We awaken early and enjoy our showers before Julia fully arouses. I now have a system in place and have water boiled and cooling and a bottle prepared before she is up and going. I am trying to streamline some things in an attempt to make the transition smoother and let Marty be available to feed her as much as possible. She has really found delight in him (especially in the playroom) but still clings to me often. I am flattered, but still at times would love to be able to take a few steps without hearing her protest.

We head to breakfast today on the FIRST floor and find a much more extensive array of buffet foods (though never the tenderloin we discovered yesterday). We have now reverted to two high chairs as Mary is not sure she isn't deserving of one and is really competing with Julia in almost all aspects. She has been asking for a stroller as well. We have an outing today to the Chen Family temple as well as the Pearl Market, and I have arranged to trade our second Ergo with another family for use of their stroller. I am trying to be patient with the sibling rivalry thing going.

I am amazed at all the families here and all the children. I'm still awed by hearing English almost exclusively. We see the two families united in Taiyuan immediately before us and chat with them each time we pass. They seem to be adjusting very well.

When we get to the bus for the outing I am pleased to see Mary latch onto Lily again and they head to have their seats together. This young one who so wishes to revert to being a toddler is also struggling to be more independent of her parents at the same time. I chuckle often at their conversations behind me and try not to totally eavesdrop. On our short walk to the temple from the bus we pass a group in the park doing Tai Chi as well as some playing a sort of combined version of hackey-sack with what resembles a weighted badminton shuttlecock. We are intrigued and Marty is approached to buy one at 30 yuan. He passes but is still VERY interested.

It continues to be HOT. Kelly's voice is much softer than Rui's and I have trouble hearing her descriptions as well as dealing with keeping the girls happy and occupied. By the time we are free to separate and explore on our own all I am wanting is cold water. We learn where it is available and head in that direction in a round-about way. There is a good bit to see but I'm surprised to find there are also shops all about the perimeters. If it weren't so hot I might have bought something - but as appealing as something would appear, I was fighting to keep the girls happy as I feel they were picking up on my discomfort over the heat. We get to the back of the courtyard and discover the much anticipated water and several other of our families trying to beat the heat as well. Kelly tells us that we are free to go back to the bus early if we'd like and sit in the air-conditioning. Not a bad idea and we start to head toward the entrance.

Marty and Mary Romer are still intrigued by the foot-game they saw played and ask Kelly if she could do some negotiating. She agrees and soon they are actively seeking purchase. Once again Marty is kicking one around with some people and we are deciding price and colors. All are happy and we head back to the bus.

Now comes the option of do we go to the pearl market or not? We are not really that interested in buying pearls (especially after the extra $2500 for plane tickets to get here) but I have heard so much about this multistoried place and although I would like to see it - defer to Marty. We are told that if we want to stay on the bus it will take us back to the hotel. We look around with interest. All others get up to get off the bus. Drats! We didn't want to be the only party-poopers!

But the mall is fascinating and busy and Kelly instructs us at to which merchants are known to give the better quality with lower prices. We head in and around and I personally am quickly overwhelmed by it all. I would have liked to have pearls at a reasonably low price for the girls for their weddings or such but... I'm hot and thirsty again. We are not the only ones. A posse is formed for water detail and Kelly, Bo, and Marty leave for liquid refreshment as there is none available directly in the market. They return later and are welcomed heartily. We also order Papa John's pizza to be picked up on the way home. Wonderful!

We head back out eventually (neither Mary Romer nor we purchased anything) and after locating the bus which had moved, boarded and were underway once more.

