3.20.2012

Lessons Of Love In An Empty Wrapper

So this afternoon as I finished teaching, I decided that I would go get a Snickers bar to split with Heather. As I was walking to her last class of the day, I got distracted in enjoying the amazing chocolaty taste of the Snickers Bar, I ate more than my half leaving Heather only a small bite. So I rationalized my thoughts and said that she would prefer the small bite because that means less Weight Watcher Points....Anyway, I arrive at her class room and lay the wrapper and the remaining candy on her desk.....

Class is over and Heather and I begin to talk about how she was really excited to get something from me. She felt really loved and excited to enjoy something I have given her. BUT as her students watched her hoping they might be fortunate to taste some, she noticed that the candy had been opened. She reaches down to investigate more and finds only the remains of what I have already eaten.

SO instead of being greeted with a surprise, she finds her self looking at the remains of Zachary's lack of self control.

My first response is to tell her that I meant for us both to have a half, but that is soon dismissed along with the good intention I meant to convey.

SO instead of enjoying a sweet surprise..she was left with a crumb.
And instead of feeling thought of ...she felt neglected or an after thought.

Well, I am writing this because after we had talked it out, t just seamed too funny.

Good intentions and empty wrappers...never left anyone feeling loved. Lesson learned..hopefully.

3.16.2012

Pictures of our Kids and at School

I haven't really brought the camera to school yet but decided I should get some pictures of the kids. Man oh man! They went crazy to get in front of the camera! Many insisted they see the pictures of themselves, too!

Strawberry and Tomato Picking!

So inside those mounds of dirt is rows and rows of tomatoes and strawberries! It was FREEZING outside but inside these green houses it was toasty hot! This explains how we have been eating DE.LI.CIOUS. tomatoes all winter! 
These ladies are hard at work.
Ya! My bowel of strawberries.

3.15.2012

March 12th is Tree Planting Day!

We were SO excited to get the opportunity to go with a local English school on their Tree Planting Day field trip to a Strawberry Farm!

We arrived at the site and were surprised to find our tree planting venue to be just as brown and dusty as Dongying!

Good thing we are planting trees here! (Since there are None.)
 Check out the farm so far! I especially like that huge electrical plant in the background. :)

3.05.2012

Lounging Chara

When we first got Chara, almost a year ago now, we pressed through all the hard puppy stuff with dreams of her one day becoming a beautiful, luxurious, lounging golden retriever.

The day has come. :)

While she still has her moments of insanity, a few times a day, the majority of the day she is lounging and ready to snuggle. :)

Since it has been so cold in China we have started letting Chara get on our bed to snuggle.
Not the whole night but only if we are reading.
And don't worry, Zachary has strict rules for her.

She can not get on the bed, unless summoned and she can't bring any of her chew toys on the bed.

 She is very good about listening to these rules.
(We can completely see who's going to be the rule setter in our house! I am terrible at this, which is why Daddy has to sometimes tell Chara, with a stern look and a point, what Mommy is trying to tell her to do.)

She, very preciously, sets her head on the bed everyday, waiting for us to call her up.

My favorite time with her is in the mornings.
Zachary gets up at 6 and takes her out. When they come back, its our new routine that she comes and snuggles with me for 30 minutes until I get up. :) I just love it! She helps me wake up in a good mood.


As you can see Chara's getting a little too comfortable on our bed. :)
She's huge, right!?
She's sleeping like a baby. :)

She sure has grown!
Check out this old picture of her.
So cute. :)

Fireworks

Fireworks are an obsession in China. No joke.
I know you have probably already seen Zachary's video with the fire crackers going off at 9 am, (This morning a drum line started at 6:20 am. Seriously.) but if you haven't seen the video, you can view it here.

February 6th was a holiday in China, the Lantern Festival! We had no idea until we heard tons of fireworks going off outside, like every 10 seconds, versus the daily every 5 minutes.

So, we looked out and were pleasantly surprised to see huge firework shows happening out every window we looked. The sky was lit for miles with beautiful firework shows.

I have never seen a 4th of July celebration come close to how many fireworks filled the sky that night. '

Next year, we will try to bare the cold and sit in a square to watch one of the shows with the locals.

Zachary tried to catch some shots through our window for you to see.




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