The Great Wall of China

  I wish I could say that we took the time & camera to take amazing, breathtaking photos of The Great Wall while we visited but we didn't. We just enjoyed our walk along the wall, relatively people free. We hiked, climbed into windows, scurried up and down stairs, and laughed. We just enjoyed our time. It was good.   We spent a weekend in Beijing exploring the Hutongs, Lotus Lake & took a day trip out to the Great Wall. I made sure to do my research & picked a section of the wall that was less popular with Chinese tourists, therefore way less crowded. We chose to go to the Mutianyu section of the wall which is still one of the most popular sections among foreign tourists but if planned right, you can go at a time of year & day where you'll still have a lovely, crowd free time. I don't think this will be true for long, though. When we pulled up to the parking lots, where you start your hike to catch the lift, they were in the process of building a big tourist trap outdoor mall with a Pizza Hut and Burger King included. Thankfully, it was still in the process of being built, so we could enjoy our time w/ only a small crowd.    If you've seen the pictures of the more popular spots, filled with people, you'll understand why it's worth doing your research & finding a less popular section or waking up super early to go.   Below are the shots we did manage to capture. Enjoy! :)     The Great Wall stretches an amazing 13,170.7 miles long, is more than 2,300 years old & crosses over 9 Chinese provinces and municipalities. In December 1987, just a year after my birth, it was named by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.   We packed some snacks for our hike & enjoyed climbing in to the huge "window sills" to sit & enjoy our snacks. I couldn't help but think back to all of those years ago when they were first built & about all the years that have passed & feet that have trod over it since. 
  Have you been to the Great Wall? What did you think? Let me know below!

He Says, She Says

  In every List Lover & Quiz Taker's draft posts there is a Q&A like the one below. They're fun aren't they? I could google them & fill them out for days. (Buzz Feed Quizzes are a real time suck for me. "So, which Harry Potter house would I be sorted in to?!! I. MUST. TAKE. QUIZ. NOW." And so the time suck cycle goes. ) The fun questions, the silly answers, the laughs, oh man, they're just so addicting. It may not be the most creative of posts, but it's fun guys. It's fun. So here you are, me asking Zachary questions about me. Oh the vanity. So fun!     Patient hubby who always answers these dumb Q&A's for me: Zachary About whom: me, Heather :)   He Says / She Says

What is something I always say to you?
"Relax" / "I love you"

What makes me happy?
 Coffee / Coffee shops

What makes me sad ?
No money / haha, so true. No money!

What was I like as a child?
Passionate / in shape!

How old am I?
 28 / ??? I can never remember. China got me jacked.

How tall am I?
5'8" / 5'4"
ahahaha. This is hilarious to me & the only thing seriously revealing! He thinks I'm super tall.

What's my favorite thing to do?
 Work / True, work. Drink coffee. Explore!

What do I do when you are not around?
 Go crazy. ha. No. Shop. / Watch chick flicks & fold clothes!
We're rarely apart. Which is why my closets so messy. ;)

If I become famous, what will it be for?
 Sleeping. / I wish I could get pair for that!

What am I good at?
 Everything. / Can't argue with that. ;)

What am I not good at?
Keeping track of time. / Being disciplined. At anything.

What makes you proud of me?
Your love for God and people. /  I love that.

What is my favorite food?
coffee / yep.

What do we do when we are together?
Laugh / smile

How are you and I the same?
We follow Jesus. / We love & value people, because of Jesus.

Where is my favorite place to eat?
Chuy's / it's a go-to, true.

How old was I when I met you?
 20... / 18; We technically met right before I started college but we were just friends until I was 20.

When is our anniversary?
 December 8th..haha December 20, 2008 / 12/20

If I could go anywhere, where would it be?
Away. / True Dat.

Do you think you could live with me forever?
 Yes. / Duh. Fowevah.

How do I annoy you?
Next.....You don't hang up your clothes. / see above

What is your favorite thing about me?
personality. / Your favorite thing about me? boobs ;)

There you go. A super interesting, super vain, but fun for us, Q&A about me. : )

Do you have any awesome Q&A's or quizzes that I have to check out!? Feed my addiction. Leave me a link in the comments below!

P.S. Should you want to ask your significant other the same Q's; here they are without our answers so they're easy to copy & paste. 
What is something I always say to you?
What makes me happy?
What makes me sad ?
What was I like as a child?
How old am I?
How tall am I?
What's my favorite thing to do?
What do I do when you are not around?
If I become famous, what will it be for?
What am I good at?
What am I not good at?
What makes you proud of me?
What is my favorite food?
What do we do when we are together?
How are you and I the same?
Where is my favorite place to eat?
How old was I when I met you?
When is our anniversary?
If I could go anywhere, where would it be?
Do you think you could live with me forever?
How do I annoy you?
What is your favorite thing about me? 

Good Friday Service

We've had so many lovely memories the last year but I have rarely blogged about them or even stopped to take it all in. Blogging used to help me do that. Now, it's I'm always behind. Always catching up. Always feeling like I'm drowning in this life that we're living currently. With this cup we've been given. This cup that we're trying to hold with grace but looks more messy than graceful. But yet, in the midst of it all, we've had so many amazing, beautiful memories & moments. Like these pictures capture. Our Good Friday service, that we had all together as a community in the Sunken Gardens at San Gabriel Park. Claire captured the night perfectly. As you can see, poppies were in bloom, friends & family were abundant & all our worship, glory & praise went to our sweet, sweet Father & our Messiah. We worshiped, Zachary shared a bit about the life, death & resurrection of Jesus, we shared communion, and we ended the night with more singing & a candle lighting. It was perfect. Take a look.

 ^My gorgeous, strong mother & my little sister, Sophie. 

 

 

 We praise you Lord for such a beautiful night. Thank you our family, friend & church family. Thank you for being our people & helping make this past year a little sweeter