Peaceful Retreat

So, this week or so, N and I have been living at our old homesite -- Brookhaven Retreat. Our former bosses have been letting us stay in their apartment, which we have enjoyed immensely. We have been taking walks around the lake every night, seeing former co-workers, enjoying time with our former bosses (which the husband just told me that they painted the foyer a "bloody olive" color -- not sure what color that would be...). Anyways, just some pictures of where we have been living. Not the best pictures but it will give you an idea :)


On the road going around the lake. It's been rainy since we have been home, so no beautiful sunny pictures -- sorry!



Looking uphill at the motels that guests stay in. I like coming here and sitting on the porch swings outside and reading.


One of my favorite things to do when I used to work here...and before I realized that I could hurt myself trying to learn how to do a front-flip off the trapeze (although the back-flip was a cinch!).


Here is one of our former camp bosses and her beautiful adopted granddaughter from China (actually, right from the city that we were living -- small world, isn't it?!).

We just love the country!

Babies!

Babies galore! Or at least about to be! On July 31 (I think -- sorry, I'm not one of those people that keeps dates of every event in their life), when we found out we were expecting, I was the sole person pregnant (or with people I knew -- I know...the world doesn't revolve around me!). Then, let's see...a friend that moved into our city (overseas, right before we had to leave) found out 3 weeks after me. Then, my sister informs me she is expecting her 3rd just four weeks after me. Then, one of my best friends emails and says she is expecting about 6 weeks after me. THEN, I find out that my cousin's wife is just expecting and is about 7 weeks along (so that would be...7 weeks after me)! My mother will double her grandkids to four, my grandmother in TX will double her great-grandkids to four, and my grandmother in Kansas will double her great-grandkids to 6 just this year(until my other cousins are able to finish all the adoption processes as well as rumors about two of my other cousins having baby fever, then who knows!)! I guess when baby fever starts, it really starts...and spreads!

So, I went to my first "American" baby doctor's appointment this past Wednesday. She said I was 13 weeks 5 days (but I think I was 14 weeks that day :). We saw the baby but never could get a really good picture because we have a wiggle worm in there! Hopefully he/she will settle down once born -- I don't think my mom can handle another super-active grandchild! Both "Mom" (I) and "Dad" (Nate) love reading, so we are hoping that is passed down to child. While checking everything out, even though it is still really early, the doctor thought she saw something between the legs :) Even though I'm not a betting girl, I'm placing my bets that doc is right -- I've always thought it would be a boy! We already have a "probably" boy's name, but we are holding on the girl names as well, just in case. October 15 is the day of the big ultrasound, so we will find out for sure then (hopefully, if he/she behaves!). Yeah for ultrasounds! I feel guilty that our parents didn't have such wonderful technology when they were pregnant with us! But our children will probably say the same thing about us someday.

Sighting of the Day

After a while, nothing that you see really sticks out in your mind. You just get used to seeing strange, "why?" things. But of course, you don't ask "why?" because you will never find a good answer. We see ladies in pajamas and fancy high heels all the time outside -- why? "Because they just want to run out and get vegetables..."...but why the high heels??? We see mothers with their young child/toddler squatting on the sidewalk going to the restroom. Isn't there a bathroom just around the corner? Why? "That is how they train their children to use the bathroom." Hmmm... We see people throwing their trash on the ground, just steps (literally) from a trashcan. Why? Never got an answer there. Anyways, you get the idea. Well, yesterday, Nate said to me "You will never believe what I saw just a while ago!". Of course, my initial thought is "try me". He continues, "I saw a man walking down the street in his boxer underwear and holding his pants out to his side with his hand -- just walking casually down the street. I should have had my camera with me!" Yes, he should have, because that is definitely something I have never seen here (but not sure I want to), and probably won't see while in America (fingers crossed!). Will I miss seeing these unusual sightings while back in America? I'll take the risk :)

N's Quote of the Day

N was recently telling me everything he was excited to experience once we got back to the states, such as sleeping in a bed in an air conditioned house, seeing country scenery again, walking around the lake at camp...then one statement that I laughed so hard, I had to blog about it:

"I can't wait to listen to the radio and get an English song stuck in my head instead of a half-chinese half-english song coming from the cell phone of a chinese man in the squatty potty next to me."

Now, you may not understand why I thought that was so funny, but trust me, after you have lived here and experienced squatty potties with no doors and seeing people squat while texting or talking on their phone, reading the newspaper, or whatever else they may decide to do during that precious time, you have to find humor in situations like that :)

Oh, how cultures differ...

