And just like that....

....my winter break is over. :(

It has been such a blessing to be back in the states these past few weeks. I have loved the chance to see family and friends ...and of course, treasured my time with my little nephew. :)

It is really an understatement to say I'm thankful for this time back home.... it has been incredibly refreshing and encouraging.

Some highlights of the past few weeks:
- seeing my brother compete in an indoor track meet

what a stud!

- meeting up with some of my "heart friends" (special thank you to all who made the time to connect with me - y'all blessed my heart so much)
- getting some wisdom teeth removed (okay, actually this was not fun. At all. But it provided some great time for me to do absolutely nothing....and as strange as it sounds, I think He knew I needed that).
- worshipping with others in our home church
- family!! (even got to see my grandma for a short bit before flying out!)

celebrating Grandma's birthday a little early!

- and of course, COFFEE :)

coffee date with Jack and the best new mommy I know :)

Nevertheless, china calls.... I'm scheduled to leave at 00:05 tonight/tomorrow (and for those of you who struggle with military time - like me - apparently that means 12:05 am on Wednesday....trust me, I googled it. :)

I wish I could say that the goodbyes get easier each time, but that's yet to prove to be the case. However, He has proven that His grace is sufficient for each goodbye, though. So thankful for that.

Here's some things I'm asking Him for this next semester....love if you could join me in lifting these things/people up:

1. Opportunities to share the gospel fully with Taozi, Vicky, Jullianne, Jackie, and Cici....and for their salvation!
2. He would continue to open doors of ministry, and that God would draw the hearts of those around me to Himself, grant them salvation.
3. Wisdom/direction regarding teaching/life/china/etc.
4. The love, grace, peace, and joy of JESUS would just permeate my classroom so much that everyone who steps into it would recognize His presence and be drawn to Him.
5. More of HIS love, His grace, His joy, His strength, His creativity, and His patience for each day.....in essence, just more of HIM. :)

oh friends, thank you so much. I wish I could adequately describe just how much I'm thankful for you all. I know that, at the core, the life and ministry He has entrusted to me is not all that different from yours. Thank you for your continued faithfulness to Him, and please know that I'm lifting you up and thanking Him for you all daily. :)

ps. here's a song that's been on my heart the past few weeks....hope it encourages your heart as much as it has mine. :)

my semester in pictures

for those of you who believe "a picture is worth a thousand words,"
here's like a million for you....

My school. The Chinese Kindergarten (where I worked last spring) is to the left. I now work in the large building on the right.

my amazing Ek-2 team!

first day of school! ....meeting the kiddos

first week of school....have no idea what I'm attempting to model to them....haha

the amazing EK team! (Ek-1 & EK-2 staff)

discovered that i absolutely love (& am possibly addicted to) milk tea with bubble

Jackie, my Chinese teacher, instructing the kiddos during Center Time

recess time!

snapshot from a staff retreat at the beginning of the summer

 

Field Trip to the Farm

getting ready for our first field trip to a farm

gathering peanuts

in case i needed another reason to love kindergarten....you can sing/play "head, shoulders, knees & toes" during down time and still have it be educational :)

 Monday night fellowship retreat

with a friend during our Monday night fellowship retreat at the beginning of the school yr.

climbed a mountain together...and then purchased corn on a stick

that night, we had an amazing time of prayer, praise, and preaching.

 when we got to the top of the mountain, we decided to sing a song :)

found and attempted to eat raw chestnuts :S

EK-2 Fashion Show

We had our kiddos dress up and say what they want to be when they grow up for their parents....it was a blast!

all practiced and ready to go!

show time!

future princess and race car driver :)

every girl wanted to be a princess except for Miffy...she of course wanted to be an "ice cream seller" - love it.

these two made my day!

