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!