Christmas Cookie Exchange!!

So this lovely Friday I have been preparing for this evening's event, a cookie exchange. It has been a very very trying adventure. I usually only bake one of about five different items and although they are delicious, none of them would be classified as Christmas. So I searched high and low for Christmasy cookie recipes. So technically it is my own fault that this day has been so hectic for everyone knows that you never use a recipe for a public event that you haven't tried at home first.

So my first great disaster was the Easy Coconut Macaroon recipe. The only ingredients were shredded coconut, a can of sweetened condensed milk, and almond extract. Mix and spoon drop on to greased pan and bake. Sounds so very easy. So I followed directions and instead of the beautiful light brown mounds emerging from my oven I got flattened out gooeyness with burned bottoms. No one wants to eat those, so I made an emergency call to Kristi and she suggested I add an egg white to the remaining mixture. I did and the remaining mix made 6 beautiful macaroons. Not really enough for a cookie exchange, but enough to take and eat.

The second almost disaster was a Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookie. It was so runny that I had no hopes that it would solidify into cookies that one could actually eat, but they sort of did. Each cookie is a little more sticky than I had hoped, but they will do.

The third disaster slash mistake was my Oreo Snow Balls. Everything was going well until I began to melt the white chocolate to dip them into. This is when you realize that shelf life of products does matter. For when I tried to melt the first package of chocolate in the microwave instead of melting it sort of crumbled into a pile of white crumbly stuff and then proceeded to burn. It was really gross. So I used the other package on the stove this time and had a relatively good amount to use for half of the balls I had made. Once it was all used up I had to use the baker's chocolate. I forgot that it was unsweetened. So the other half of the snow balls are very dark chocolate flavored. I will take them to the party but will have to warn everyone regarding dark dirty snow balls.

My fourth disaster, Mocha Crinkles, will be the least noticeable at the party. Something went terribly wrong with the dough. It was supposed to be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours until firm and able to mold into balls. I kept it there over night, assuming that more hours would mean firmer dough. However, it was the most sticky dough ever and it was disgusting. I had to put it in the freezer for several hours and then could only roll four cookies at a time before re-freezing it. It was a very slow process. The end result isn't too bad though.

I am finished and awaiting the time to go to the party and I am tired. And my baking self esteem is a little low. Tragic.

Weirdness Come to Life!!

So, I put up my little Christmas tree last week and it is so sparkly and happy and bright. I know that many of you have huge, beautiful, real Christmas trees and I am so very happy for you. Each ornament I placed on the tree had special significance to me. Most of them were from my parents. But some of them were gifted to me from very dear friends. As each one found it's own little resting place the tree became less and less a tree and more and more a reminder to me of how wonderful life is and how beautiful each one of us is to make our life, by adding our own little characteristics to what would be an ordinary life. Our little quirks and idiosyncrasisms are God's way of making each one of us special and beautiful. I am so very blessed to know so many weird and lovely people and I know that it is because of the weirdness around me that makes me happy.

Yesterday, I was walking down this little street and two little girls were standing on the side of it and as I got nearer to them one of them said hello to me. This of course is not an unlikely thing to happen to me, but this day it tickled me pink and so I said hello back and I smiled to them in my best friend smile. I continued to walk and when I got about ten paces past them I turned around and both girls were giggling and still watching me, so I waved and both little girls smiled and covered their enormous grins with their hands and as I turned back to continue on my journey all I could be was happy. Each of us giving a bit of brightness into the others life-but this would never have happened if we hadn't let in or out our weirdness.

Think back over your life and picture those you love the most the ones who have placed superior knowledge into your mind, the ones who have made you laugh so hard you almost peed your pants or had food squirt out your nose, what about the ones who know you so well they can tell when you are not doing well just by looking at you, or the individuals who you don't really know very well but stick out in your memories as one who knew who he was, and lastly those who made you realize that you were not insignificant. Each group made a very important impact in your life and why was that? Because they embraced what was special and let it out into the world to make it a better place.

