Christmas Party

Quick update: 

We had our Christmas party last night. And it was awesome!!

We had all our friends here, cookies, frosting, paper snowflakes cutting, singing and fellowship. 

Everyone cut out their hands on green paper and we made a Christmas tree of hands that turned out awesome. We sang a slew of songs with guitar, bass, ukulele, piano and (of course) the tambourine. 

We told the Story of Christmas and finished out the evening with more singing. 

It's at this time of year that I really appreciate all that I have and all that I'm missing.

Clichéd, I know.... But let me explain. 

Here in China, I've got friends who are my 'family' while I live here. They are my support system, and my strength and my laughter. I would not be nearly as content here with out all of them. Plus, all the new friends I make on a weekly basis. There is some pretty great food, things to do, and the weather is decent (most of the time). 

In America, I'm missing my blood family and the festivities that usually surround Christmas. Baking with Gram, watching White Christmas with Twig, building a snowman with Beasty, and shopping with Mom. And of course, ch.rch with my whole family. 

However, it's not the 'haves' and 'have-nots' that I'm thinking about. It's just the joy that I have because all of these things exist in my life. I can talk to my mom and family on Christmas. I can spend Christmas with my family here. I could be anywhere... But at this time in my life I'm here. For a purpose. And for that I'm thankful. 

I hope each of you can find contentment this Christmas season in all that you've been given. 

Merry Christmas.

Until next time. 

P.S. Seth says 'All hail. ....' (He's a little odd) 

December starts rolling...

Hi friends...

So, December has rolled in.

And, boy, did it roll in like a bowling ball set on a strike.

The month started off grand with a package arriving from home with goodies from St. Nick.

Momma and Gram send me some love in the form of socks, chocolate (twix!!) and a couple cards. St. Nick has always been my favorite part of the holiday season. I love Thanksgiving, and I love Christmas with the family. But my Mom and Gram have always made a big deal out of St. Nick. It was something fun as a kid to wake up on a school day and get a couple little treats. Because it was right after the Thanksgiving holiday was over and Christmas excitement hadn't quite set in yet, I just loved it. This grand tradition continued all through high school and college for me, and now has followed me to China.

I love it.

Then, this past weekend we had a large gathering of Women at my apartment for Women's Retreat weekend. We had friends come in from Shanghai and Hangzhou for some crafts, cooking, singing, dancing and quality time with each other and HIS word.

It was such a joy to see all my friends, and spend time with them. We had about 30 people here... which is not quite the hullabaloo that was Thanksgiving but nothing to sneeze at. Particularly when sleeping arrangements needed to be made. We had three to a bed in some places, and the living room had about 14 people on the floor and couches and snuggled in for body heat. (it's pretty cold and we don't have any full house heat. Only stand alone heaters) But we all had a good time.

Then, Jen and Liqing (lee ching) stayed for an extra day and us girls baked up a storm!! We made two batches of chocolate chip banana bread, chocolate chip muffins, chocolate chip muffin cake (we ran outta muffin cups, so we put the extra dough into a pan), apple cinnamon bread, and nutella sugar cookies. The kind that you roll into a ball and then roll in sugar. It felt like home and baking for christmas....

I loved it.

Not to mention I loved eating it. (I might have had treats for lunch today....)

Then, this week classes, and this weekend we're having a small group of girls over to help me roll out and cut sugar cookie dough to bake. Which we will save all our cookies for the following weekend when we have our giant Christmas party. Hopefully we'll have a big turnout and a lot of fun.

I planned, organized and executed Women's weekend with the help of my fellow women. I've got this next weekends cookie cut out day planned, and the plans for the Christmas party just went out to my teammates.

I feel like I can add project manager to my resume... haha!! But I love to do this sort of thing.
I like being the behind the scenes woman. I feel like organize people well, handle the unexpected, and delegate. But I'm not so great in the spot light... Luckily, I have always had cohorts that take that role and execute it spectacularly.

After our holiday party, a few of us are heading up to Hangzhou to help them with their holiday party as the musical entertainment. We have a couple guitar/bass/ukulele players here, and I've taken up the tambourine.....

I play a mean "We wish you a Merry Christmas".

Then, back to classes, and such until Christmas Eve when the team will get together to spend the holiday as a family. We have to work around the holiday, but we get Christmas Day off.

And after ALL OF THAT..... whew... I'm tired just thinking about it all. I have to teach a bit again, but  I'm planning a trip to Shanghai for the New Year to spend it with Jen and Sam and the team up there. And after that, hopefully, I'll get to breathe a little bit..... And start looking forward to Spring Holiday.

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Advent season.

Until next time.