Arrived - Stalled Out

A glorious train ride.  Lots of new local friends who advised us in all manner of things.  Not a whole lot of sleep, and some aching back/necks...but we made it to blue skies-Taiyuan.  Don't know how often this happens here, but we're grateful for it today.  We arrived when the city was asleep (5:15 am) and were delighted that our hotel admitted us to our room and even gave us breakfast tickets for our first day!

We've just been told that Civil Affairs changed the appointment and we're now not meeting Abram till 2:30 or so.  So here we are, in the lobby, all dressed up, with no son to meet for another six hours.  Magpie and I will hit the road, check out some of the sites.  Daddy has retired to the bed chamber to take on some additional hours of REM if possible.

Funny story:

In the taxi on the way from the train station, the cabbie was telling us about the FIVE STAR hotel where we were staying.  He went on about how it is 1000 RMB a night!  Magpie,  looked at me and said, "an expensive hotel?"  I told the driver, "no way, we're staying for 250 RMB per night, it's no FIVE STAR"  He insisted that the name of our hotel was in fact, a ritzy joint.  Magpie showed him the name of the hotel again, WITH THE ADDRESS, and he puzzled.  It was apparently not the hotel he was thinking of.  After a few calls to his dispatch, and one to the hotel that woke up the front-desk attendant, we pulled along this small street to a hotel.  The driver, said, "Oh yeah, this is a THREE STAR hotel at BEST, definitely THREE STAR, no FIVE STAR! No, no, no, not a five star!"  We were hysterical!  After living in China so long, we knew that a three star is more than adequate for us...but the driver...he was WORRIED for us!  ;)

Will post more when we see the face of our boy. 

Had a wonderful p time this morning, the three of us, and have been receiving texts from teammates back in our home town...feeling His presence all around us!

Still, just a family of 11 kids.