Teeth to brush, Rolling with the Tide!...and a sightseeing trip to Xian City

 Today we paid homage to the 60's with our Flower Power and Heart-O-Plenty sweaters and stylish jeans.  But before we hit the streets of the city it was time for some proper hygiene.  What the pictures don't reflect is both Meritt and me having our teeth brushed over, and over, and over and over again...absolutely nothing better!

After breakfast we Skyped with Matt, Macey and Grandmother...we got to hear about Matt's awesome basketball game and talk with Macey about preparing a paper for a scholarship opportunity at Samford University...what joy it brings us to be able to catch up with them each day!!!

We watched the Tide Roll over LSU...well, I kept one eye on the game while making bead bracelets (which I was asked to wear by the girls...warmed my heart), coloring, playing with stickers and A LOT of drawing on the magnidoodle...they love to draw!  Matt and Marshall kept me up to speed on the game  by texting about key plays.  At half-time we took a stroll, run, jump and scream trip down the halls of the hotel to get some exercise.  The girls love it...they hold hands, jump out from behind corners to scare each other, and generally giggle the whole time (although the giggling may more be related to how Meritt runs down the hall with us).

Two quick stories before I finish with the pictures below.  Last night, after bath time (another story in itself), Meritt and the girls laid down on the bed for book time and all three quickly fell asleep.  It was the most picture perfect moment...all three tucked into bed (Meritt in the middle) with only their faces showing from under the covers...beautiful girls!  And, yes I missed the perfect picture moment...and it is all I have thought about all day.  I told Meritt she had to recreate the moment again tonight so I could share it with you all.  We'll see!?!

Second story - while we were drawing and playing stickers and beads Maggie and Mary Henley began a deep conversation in which Meritt and I could make out the words Mama and Baba (daddy).  They would go on and on and on mentioning Mama this and Mama that...yada yada yada...and then every once in while we would hear the word Baba followed by giggles and laughs!  We have no idea what they were saying...but I am quite certain it has something to do with my hair...both the lack of it on my head, and the over-abundance everywhere else.  I get it...it's not pretty. 

We visited a very old Bagota (first built in 500AD) today and learned some very fascinating history of Xian City.  And although I really like the historically aspect of our sightseeing...it was very cold, the traffic was really bad, and the girls could not touch anything...and it was really cold!

 We climbed about a billion steps to reach the top of the wall that surrounds inner Xian city...it is an amazing structure and really cool.

 The girls, Meritt and Celine looking over the wall into central Xian City...

We had a lot of fun today just hanging out with each other...Maggie seems to be hitting her stride and Mary Henley keeps holding us together.  Perfect example...as we normally do, Meritt and I have been praying before each meal...well the last two meals (including tonight's dinner) after scrambling to find something  on the buffet that girls would eat, getting Meritt situated with something that agreed with her while she entertained two four-year olds with food, and then getting myself a plate we have forgotten to pray...so, halfway through each meal Mary Henley has reminded us that we forgot to pray...she did this by folding her little hands together and bowing her head!  To quote Forrest Gump..."that's all I gonna say about that"...unless you want me to start crying.

We visit the Terracotta dudes tomorrow...still praying for guidance on the visit to Maggie's orphanage which would be Thursday, pick up Maggie's Passport Friday and fly to the Guangzhou Friday evening.  Can you tell we are counting the days!?!?

We look so forward to being home with all you very soon!