It's so fun when family comes...

It's been quite a while since I've posted, due to technical issues as well as just plain being busy.

But the busyness was of the best kind--having family members come to visit.  

Alice asked me, as we were getting ready for Deborah and Adam to arrive, if I was stressed

about getting the apartment ready.  I looked around and thought, having an ayi to do all the cleaning was so great!  All I had to worry about was getting a crib, car seat and stroller for Nathan, and 

people willingly lent those things.  

And our ayi, Dong Mei, loved having Nathan here.    

Deborah and Adam came for our spring break--the girls had a full 

week out of school and Kevin had three days off work.

It was the week of Tomb-sweeping Day (4th day of the 4th month--or April 4)

plus Good Friday and Easter (hence the full week off for the school). 

We took the opportunity to do some things we hadn't tried yet, and

we were fortunate with good weather most of the week.

On the first day (Saturday) they were here, we rode the Tianjin Eye Ferris wheel.  It takes about 30 minutes to make one revolution (a thrill-ride this isn't!), but we really enjoyed getting a bird's-eye-view

of the city.

It's easier to understand a city when you can see the entirety of it

or when you can see that you can't see where it ends.

 Again, we were SO fortunate to have a clear day.

After using a wet wipe to clean all the railings, Nathan also enjoyed our car.

Our whole group was able to ride together, though all the signs had said

only 5 people to a car. (We had six, plus Nathan).

 The Ancient Culture street is near by, so we visited that as well.  

We went into the local temple and were surprised that it included several courtyards.

The air was heavy with burning incense, and there were several small grottoes where

people were kneeling and praying to local deities.

And when we returned home, the planters had been filled with pansies and petunias.

Seeing flowers is such an uplift for me,

and I'm so happy they were they for our visitors as well.

The grayness of winter has gone, spring is here!