Traveling Back In Time: Back to China DAY 8- Part one

If there was one word I could use to describe our trip to China last summer I think I would say "Chaotic"...

Trying to get out there and see China when dealing with a seriously slumpy, seriously obstinate little five year old who didn't speak our language was exceptionally trying on all of us.  Perhaps that is why I stopped blogging while we were there... I was just TOO exhausted to blog!!

But just because I stopped blogging doesn't mean our trip stopped, so I've decided to take us all back in time, to talk about what did happen during the rest of our China trip.  The truth is, I stopped blogging right as it all got a lot better.  Each day was better than the one before!

So, we're traveling back in time on this beautiful Friday to our first Friday with Chengbin in China.  Day 8 of our trip and our fifth day with Chengbin!

 This was our first day of touring.  We hoped for the best, but at the time Chengbin was extremely difficult when we would leave our hotel room and go out in public.  He would just plain- shut down.
But China only lasts so long and we thought maybe, just maybe, taking him out might do him some good.  Our first stop was to a Buddhist Temple in Guangzhou.

He really wasn't sure about any of this.  He was slumpy and did not smile at all.

 

 

This monk was just sitting at the entrance next to this great big freaky statue.. He seemed so at peace to be sitting next to this thing...

 Looking at his expression reminds me how far he really has come... He just didn't know WHAT to think!!  I asked him now what he was thinking and he says he was scared.

 The buildings and architecture were just beautiful.  I tried so hard to capture the details that made it so special.

 This man was offering sacrifices to one of the "Gods"... This is the part that as a Christian made me sad.  I wonder if this man has ever been told about Jesus?

 This is female Buddha who was described as the god of protection.  There was a group of ladies standing in front of her with their sacrifices, bowing up and down, up and down.  It's probably the moment that stands out the most.  I would figure out why this stands out a few days later...

Can you see why we were exhausted??  He didn't want to walk.  He didn't want to be carried.  He simply did not want to be there at all.  Now he can explain to me that he just wanted to keep playing with his toys in the hotel room.  But it was exhausting going around with Mr. Obstinate. ;)

 Kate tried so hard to be sweet and cheer him up, but nothing worked... By the time we got back into the van he was crying.  Matt & I both felt defeated, but then, he did this...

He grabbed his Baba's arm!  And we all calmed down and mustered up the strength for round 2- the park!!

Thanks for stopping by to reminisce,
Fannie, Matt, Katie, & Chengbin