Just like my little metalic green pickle ornament, it is special not only because it is a pickle and those are my favorite food but also because of the weirdness of it and because it was given to me by one of my favorite people, it has character and makes my tree a more beautiful species because it is hanging there.

Or take my tree topper, possibly the most simple of all tree toppers, a star cut out of cardboard and wrapped in smooth tin foil. WEIRD right? But I will let you in on a little family secret, we have always topped our Christmas trees with tinfoil covered stars. They are beautiful, in such a simple way. Every year my daddy writes the year on the back and every year my momma says that we should get a new topper. We always disagree about it and daddy always places the star in its rightful place. Our family star was made my my daddy and so was mine. My star is much smaller than our family's but it suits my tiny little tree just fine.

I am thankful for the weirdness of my Christmas tree and the things that it reveals about me, my family, and what is important to me. I am proud to exhibit my weirdness here in China. Where everyone values the ideal of being exactly like everyone else. But although there is something to be said for the ideal and value of conformity I must say that what my heart desires is to be known in all my uniqueness, even if it is weird. Because I know that the one who made me this different is pleased with my little weird bits and He wants me to live joyfully.

I was once accused of hiding myself from the world and although the bleakness the world often exhibits can be quite daunting I hope that in my desire to make each day I live in a more beautiful thing that I embrace the bleakness and instead of hiding from it I give my all to it.

May that be Chinese classes, volunteering at the rehab clinic, or interacting with the neighborhood children-my all.

Official December Newsletter!!

“And I pray on Christmas, He’ll get me through another day.” Harry Connick Jr

The climate in Kunming is considered Mild and compared to you all in Chicago, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Colorado, Missouri, and Nebraska it is. However, having no in-door heating does take a toll on a girl and so I have finally turned on my heated floor. It is a genius piece of technology. A very thin patch of plastic encases a heating element and it lies directly on my marble flooring and when I plug it in and turn it on it can heat my floor up to 45 degrees Celsius. I am also debating on whether I will take a heated pillow to school to sit on or not. It is so much fun to bundle up in winter coats, sweaters, socks, boots, and such. Once the weather began to cool down I began to have the Christmas jitters. Anxious to listen to Jingle Bells, drink hot chocolate, bake cookies, and celebrate the life that gives True Life.

I have been feeling recently that my contributions to the world are vastly inferior to what they should be. In fact, going about my daily life of school, language helper, homework, the occasional social lunch or dinner I have felt that I have or am letting you and my Father down. I am not an asset. I suck air. I give nothing back into the larger whole. Life constantly gives me struggles and I am only just getting by. I have seen the Goodness of His hand in the lives around me and even in my own life and feel unworthy of it all.

Sharing those feelings to my small group of close friends here I was reminded of a few very important points. 1. My feelings are not always a reflection of what is real. 2. I am not just getting by, I am being prepared to be more successful in the future. 3. Father cares and thinks the day to day activities in our life are important. 4. When I continue to be obedient to what He has asked of me I cannot be a failure.

This time of year is one in which we all look back over the year and give Thanks for all the wonders that have been done for us, ask for Forgiveness for the failures that we have been a part of, and Request that our future may be in step with His will for us. Maybe you have been feeling like I have; that you are not fulfilling the expectations you had had and you never will, or perhaps you are also overwhelmed by the goodness He has showered on you but cannot accept that He wants those good things for you. Have you too forgotten Whose you are?

Those are Lies.

So this Christmas, please walk with me back to the Stable where an infant lies in a feeding trough and lets gaze at Him there. He is lying there because He desires us All to be free from all those lies and to be filled with a Joy that announces that we are free from sin and in every moment of every day we will cling to the Truth that He Lives so that we may also Live.

Joy Joy Joy is what I wish for you this lovely Christmas Season. Thank you for all your faithfulness in regards to me, whether in material or emotional support. You are truly a blessing to me.

More on Water!!

My dear friend Whitney was the service coordinator for CWEF, the organization I went to the village with. On her personal blog she has included a post about our trip to the village. I hope that you will learn more about our trip by reading her observations and seeing her pictures. Enjoy!!

