Day 5

Today we did not have to meet our guide until 10 am so we enjoyed a slow morning. The girls slept in and we were able to move slow. After breakfast (I have posted photos of Lili eating - Mckenzie insisted that I post the one with her cheeks and lips puckered out and full of food - she loves to fill her mouth completely full - I have to keep a close eye on her - I'm afraid she is going to choke) we went to the Tengwen Pavillion. It was an amazing, traditional style building with 7 stories. It has been built and rebuilt over the years (because of fires) but was originally built 800 yrs (or so ago) in honor of a man who wrote an article saying how great Nanchang was (I'm sure there is more to it but that is what I could understand) It was a place for artists and people to come and work (office space).I have posted a photo of us in front of a painting in the pavillion that tells of a dream of the Chinese having a better life. All of the characters in the picture had their eyes closed to symbolize a dream. The stairs up to each floor were steep and there were many (each floor was at least 20 feet tall) stairs - especially caring a sweet 20 lbs pack on front. On the top floor there was a group singing traditional and popular songs along with traditional instruments - it was incredibly beautiful. Lili loved the music (us too). She swayed back and forth the whole time. After it was over she hummed softly the sounds she had just heard - it was very sweet. On the balcony of the top floor we were able to watch birds fish for the fishermen - pretty amazing.
We then went to a local artists store to buy Lili and Mckenzie (Meili already has one) a painting with the girls name and bday on them. After this we went to a porcelain shop. Nanchang is where china or porcelain became famous. The country China actually has another name (can't remember it) but became known as China after they started making china (make sense?) and this city is where this all happened.
After the shopping we came back to our hotel to spend the afternoon and evening.
Lili is doing really well today. She has smiled a lot more and is opening up. I can kneel on the ground and say come to mommy and she will come give me a love. She does go the bathroom on the toilet - I just had to figure out her signs (she does have accidents still ). She is so sweet when we talk to Scott on the webcam - she will wave when i tell her to say hi to daddy and blow a kiss. I have been thinking a lot about her hemangiomas... I am really grateful she has them - sounds odd but...we knew we were going to get a child off of the special needs list and we would not have been able to get her without them. She definitely would have been on the non special needs program without them as she seems to be healthy and happy. We feel truly blessed to have her and so in turn are so grateful for the birthmarks... make sense? Mckenzie and I finally found something other than rice and fruit that we liked on the menu. It has been a fun little game we have been playing. It felt good to both of us to get something other than carbs in our body (it was a pork dish that tasted like Scott's favorite Thai dish...mmm)
Lili enjoys most of the day filling cups with things she can find and dumping them into another cup... oh, we finally figured out why when we eat she goes to the corner - she is sitting in her spot at the table - she is making more sounds today. oh, and she enjoys trying to get herself dressed... and Mckenzie says to add that she enjoys pushing the red button on the phone - they are going to get sick of us doing this.
(posted by Mckenzie and Melanie) - who just realized we left a week ago and only have a week left - we are having a great time together - thanks to all of you helping at home!!!!!