Yay, so yesterday was my Bday. I am now offically 22! I thought you might enjoy some pics from the day.

This is my 202 class. They had written bday messages all over the board for me!! Ama came into my class before I got there and as I walked in had my students sing to me! Isn't that cool! These guys are my highest level students and are a lot of fun. But really all my students are a lot of fun. This is a pressie I got from a student! Isn't it cute? If you pull the handle out slides a mirror. This is an example of the quirky pressies you get here. I also go a soft toy cow (I'm the year of the ox), a red soft toy pig head (that when you put your finger in the nose it plays a recorded message), and two 'Hello Kitty' tins with chocolate biscuits in them. Funny huh?
Lastly here is Joell and I. Alex gave me two masks for when I go riding, and I gave one to Joell and this photo happened. We are sitting at the restaurant we went to for dinner last night. Its down the road from my apartment and its actually really nice. If anyone comes and visits me I will gladly take you out. My food ordering skills are getting pretty good, so when I get home I might even be able to go to Medowlands to a Chinese restaurant and find some of the yummy foods I love in China.

All in all it was a great day! Melony made me a magnificent chocolate cake (I dont have those pics yet cause theyre not on my camera) and they all sung happy birthday to me. My first China birthday... a success!

So today I met up with a couple from Eastgate who have been in China for the last two weeks speaking around the country. It was such a blessing to meet with them and fellowship for the day. They were such an encouragement to me!

But let me explain how this day started...

I was at the bus stop at 9am, and two buses I could have got on went by and I couldnt get one. People were literally falling out the door. So I didnt get on. Finally a bus came and after a while I got a seat!

I'm on the bus for about 3/4hr when we stop again, about 5mins ride from the stop where I get off, when the bus joined a line of buses and cars that was not moving. Of course, how could I forget, today there is a marathon through that main street!! Silly me! (Yea like I knew!)

Of course thats not the end of the story. I got out and walked the rest of the way, which was no problem. Today was a BEAUTIFUL spring day. Sunny, warm....ahhhh. SO nice.

So I get on the subway, change lines and then after 15mins get off at my stop. My instructions said to go out the 'Ditan Park' exit. Of course, that was the exit that was closed for repair! How silly of me to assume that I would actually be able to go out the right exit! But I looked at the map (yes I can read maps) and found my way.

In the end I found them no problem and had a great day. But yea, thought my day would amuse you!

Its funny, the last two weekends I have made rather grand plans, only to have them SQUASHED last minute. Don't ask me why. Last weekend I was sick, well just enough to not go out shopping with my girls. This weekend I had put aside time to meet up with a couple from Eastgate who are in China at the moment, speaking at fellowships and such, and somehow I thought that that would be happening on Saturday, but instead I am meeting up with them tomorrow. And I had my weekend all nicely planned out. With a student friend coming to stay the night at my apartment on Saturday night and then us heading off to visit with other lovers of Dad in the morning on Sunday.

But again, my plans have been changed. And its ok. But instead I find myself at home, with nothing really to do. I staying in bed until about 1pm, listening to audio sermons (by the way, podcasts are AWESOME! Free and have been keeping me entertained for hours! Also its nice to get some good solid word teaching!) I started watching a movie, and then I just listened to some music. I thought about writing some lesson plans, but I finished next weeks plans on Tuesday night (aren't I efficent?!), and really had nothing else to 'work' on!

Actually I forgot to mention that earlier this morning, some workmen came to the house as our bathroom has been mysteriously leaking. The floor is always wet and I never knew why. It appears we have a 'sealage' problem along the side of the bath. SO that was 1/2hr of entertainment.

But the point of the story is that I have been a bit of a bum (excuse my french!). I dont really feel guilty about this fact. My bed is comfortable, and sometimes just some quality 'alone' time doesnt go amis. I spend so much time at school talking to students (in and out of class) rushing to get things done and waking up this morning and realising there was nothing I NEEDED to do was so refreshing. Lots of praises upwards for that!

Well yea, thats all for now. I am probably gonna go back to um...doing nothing. Team night tonight. That'll be fun - pizza and board games! Bless ya! Leesh out :P

PS - Sorry I couldnt find any interesting pictures! I need to actually go out and do something to have pictures!

We were SO incredibly blessed this weekend. Melony came back from her trip down south with a MASSIVE block of New Zealand cheese!! The people who she stayed with have 'contacts' and gave it to her! We can get cheese here, but its expensive, so we dont normally buy the good stuff (if we splurg on cheese at all!!). This block should last us a good long time!!

Another pic I was gonna share is this one... I am standing with Michelle and Penny (and Alex) outside the DimSum restaurant we went to on Friday night. It was a really great night and we were all impressed by the beautiful 'traditional' building, so we had to stop for a photo!