From the minds of children. . .

come the craziest, funniest thoughts.

Last night when I called her for dinner, Tori announced to me that her pig was pregnant. She told me that she couldn't get leave her because the baby was about to come. I told her to bring the pig downstairs that way she could help her at the right time. In the midst of dinner, Tori suddenly jumped up and said "I have to go help the pig." I walked over to observe and this is the sight that greeted me:

Yes, indeed, her pig was giving birth. Unfortunately Andy was at a business dinner so he missed the excitement (and hilarity). Later when I showed him, we laughed so hard our sides hurt. I don't know if you can tell, but this is a pig puppet and she placed another baby pig inside, and voila -- pregnant pig about to deliver. Who taught her this? I am laughing even now as I type. I mean, how can you look at that picture and NOT laugh. Man, that girl. So are you cracking up with me or thinking whoa, too much information?

Spring? And other random musings

Spring has been slowly creeping up on us with flashes of beauty and warmth. Like the trees that are flowering about the city. Currently it is 9°C (48°F for my US friends), but I have hopes of warmer days. Spring, or at least what I think of as true Spring weather is rather short here in Suzhou. We linger in the lower teens (high 40s-low 50s) with threats of rain and then all of the sudden we jump up to the high 20s (low 80s). Somehow we skip, or least move very quickly though my favorite temps. You know the days where you wear jeans and just a shirt with maybe a sweater, but by the afternoon it is warm enough to wear just ONE layer? Oh, those are the days. But unfortunately, during Spring those days are shy and just don't come that often. But today, in spite of my many layers (and yes, we are still working the long underwear -- even under the jeans!), the sun and this beautiful flowering tree gave the promise that Spring is indeed on her way and will be visiting us shortly.

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In other news, it seems that all of that studying worked and the characters did indeed stick (for now). So for today, maybe not tomorrow because my brain is getting older and more like a sieve, I can write the character for earthquake. Just in case you ever need to know it. I came home after class to work with Tori on reading, and let me tell you I wonder what is in the future for our littlest. She is so creative that she takes my breath away and constantly astounds me. Just today, she wondered why she couldn't fly and asked if she could talk to God about helping her to fly. She then proceeded to earnestly pray that God would help her fly and was disappointed when she still couldn't. But I have to love her faith that what she asks for will be given. But being T, she was not down for long, instead just decided that she would be a pilot so she could fly. Of each of our children, she is having the most unique experience here in China. She attends a school where she is the only foreigner, where Chinese is spoken all day (rarely a word of English), and she sees this as normal. She asked me last week what her job will be when she is a grown up living in China. I told her that she may not live in China, she might live in the US or somewhere else. She then asked, "Or Vietnam? Or Thailand?" Of course, I answered that she might live any of those places. We just didn't know what the future held. She looked at me and said, "I might live somewhere else." When I asked her if they spoke a different language what would she do, she promptly responded with, "It's ok, Mommy. I am really good at learning languages."

And that my friends, is just one of the many reasons why life is good on the other side of the world. ;-)

No stopping the Progress

As we go about life here it is easy to forget or overlook all the development happening around us. Sometimes we glance, but don't really look. Look, but don't truly observe. I looked up at the bus station where I transfer buses every morning and was surprised to be greated by the sight above. Huh. Didn't even notice that they had started to demolish the buildings and now they are clearing out the rubble. And the crazy part is that in another week the rubble will be gone. But this lot won't stand empty, oh no, before long it will be another apartment building or office tower. But as I snapped the pic, and it got me to thinking about all those I care about around me. How often do I glance at them, but not really see? Ask what is happening in their lives, but not hear the deeper stuff. Because life marches on and if we don't stop sometimes to just be with a friend or our kids, then those opportunities are lost. And that is my vow (or hope or whatever you what to call it), to take the time, to show others that I care, and not just be swept up by life. How did I get from building demolition to here? Ah, this is what happens when you have time to ponder life when taking the bus.

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So (which is really just a way for an abrupt transition), school has started again. Level 4. Yikes! Am I really ready to study level 4 Chinese? But here we go, ready or not. I must confess that I was super excited to buy my school supplies. No clue why. Maybe it makes me feel like a kid again? But I went a couple days ago and got new pencils, erasers, notebooks, and character books (kind of like handwriting books, but made specially to write characters in). And after only 2 days of class, I have a quiz on my 40 new vocab words tomorrow. On that note, I am off to write these words several more times and just maybe they will stick in my brain.

Hope you as well can take the time to show those you care about just why they are important to you.

The Dispenser

Can you tell what this is?

If we were in the States, I would guess a straw dispenser. But no, it is a chopstick dispenser. So awesome, I had to snag a photo.

(Just in case you are curious the characters read: kuaizi he, meaning chopstick box)

买2送1 (buy 2, get 1 free)

Not exactly what I think of for "buy 2 get 1 free." I am trying to see the logic here. Snickers gives you energy, you know just like . . . batteries? So you get a free battery with 2 Snickers? I'm trying here, people. Anyone else have any theories?

Snowy Suzhou

As is apparently obvious from my total absence of blogging is that I have been lacking in inspiration. When we first came to China, everything was new and overwhelming. But as we have settled into life here, things have gone from new to usual and mundane. I think that I also feel like I would be repeating myself. I have been sorely lacking in ideas and my time was limited leading up to finals. All this led to: NO blogging. While I want to write about our life here, I also want it to be different from things that I have already shared. So I am looking to you for added inspiration. If you have an idea of something you want to know about, let me know and I will blog about it. :-)

But back to life. . . before we left for Chinese New Year, we got snow in Suzhou. This is the first amount of accumulation that we have seen since we moved here. Over the course of 3 days we got less than 5 inches and that amount pretty much shut down the city. Our kids had 2 snow days and reveled in the time off to play in the snow. I had the realization that Tori really does not remember seeing or playing in snow. I had to teach her how to build a snowman.

Because this city hardly ever gets snow, they are unsure of what to do with it. People still ride their bikes/e-bikes even in the snow and ice. I saw many people on bikes sliding and falling over. And to remove the snow? With brooms, of course (even on major streets).

Becca and friends taking a break from a snowball fight.

Somewhere in all those clothes is Tori

Do you see what the men are using to move the snow? You got it, brooms! Only in China!

Uninspired

So, I have not blogged in over a month. And while the usual excuse (of busyness) is there. I think it is more than that. I think that I have just been lacking in inspiration.

But just to keep you somewhat updated, here is a snapshot of our last month:

• Hosted 2 Thanksgivings (one with almost 40 people, and one with a measly 25)
• Got family portraits done
• Hosted a Christmas dinner for our church's leadership
• Josh performed in the lower grades school musical. My quiet boy actually rapped. It was awesome to see!

And in the midst of it all, school and work continues. Today is the kids' (well, at least Josh and Becca's) last day before holiday break. Tori does not get a holiday break, but in the idea of family harmony, I will decide which days she can stay home from school.