It's official...

Summer is here!!!!  We gave in and went to the outdoor pool today.  It's another beautiful day at 82 degrees with a clear blue sky.  Morgan's friend from school came too.  The two girls braved the chilly water while I sat out and soaked up the sun.    

Bye Bye Molly!

Molly was so cute tonight!  She had her new Elmo bag on her shoulder so I asked her if she was going bye bye.  She thought that was so funny.  So she started saying bye bye and then giggling.  It was cute.  

You may notice a trend.  In a previous post, Molly was carrying the same Elmo bag.  She received this in a care package from her Aunt Kimmie and LOVES it!  She gets the biggest kick out of carrying her new bag around.  

Fast Food

Yes, there is a KFC on almost every corner here and McDonald's will deliver to your door 24/7. But there is a more common type of fast food in China.  On every street you will see vendors selling fresh fruit, omelets, meat or seafood skewers, steamed buns, or dumplings, sweet potatoes, and more.  Many of the locals do not have kitchens in their apartments, so they "eat out" for most meals.  I have not been so brave as to sample from the street vendors.  Only once did I buy a small bag of peanut candy.  I figured at the temperature they were cooking the crushed peanuts and honey, most of the germs would be gone by the time it got to my mouth.   

    

Guess Who??

*can climb up an entire flight of a stairs in less than 10 seconds?

*can say more words in Chinese than I can understand?

*can eat an entire bowl of macaroni and cheese, plus her Dad's?

*has a HUGE molar in the back of her mouth?

*loves to read and loves to read the same books over and over and over....?

*wants to brush her teeth every time we are in the bathroom?

*wakes up with a smile on her face every morning and offers a big hug to her Mama?

*loves playing outside, but hates being on the grass?

*can't wait to get in the pool, not even to take her clothes off?

*whose favorite word is go-go (Chinese for dog)?

Can you guess who?  It's Molly of course!!!

Perfectly Pampered?!?!

I know I joke about our pampered lifestyle here, but it can't all be wonderful.  We truly do feel blessed with our situation and the opportunity we have been given.  We also understand that we don't exactly live in the "real world" here with our driver, ayi, and spa within walking distance of our house.  However, there are some "real" issues that we deal with that can make day to day living here very frustrating.  

*Please keep in mind that the following are not complaints.  We really are enjoying ourselves and are so happy to be here.  I just wanted to give you a better perspective of what really happens here.  It's not all shopping and trips to the spa.

You really lose a sense of freedom, privacy and control when you're on an international assignment.  Especially here in China with the language barrier and the constant feeling of being on stage.  Simple, everyday things like getting your hair cut or mailing a letter require the help of a translator.  And even then you never really feel like you understand what's happening.  It's only after your hair is chopped short and turned orange, or your friend comments about the letter she received that you really know.

It is near impossible to go out in public and not feel like you're being watched...because you are.  The locals are so fascinated with westerners and how they live.  They are not afraid to look into your grocery cart, touch your children, watch you walk down the street.  They are so bold as to sit next to you on a bench while someone else takes a picture of all of you without your permission.  We are celebrities!  Well, sort of.  Mind you this mostly happens when we have the girls with us.  Which is why I often choose to leave Molly at home with Sophia when I go out and Morgan is at school.  It's not that I don't want to take responsibility for my child.  I just don't want to subject her to the touching and photos, and unsolicited attention.  

We have a driver in China for several reasons.  One, we cannot read the street/traffic signs.  This should be reason enough.  Two, traffic is so crazy and rules of the road don't necessarily apply here.  Just ask Nancy about her experience and she will tell you how invaluable Mr. Yu is to our family.  He keeps us safe, he gets us from point A to point B, and he keeps us sane.  But there is something to be said for just hopping in your car and going when you want.  Not having to worry about coordinating things in advance.  Making sure Mark is picked up from work, or Morgan is taken to school on time. 

Something else that has taken some time to get used is the fact that our driver knows where we are at all times.  Unless we take our bike he knows how often we get groceries or go to Starbucks.  He knows that we've bought yet another case of Diet Coke or diapers in the last two weeks.  He knows that Mark is away for business and when he'll be back.  We trust Mr. Yu to no end, but it is a little unnerving to think someone knows so much about you simply by driving you around town.  

Personally, some of the more difficult things have been the energy it takes to create a network of friends, find competent medical facilities, establish relationships with service professionals, learn how to get things done and where to find various household goods-all while maintaining a smile and sense of humor.  We are very fortunate to have made such wonderful friends already, that we have the help of Mr. Yu and Sophia to guide us through this crazy world, and the support of our family back home.    

         

         

A Taste of Summer

We had a beautiful weekend here.  After Morgan's gymnastic lessons on Saturday, we took the girls to the mall and out for lunch.  We were able to sit outside to enjoy the sunshine.  After lunch, we walked along the river and had an ice cream.  That evening we went to a Spring Fling/Wine Tasting Carnival at the clubhouse here in our compound.  They served "carnival food" complete with popcorn, hot dogs on a stick, cotton candy and more.  Morgan had her very first taste of cotton candy and LOVED it.  There was entertainment for the kids: a balloon twister, face painter and magician.  And the adults were able to enjoy the wine tasting.  The party was held outside and the weather was perfect.  

Sunday was another gorgeous day and the temperature reached about 81 degrees.  We had scheduled a photographer to come take photos of the girls.  That took up most of the day.  The woman came right to the house and brought her own equipment.  I'm anxious to see how the photos turn out considering the girls did not fully cooperate.  Mark and I were able to get out for a date that night and the teenage girl from down the street watched Morgan and Molly.  Morgan was so excited for Jesse to come over.  Even Molly kept repeating her name when she came in the house.  That certainly made it easier for Mark and I to enjoy our free time.  We had dinner outside at Blue Frog, a favorite of ours.  Then we came back to the spa and had foot rubs and head/neck/shoulder massages.  It was wonderful!  A nice way to end our weekend. 

Mark is off to Korea again this week.  He left Monday morning and will be back late on Wednesday.  Thursday he is off on holiday.  In fact, Morgan is off of school this whole week for holiday.  I think Chinese Labor Day.  We will try to stay busy this week to help pass the time.   

A Beautiful Day!!

It was gorgeous here today!!  No rain, not a cloud in the sky, a light breeze and about 78 degrees.  Molly and I went out after lunch to play in the courtyard.  We played with a ball, blew bubbles and explored the garden area.  She was not happy to play on the grass.  In fact it was all she didn't want her bare legs to touch the grass and kept grabbing her pant legs and pulling them up off of the picky green stuff.  She was much happier to play on the brick/tile/stone paved area.  Her poor knees!!  

She even took time out from playing to pose for the camera.  ;)

  

Morgan was outside today also.  Her school had an Olympics Day today.  They played games and had relay races outside.  Morgan said it was kind of boring, but her favorite game was jumping rope.  Morgan, Molly and I went out after school too.  We played at the outdoor play area in our compound.  The girls had fun going down the slide together and we all enjoyed the sunshine and fresh air.