The Morano Quartet

A few weeks ago we decided to take the kids to Wahsington D.C. to go to the zoo. Emma just loves pandas so that was the main reason for our visit. We did manage to fit a few other things in. It was a very fast and fun weekend.

This is a picture of our hotel room with the stuffed pandas that the kids got as part of the panda package program that the hotel had with the National Zoo.

Here are Emma and Evan on one of their first train rides. This is actually their third, but the first two times we had all of our luggage and could not manage to get the shot. They were very excited and Evan especially liked watching the light passing out side the windows.

The Capital while walking from the train to tour the monuments on the mall.

This is the Washington Monument from just east of the White House. You can't really see the White House from here but line up here for the White House tours.

The White House. It really is a beautiful property. There were so many people here trying to take their photos. We thought about a family shot but then decided it wasn't a good idea.

The Vietnam Memorial. There are so many names it was hard for Emma to understand the gravity of it's meaning. Someday, unfortunately she will understand.

The Lincoln Memorial. Emma is standing there to give some perspective of just how big the statue is.

Emma, Evan and Daddy in front of the Lincoln Memorial looking towards the Washington Monument.

The Korean Memorial is something to behold. It is so powerful when you walk up to it. You can tell from the pictures. This is the one that really moved Doug and I. There were several Korean tour groups here with is at the same time. They were really moved as well.

The Jefferson Memorial. This is as close as we got since our feet were getting so tired from all the walking we had done already and it was already 8pm and we had to go back to the hotel for dinner still. What you can't see is a big lake and we would have had to walk an approx. additional two miles just to get to it and add that much to our walk back to the metro.

The only picture we took of the WWII Memorial.

Waking up in a hotel is fun. This is only the second time we have been in a hotel since getting back from China. It was nice to know it was safe to brush our teeth with the tap water.

Fun in the hotel room before getting dressed to go to the zoo. The kids were making a fort with the throw pillows. Evan's not sure what to think about getting caught.

A panda statue by the Metro station where we got off to go to the zoo. Kind of like the cows on parade that Chicago had some years ago.

One of the two lions guarding the National Zoo.

Doug, Emma and Evan at the entrance to the zoo. Wish that I had thought to have someone take all of our picutres.

The reason for the visit. This is the usual state that we see pandas in. Don't you think that after we traveled so far to see him that he could have at least greeted us?

This panda was much more accomodating. Emma could hardly contain herself. This was a four year old male panda born here at the zoo. His name is Tia Shan. A couple of real cuties.

A close up of Tia Shan through the glass. It almost looks like a painting.

The Red Pandas really captured a place in our hearts but especially Evan. They were so much fun to watch and super cute, too.

Some playtime after returning from the zoo. Evan was the only one who sat for all of this walking. So he thought he would try walking in Mommy's shoes after hearing me complain about how tired my feet were.

Meeting Nicole and Kiah. Nicole and I have been blogger and e-mail buddies since adopting our boys from Nanjing a few months apart. Evan and Luke (and a few other boys from their orphanage) have been dealing with similar issues and it is so nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of and share newly learned information with eachother. It was so wonderful to finally meet them.

Nicole, Luke and Kiah.

Luke and Evan together again. Luke will be four in October so he and Evan had to be in the two year old room for several months before we picked up Evan. Two cute Nanjing boys!Emma and Kiah. Doug took them to the pool after this picture. They had a really good time.

We were so thankful that we were able to get through this whirlwind trip safetly and that we got to meet Nicole and some of her family. Hopefully we will be able to meet up with them again someday.

Sue