Skip to main content

brunch bunch

Yesterday was a great day. The brunch was a highlight of the day with so many delicious dishes. I'm enjoying some of the leftovers this morning.

Madeleine really enjoyed the day and her gifts. We got her a doll house, Sylvanian series. Miriam (Phil's sister) had Sylvanian stuff growing up and so we thought it would be fun to start M's collection. So far she has the house, a dalmatian family, and a kitchen set. She loves it. I was afraid it might be too old for her but she really likes it.

She was the life of the party with our friends. She kept everyone entertained with being silly and showing off her Chinese. Whenever she'd get a reaction out of folks she'd say or do the same thing over and over. It's been fun for our friends to see her personality develop since last year when we arrived here.

As I type, a beautiful white bread maker is sitting to my left on the desk, my big present from Phil. I was too tired last night to get it set up (it's all in Chinese) but I think later today we'll be having our first loaf of fresh bread. I love the smell of baking bread - who doesn't? - and break makers make it so very convenient.

Phil loved his gifts and was especially surprised and excited by the box of Raspberry Pop-Tarts. It's so fun to find rare, import products like that and give it to someone. The hard thing will be for me to let him eat them and not eat them myself! Funny what we give as gifts when we can't just pick up anything we want at the grocery store.

This morning is our team xmas party. More gifts and food.

This season I've been struck by the miraculousness of His birth. At our fellowship on Sunday the youth and choir put on a program telling The Story. As Mary gave birth -off stage - they played a recording of a babies cry. Everyone chuckled a little but then I was so moved by hearing the baby cry and just realizing that He did become flesh and dwell among us. It's so incredibly beautiful and incomprehensible that He would become a baby and grow up here, for me.

I love it when things you've always known hit you in a new and moving way.

Tomorrow I fly away with Mara to our friends wedding in the NE part of the country. I'm looking forward to seeing Rhoda and going on a short trip but I'm already missing my little family.

But as they say, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Popular posts from this blog

sourcream

Today I'm making a chicken dish in the crockpot with sourcream. It's actually quite amazing that this is happening. I would never normally have sourcream here because first of all I'd have to make a 30 min trip (not including the prep time to get the bus or taxi) to METRO in HanKou and secondly I'd have to spend a large sum of money for a gigantic tub of sourcream that wouldn't even fit in my little fridge and on top of that Phil doesn't even like sourcream (poor fellow). So how did I get this wonderful gift? The office bought a big tub for a party and they sold the leftovers. So, I'm making something like chicken stroganoff. For those concerned about what Phil will think, he'll like it because it's mixed in the dish. There's a stray dog that's been living on our floor (12th floor apartment) outside of the elevators. She showed up a few days ago. She either walked the 12 flights of stairs or rode the elevator. She's little, blac...

moving time

Well my house looks like it did at some point when we moved here about 2 years ago. Boxes lying around, no pictures up, hammers, cleaning rags and tape sitting in random spots around the living room. It's a mess. Another move, more good-byes and mixed emotions. I'm going to miss... ..real CH food whenever I want it for dirt cheap, ..a tailor that made all my curtains and waves to me every time I walk past her shop, ..the little boy who's parents own the light bulb shop and yells, "hello!" every time we pass by, ..all the little kids that very politely say, "Ayi" (Aunt) when they pass me, ..our first friend in Chengdu who owns a local shop and buys birds as a hobby - bird guy, as we call him, ..the best dumpling makers, the steamed bread makers, the shopkeepers that deliver our milk for free and know our address by heart, ..the courtyard of our complex where Maddie can play by herself or with her friends while we keep an eye on her from our 4th floor, ....

thankful

This morning I spent a wonderful time in my itty bitty kitchen with my little girls. We (I) made 2 pumpkin pies while they snacked on popcorn and cracker sticks. It's not often that I find cooking with 2 little ones underfoot wonderful. But this morning before tackling the job I had pryed for strength, patience and for an understanding that my job is one of the most precious ever. I also knew I had pretty much all day to get 2 pies made so there was no time pressure. This year I already feel in the Christmas spirit. There have been plenty of times in my life (adult life) that I didn't "feel" it. I was glad for it but I didn't have that cozy, let's make cookies and crafts, then snuggle on the floor under a blanket and watch It's a Wonderful Life feeling. Today is Thanksgiving. We'll celebrate it with turkey and all the trimmings tomorrow. I'm thankful for: Having all the spices I need for making multiple pumpkin pies. An oven that fits a 12 l...