Spring Favorites

Here are some of my/our favorite things this Spring:

A Chinese knot to celebrate Chinese New Year

The stairs in my home (yes, that we're leaving) that look cool when they aren't covered with laundry that I'm grateful dries really well on them.

Digestives-A funny, almost sick sounding, name for a yummy tastes-healthier-but-almost-like-graham-crackers cracker, and also a little salty. LOVE this snack. ;)

I bought these house sandals when I purchased slippers for everyone at Christmas time. Slippers are way too hot for me, and these make me happy. Who wouldn't be happy with those sunny faces smiling up at you? I even bought a pair for Mathew yesterday, and Merisa has put in a request for some. Unfortunately, she's the only one in the family now that can't wear about the same size as everyone else, so I doubt we'll find any her size.

My new wallet. It's simple with a pocket for my cash and a pocket for my cards (in this case, my transit card for riding the subway). AND it fits in my Pants pocket. =]

Merisa's new bike is her favorite thing these days. It's not really mine since she rides it around the dining room table, but I'm happy that she loves it. Fun China fact: Holding a bike like this keeps people from cutting ahead of you while getting on escalators.

An Electric hot water bottle that OSHA would never approve but it works really well for coughs, ear aches, and warming hands or beds.

I love birds, but I have no desire to care for real ones. These birds and their cage make no messes whatsoever, and if I keep them wound up, they even keep time for me.

This is our dear Japanese friend Chiharu who is moving back to Japan at the end of the month. She served with Rob in the same mission . . . a few years ago ;). She's been a dear friend of ours and did a lot to help us get settled here. We will miss her and her baking VERY much!

Spring is ON IT'S WAY HERE!!

These are just beginning to fill the tree.

This tree had a head start.

 AND, here's the electric scooter we bought today:

Top speed with two people on it: 30 km or 18.6 miles/hour, and going uphill we were even passed by an electric tricycle carrying cardboard boxes. ;)

BUT it will do for our needs. We're grateful to have it.

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!!!

~vbb

Almost as Good:

Getting new glasses is almost as good as getting new clothes and a lot less work. =]

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Almost.

Like many other things here, glasses are sold in a huge building full of eye glass vendors. Somehow the Chinese people like to put a whole bunch of shops selling largely the same thing all together.

Rob's been wanting prescription sunglasses and new, unscratched lenses for . . . forever (um, yeah, it was worth the wait!), and we got a great price (around $350 total for prescription, frames and lenses) on the three pairs of glasses from Lucy at the International Glasses Market. She was fun, and we'll probably be back in a few months to give Ema and Anne a new look too.

OK, I've got to go give my eyes a rest from the new lenses now. Next time you need a new look that matches everything, consider some new glasses! Or, as my dad did, a cataract operation so he could quit wearing glasses all together! Ha!

China: Day 47

In case any one is wondering what I, Verena, think of China after 47 days, here it is:

I really HATE

• the dogs and roosters that serenade me in the middle of the night.
• the people with no consideration for anyone else’s destination goals on the subway or the roadway and sidewalk (~is there really any difference here?).
• having to leave so much of my stuff behind, whether in storage or that I simply gave away or sold. sometimes I don’t miss it as much as I used to, thankfully.
• the time it’s taking to get back on our feet financially. To name a few things: I’m tired of the kids still sleeping on mattresses on the floor. I’m tired of my wake-up-to-turn-over-because-my-back-hurts mattress. I’m tired of just getting by with the basics as far as food, home school supplies/activities, and outings (etc.). I’m tired of our scanty wardrobes. I’m tired of other people and their ‘expat packages’ who have no clue how hard it is without one.
• trying to figure out what to eat here and how to fix it.
• how long it’s taking to learn Chinese and having to say “听 不 懂 Tīng bù dǒng”, which means “I hear you, but I don’t understand.”
• watching my family struggle with all of these things too.

I’m really annoyed by

•  how hard it is to get anywhere. To get to the subway station with any more than 5 of us we have to either ride the bus and walk about 1/3 of the 2 miles, take two taxis, or call for a van taxi (hit and miss availability). Then we have to figure out how to get from the subway station to wherever we’re going.
• the landlord who is rather whiny about fixing or replacing anything, if she does it at all.
• how many Spanish words sneak into my head when I’m trying to (or wishing I could) communicate in Chinese.
• how hard it’s been to connect with other homeschoolers.
• my inability to get back to my studies still.
• how often I have to shop and how long it takes. I’m not feeling psychotic with my shopping now that we’re getting used to things, but it’s still annoying.

I really love

• watching and mingling with the Chinese people. I’m not sure if I just feel bad for them because their freedom of religion is lacking etc., but I love being here with them (most of them ;).
• learning Chinese. I love hearing something and thinking, ‘Hey, I think I understood that!” I love recognizing and writing the characters.
• how much we walk here. I love how loose my pants (and Rob’s!) are these days, mostly.
• the complex where we love. I love the architecture here and how many people are fixing up their homes and yards.
• living close to the Branch president, his wife and others in the branch (two other families are close, though not nearly as close as the Lambs). I just love having someone close by to bumb rides off of and get/give a little help from now and then.
• using public transportation. I do miss driving, but I also really, really don’t.
• our home and all the space we have here. Living on 3 levels is not so much fun, but I am really really grateful for all the elbow room.
• how well the kids are doing with their school work. Mathew is loving his first real year of school work and the other kids are also progressing well.
• sharing with people from around the world at church. Bro Takeshige gave the opening prayer at church yesterday in Japanese.
• my new laundry baskets. They’re just the right size with handles and work well on our 3 levels. We need a lot more, but I love them.
• how far away we are from friends and family. We miss them terribly, but having time to just focus on our family after such a stressful season of un(der)employment has been very nice.
• Finding new foods to make or buy. Finances and language prevents us from  eating out very often, but we’ll get there.

So there you go! I think that covers most things here. We really are happy to be here, even if we hate too. ;)

I have a dad who taught me how to think.

This is an essay I wrote to help Anne learn how to write an essay. Hopefully she will post her essay soon too. She's getting ready to write an essay for a contest and this was our practice run.

I have a dad who taught me how to think. When I was little he didn’t just let me hurry through the Fun House at the fair as fast as I could. He made me go back and think about each part so I could appreciate and enjoy the experience. When I was older he liked to ask me tough questions and invite me to read and discuss religious articles. Now I like to think and ponder and enjoy life because my dad lovingly taught me how to think.