My Life in 中 国

I've been at my new home for 2 weeks now.  Some days it seems like I've been here two months (in a good way!).  I'm definitely feeling settled in now.  Life is starting to tick at a somewhat "normal" pace and I'm finding that being back is just as wonderful as I've been dreaming it would be.  This week, I officially started my "schedule".  That's a really funny term here...because things rarely go according to schedule.  Just when you sit down for your office hours, the power goes out...or your Chinese teacher gets sick when you're supposed to be in class..or you take a last minute trip to another city to wish a fellow worker happy birthday...or the road in front of your house is completely demolished and you can't get out (or in, for that matter)....or you end up spending three hours in one baby nursery because the kids are so stinkin' cute that you just can't escape! All of those things have happened this week....and its these things that make me realize that my plans can wait.  I'm happy to be back in this land of unpredictability where learning to "go with the flow" is a must.  It helps me remember how not in control I am!

I figured I'd use this post to give you a glimpse of my life at the moment.  There's never a dull moment, that's for sure.

This is the precious welcoming crew I get to come home to each time I go out.  How could my heart not be smitten?

This is my room.  Rebecca had everything so homey and welcoming when I arrived.  Its a place where I can walk in and take a deep breath at the end of each day.  I am so thankful for this haven.

This is where I go each morning to meet my King.  I sit there in the cool of the morning with only the gentle rumble of China in the background.  It has become one of my favorite places in this entire building.  Maybe its because I'm seven stories high, but He just seems closer.

THIS is the warzone outside our house.  Its C-R-A-Z-Y!!! We have affectionately named it the Grand Canyon of China.  Some of these holes are big enough to swallow bulldozers...no joke.  The other day, they completely demolished the road that gets us in and out...so now, each time we go out we play a game called "is the road gonna be there"?  You just have to laugh.

These are pictures from my first outing this go-around.  We went out to karaoke to celebrate Jona's birthday! I had semi-forgotten what it feels like to be famous! :)

On Tuesday, we (all 17 of us) traveled to another city to celebrate Heidi's birthday! It was a fun day filled with Western food, cake, and lots of laughter!

This is Luoyang's local drink called HAPPY! Isn't that fun?

In other news, I'm learning to sew!!! Mariah is so sweet to take on this huge feat.  I can't do ANYTHING in a straight line.  So I don't know what made me think I'd be able to sew in a straight line! But she has been so gracious and patient to guide me through the learning process.  This is our first project together...pillow case dresses for the Martin girls!

 This is a yummy meal we went out to last night.  That thing in the upper right hand corner of the dish...that's a chicken foot :)

And this one is just for fun :) Oh China!

And of course, the babies are the loves of my life and the joy of my days.  I am so thankful to be here, in their world and part of their daily lives.

Thank you so much for your prayers, encouraging emails, and love...it means more than you will ever know!  Until next time,

-Ke Xiao Ai