

We made GREAT breakthroughs today!  I wonder if part of it was because we were on our own for the entire day (without a guide), or maybe God just knew we needed a ray of hope.  Whatever happened, I am just SO thankful!  This morning, I cried to my parents while Skyping.  I needed a cry I think-a little cleansing before we started the day.  We were on our own today, so we braved the subway to the Summer Palace, which is all the way across town.  We had to take Line 10 to Line 4 (switch subways, which involved moving to a different level underground).  Joe is such a good navigator and I was a good side-kick (haha).  The girls had fun with it-they like swiping the cards and hanging on with each stop and start.  Lots of stares at the crazy white people and their Chinese "twins" (matching outfits).  We found a guy named "Joey", who showed us the highlights of the Summer Palace.  $30 well spent!  It was 4 times larger than the Forbidden City, with a replica lake of Hangzhou (where Malia is from).  It was very beautiful, with a nice breeze coming off the lake.  More stairs and rocks to climb.  We joked that Phoebe must think we are a mountain-climbing family, with all the hikes and stairs we've climbed this week! She and Malia were 2 peas in a pod today.  Monkey see, monkey do!  We got REAL smiles from Phoebe, she took my hand once without complaint, and she called "mama" for me to come see the unicorn on her new undies!  Malia asked her (via the translator app) if she was happy.  She said yes! We had ice cream before lunch (it was hot and we got to the Summer Palace around 11:30), had lunch, climbed to the top where the temple is, and got more ice cream.  Again--not above buying ice cream 10 times a day to make our girl happy!  She and Malia shared a bowl of noodles tonight and we took them to the executive lounge for gummy bears, gummy sharks, and french macaroons.  Phoebe was SO happy when I said she could get more gummys!  She went to the pool with us, but would only go in the hot tub.  I think the pool scares her and she would like it if it were warmer.  She was happy sitting at the edge of the hot tub, so we took turns sitting with her.  Progress!  The girls took a LONG shower when we got back to the room and Phoebe would come out, peak out at Joe or I, and run screaming back to the shower!  A fun game!  With all the screaming, we worried we would be kicked out, but who cares!  She was having fun and playing a game with mama and baba!!  Even as I write this, I'm tearful, thinking about what a great day we had!  We are on our own again tomorrow and I'm racking my brain on how to make it a fun day again!  Baba wants to go to a military museum.  Uh-no!  Aquarium, zoo, botanical gardens?  We will find something to use up these girls' energy and offer mama some photo ops!  Praying for another great day!  

a real smile!

Kunming Lake, at the Summer Palace

I LOVE this one!  Phoebe decided she's going to start doing bunny ears on her sister!

taking a break!  a nice, cool breeze off the lake!

monkey see, monkey do!  Phoebe probably can't believe how much her big sister runs!!

Malia wanted a picture by the bamboo.  She loves her pandas and bamboo!

hilly road!

On top of the hill 

best buds!  

a REAL live hedgehog on the way down from the temple!!  Wild hedgehogs in China!!

Somebody put bunny ears on an unsuspecting sister!  Funny stuff!!