A Day in Dianbai

We awoke on our first morning in Dianbai to head to the local store to purchase a few gifts for the orphanage. We had fun selecting toys and candy for the children as well as necessities such as diapers  and formula, and a few gifts for the nannies as well. 

Lottie got to go in and see the orphanage where she spent the first year of her life and meet some of the very ladies who placed her in our arms. She went with us to visit the orphanage on our first trip to China, but of course she didn't remember anything as she was only 11 months old. 

We have a similar picture taken here when she was just a baby...

Outside of the Orphanage gate in Dianbai...

With the orphanage director, who was the assistant director when Lottie was a baby and the one who placed Lottie in our arms   

9 years ago...

Lottie's finding spot in a busy market in Dianbai...once alone and abandoned...now with a Mommy and a Daddy...

and now pictured in the same spot with a Mimi and a Paw Paw...

and her 3 siblings....

and her Aunt and Uncle and cousins too!!....her forever family...never to be alone again...I just love how God redeems and restores....

After an emotional morning we went to visit the beach in the town of her birth

and then a little dip in the pool at the hotel...

And a dinner in her town to end the day with some yummy authentic Chinese food!!

It was a wonderful day! Dianbai is forever in our hearts. 

Beautiful Guilin

We arrived in Guilin late at night and woke early to take a small river boat cruise down the Li River. we cruised down the river for 3-4 hours admiring the beauty of God's creation. Beautiful limestone formations called Karsts rising from the earth to the skies. Beautiful indeed!!!

The girls enjoyed playing cards on the boat too as we cruised down the river...

The boat never stopped moving and as you can see, the backdrop of each picture is different...so very beautiful.We got off the boat and were greeted by a local "bird man"...

And on our way to the airport we stopped in the countryside to see the rice paddies...

We only had not even 24 hours in Guilin but its beauty made a lasting impression!!

Arrival in Chengdu

Before leaving Xian, the kids enjoyed a little time in the hotel pool and hot tub. 

Then we flew to Chengdu and got settled in to our hotel ...

We walked to dinner...

                                                     and even found a local Starbucks...

We headed to bed to prepare for our next day visiting the Pandas...

Chengdu is home to China's National Panda Research and Breeding Center.Here we are excited to go in and see these beautiful creatures...

Our first Panda sighting...

Our second Panda sighting...

The girls showing off their Panda pocket books...

                                                            They are just too cute...

The Pandas were one of Lottie's favorite stops on our trip...

We got to go to the nursery where twins were born 11 days prior to our arrival. One baby was with the mom and the other in the incubator pictured here...so very tiny...

These were our favorite two Panda cubs..

We also got to see the red pandas before leaving the park...

We then headed for a traditional hot pot lunch...

and a walk through a local market..

trying out their skill with the crossbar... 

We then took a side trip to see the World's largest building which houses a shopping mall, water park, beach, ice skating rink, amusement park, hotel..just to name a few!! It was unreal!!

One of the large department stores in the mall...

Enjoying the arcade..

and a candy store..

In the lobby of the hotel within the world's largest building ...

                            We then had to head to the airport to catch our flight to Guilin...