Headin' Back!

So, in just 6 days, we will be on a plane heading back to Texas -- at least for a while. This was definitely not a planned thing, but due to N's continued weight loss and the Hong Kong doctors suggestions, we feel like going back to America and having a change of environment might be the best thing for now. It's a strange feeling knowing that in a few days, we will be surrounded by grass, trees, quiet, countryside, family, friends, good home-cookin', etc, etc, etc. I'll be able to see my sister who just found out she is pregnant with her third child and be able to share the joys (or un-joys!) of pregnancies with her for a while. I'll be able to see my 6 year old niece and 1 1/2 year old nephew (whom I have only seen a few days at a few weeks old before moving here). We'll be leaving friends here who we have been building relationships with lately, but we know they are being left in the good hands of our American friends (who are learning sign language to hopefully work in the schools soon). They just found out they are pregnant too, so we are a little sad that we will miss so much of each other's pregnancies. So many mixed emotions! Leaving here (temporarily or not) is nothing like moving halfway across America -- you are definitely moving worlds, moving cultures, moving away from everything you have experienced or seen during the past 18 months. It is hard to imagine us going through "reversal" cultural shock (cultural shock when you go back to the States), but it will probably happen in some ways, ways that we can't imagine right now. I will say that although America has problems and is not perfect in any ways, I LOVE America and feel incredibly blessed to be an American citizen. I hope I never take my citizenship, my country, my people for granted again. America (and Texas!), here we come!

Hong Kong!

We just got back from a visa run/vacation in Hong Kong. It is such an interesting city, I wanted to show you some of our latest pictures. I didn't want to mess with organizing them in a sequential order, so forgive the randomness...


We went to Lama Island and did some easy (but super hot) hiking. This is one of the beautiful views from the island.


View #2 from Lama Island


View #3 from Lama Island


Here you can see the typhoon slowly approaching. We were under a severe typhoon warning but luckily, and unexpectedly, the typhoon went around Hong Kong instead of over it. So, I still can't say I've truly been through a typhoon...


We are at Stanley Market -- a huge outdoor market where you can buy lots and lots of touristy stuff. Really peaceful there also. I loved watching the waves and decided that day that my dream vacation is an Alaskan Cruise (random though, I know, but it was realized there :)


Here I am standing on the balcony of the guest apartment that we stayed at during our visit. Look at all the many apartments around me!


Here I am just sitting on my favorite thing to do in the city -- ride ferries! It is so relaxing...and cheap!


All the different shops at Lama Island. We loved this island. So quiet and peaceful, which about 6000 residents and no cars! I may move here.


Just both of us sitting on the ferry, trying to get us with beautiful background, but I think you just see mainly us. Sorry!


Me enjoying some ice cream from Mister Softee! Soft serve is my favorite :)


Enjoying some good ol' Mexican food. I had a mexican sandwich (who knew?!) and Nate had a fish soft taco and chicken soft taco. He raved about them all day!


Just another picture while on the ferry. I love this place!


We had to stop and have some of Mister Softee's ice cream! It was well worth it :)


All the other days were cool and rainy because of the close-call typhoon, but we stupidly decided to pick the hottest and sunniest day of the year to go hiking (easy hiking, but still hot!). And as I have learned, pregnancy hormones make you sweat a lot!


After our hike, we stopped at this little vegetarian restaurant. N had hummus with pita bread (falafels), which was super good!


And I had a tasty tofu burger, which was also good, but the humongous fries were amazing!


Isn't this the cutest little boat!?



This has to be the most expensive car (Lamborghini) I have ever been able to touch (although I kept my hands off) -- security guard motioned us away though...


I just love boats!


I thought this was a neat looking boat. We were on a ferry when this boat went past.

The Joys of Chinglish!

Oh, if I only had my camera around more often!


This was actually in another country, explaining that "squatting" on the toilets is not allowed. Oops!


??? Can you explain?


So, do I really want to get pregnant here? That's the real question...


Oh, how I miss "cornbells" soup!


Go Bush -- eat that corn!


If you can't read it, it says "Get an electric shock carefully" -- yes, please be careful, though I'm not sure who would want to!


Makes me want to buy my pet food here!


This may look confusing because it is written in the minority language, but what is funny though is this is on the side of a hotel, but it is uniquely backwards -- have your mirror ready!


Is MoDonald McDonald's brother?


And last, but not least, this was taken at a local park... I can't explain...