so blessed...

I am so blessed. I am sitting here in my living room - and it hits me... i'm living in china - china!! someitmes it just becomes a way of life I don't stop to think about how absurd and yet a reality it is. I had a most wonderful converstaion with my TA this afternoon - very heartfelt and so encouraging to hear her testimony. I am reminded of how Gd has us each here for a reason - sometimes we don't know it, or understand it, or want it to be like someone elses. But he has great things in store, and I feel like I'm waiting on the edge of a precipuse - in anticipation of how he will provide or guide my next step. The horizons are so big - the options are so plentiful here - it feels as though Gd could do anything through me, through our ministries here.


The feeling of peace from my parents visit is still hanging around. It was so confirming to have them here - to be the one to show them around my life, my neighborhood, to meet my friends and students - it confirmed for me that I do belong here, and that they support my ministry - and now know it to such a greater depth. I was so ecstatic about their visit - jumping up and down in the airport and for most of the first day - it was something i didn't realize would really happen until they were here in the flesh - I couldn't quite believe it for the first days that we were having a conversation not over skype -a nd could actually get out everything we wnated to say and discuss - and be in person! :) It was incredible. And I'm sitting here enjoying the fruist of their visit... a grilled cheese sandwich made on spelt bread hand carried on the plane with sheep cheese they packed frozen in their suitcases! Yum yum!!! :)

First weekend we went to Zhujajio - a place I'd been to before, and thought they'd enjoy. Got to test my bartering skills out - and they relied on me for my chinese - it was a good experience for me to see how I could function with my limited though growing vocabulary.
Sunday after service, a 9.5 mi run, and lunch with friends, we went on a cruise down the Huangpu rive r- something i hadn't done yet - and a ride up the oriental pearl tower. It was nice to have visitors so you're forced to be a tourist again! :) You can see all of Shanghai from the top of the tower - it was great! You can also see the JingMao tower - 5th tallest in the world, and the Bottle opener/Shanghai Financial Center - the 3rd tallest in the world after the one in Dubai opens.



















Momma hung out with me in my class all week - and was a great blessing. my students loved her, and she got to help out with many things - Native American story telling, crafts, games, and worked with students. It was a wonderful blessing, esp. during the busiest week of the year with Parent saturday(parents observe you teaching your class) with parent/teacher conferences in the afternoon. I'd never heard of anything like that in the states - but they have it here! :)

Mom even taught a lesson on the writing process since she is now an author of a ch. in dad's book. They enjoyed hearing her share. It was fun for them to experience other perspecitves and hear other people talk. My dad came in on Friday and did a talk about his book and his career. They kids had some pretty interesting comments, such as, "Man, my dad should read that book - he works too much!" Hopefully some of them will follow-up with that.




The second weekend we went to Century park and rented a 4 person bike and rode it around the lake there. It was such a blast! This is a pic of us standing by a rock that says... guess what? Century Park! :) Imagine that... :) We also went to Nanjing Dong Lu and saw the amazing malls they have there - one after another - all the lights, it was a fun downtown city experience.

This week was like a recharge of my battery - overflowing with blessings of time, felowship, memories, chocolate and food from the states! :) , i didn't want it to end - i just wnated to keep on experiencing it - but it revived my spirits and was a good motivator to keep pressing on through the holidays. I have two months without visitors, adn then Emily in January, Mom again in Feb, Micah in March, Nathan in April, and then jo's wedding in June - so i'll go by fast with all of the wonderful visitors! And I have my plane ticket home on July 1st ! I haven't bought my returning one yet... but I will be.





It has turned so cold here as of this last week - basically the day after my parents left. I don't leav ethe house without a scarf, gloves, and at least one coat. but even my winter coat isn't quite enough - and it isn't much below 40 farenheit - it just feels so cold here. i haven't quite figured out yet why... they don't have good insulation(or really any at all...they are all cement walls) and there is a constant wind. but it makes it feel like the holidays are here - i started listening to Christmas music yesterday! :) Yeah for the holidays! Can't wait to decorate my apartment! I'm off to sleep for as long as I want on a Sat AM - haven't gotten to do that in at least a month! :)