So, today I hiked up The Great Wall of China. Pretty good way to start off an e-mail, eh? It was truly amazing, my favorite thing so far. This incredible hand-built wall/walkway/staircase following the spine of the mountains, with views that were mindblowing even with the haze that is ever-present here. That there's 6000 miles of the wall left is staggering, and thinking that each and every stone was carried and laid by hand was staggering. ALso lovely to be there with this incredible melting pot of people, all encouraging one another, laughing with one another, staring in awe with one another. Germans and Chinese seemed to lead the charge, either becasue of fitness or sheer willpower. Americans were least present at the very top, but I met some nice Irish and Argentinian guys, and some great CHinese kids that made it all the way up.

We went also to Tiannamen Square which was powerful because of the history of CHina that is embedded there, especially modern China with Mao and what he meant both positive and negative. What truly made it powerful was the reality tha tthis is the history of Becky's child, of my niece, and being there and learningit, seeing it, is bearing witness to and taking in part of her history that we'll gift to her again as she grows older. The forbidden city was staggering as well i size, scope, and beauty. About a half mile long, we walked, sstopped, listened, learned for hours and hours there. The street beggars. especially those with children, were heart rending as they are anywhere, but more so because our group was filled with people wanting so badly to have their new babies in their arms.

So far we've loved the food and the people and everything except the driving and the smog. We leave at 6 am for teh airport and our flight to HUnan province, the city of CHangsha. Monday morning we'll have babes in arms. There aren't enough tissues. The breadth of experience in parenting and life is wild, but everyone is the same in their anticipation of receiving hteir child. I am so humbled and so honored to be here for this experience, and it certainy makes touring this country so different, so much more powerful than I think it might have been - and it would have been staggering just as a tourist!

OK, love to all, can't wait to fill you in on these next few days.