Evil 85

Humored by this license plate. So the guy driving didn't look evil. But as Andy told me, plates in Suzhou have to start with "E" which doesn't leave a lot of options. Not sure if they have to be four letter words or not. In fact, I am having a really hard time thinking of a good one. EGGS? ENDS? EVEN? ETSY?

Tummy troubles

I sit here in the middle of the night typing because my boyo is having tummy troubles. Yuck, a dreaded stomach virus! On Friday night, I was up in the night violently ill, but because we had been out to eat that night, my first thought was food poisoning. Because this is China and sometimes that just happens. But now that I reflect on it, nope, probably not. Josh and I have moved down to the couches to camp out for the night. He sleeps on the top bunk and we have recently put up the mosquito nets. That combo is not so conducive to crazy quick bathroom trips. I won't go into anymore details, but let me just say this: I am so glad that when he told me his stomach hurt before bed that I insisted he sleep with a bucket in his bed. I don't always have them, but that was a moment of brilliance. I can only hope that if the girls are going to get sick that they do it before I leave town. Not something I would wish on anyone. But I love that little guy so much that cleaning up tonight's mess just doesn't seem like a big deal.

Plans Galore

Andy left this morning for the first leg of his trip: Indonesia and Singapore (there was no other country, I just imagined that) and then Thursday night at a time so late that it is really Friday, he and I will meet up in New Delhi. This morning as he left our younger two were in tears. Which is really unusual for when he travels. Sure, they miss him and look forward to having him home. But since he travels with some regularity, they are used to it. I think the difference is that they know that I also will be traveling. And that is not normal. At least it is not normal for me to travel without them. While I know that they will be fine, I had a moment of Mommy guilty this morning. I know, I can just hear all of you reassuring me: "They will be fine." "It is good for you and Andy to be able to get away together" And this is all true. But part of being a mom, is the feeling of guilt or at least wanting to do things just right for our kids. And then I tend to be a person who wants to please everyone. But I am going to let go of that for now and trust that my kids are going to be okay. But if you could think and pray for them this next weekend, I would greatly appreciate it.

My plans this week will be planning, preparing and more planning. The packing I am not so worried about it. Because all I will pack on this trip will be a backpack. No, it is those 3 darling and so important ones that I am leaving behind that I need to plan for. As I sat down to write out their schedules only then did I realize how busy I am with them. Moms, does anyone relate? Because they are all in school full-days it can seem that life is not that busy, but the reality is something different. Then I have the added fun of writing out the plan and schedule in Chinese (for our house help who I know is going to be a HUGE help to our friend who is watching our kiddos). Andy and I figured out hotels and the train ride to Agra (the city of the Taj Mahal) over the weekend and have started to think about what we would like to do in Delhi. I am sure that I will research it to death in the next couple days. But for now, I am off to tidy and make yet another list.

Hope that you each have a wonderful week! Happy belated (for me anyway, not for the US) Mother's Day!

It's true - I'm going to India!

My passport with the new Indian visa affixed inside made it back today. Yes. So that means that . . .

I. am. going. to. . . INDIA!

Time to start planning. Both for here and what we will do there. I have less than a week to get things order for the kids here and for us to decide what we are going to do and see. Words are failing me right now. I am so excited to see this unique and fascinating country. So excited to travel and see the Taj Mahal. But mostly I am excited to be with my love for four days. When we traveled early on in our marriage, it made me fall a little more in love with him. We just travel well together. I don't know how to describe it more than that. So I am going to take a ton of pictures and just soak it all in. The time together. The exotic location. The heat. Ok, I could do without so much heat, but we can't have everything. 6 days, baby, and then India here I come!

Bumpy Bagels

I found cream cheese in the store the other day which prompted me to want to make BAGELS. I found a recipe online and it didn't look too difficult. A German friend of mine recently moved back to Germany and when she cleaned out her pantry here, she gave me a lot of baking supplies. Which is completely wonderful, but the challenge is that everything is in German. I have been using Google translate to help, but sometimes that doesn't always work. For instance, anyone out there know what dinkel flacken is? I deduced that it some sort of flake, but beyond that I have no clue. Anyway, I decided to use this:

And it might have been a good idea if I had decided to use Google translate. Or at least use it before I made the bagels. Because my bagels turned out slightly odd. They taste really good, but when I was baking them they just wouldn't get done. I checked after 20 minutes in the oven and the top still looked raw. Put them in for another 10. Then another 10. After over an hour in the oven, they were sort of done. And the end result? Umm, sort of bagels. They taste like bagels and the texture is good but they look so weird. In fact, Andy laughed so much I threatened not to let him eat any. And Becca dubbed them Bumpy Bagels.

So maybe a little late, but today I looked up what exactly I had used. Sourdough mix. Hmm, that would be why they had a great taste and texture (much like sourdough). I am being done in by language. If not Chinese, then German!

I-just-might-be-going-to-INDIA

Does anyone else find that totally crazy?! On Monday Andy leaves for a 2 week-long business trip. India, Indonesia, Singapore, and I feel that I forgetting someplace on the itinerary. But due to flight schedules and his customers' availability, he had a block of time free in the middle of his trip while he will be in India. So he got the idea that maybe I could meet him in Delhi. That's right. Delhi, India. I laughed and didn't take him seriously.

I should know after 12+ years of marriage to always take him seriously about things like this.

Later that day, he researched the flight from Shanghai to Delhi (there is a direct flight) and about obtaining of visa. I went on Monday and applied for my visa and if it comes in time, I am going to travel WITHOUT CHILDREN and meet Andy in India. Can I just say that again -- INDIA? Is this for real? Friends have graciously offered to watch our kiddos. So, I am cautiously, hopefully waiting.

I know that I mentioned how we love to travel with our children, but after Andy's recent trip to India he concluded that they are not old enough. Or maybe we are not ready. Because while traveling with kids in China is intense, apparently India is the next level. I cannot remember the last time we took a trip just the two of us. We would go see the Taj Mahal. But I am not getting too excited just in case it doesn't work out. The weather is crazy hot right now. Today was a measly 39˚C (102˚F), later in the week it will be 42˚C (106˚F). I am so going to melt. But I am waiting and not getting excited, who am I kidding, I am super excited and hoping that it happens. Will keep you posted!

FAIL

On my agenda today was to go to class and then stop my the eye doctor on my way home and order new contacts. Sounds simple, right? Well, no it was actually a totally frustrating experience. They couldn't find my name in the computer and wondered if I had been there before. The receptionist had limited English and I had no clue how to say contacts in Chinese. It wasn't even in my dictionary. So I left the eye hospital in defeat. No contacts. None ordered. No way to solve this except with another eye exam. Walked to the bus and headed home. But then as I was most way home, the eye doctor (who speaks excellent English) called me. She remembered me, had found my name in the computer and did I want to order the contacts? Yes, oh happy day! But that is the way things go here sometimes. When things work, it is amazing and you love it. And when they fail? They fail BIG. But that is all part of the adventure - how will things go today? Will it work? Will it fail? Will it end up totally unexpected? You just never know. . .