Seasons

Hello there.  "To everything there is a season..." and recently, it has been a season of neglecting my blog.  For various reasons, I have put the blog on the back burner for a while, mainly because I have felt like I really don't have anything "new" to say.  We have been here for over a year now, the honeymoon phase is over, and there aren't as many "in your face" new experiences taking place.  So, I did not want to write entries on the blog that had no meaning, purpose, etc.  But NOW....I feel like I have some things to share!

When we were home in the U.S. and upon my "leave of absense" from my blog writing, I have received so many wonderful words of encouragement about the blog.  Several people have said, " you haven't written on your blog for a while, what's going on?"  Thank you, your words have lifted me and reminded me that this is a platform to share what it is like living in a different country....very different, our reactions as a family, and that I get to share the thoughts that God puts into my mind and heart.

Coming back from our trip to the U.S. was harder this time for me.  It was harder for me to adjust to less conveniences, weather, lack of summer activities, and the Chinese culture and people in general.  There's a bit more to the process of taking the kids swimming here, it's not as easy as hopping in your car.  Also, the public parks are very different, you actually are not supposed to play on the grass.  We also got back and most of our friends/the kids' friends were still on holiday back in their home countries.  (They call it "holiday" not "vacation" like we do.) So, I was in a funk for a while.  The kids and I were having fun doing different things and I remained positive with them.  But, I spent a lot of time with the Lord trying to "fix" what was going on in my heart.  I was trying to come up with all sorts of things/reasons why I was having a hard time and what the remedy could be, when in actuality, God was asking me to just CHOOSE to be happy.  There are many wonderful things about living here and I just needed to think on those things.
 Philippians 4:8. 
"Finally brothers, whatever is true,

Beijing Planning exhibition with models of the whole city

God wanted us here for this season!

whatever is noble,

whatever is right,

Making rainbow cards for the apartment employees

Peeling edamame with Miss Holly

whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely,

Beijing winters are so cold, I knitted Grace a neck warmer.

She likes to "do the loops" for me while I knit.

whatever is admirable-

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy

Junior Masterchef with Mommy

Parfaits

Lollipop cookies

think about such things."

Watercolor painting on the balcony

Central Park near our apartment

Soaked after getting caught on our bicycles in a rainstorm

The down pour once we got inside.

It is things like the last two pictures that I know our children will never forget.  We were far away from our apartment eating dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.  Jeff and I had not paid attention to the weather forecast.  While eating, the wind began to pick up, it began getting dark outside, and the servers started to roll the roof covering down.  We jetted out of there and began pedaling home as fast and as safely as we could.  It started sprinkling and by the time we rolled into our apartment parking lot it was raining.  But then, as we literally pulled under the car park roof, it began to downpour!!  We parked our bikes and ran through the lot to the building.  We were soaked, but so thankful that we had made it home before the Heavens opened up!

At last, Jack's good friend arrived back in Beijing!!

Sitting at a cafe with their family, catching up after the summer holiday.

Back to School!

All of us were excited and ready to get back to school, meet our new teachers, and see all of our friends!!  We feel very fortunate that our kids love their school!

So, I will be writing again!