With a Well, There is a Way!

Scents of Kunming

What do jasmine flowers, green tea, cigarettes, and barbecued meat have in common?

We are told by experts that our sense of smell is very powerful. It can recall memories, set a mood, turn us on or off, prompt us to buy that doughnut or perfume. I have been pondering what China smells like. If you were to ask me if I enjoyed the smell of cigarette smell I would say no, however recently I realized that the smell of some sort of smoke is a permeating smell here in China. I walked behind a young man today getting off the bus and the smoke from his cigarette flowed from his nose over his head and into my face. I was annoyed. But shortly realized that it wasn't as terrible smelling as I anticipated.

This got me thinking about how often I inhale second hand smoke here. "Lighting Up" an article I read in the magazine: Yunnan published early 2010 states that China has 350 million smokers. It also says, "Every year, smoking leads to the deaths of 5 million people worldwide; this year, one fifth will be Chinese." Basically, I just wish you could read the article. It says that in 2007 the WHO reported that more Chinese women died from second hand smoke (over 48,000) than from active smoking (47,000). It is had to believe that only after a year of living in a smoke filled environment I no longer find it repulsive and every once in a while smell smoke and think how nice it smells. Disturbing.

But I must remind myself that the reason I sometimes find it nice is because of the other possible smells it may be covering up. Generally Chinese people do not use deodorant. During the raining season the sewers back up into the streets. Large quantities of car and bus exhaust. Various other odd and itchy smells are available, but at this moment I cannot recall them, to my relief.

The smell of the flower jasmine is often wafting on the air near my school. There are several young and elderly women who sell the blooms made into necklaces or bracelets. It is a very beautiful smell. It carries with it a floral scent with a hint of a musk.

The numourus tea shops that dot every major street in Kunming give off the faint or sometimes not so faint smell of tea. Green, Black, Herbal, or Medicinal all are available in these shops and the collective scents suggest a very healthy atmosphere.

Yunnan is famous for a dish called shaokao. It is pronounced like sh plus aou and the second syllable is pronounced like cow. If you were to look in your Chinese English dictionary it would translate it as barbecue. However, it is not like American barbecue. There are some restaurants that specialize in shaokao but it is really a street vendor food that mostly comes out after 8pm. the small pedestrian side streets fill either side with their charcoal stoves and they advertise anything from eggs to "stinky" tofu to dog meat to relatively normal beef, chicken, pork, and vegetables. The stoves send dark smoke up from the cooking meat and the smell is hard to resist. Even if you know you will have diarrhea later in the night.

Water Project Work

After being back to Kunming for a month, I am ready to share about my wonderful time in the village. It was phenomenal. The work was intense and concentrated so it was hard for two days and then we mostly played. We sat in the homes of the villagers and talked with them about what the new water system will mean to them. The ways in which their lives will be changed and impacted because of this clean water system. It was really wonderful to just sit with them. The most I gained from this trip was the encouragement to keep plugging away at my language learning. I didn't feel completely helpless and in fact was able to communicate with some of the more educated children relatively well. And not that children don't matter, because we all know that they do, but it reminded me that my language skills need to be notched up a level. Thus, I have been reevaluating my school and my study skills. I discussed with a colleague, who has been studying and working in China or with Chinese speakers for 14 years, and he suggested that I return to a one on one teaching relationship in order to gain the proficiency I desire. He encouraged me though by saying that if I hadn't told him I had only been in China for a year he would have guessed by my language usage that I had been here at least 2. So that made me really happy.









I think the two parts of the trip that I enjoyed the most were when a young girl about 10 asked me to tell her a story and I got to tell her the story of the Great Teacher and the little children through an interpreter. The second was when we interviewed a very old lady about her life and we asked lots of hygiene and health related questions. I realized that just sitting with someone and asking those kind of questions give a huge view into a person's life and their own desires and hopes for themselves and their loved ones and I it was right there that I realized I enjoyed research-especially this kind. Person to person research. We were doing this kind of interview through interpreters again, and I had a sudden desire to be able to do such a intense conversation with someone on my own.





