china update

sorry it's been a while.
i have been trying to upload a video i made with judah in the states over christmas, and i just can't get it to upload.
so, whenever i get it, it will be up. better late than never, right? he is so sweet. he speaks chinese in it :)

so, things are a changin' here. first of all, i am typing on my new macbook that was purchased for me as a surprise by many sweet and amazing people in america. they gave it to me for christmas. what a wonderful and timely gift. so amazing! thank you to all who gave!

secondly, i went home for christmas, and it was just wonderful. the two weeks went pretty darn fast, but it was still such good time. i spent time in charleston with my rents, time in charlotte with john, moe, and judah, and in chattanooga with matt and other various peeps there. it was wonderful, and just what i needed in the middle of my year to keep me going.

so, i came back with four months under my belt and six more to go. i was in a funk the first week or so. didn't really realize it at first, but when i didn't shower for three days and was skipping skype dates cause i didn't want to get out of bed, i realized i wasn't probably doing too great.

so, i've been changing some of my eating habits, working out more, spending consistent time with the Lord, and trying to be more purposeful about my choices. and this week has been better, and i feel better.

chinese is going pretty good. in class, it's frustrating. i struggle to read and memorize all these characters. but out and about on the town, i am enjoying practicing with people. i really need to study more, cause i want so desperately to talk with the kids at the orphanage. i just play with them and spend time with them, but i want to use words. it's frustrating.

school is definitely on the upward slope. i am starting to truly enjoy it, mostly because i have fallen in LOVE with my kids. like, i love them. so much. i can't get enough of them. and i love sharing Jesus with them. they are so interested, and have so many questions. and their little hearts are so sweet.

last week i was just able to share ramey's story with them. they saw my tatoo and asked, and i felt it was the right time. they know and love me now, they've met judah via skype, and it was just the Lord's timing. i was reading to them, and they saw my foot and asked what it was and what it said, and i told them the whole story. and they got it. i think the fact that they've met judah, and he is close to their age made it so real for them. they were asking if judah misses his mom. and if ramey loved Jesus so much. and if judah loves Jesus so much. and saying how they couldn't wait to get to heaven to meet her. and one boy raised his hand and said "ramey's with my grandmother" and i said "yes she is!" his grandmother had just died a few days earlier.
they are so precious. i can't even tell you in words.

so i love it. and i love them, and i know i am in china for many reasons, and they are twelve of them.

i have a video of them reciting a verse from memory in assembly that i want to put up.

i want to tell you more about the orphanage and the office church, this new thing i've been going to. it's awesome. but i'll save that for another blog.

thank you for your prayers, those of you that are praying for me. right now i need direction for next year. that's a big thing. no idea what i'll do. i think i plan on coming back to the states, but i need a teaching job there and stuff, so we'll see.

i miss you! bye for now...