EK Harvest Party 

...complete with trick or treating, pumpkin experiments, pumpkin seed baking, and of course, costumes. :)

Me with Jennifer, my fellow EK homeroom teacher....we dressed up as a "Super Teacher" and a black cat :)

guess what the girls dressed up as??? (if you guessed princesses.... :)

one of my students brought a jack-o-latern to share!! soo excited!

getting started on our pumpkin experiment :)

making mooncakes for the moon festival (a Chinese holiday)

Field trip to the ZOO!!

all of us!

sometimes being a teacher is a little embarrassing....like when you're instructing kids in English via a personal microphone at a public zoo and telling your kiddos to say hello to the animals as you pass them, haha.

sooo we got to see pandas - which was awesome - but we also saw super sad elephants. :S

EK Classes outside of the Zoo...we certainly drew a crowd while we were taking this picture, haha

Our Crazy Chengdu/Village adventure...

illegal taxi that took us over a mountain to a Tibetan village

we thought we were going to die on the mountain...

exploring the village with our new friends

we also made friends with a yak

we decided to give this girl the English name, Paris...such a sweetheart :)

on the way back, we shared the illegal taxi with a monk....and of course i took a picture, haha.....ironically, it was the monk who sparked the conversation to share about Jesus with Paris. :)

our visibility on our way back down the mountain :S

the view from the home of our tibetan "homestay"

psyching ourselves up for our cable car ride...we don't like heights

we made it!

making our way back to chengdu via bus (we arrived 9 hours later) :S

crazy bus driver and crazy traffic

we saw the pandas!!

we were rather excited :)

and...we also saw baby pandas - awww!

apparently this was my face when I found out my baby nephew had arrived - welcome to the world Baby Jack! :)

doing a little street shopping

heading home!

Thanksgiving!

EK thanksgiving feast!

pilgrim hats  - they loved those things!

thanksgiving party with some friends from our fellowship

huge thanksgiving feast with friends from our school

finished up our thanksgiving celebration with some good ol' american flag football :)

flag football spectators

 Life in the EK....

we love birthdays!

our attempt at a class picture before recess.... haha

EK Fall Field Day

getting the parents involved :)

its not a field day without a little karaoke, right?

EK jaozi (dumpling) making party....love these ladies!

we like playing in the dirt

 

jackie teaching Chinese pinyin during our Open Class - she's awesome! 

we like to laugh

Hat day

walking on the line during a transition time...these kids are pro at this

baking pumpkin pies for our Harvest party

the finished product!

china pride!

listening SO well to a guest speaker :)

this is typically what our staff meetings consist of: many smiles and milk tea

recess - these kiddos are so brave!

Miffy attempting to serve some 'shui' (water) to our EK administrator :)

super star party = hot chocolate, popcorn, and rudolph....oh yes. and balancing a cup on your head. haha

jackie is seriously the sweetest!

story time :)

these ladies seriously surprised me on my birthday :)

EK Christmas Open House

please notice all the hanging things....so much work, but totally worth it :)

celebrating after the Open House - love these ladies :)

life in China...

a snapshot from the farmer's market near my apartment....this became our go-to favorite on Sat. mornings :)

roomie snapshot

dinner with Taozi and Thomas :)

my main mode of transportation

sporting the 3D glasses with the roomies (and Naomie!)

snapshot from the Monday night fellowship

grilling (indoors) at Taozi's apartment :)

my new bike - feel so chinese with this thing!

Sherry, Keri, Taozi and I

and for those of you wondering....china has not inhibited my love for coffee :)

sushi with some friends from fellowship

my new friend from the orhpanage

with my friend Vicky :)

and this is what a typical night in apt. 702 looks like... :)

love living life here with these darlings :)

annnd just for fun....

teaching the kiddos English and the "Cha Cha Slide." best music class ever. :)

if you made it through all those pictures....you've just processed like a million  words.... sorry! :S But can I add just one more? 

Thankful. 

I'm so thankful for this past semester, for your prayers and for all that the Lord has done. :) He is worthy to be praised.