Now we did dig trenches along the mountain side in order to bury the water pipes running from the clean water source (about 5 kilometers away) to each village home. This village had 42 households and about 153 people living in it. They had a water system that was built about 3 years ago but the amount of water it supplied the village was not sufficient for all the households and would run dry completely three months out of the year. The non-profit organization I volunteered with to help with this project is called CWEF.

Facebook

So, my Facebook account has been disabled for some reason. If you got any spam from me because of it I am so terribly sorry. I am unsure at this time the repercussions of this event. In fact, lots of my technology is freaking out on me so, I will keep you all updated. Thanks for your thoughts.

Blog post 2 about the Fabulous Summer of 2010!!

"My Nephew Henry" is one of my favorite topics and my trip home had lots of Henry. So, Be warned!!

This was how I have been able to keep in contact with Henry since his birth.

And while I thank Father for Skype, it isn't really how you want to meet your first nephew.

Ben and Molly will be so proud that they two feature so much in these skype snapshots.

There is just not enough space to write all my feelings about my time at home. It was one of those unexpected joys in life. I had prepared myself for not returning home until the summer of 2011 or later. I had said goodbye to everyone and had made some hard decisions about what to do if anything tragic were to happen to those I loved. I had told my mom that there were a few events that would bring me home and those were: If my brother got married, if a select few of my friends got married, and if either of my family of three (Mom, Dad, and Ben) were to suffer a life threatening accident and were hospitalized. I am so very thankful that Ben's Wedding is the reason I got to come home this past summer.

It was also delightful that Jill was here and I could fly back to America with her. I will tell you that flying 15 hour plane ride with a dear friend is so much better than by one's self. So, Jill and I returned together to the USA. I am not ashamed to admit that my number one song on my returning to the US playlist on my iPod was: Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus. We did indeed land in LAX and I determined and succeeded in playing the song as we disembarked.

Jill and I had a very eventful trip and we were very happy to back in the United States. And while Jill safely made it back to Texas, my airport dramas had just begun. We landed in LA and the customs process took longer than the three hours layover I had. Therefore, I was placed on standby for the next flight from LA to Chicago. This normally is not a big deal. Except on Aug 3, 2010. On this day the President had taken a trip to Chicago and all the flights going into Chicago that morning were canceled and all the passengers from those three flights were also on standby on all the other Chicago flights. I was one of 22 people on standby on the fourth standby flight I waited for. And I was not first priority.

In the end, my dad came to the rescue. He called the Airline and asked them if I could take a flight to a different port and then fly to Chicago. The wonderful lady and a wonderful man in LA were able to transfer me from LA to Boston to Chicago and I got to Chicago 16 hours after my original flight plan. Needless to say I was tired and ready to not be in an airport or in a plane. Funny or not the first place my parents took me was the grocery store. I went a little crazy. I think we brought 6 or 7 different kinds of chips home with us. It was a sensory overload of possibilities.

After stopping at the store we drove to Molly and Ben's new apartment located in Chicago just across the street from North Park Covenant. It was a little like going home even though I had never lived there. For those of you who do not know about North Park or Chicago let me tell you a little about it. I went to Nursing School at North Park University (NPU) located in Chicago. So I did live there for four years, however, North Park Covenant is a church that is very close to NPU and now Ben and Molly live there on NPU campus housing because Molly is also going to Nursing School there!!! I am so very proud and excited to have her going to my Alma mater.

So we arrive at the apartment and out of the front door comes my brother holding Henry and Molly holding a camera. It was one of those moments that is just so precious. I got to see my little nephew for the first time in person. I was there only hours after he was born and I have talked to him countless hours before on Skype but this was us in the flesh. He was so very quiet and observing because he had just woken up from his nap but he let me hold him.

Most of you have nieces or nephews or even better children of your own and I won't insult you by posting my personal feelings about Henry, but I have such a hard time understanding how we as mortals can possibly feel so strongly about someone who isn't ourselves. Every moment I spent with him I wanted to spend more time with him. Ok, enough gushing.

