Miriam's 8th Birthday!

I can hardly believe it, but Miriam is eight! Emily planned and flawlessly executed two fabulous birthday parties earlier this month, but on THE DAY (Dec 28) our celebration was more subdued and practical - largely a function of the fact that it was a school night and Emily is in the U.S. for her dear friend's wedding.

We opened a couple small presents at breakfast and went out for dinner to our family's favorite North Eastern Chinese restaurant. After completing her post-dinner homework Miriam, Asa and I sang happy birthday, ate mini-cakes and opened the rest of her presents. As you can see from the picture they were happy, but maybe that was just because they were getting chocolate at nearly 9 pm on a schoo night! Joab

Worth a Thousand Words...

Well, I tried. I tried to get them out of their PJ's this morning and to sit by the tree for the "Christmas picture". But it kind of backfired on me.

Asa- he came around the corner with Q-tips in between each finger. When I asked why, he winked and said he was Wolverine. Of course I thought. And how in the world does he know about Wolverine's claws? And how does he think of these things? But I had no time to discuss I just told him to sit down.

Miriam- she was not wanting ANY picture fun. And if you know her at all she can not for the life of her fake anything (smiles being a big one). I knew it was not going to be good. Also she was not thinking Wolverine's claws were cute at all. She was quite annoyed.

Salome- poor thing has been fighting roto virus all week (think BAD stomach flu). She has been miserable. But I thought giving her the remote control (which is usually out of her reach) would help. It did not.

Wolverine making his move on the girls.

So from our Wolverine house to yours -Merry Christmas! We love and miss you all.

A sick girl

Our dear Salome is down with a horrible virus. The poor thing has never been sick or really had a fever. But something got her (and no one else) this week. We finally went to the Doctor and after blood work said it is indeed a very bad virus. Please pray that she will get feeling better and would eat! Right now she only wants to nurse (which is making me exhausted) and won't even drink water. Thanks friends

Birthday Fun

Miriam is turning eight! To celebrate we invited most of her class over for some Birthday fun! Above is the whole gang.

Opening presents- mob style

I have been totally in L O V E with these identical twins since I first saw them! I was so glad they both came.

Peanuts and green raisins on cookies? They ate it up!

Top Five I Learned about having 11 Chinese kids in my Apartment for a Birthday Party

5. You need a lot of help. We have five adults! Including our good friend Trey who was visiting from Hawaii (he also took all the pictures). Also had people who came over turning the week to help bake

4. Lots of games. LOTS. They love any activity you put in front of them

3. Gingerbread cookies a hit while the sugar a miss. They said too sweet.

2. Opening presents is not an orderly time. Not sure if this is "normal" but it was crazy.

1. Miriam was an amazing translator! She did a great job helping out (as well as Asa). I am so thankful for a little girl who is able to love many different kids of people. Thank you God for my little Miriam. Thank you that she is more a gift to me than the day she was born.

And the winner is.....Harms Family!

The winner of our "who are you" blog post is Kim Harms! (cue- loud cheering!)

Now, a word about Kim Harms. I have know her for about sixteen years- ever since college. Her sweet presence on the dorm floor was always a welcome joy. She also has three kids (all boys) and we are able to stay in touch via our blogs. I am thankful for you servant heart to both her family and the nations! She recently rounded up many people in her community to sew dresses for little girls affected by the Haitian earthquake.

We also have in common that we both married men from Fremont, Nebraska. These are special men! Love you Kim Harms and Harms boys! You stuff will be in the mail soon!

Our Meal

Salome's first Thanksgiving. She sat in her highchair all day eating! Chinese people love feeding babies (well who doesn't right?) so she was very well taken care of!

Once a year my dear Joab wears an apron- to carve the Turkey! And he did a great job!

We had a wonderful meal with many of our Chinese friends. For many of them it was their first Thanksgiving meal ever. We are so thankful for friends to celebrate with when we missed so many of our family in the States.

Thankful

She is cute. She is a lot of work. She gets into everything. She is my baby. She is eleven months old today!

A year ago I did not know that I would have a Salome in our lives. I did not know how much our family would need a red haired spunky little girl. For Salome and a million other reasons I give thanks for our blessings.

Mommy, I was made for this

Miraim this week with some of her classmates.

"Mommy, I was made for this" these words were ringing in my ears as I zoomed off in my electric bike after picking Miriam up from school. She was elated as she had been chosen as one of the special room helpers, an honor only six kids got out of her class of 30.



It is a funny thing to raise your kids in an enviroment where you yourself have no cultural bearings. You do not go to the pumpkin patch in the fall with your kids, watch them sing Christmas songs in winter or cheer them on at little league in the summer. Instead you engage in things for the first time and bring your kids along side you. Chinese elementary school is one of those things.