We got our pizzas and were delighted to get back to the hotel and have time to eat and relax and cool off. Dinner was optional at the Cantonese restaurant just about four hours later. We relaxed in the room and cooled off. Julia and I once again napped (I can't help but fall asleep when I have to lay down with her) and Marty went and explored the hotel, looking for the sauna (and learning that it would cost him even more money to utilize it). Ugh! The Marys were on their own adventure as Mary Romer had promised Mary that she would borrow a bicycle we had seen at Lucy's and take her riding to the outdoor park and then to the playroom. When Julia and I awoke it was late afternoon and we joined Marty for more exploration of the island and to try to find the coffeehouse where we may blog for free (if a terminal was available). It was cooler at dusk but still pretty hot/muggy but not as intense as during the day - we really enjoyed our stroll. It was now that I realized how much of an impression Marty and Julia had made the day before. They were called to and commented upon (I see she has finally calmed down, where is her new cell phone? etc.) and even called by name. Hehe! We have dropped off laundry and just keep walking around and seeing if there is something we may want to explore. But - I find myself growing weary at being stopped and trying to be lured into shops. I'm simply wanting to walk with my husband and youngest daughter and not followed with someone 10 inches from my face walking with us and pumping us for information. Where is she from? How old? Other children? Are you a grandmother yet? Come in! Come see! Stop by. Nice store! I find myself closing off much like Mary has done much earlier while wanting to avoid the photographs. I even ignore people - which isn't like me but Julia may begin howling the instant the stroller stops and we're just trying to have some time out and about.

We miss the supper outing which at the time I wasn't really anxious for as we had had the pizza earlier and I wasn't sure if I would like Cantonese food - but we catch up to the Marys who are so very happy and tired and full of stories.

First of all they told of Mary getting the bicycle and heading out to the park. She still is not a very... um... consistent peddler, though and Mary Romer cannot bend over and push easily with her back injury. They won't be borrowing it again.

BUT, they had fun at the park. While there they ran into the professional photographers with the brides and several stopped the sessions to begin photographing Mary! One posed her on statues and such until the bride protested. Mary didn't seem to mind this as much as it didn't involve swarms of people and being passed around.

Dinner was something that Mary Romer said we missed out on something grand. First of all the food was something that Marty and I could have found plenty to enjoy, but most of all they were bedazzled by Sarah and her parents, Debi and Kevin. Sarah has such a lively sense of humor (unlike our often sullen teenagers) and despite the language barrier, kept the table entertained with magic tricks, tossing food into the air and catching it in her mouth, and challenging the others to keep up with her. When they would hold their chopsticks too far down on the stick she would shake her finger at them and admonish them. Mary Romer still laughs while talking about her.

Deb and Kevin talk of how much she misses caring for other children and ask that if Sarah ever overstep our comfort level of interacting with our girls to please let them know. (For those nonadoptive families - it is one of the cardinal rules that only the adoptive parents should do caretaking/interacting to begin with for the new children). I found it touching that Deb wanted to protect our feelings and assured her that Sarah was welcome to any and all interaction with either of our children - I let them be the barometer. After the dinner I would often find Mary taking Sarah's hand and happy to be sitting with her or next to her at dinner and on the bus, etc.

We returned outside once again to walk - this time as a whole family unit and ended up going to the deli beside the hotel where there was ice cream. Now Mary has never been a huge advocate of ice cream (in fact she has probably eaten it for maybe a year or so as she avoided anything either hot or cold to her palate for the longest time). We get to this shop, though and she is determined to have a chocolate ice cream cone - just like her daddy. Mary Romer and I try the coconut which was absolutely delicious! Now Julia, ever the chicken-hawk mentality latches on to a cone readily. We are both shocked and amazed at her tenacity to conquer Mary Romer's cone as she is busy talking with her husband, Craig, on the phone. The little dickens does it!

We head back to the room and find ourselves on the balcony at the end of the hall watching the boats outlined in brightly colored lights on the river as well as the laser light show. Debi, Kevin, and Sarah join us and we are full and happy. As in Taiyuan, many hotels and buildings are illuminated with brightly colored lights and it is delightful. Mary is most mesmerized by images of the five friendlies on one building.

We retire for yet another evening and realize that we are now nearing the countdown to departure.