The next two days were filled with wedding prep and problem solving. On Aug 5th we headed out to the wedding site and had the most laid back, care free, and fun rehearsal I have ever partaken in. We ate the rehearsal dinner at Giordano's and I was in Cheese Heaven.

At the rehearsal dinner we were each asked to shared a favorite story about Ben or Molly or both of them. I can’t really remember what most people shared except Ali, the photographer, she shared with everyone that when she first met Ben and he found out that she was a photographer he told her that he knew of a wedding she could photo. When she asked whose, he replied mine. When Ali asked him when the wedding was he said August and she asked how long he had been engaged. He answered that he wasn’t yet. Ali then asked him if Molly knew there was going to be a wedding in August. He then proceeded to tell Ali, his and Molly’s story. He ended their conversation with something like: And she is the one I want to be with. That story was so refreshing for me to hear as I have been away during the majority of Ben and Molly’s relationship. As Ben’s older sister I am so glad and happy for my brother to have Molly in his life.

By August 6th 2010 there was indeed a wedding.

And What a Wedding it Was!!!! Please feel free to visit Kavod Photography's website to see the official and professional pictures. If you click on the Prints link it will take you to the various albums Kavod has done. Ben and Molly have two albums.

The wedding day was beautiful. The weather was perfect. Warm and sunny with a beautiful blue sky. The wedding was held outside in a park in Barrington, Il. The set up at the park began early but I was given a special task of running to stores to pick up last minute forgotten items. So, my cousin Kristin, my friend Lisa and I drove all over the suburbs of Chicago looking for various specific items. We finally got finished, made it back to the Hotel, helped bathe Henry, and got ready ourselves. We then drove to the site and helped to put the finishing touches on certain items.

Ben’s best friend, Andrew and I were given a special task to take Ben away from the business and talk to him about this giant step he was about to take. However, we failed in that task because Ben is a perfectionist and wouldn’t leave the set up. It was touch and go for a moment but we all finally made it out to the little gazebo to breath before walking.

We had a very long walk to walk down before getting to the ceremony spot. The golden hued wood of the rented chairs gave an earthy feel to the bright green grass and the giant tree we all stood under. I had the privilege to join Ben’s best friend Andrew as well as Henry as Ben’s best groom’s maid. Henry tried to eat my flowers, which ultimately was my fault because I was tempting him with them.

Annie, the officiate, is a very good friend of Ben and Molly and she did a wonderful job. She told me that she had told Ben and Molly that she was nervous because it would be her first wedding and they told her that it was their first wedding too so that they were all in the same place. She was able to share prayers that she prayed for both of them before they were dating. It was very precious. I felt like I was in the company of many saints who have all been given a great gift-to see their prayers answered.

Seeing all of my extended family who were able to be there was just wonderful. I felt like I was pulled in so many different ways that I wasn’t able to spend the quality time I wanted to with them, but even able to hug them was nice.

Ben and Molly took a two night honeymoon at a place in Chicago and we (being my mom, my dad, Lisa, and I) got to take care of Henry for one of those nights. It was so great. Now to be fair, he at that time was not used to going to bed without his mommy, but other than that stressful event having him all to ourselves was wonderful. He is a small bundle of uncontrolled energy just waiting to spill out all over everything. Of course at that time he couldn’t walk yet. But by the time I left he could kinda walk. So awesome!!!

So Ben and Molly came home on the Sunday after their wedding and they were way earlier than we expected and the reason they gave was that “Ben wanted to check on their little boy.” Isn’t that hilarious and awesome?

When we got back to Molly and Ben's place we watched them open wedding gifts and also did some home shopping with them. We took turns babysitting Henry and letting them go out and look at home furnishings by themselves and all piling into the car and shopping together. They found some great deals and have furnished their apartment very cozily.

