Thorn Bush.. King of the trees

Summer Palace; Beijing. Sui Hai Li, and Me.

So many things to write about! I can't believe a month has gone by since my last post. I've been really really busy this last month, and will continue to be through the next two it seems. I'm coming up on my ten months in China and I still feel very blessed to be here. I have to be honest and say that I have faltered with my strength of being away from common conviences of my life in America. However, the cold weather finally broke and the warm sun was graciously welcomed by me for sure!

A few weeks ago the warm weather beckoned a "dragon" into my home, I don't care

what you say Wally, I'm calling it that. So many people gave me the great advice of just knocking it off the ceiling (which I can't reach even on a chair) with a broom then killing it or magically getting it outside the house. Well I decided to let it reside in the living room and I stayed in the bedroom for a day or so. Especially after it attacked me! (Fell off the curtains onto me when I shut them on night). Eventually Sue's boyfriend came and killed it. Now I will say the feminist side of me is slightly ashamed that I felt the need to have a man come and kill the thing; but in my defense I didn't need a man to do it, just someone else besides me. A woman would have sufficed, even a small child, anyone else... I could have done it myself had I had the support of a roommate to take the tension off that lingered between me and the dragon for the five days it resided in my home. I just wasn't prepared for that. It made me realize I took living with Mitch for granted. He was good at cleansing our home of anything that moved. Such as "bats" haha good memories! Anyway last night a HUGE bug came into my home and I took care of that all on my own, ever-so cooly might I add. I'm growing.

Moving on, aside from the warm weather bringing outdoor creatures into my home, it has brought me outdoors. I started running again, some days I look like Forrest Gump with the students that fall in running with me around the dirt track. I enjoy the company. I'm quite competative so it pushes me to move past that dreaded word... "jogging" and into what I'd consider actual running.

Being away from home on Easter was harder than I let on to anyone, including myself. However the Lord surrounded me with gracious people at church who let my mind slip away from this longing of my

heart to be near my family. It was the first time in 7 years I hadn't made a three hour drive back to Murfreesboro afterlunch at grandmothers. It was also the first time in 10 months I felt like getting behind the wheel of a car. I wonder if I can even drive anymore?

I took a mini-road trip at the start of April to Taiyuan. I stayed with Shen Ling's parents with her and Hai li. It was fun but I was so tired by the end of it.

Two weeks later, Hai Li and I traveled together to Beijing for me to take the first part of the GRE. I'm waiting for the results. While in Beijing we went to the Summer Palace, which was beautiful, and I bought a dress for Sarah's wedding, AND Cheese, pancake mix, and syrup! Awesome Beijing trip! I go back on June 6th with John to take the rest of the test. I'm anticipating a low score so as not to get my hopes up. Oh yeah, John's coming back to visit which is amazing! And would not at all be possible if it wasn't for Ott

so hooray! Also Ott and Emily will be here in less than 3 weeks! I also can't believe thats happening! I'm so excited to show them around. The sisters and I have planned a dinner to celebrate them being here. That should be fun!

This past weekend was May Day (Labor day) for China and so I had friday off. I went with some students to The Great Valley, which is about two hours away from my school. It was beautiful! and insanely crowded. But it wouldn't be China w/o crowds. It was a great trip, so pretty, the weather was perfect. The students were very nice and I had a great time with them. We hiked around the mountains and then took a slide down which was so much fun!

Then on Sunday I went and walked around the wetlands out on the edge of my city. The weather as I said has been beautiful.

So basically I've traveled a lot this month.

Thursday through Saturday is a sports competition for the school. I'd like to participate but I'm having trouble figuring out what events are for the teachers. We'll see, maybe I'll just watch. On sunday my friend Jenny is getting married so I'm going to spend most of the day watching that and I'll have more pictures for you when that happens.

"The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."

~John 1:5