Christmas Greetings - 2014

2014 has been a blessed year for the Meyer Family: We began the year in Shanghai, China and will close it out in Minneapolis, Minnesota - where we moved in June.  While we miss so much about our life in China, especially our dear friends, we are thankful for God's faithful provision to return to the U.S.  We are still adjusting to life here, including Joab looking for a new job after being laid off in September.  Overall, we have been encouraged to see how everyone is building more connections here.

Adjusting Well to the US: A lot of people ask us how the kids are adjusting to life in the USA. Truly, they are doing great: School, Church, Neighborhood and Time with Family - they love it all!
- Miriam and Asa: Our big kids attend a local Chinese Charter Immersion School - Ying Hua Academy.  This has been an amazing way for Asa and Miriam to continue in their Chinese studies. They both have made some great friends and love being a part of such a great community.
- Salome was fluent in Chinese when we left this summer and now has forgotten most of her Chinese. This makes us sad, but hopeful she can gain it again next year when she goes to Ying Hua for Kindergarten.
- Silas is talking more and more and when you ask him his name he replies "Elmo" just to see you laugh! He brings a lot of laughter to our home.

Prayers Answered and Fulfillment Awaited: I (Emily) had three prayers for our move to the USA: That we would find a house that feels like a home, a church that feels like a family and a job Joab loves. Truly the first two have been met as we are renting an incredible home in North Minneapolis near the kids school and in November become members of Sovereign Grace Church! Now we are just waiting on God for the job! God has answered so many prayers and we are eager to see Him do so again!

Leaving China: Leaving the place we called home for seven years was probably the hardest thing we have done as a married couple. It was not easy to leave a land and community that we loved. But have learned a lot, grown a lot and by God's amazing grace have seen God provide time and time again.  Below are some highlights from the last year.  As always, we would love to hear from you - either through posting on the blog below or e-mailing us (joabandemily@gmail.com)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Cutting the Christmas Tree

Halloween Costumes

Carving Pumpkins

First Day of School at Ying Hua Academy

Exploring Minnehaha Creek in South Minneapolis

Moving Into our New Home in North Minneapolis

Leaving Shanghai: Boxes and Goodbye

Summer Trip: Visiting Our Friend's Family in the Anhui Country Side  

Final Party with Local Chinese Friends

Spring Trip with American Friends (the Bowmans) to Nanjing

Ringing in the Chinese New Year with Lights in Downtown Shanghai

The Lord of the Double Daddy Dates

Today the older two kids (Miriam 11 and Asa 8) dubbed "The Lord of the Double Daddy Dates as I (Joab) spent nearly the entire day with them going to special places and connecting with dear friends.  After serving at Miriam's Sunday School class we headed for our favorite restaurant for Shanghai food - Jesse Restaurant in Xintiandi.

The kids enjoyed some of the favorite dishes including - Shanghai Style Braised Pork Belly and Dates Stuffed with Sticky Rice.  We also had a blast reading our favorite sections of "The Hobbit" - a preview for our afternoon activity.

Later in the afternoon we went to see "The Desolation of Smaug" in 3D with some of their favorite friends - Anna and Elijah Bowman.  It is hard to believe it, but we have been friends with the Bowman family nearly the entire time we have lived in Shanghai, which began in the fall of 2007.

Chinese New Year Highlights - 2014

One of the biggest holidays of the year here in China is always Chinese New Year.  Below are some of the highlights from our family's Chinese New Year celebrations.

The New Year's celebrations begin with great anticipation as decorations went up around our complex - including a carousel style horse - this year is the Year of the Horse - at the complex entrance.

We knew the New Year's celebration was close when we began to see the extra fruit boxes and fireworks being sold in our neighborhood. 

There were also some great displays at our local mall - including a three story tall red horse.

We also got a great family picture at the base of the horse, which we then climbed and shot an arrow off in hopes of winning a prize.

On New Year's Eve (Jan 30, 2014) Emily cooked an amazing meal, which included fish - an essential dish in a Chinese New Year's meal

After dinner we went to our neighbor's house to set off fireworks - the kids had a blast.

The fireworks climaxed at mid-night and here is a short video I shot from the 33rd floor of our building

 

On New Year's Day (Jan 31) we went across town to with our good friends the Bowmans where the kids had a blast - including setting up a "Kids Cafe" and serving the dads.

After time with the Bowmans we had a chance to take a short train ride to nearby Kun Shan with families who are part of our home school coop.  Miriam had a blast at the party with one of her good friends from coop - Haley.

We spent the next several days of the holiday at a hotel downtown in order to avoid the nosiest fireworks.  Near downtown in the Yu Garden area there were some impressive lantern displays with traditional Chinese New Year scenes.

Unexpectedly, there was also a "Garden of Eden" lantern display where Adam and Eve were standing next to Jesus with a white horse.

From our hotel room - on the 33rd floor - we had a great view of downtown.

This is the westward view of People's Square, which was the horse racing track during Shanghai's colonial days.

From the eastward view there was a nice view of downtown Shanghai - including the Pearl Tower (lit up in red) and the Shanghai Financial Center (lit up in blue).

One of the highlights of our time at the hotel was the great view of the fireworks that were lit off at mid-night to celebrate the arrival of the god of wealth.  The fireworks culminate about 2 minutes into the video.

Christmas 2013: First Sunday of Advent

Continuing the holiday theme for the weekend, we kicked off our Christmas celebration on the First Sunday of Advent by setting up our Christmas tree.

The Kids enjoyed setting up the tree and eating popcorn.

Asa showing his University of Nebraska loyalties - a Husker Sweatshirt and Ornament - one of my favorites!

Miriam with of U of M (Minnesota) ornament; when I asked which team it was for she proudly announced - The Minnesota Tigers!  Uh, no....it is actually the gophers, honey.  Much sports education remains in our household!

In the end, everyone played a part in setting up the Christmas tree and had a blast.

Both of our girls have December birthdays, so a few years back Emily started the tradition of a "birthday tree".  The girls have collected their ornaments over the years and have a way to make their birthdays festive and special.

What a gift to have this family tradition of celebrating advent to help our hearts begin to celebrate Christ's birth!

Thanksgiving: Shanghai Style 2013

We had a blast celebrating Thanksgiving with friends here in Shanghai on Saturday.

The day started with our annual trip to Bubbah's Texas BBQ to pick up our smoked turkey.  The kids loved playing the golf video game while we waited.  Note the Nebraska Cornhusker's pennant flying proudly over their heads.  We love our Huskers - even if their regular season ended with a thud earlier today :(

The kids and I enjoyed cutting the turkey; Asa was so excited he decided to turn the green cutting board into a gong to announce the cutting of the turkey!

Once again Emily did an amazing job in preparing the side dishes and pies.  She managed to stuff her little "easy bake" oven to keep these dishes warm.

Once the dishes were laid out we had the beans, sweet potatoes and turkey all laid out over the cover of our stove top in the kitchen.

She also kept the mashed potatoes warm in the crock pot.  They had cream cheese in them and were amazing!

Emily and Miriam also did an amazing job of making pies - apple, peach and pumpkin; including my favorite pumpkin pie with a gluten free crust!

Before digging into the food Salome and her classmate had a blast playing.

They also had fun at their "little girls" table on the deck.

The older kids enjoyed eating with their tutors and friends at the big table in the middle of the living room.

The party ended with games and everyone putting a leaf on the "Thankful Tree" to list something they were thankful for.