The weekend before I came back to Kunming I was visited by four dear friends from Lincoln. My dear friend's Nikki and Justin Moore and Natalie and Chris Peterson drove up to see me. It was a quick but much appreciated trip to me. To see them as well as to hear about home happenings. I gave them a tour of North Park and the surroundings as well as blabbered on and on about how much the area had changed. Pictures of this lovely event can be found at Nikki Moore's Photography Site.

I got to see my dear friend Katie and sadly I have no pictures of that sweet time, but we did babysit Henry one night together.

Saying goodbye was not as hard as I had expected. It wasn't easy but it all happened so fast that I didn't even have a chance to cry until I was on the plane across the ocean. I enjoyed seeing my baby brother being a responsible and accomplished adult with more important things to do than play video games or watch t.v. to the wee hours of the morning with his sister. A bitter sweet realization. It was precious to spend time with Molly and Henry for such a concentrated amount. But I also recognized that they needed me to leave so that they could begin a normal existence as a family.

All in All my trip home was low key and not very exciting, except for the wedding part, Baby Henry part, all the love and hugs I got from friends and family part, and the abundance of American food.

Finally, in Chicago!!

We are just so glad to see one another, we might just cry!!! I don't think we did though.

I have so much to say and it is so glad to talk face to face instead of skype to skype.

I am really here, on the United States soil!!! Here I am!!

My luggage beat me to Chicago. We were not sure if it made it at all or not. Thankfully it did!!


This was shortly after I met and held Henry for the first time.

He obviously adores me!!!




The Pictures speak for themselves that I adore him as well!!!



Then Aunt Kate arrived and Aunt Denise had to share. But that was okay because Aunt Kate is cool!!

I gifted them with china/pottery from China and here is the only picture of it. The glass.


The women in China carry their babies and even larger children on their backs. I was fortunate enough to find one to buy for Molly and Henry. Isn't he adorable??




However, it turned out that Henry really hated it. Molly said that he was pushing his feet against her back the whole time and he finally managed to wiggle his way out the bottom. Maybe not the safest way to carry Henry!!


The rehearsal's long walk.


Andrew and Henry keeping my attention during the rehearsal.


They didn't say "I do" but they did say "tomorrow I will."


We are plotting something. I mean you put the four of us together something is bound to happen.


Don't mistake my face, I was enjoying the meal enormously!! Annie, Ben and Molly's dear friend and officiate, sat next to me and we had pleasant conversation also.

See how much I am enjoying my time??


The "A" Team is here and we are ready to GO!!


The ceremony begins!!




Henry was patient and compliant for a short while.


However, once vows were spoken and he could hear mom and dad's voices he had had enough and Andrew passed him off to his wife.






Man and Wife!!


Family Picture!!


Me and My Best Friend!!!


Party Time!! Karaoke was a big part of the Reception.


Rhonda and Jerry!!


Mom and Me being weird. Cuz we are.

Ben and Molly had Henry's dedication during their wedding reception. It was very lovely.



Dad and I are two of a kind, as you can see from these following photos.



Look out world.


The Boys!!


My Aunt Janice, Uncle Richard, and cousin Pamela.

My family plus Aunt Jeanette and Uncle Ralph.


Me and My Sister!!!! Thank you Molly for being such a wonderful one!!!


Bath time with Grandma and Grandpa!!!



When Ben couldn't stay away from Henry any longer!!!


Opening Wedding Gifts!!


Story time with Grandpa!!


Denise tried to make Chicken Curry Soup for everyone, sadly it tastes better in China. That is saying something...just not sure what.


Lisa, Molly, and Denise are so tired and giggly while watching Ben and Jerry put furniture together.


We all were just sitting there making commentary and just laughing.

Molly, Henry, and I visited Ben at work and took a play break.

I am tired and no one will hold me, I am so angry at you all.

Picture with Grandma and Aunt Denise.

I am a giant baby!!

Henry absolutely loves it when Molly or Ben does this to him. He gets all quiet and when they put him down he just grins and grins.

This face is a common one that Henry gives people, I imagine he is trying to figure out the best way to attack them.

Henry Walked by himself while I was there and I felt very blessed to be a part of that, especially now that he is a walking, climbing, running maniac.