Leaving our calling cards.

One of my favorite books is Little Women.   In one of the chapters, Jo and Meg go calling on people and leave their calling cards.  The social part of visiting people was an important part of the culture of that day and that is true in China today.

Of course, social life in China wouldn't be social life unless it involved food!  We had several meals with several friends.

Our first meal was in a restaurant with our friend, Hongwen.  We knew Hongwen in the USA.  She came to our city to help her son while he was a graduate student. We have reconnected with her here and really have fun when we see her.  She is a retired public health official and Chinese traditional dancer.  She still dances almost every day.

Our friend and her sister....plus a very tired little boy.

The husband of the niece who is a very nice guy.  We just feel like the more we can get our little guy out, the more people can see that children with Down Syndrome are more like us than different.  Many Chinese have never spent much or any time with children with special needs.

The son who works in Beijing but comes home to his mother for Chinese New Year.  Plus the fruit sculpture that I think was meant to look like a rabbit but no one agreed. 

The very sweet niece and the girl friend.

Let's just say that the fish was very, very fresh.

The next day, we went to our friend's house.  These are parents of friends that we also know in the USA.  They are super grandparents and just really interesting people.  Plus, they speak Chinese slowly so that we will understand!  

Our little guy got to hang out on the blanket.

He was "spoken" to sleep.  The grandma held him and spoke Chinese to him until he was memorized to sleep.  I wish I had taken a picture- it was so sweet!

I thought I didn't have my camera so I didn't take a picture of the incredibly fantastic meal.  But this is also very traditional Chinese- snacks of fruit and nuts.  Plus tea served in a glass.

Peeling the apples.  I am not sure why but the apples here are fantastic.

The sweet grandma.

After lunch and spending the afternoon with our friends, we took a taxi home.  Paul had coal dust all over his pants and we needed to get them soaking in hot water.  After changing clothes, we put our little guy back in the stroller and walked over to our friend's house for corn chowder.  These are American friends who also foster a special needs little guy.  They also have three other children that we like very much.  So it was a good evening. After dinner, we wrapped up our little guy and walked him home under a cold night.  It was a good day for visiting.