Let the madness ensue

Tomorrow marks the four weeks until departure milestone. Seven weeks, six weeks, five weeks...all of those sounded like a substantial amount of time. However, four weeks sounds like an alarmingly brief amount of time. The way our minds work is funny...

I remember last year by this time I was counting the days until I would be back in America, stressing out about how to move in China (lots of rice bags & a train, see picture), and trying to bring closure to multiple relationships. The end of this year seems to carry a lot less intensity, due in large part to the fact that I'll be remaining in the same place. I was thinking about it and this will be the first time in the last five years that come summer I haven't had to pack up and transport all my belongings. That's a really good feeling. It's still mind boggling that China has become home and that the dozen foreigners I share life with have become family. But really, in my mind and heart this summer I'm going to visit friends and family--and at the end of August I'll return home. Oh the places the Father takes us!

This last weekend Michelle, Jeweliann and I headed to Changchun for the Northeast Women's Retreat. The weekend was a great time of renewal and encouragement. I always love hearing from those who have been here many years and have such a great perspective on life in this place. However, the weekend definitely put me behind in work, so this week has been quite exhuasting.

The biggest excitement of the week without a doubt is the return of the Wus (the girls made a Chinglish welcome...picture below). I've missed my next door neighbors quite a bit! It's wonderful to have that part of our Siping "family" back again.

Now it's off to the races...the next couple weeks will be full of birthday parties, grading 90 essays (yes...again...why do we do this to ourselves?), grading finals, planning and packing for a summer away, and trying to find rest in the midst of busyness.