I really had no idea we would get this "far"in Chinese elementary school. I had visions of bribing Miriam with candy to do hours of homework, forcing her daily to get on the bike and not be late for school. Instead I get a little girl who tells me to leave her alone so she can do her homework in peace and quiet and skips off to school almost daily. I have a little girl who really has Chinese friends. Chinese friends she calls on the phone and asks to come over and play. Chinese friends who stick up for her at school and tell her the truth. I have a little girl that says in her own words "Mommy I was made for this". Made in her mind for Chinese school but I know in God's mind so very much more.

Please, remind me when she is 17 and wants to study abroad early and do so many things that will challenge me to trust God more and more that she started off early doing some pretty amazing things.

Christmas Baby

From Thanksgiving to Christmas at our house is one big BIG party and especially this year!

Salome's first birthday will kick off things on December 23rd! The above is Joab and the little elf last year on Christmas Eve. She is only one day old. I think this is one of my favorite pictures of all time.

Than Christmas and Christmas Eve!

Than Miriam turns eight on December 28th!

Salome shares my brother David's birthday on Dec. 23rd. Growing up I vowed not to do this to any of my children (have a birthday near Christmas). But now I have two! Yikes!

Well, I am trying to embrace the parties this year not dread all the work! While I stand amazed God gave me two Christmas babies!

Who are you?

Hello! It is that time again our annual blog contest! We have kept this blog public and now want to know who is reading it! So please take a moment to comment on this post with your name and the best (or one of the best) books you have read this year. I am getting ready to order some from Amazon and want to know some good ones!

Then we will collect all your names and draw one out of the blogging hat to send you one of my best China read for this year- Factory Girls in early December!

I really liked this book for a two reasons. It tells the personal stories behind some of the huge factories in south china and it is written by a Chinese author about Chinese people.

In addition, if you win and have kids I will throw in a book for your kids about China! So what are you waiting for! Please comment!

Siblings

Asa and Salome would play and bathe together all night if I let them! She loves to laugh at all of Asa's tricks! It is very cute.

Miriam has been very into writing signs for Asa lately. This one was on her section of the bunk bed in Chinese and English! At least she said please. However, Asa tends not to "obey" the signs which really drives her nuts!

Wednesdays

Miriam really like Wednesdays. Because she gets to carry her classes' sign out to meet the parents. We do not go into the school to get the kids- the kids (all 500 +) come out class by class to meet us. Let's just say it is a bit of a zoo!

Her class is not called Mrs. Ying's class like it would be in the USA. It is called second grade- third class. The two lines = two in Chinese and then the three for the class she is in.

Again, amazed at how much she loves school. It is a gift.

Beating those homesick blues

Have you had the pleasure of sinking your teeth into Chocolate Mayo Cake? If not, here is the recipe:

1/2 cocoa powder
2 Cups White sugar (and yes, you need a whole TWO cups)
1 tsp salt
2 Cups flour (no whole wheat sorry!)
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 Cup Mayo (no low fat sorry!)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups of boiling water

Combine first five ingredients. Combine mayo, vanilla and water. Mix water/mayo mix into the dry. Beat until smooth. Pour into greased 9x13 pan or bundt pan. Bake at 325 F for about 45 min until middle is set.

It is true, being homesick is a real deal here in China. I "get it" way more than Joab does. And my kids whine about missing the USA- but truly China is there home. I have even googled "adult homesickness" and there is not much out there about it! Except that it is a real thing, can make you physically sick too.

One way to combat my homesick blues is to bake, bake, bake. I am pretty much baking something everyday this week! I make things and then deliver to my dear neighbors- who probably think I am a bit wacky to give them chocolate cake! But if it stays in my house I will eat it all up!

Asa and I made donuts a few days ago. That was really fun. It is fun to combat the blues with fun with my kids.


And here is pumpkin pie. That is my new name for her this week. Her hair just looks the same color as pumpkin pie! She has two new teeth on the top and working on a third on the bottom. Needless to say she has been up a lot in the night- makes me so tired!

Asa turns Five!

There are a lot of people in China. Read in the paper this week 1.5 billion at last count. This week is a National Holiday- that is right the whole week! So everyone is not at work! Makes for crazy crowds! Here is one we got into (and quickly out of) this weekend.

We had a great time celebrating Asa turning five this weekend! He had some friends over and we all enjoyed it. Here are some pictures.

I love this one. Needs a huge breath for one little candle! Love Miriam managing the situation.

Here is his cake- which says in Chinese- Da Ge Ge- means big big brother. Since he turned four last year he has been talking about when he turns five he will really big the big brother!

We love you Asa David Lawrence Meyer!

Time for a Fresh Start

This summer in Iowa- Miriam catching bubbles

I can still remember the day almost five years ago I came up with the name:
Global Meyer Minutes for our blog.
Global= oh my! We are moving our whole lives to Beijing China!
Meyer=I married a great Man named Joab Meyer
Minutes=really not thinking that we would stay in China this long! But again, God's plans are bigger and better!
So on to bigger and better things= Five Meyers
No global, no minutes. Here we are-all five of us- starting our fourth year in China. Let the good times roll.