The calm before the storm...

Isn't it great that God always knows exactly what we need and when we need it?  And He knew we needed a vacation before the month of April hit along with the ensuing summer craziness.  You see, spring break/our trip to the beach at Sanya (the southernmost point in all of China), came two days after we found out we were able to travel for Joseph's adoption and finished two days before we headed out for two weeks of adoption travel and then had 8 weeks of visitors (which we are in the midst of now!).  And before the visitors are finished some of our crew will be heading back to Arkansas for the summer.  So all that to say, we are so blessed to have had this vacation and I am finally getting a chance to write about it!

So the beach in China...beautiful, different and interesting all in one.  Here are some of the highlights for the week:

• For those that like 'people watching' this is the place to go...there were tour buses of people that got dropped off near the pier and they loved to do two things...take lots of pictures of themselves posing and also apparently watch what we were doing.  While there are some foreigners who visit Sanya (mainly from Eastern Russia as this is the closest warm beach), there are few if any foreigners with 6 kids and 3 of them Chinese.  We had many a questions (in Chinese, which we did our best to answer), got a LOT of pictures taken and sometimes had people just stand right next to us & stare while we sat on the beach playing.  

• At the beach you can rent jet skis, banana boats, floaties and even bathing suits.  Yes that's right...and I don't like bowling because you have to wear someone else's shoes!  Thankfully we had brought our own suits!

• People loved wearing matching outfits...that would be boyfriends & girlfriends, or entire tour groups.  Of course, not to be left out, Andy and Joseph got themselves some matching outfits too!
• While Lindsey was kicking the soccer ball around, a young Chinese man came up, dropped all his stuff and then challenged her to a game!  That was awkward for a 14 year old girl...so Andy went to join her and it turned into 2 on 2.  Still not sure who won!
• Our resort had 3 wonderful pools and a swimming area right out of our back door - Joseph and Abigail are our water babies.  If they weren't eating or sleeping, they were swimming.
• Because at heart, I really think I'm more of a mountain person than beach...I could only do the beach & pool for so many days in a row without some break.  So we took two outings while Joseph napped...one to a butterfly park where Zoe just LOVED having her picture taken with peacocks and also to a rainforest.