Tuesday - early morning

Tuesday early morning

It is 5:30 am Tuesday morning and this is the latest that I've slept since arriving in China. The pharmacist said that the nighttime cold medication they got for me would help me sleep. I can't really attribute my good rest to that, however, since I fell asleep before taking one last night.

So the good news is that my stomach is not upset this morning and I don't think I have a fever. (I'm not going to search in the dark to look for the thermometer to check.) Everyone else is still sleeping.

Yesterday I wasn't sure if I would be leaving the hotel again until it was time to head for Canada. That was how bad I felt. But today is a new day. I also discovered that staying in our hotel room with a two year old, really isn't the most "restful" experience.

Yesterday Roger and Tori went to the Temple of Heaven in the afternoon and Violet and I stayed at the hotel. Thankfully I was able to get a little nap in before they left, because I certainly didn't have opportunity when they were gone. Violet is a typical two year old and loves to explore and play with things. Like the telephone on the bedside table. Thankfully I caught her before she placed any calls. But there was once I wondered if front desk would ring the room to see if I needed assistance making a call! She also likes to eat, but only seems to have good manners when she is sitting in a high chair. Otherwise the food seems to go everywhere. She is quite entertaining, though. And she learns very quickly. For example, whenever she saw the thermometer yesterday she would pick it up and hold it to her ear. I didn't take my temperature that much, so she caught on very quickly how it is supposed to be used. The other action of mine that she copied was whenever she passed the garbage can by my side of the bed she would lean over it, cough, and then spit. I don't think any explanation is necessary for what she was mimicing then.

When Roger and Tori got back from the Temple of Heaven they said Tingting was waiting for them downstairs and she was going to take them to pick up some food. The hotel food here is not the same as in Fuzhou. Nothing to really appeal to a sick Westerner. I thought maybe Tori would stay with Violet and me, but she wanted to go with Roger. Can you believe it? She WANTED to go shopping.

Before she left she gave Violet her birthday card that plays "Bibbity Bobbity Boo". Roger figured they would be about 1/2 an hour and then they would be back. Well, for 1/2 an hour Violet and I laid in bed and listened to Bibbity Bobbity Boo. I tried to teach her to say "More" for when she wanted to hear it again. But instead she would sit up and slap the card. (I showed her that you need to press on the button to make it play.) We were both getting sleepy and soon the slaps were less forceful. I played it a couple of more times and we both fell asleep. I'm not sure if how much longer it was until Roger and Tori came back.

Roger got some soup for me and noodles for the rest of them. The soup tasted delicious and I was able to keep it down. Hooray! Violet is like her sister and really enjoys the ramen noodles.

Today we are to meet Tingting in the hotel lobby at 9 am. We will be going to Tiananmen Square and the Summer Palace. Lunch will be Peking Duck. I believe I will go today. We will be able to use the stroller, I hope. Which means I don't need to carry Violet - just walk beside her holding her hand. (That is the only way we can pacify her to stay in the stroller.) And, as I discovered yesterday, I don't get much rest staying at the hotel. I'll take my medication for my stomach with me - just in case I need it.

Even though I probably won't eat much (taking it easy on the stomach) I do want to try the Peking Duck. Tingting told us that to be a hero there are two things you must do - climb the Great Wall and eat Peking Duck.

After we get back to the hotel this afternoon I'll send some pictures and let you know how the day went.

Thank you, everyone, for your prayers. I know that it was only by God's strength that I was able to get through our appointments yesterday. I'm glad today is looking much better.