Shanghai in the evening!  Back from A trip to China and the adventures were many.  The Des Moines Executive MBA students started in Shanghai to include some corporate visits and cultural activities.  From there we flew to Beijing, but were a bit stymied by the "Tomb Sweeping Holiday".   We still managed to get some cultural activities squeezed in.

Some of the highlights included the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City.  The Great Wall, much like the Grand Canyon in the United States, is something that a person really needs to see in person to appreciate the magnitude and majesty of it all.  Quite amazing.  One student was a late addition, another had a kidney stone that prevented him from flying to Beijing.  We also had our bus get stuck on a village road, so we borrowed shovels from area peasants and dug piles of sand out of the way to make room for our safe passage.  This will be a story the peasants will tell for years.

Easter welcomed HRB (father-in-law) the Beck Clan, and Uncle Brinz. Even Marpy made a guest appearance.  Chaos rules the day.  

Still no news on Monty.  We are down to two leads.  After that... we'll move on with a lump in our throats and sadness in our hearts.

Soccer goes well for Ike.  He's finally feeling comfortable playing with the older kids.   Ellie is undefeated in Tennis.  Maggie is undefeated in soccer.  And Addy is simply undefeated.

Mamacita runs the shop with an iron fist, and is busy preparing for our first Advisory Board meeting, and the rest of our days are a struggle to fight through the wet paper bag we call life.  And so it goes....