SURPRISE

YEP... that's our baby!
We are due Sept. 1, 2011 (almost 10 weeks along in pregnancy) We had our first appointment this week in Chiang Mai and saw our little one. The length and heart rate are normal! We will go back for another visit before we leave Thailand.
(Oh and something really cool... our doctors visit and ultrasound only cost $31 US)
Even though the little one is a total surprise ... we couldn't be more thrilled.

Thailand

Sunny Thailand welcomed us well!! It is 84 degrees (give or take) and blue sky and sunshine... a few things we haven't seen in a LONG time.
Our first day, Wes and I rented bicycles to check out the town. We rode all over Chiang Mai. It is a cute city with American food, night markets, Thai food and plenty of excursions.
We are here before conference with the Bart family (and Momma Gale - Jen's Mom who came for a visit from America)
Our first real excursion - The 7 of us went to Visit the Elephants, Orchids Farm and Butterflies.
Here are some pictures.
The Butterflies were beautiful... if you could find them. It wasn't quite like Duke Gardens (where tons of butterflies flood the flowers)
But here is one I found.

The Orchids were beautiful and plentiful!! The colors were absolutely amazing.

And the Elephants
They did a show that was super cute. Painting (yes, the elephants painted), playing soccer and basketball, throwing darts and showing there strength.
They are amazing animals.
My favorite part was after the show-- you could buy Bananas and Sugar Cane to feed the elephants.
Here we are with the elephant :-)

Hong Kong

Each month, Wes and I save one of our school income for travel. We just had the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong for a few days. We stayed at a great place that is a retreat for people working in China and around the world called the Bethany House. The weather in Hong Kong is much nicer than in our home city, Hengyang. It was about 50 degrees and sunny (most of the time)

One super fun thing about Hong Kong is being normal. Normal meaning you are not pointed at, stared at or screamed at "Foreigner Foreigner" We blended right in (almost) And maybe the greatest of all... Western Food. It was great to have American food!! I made a personal vow to only eat American while in the city. Wes LOVED having a hot dog (a real hot dog) with Chili and Mustard.

You can see Starbucks in the background... Yes we visited a few time... Caramel Macchiato and Mint Mocha put a BIG smile on my face. Subway, Pizza, Burgers, Salads, Cereal... the list goes on and on.

The retreat center had a home-cooked meal for us each night that we enjoyed with other believers. The first night we walk into dinner and saw some old friends :-) We had no idea they would be there... but two guys from our training class were also staying at the retreat.
The four of us went on a Big Bus Tour of the City and enjoyed exploring Hong Kong together.

Hong Kong has to be the richest city I have ever been too. We enjoyed buying American food... but that was the extent of our shopping. Louis Vuitton and Armani on almost every corner, I simply took pictures in amazement.

The first day we saw 4 Ferrari's ... I decided it would be fun to take pictures of the nice cars we came across... Here is the gallery
Ferrari

Rolls Royce

Bentley

Maserati

Hong Kong was beautiful and clean. It was a nice get-a-way from China.
Here are a few pictures of the us and the city.


We were welcomed back to Hengyang with a snow storm. Even the police were having fun making a snow man :-)

Street Sellers

I never thought I would see this for sale

That is a real tiger's leg. All of these items have to do with Chinese medicine.

Here is what each part of the Tiger cures:
Tiger claws: used as a sedative for insomnia
Teeth: used to treat fever
Fat: used to treat leprosy and rheumatis
Nose leather: used to treat superficial wounds such as bites
Tiger bone: used as an anti-inflammatory drug to treat rheumatism and arthritis, general weakness, headaches, stiffness or paralysis in lower back and legs and dysentery
Eyeballs: used to treat epilepsy and malaria
Tail: used to treat skin diseases
Bile: used to treat convulsions in children associated with meningitis
Whiskers: used to treat toothaches
Brain: used to treat laziness and pimples
Penis: used in love potions such as tiger soup, as an aphrodisiac
Dung or feces: used to treat boils, hemorrhoids and cure alcoholism

Oh Chinese Medicine!!

Thoughts on Forgiveness from Freshmen Students

My Freshmen students studied the story of the Lost Son this year. We linked the lesson to character traits and forgiveness. I asked my students for homework to write a short story, song, poem or draw a picture of forgiveness. Surprisingly they were really good.
Here are three that I thought you might like:

Forgiveness by Joe (female student :-)
There is something in the world, which can free your heart. It's called forgivenenss.
Sometimes, Forgiveness is a choice, you can choose happy or to be tied down.
When dust all settled, you should realize that, anything else can't change but your mind.
So, please open your heart, to forgive or to be forgiven.

What is the Forgiveness by Allia
Forgiveness is the scent that remains in your hands after you send the flower to strange people.
Forgiveness is the rainbow that appears to decorate the world more colorful after the thunderstorm.
Forgiveness is the chocolate that you never knew what is the next taste going to be.
Forgiveness is one of the most kindest morals no matter who has it will not be sad in the world.
Forgiveness is a kind of coffee, everyone should taste it slowly, you will find it already flowing in your blood and become the strength to make you stronger and stronger.
Forgiveness, please spread your scent to everywhere you can!

A Short Story by Sasha
Long, long time ago, there was a little pig and a little panda living in the woods. The panda was so diligent that he planted crops all over the land. However, the little pig was so lazy that he slept day and night. One day, when the pig saw the luxuriant crops in the panda's land, he was full of envy and hatred. So, the pig began to dig up all the crops. As the panda saw what the pig was doing, he burst into tears. He was sad, not because of the crops but of the friendship between himself and the pig. But he acted as nothing happened, he forgave the pig from the bottom of his heart. In his opinion, friendship was more important than valuable crops.
The End

Sophomores

HOORAY!! Two of my classes are finished. I finished giving final yesterday... finished grading last night.
These two classes were by far my favorite. Each class has a different personality but both are fun. Here I am with my 35 students.
Class Nanyue 4

Class Nanyue 3

more THANKS

We have felt completely loved this Christmas with the packages coming from America. The post office knows us (and loves us-- I brought flowers to the office lady:-)
We went yesterday to pick up two boxes.
A great question we get... What was your favorite thing from my package??
So answering in pictures :-)

Matt and Sandra Baldwin sent us a box so BIG --I was glad I had Wes with me to get it home :-)
Favorites...
Avery (I chose two items... because of different excitements... Cream of Mushroom soup... I have been waiting to make a certain Beef Stew recipe. The last item I needed for the soup- Cream of Mushroom Soup. This beef stew is going to be amazing because it took 3 packages and a trip to Changsha to gather all the ingredients) York Patties- because they are amazing!!

Wes

The other package was from our friends, Jon and Sara Walters (and growing family)
They sent a package full of candy, mixes and coffee ... which my taste-buds love and my waistline hates :-)
Favorites...
Avery

Wes

New Addition to Hengyang

Dairy Queen made it to Hengyang!! Hip Hip Hooray. They have Blizzards, Dipped Cones and other sweet treats. Delicious :-)

Thank you Beth

We were super surprised to get a package full of goodies from one of my college friends, Beth. I forgot to take a picture of the box before we devoured it all... but all the same... it was delicious!! Thank you Beth for thinking about us and loving us.
Here is an OLD picture of us at the NC State Library :-) Obviously not studying :-)