Life for us Lanzhou

Hi, it is Traci writing again. Anthony and Anthony are out for the morning and Amanda and I are staying in. This is a free day for us—Amanda is napping while I write. In a little while I will go upstairs to our guide's room where a tailor is. He is going to take measurements of me and Amanda. He will make a silk shirt for me and a dress for Amanda out of silk. I think this might be a good outfit for baby dedication. In the afternoon, I am going for a 100 minute massage. It will cost 65 RMB. That is $7.29 US. Tony will go for a massage at 3:00. Life is very rough here in Lanzhou!!!!!! LOL.

The kids are doing great. Anthony was a bit more whinier than normal, but then again he is only 3 years old. Amanda once again would not take a bottle from her Daddy, but ate it down for me.

I was hoping to continue losing weight here in China, but I am afraid that I am gaining back all I lost. Yesterday we went out for an outstanding dinner as a group. We sat at round tables with a lazy susan in the middle. Dishes kept coming out and out. We ate so great---it was like eating Thanksgiving dinner. The food was outstanding. The dumplings served in celebration of our adoptions were beyond excellent. Anthony IV ate great!!! He especially loved the barbeque pork. I can't get over how outstanding the food is. I think I might have to find a new China restaurant for me when we get back home. China Queeen just isn't gonna cut it any more.
Anthony was quite excited in the restaurant to use chop sticks. He was able to pick up a little peanut and put it on my plate. He is getting better and better.


On the way home from the restaurant, we stopped at a fruit store for bananas. Anthony ate 2 down immediately after eating great at the restaurant. We draw quite a crowd as we walk. We ended up sitting outside the hotel enjoying the outdoors. Several children came to vist.

Anthony was showing off for the crowd. Several little dogs were being walked. The babies enjoyed the sites. When I say “we”, I mean our family, but also several other families in our group.

We have been to China for a week. I think I could stay longer than 2 weeks. Yikes....it is time for me to leave for my massage!!!!!

Hi, It's Anthony again. Yep were roughing it here in China. Poor us. Anthony and I had a real good time at the mall. I bought him a real neat remote control excavator. He really likes it. I have no idea how we are going to pack it to get home, but we will try.
Anthony and I went up to the top floor of the shopping mall. That is where all the electronics are located. OK, I thought I died and went to heaven. You would never believe me if I told you of the huge selection of electronics. They offer so much more here to the consumers than we get back in the states. There entire sections for each manufacture filled with Plasma, LCD, and projection Hight Definition TV's. I am talking large areas for Philips, Sony, Pioneer, and at least six other manufactures. The High Definition images were so stunning.

The selection of MP3 players were amazing. There was no less than 125 different players in display cases. What is amazing is that we in the US have relativly few to choose from. You would not know this unless you seen what I did today. (I thought it interesting that I only saw one ipod mini and one ipod shuffle. Nothing else from the ipod line.) The very same thing applies when you talk about televison for the home.

Well, I should call it quits here for now. For all of you at the family reunion, we really wish we couild be there with you. It sounds like so much fun and food. We are not starving here by any strectch of the imagination. If we can't be at the family reunion, at least we can eat like we are.

Love all