Here are some photos!

Since we've been so busy lately and earlier we faced technical difficulties, we're simply going to post pictures we took throughout our trip and brief captions of this week. Sorry for the lack of posts, hope u like these couple of pictures.

Acrobats - wow!

After the Great Wall, lunch and naps in the van we saw the Chinese Acrobats.  It was a favorite activity.  We saw 7 motorcycles racing in a small metal ball, 12 girls on one bike, balancing acts, Chinese yoyos, flipping through hoops, and hand balancing. Very cool. 

After the show we stopped at a grocery store the size of a hallway and bought some noddles, chips, and water. Then back to the hotel and collapsed from exhaustion 

Time in Beijing

Please understand we have had significant problems here in China with internet connection. Sorry for the lack of posts. 

The kids were in awe of the Great Wall. We took the cable car up to the top and then hiked for quite some time. I think the kids took over 200 pictures. It was amazing. 

On the way to the Great Wall the kids saw some of the country side and even saw a cow walking down the road. 

After our stroll on top the Great Wall we had a wonderful lunch. We weren't sure what we ate but it was good. One of the dishes had a spice that tasted just like a pine tree - weird.

We're Taking Off!

January 21st

We are last-minute checking our lists of stuff we're packing and trying to contain our excitement to go! We have all our bags packed and all of our food carefully stored. Our electronics are double-checked off of our list and we're ready to go to our next pit-stop!

Here is all of our luggage!

Unfortunately we can't pack the cat!

And here we are with all of our stuff! 

Rose said goodbye to Jojo, our cat.

We made it to the first airport in Elmira, New York! Now we're on our way to Chicago, Illinois.

The flight was only two hours, but it was as exciting new as any other. The plane was extremely smal though! There were only three rows!

The kids had loads of fun on the flat escalators or "moving sidewalks". They raced back and forth on them while we waited at the Chicago airport for our flight to Beijing. We had three whole hours to hang out there (or.... Do homework). 

Here are the kids and my sister, Denise, on a moving sidewalk in a lower tunnel area. The lights and music were festive to the foreign and domestic senses.

I also insisted that we take one at the end of it, so we could get more of the tunnel in the picture.

Let's just say, it's hard to take pictures of kids on a moving escalate with people going up to another level.

Getting Ready For the Trip!

   Happy Martin Luther King Jr. day!

These past few days have been extremely busy for the Hettich family. We have been buying gum and snacks (a LOT of snacks) for the plane rides, toys and stuffies for Peter, electronics for Peter's education, suitcases and other travelling necessities, and a ton of medicine. We have also organized our money and traded in our worn-out bills for brand new dollars for China. Apparently they are very picky about the condition of money they take for exchange.

   Today we are finishing up our packing (and homework) before we board our plane! The long list of things to do is absolutely stressful.In our last few days of being in America, we have been thinking about all the things here we will miss.

  Pearl will miss several basketball games and practices while we are gone. She will miss her friends a lot too. She received a new camera for Christmas, so she is very excited to use it in China and upload a few blog videos. Her recent interests have been in video editing. I think you guys are in for a treat.

  Rose will miss a few more exams while she is away and will have to make them up when she returns home. She will miss all of her friends and going to school. School is an environment that makes her very happy and inspires her to get involved in lots of activities (that is, except sports). Seeing all her friends there as well makes the place even MORE enjoyable. She is currently involved in Relay for Life, the Junior High Science Club (co-director), GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) Club, Jazz band, InterAct club, FOR(Friend's of Rachel's) club (school violence prevention), and P.S. We Love You club (suicide prevention). When we visit the Great Wall, she will be representing her P.S. We Love You club by wearing a t-shirt with their logo on the Great Wall.

  Marco is very excited about the trip and can't wait to try all the new food!   He is looking forward to visiting the zoo in Guangzhou.  And of course playing with his new brother.

1/1/15 - Introducing Peter Ryan LeBin Hettich

 1/1/2015

Peter Ryan LeBin will be joining our family on January 26, 2015.  He is a 7 year old boy from Wenzhou City, China.  He will be the fourth child in our family with an older sister Rose, older sister Pearl and older brother Marco. We can't wait!

I (mom, Renee), Rose, Pearl, Marco, and Aunt Denise will be leaving on our journey to Peter on January 21st.  We will meet Peter on January 26th and will be coming home on February 3rd or 4th. 

We will chronicle our journey in this blog.
  

This is the most recent video of LeBin that was taken in April 2014 - he is too cute!

When enlarged to full screen,the video quality is poor.

Peter at six years old