Deep breath & ahhhhhhhh

That's my reaction to unlocking the door to my apartment. And just in case you're wondering, that's the pleasurable sort of "ahhhhhh" sound, like when you sink into a really comfortable couch or hot bath. Yep, I'm home...and it's wonderful. We rolled into Siping at 5 am Tuesday morning. By 7 o'clock I had pancakes cooking on the stove for the team and most of my things up on the walls. :) It's nice to once again be the hostess instead of the guest! This morning I took the Ragin' MK out for a ride. Stopped in a small park to read for a bit and was quite entertained when someone (a stranger of course) walked up and said, "Hello, fancy meeting you here!" Oh how I love China! This week is team building and we'll start teaching Monday (I think...). Back to the grindstone!

Indianapolis...home to the 8th wonder of the world

Ok, not quite. But the guide at the Scottish Rite Cathedral today swore that it had been voted the seventh most beautiful building in the WORLD. Well hey, there is something to see in Indiana other than CORN. This post is especially for my team...the next time you have a debate to decide which state in the U.S. to get rid of, think twice before throwing out Indiana. You wouldn't want to lose a treasure like that!

In all seriousness, it was an impressive building (although I think I might be able to list off more than six other more impressive ones I've seen in my life...). However, I liked an old church from the 1860s that I found downtown today almost better.

Next stop is Chicago...and then I'll take my last trip of the summer...back to China!

Summer slipping away

It has been awesome this summer to have more than double the amount of time in the States than I had last summer. While I've still been in a different state almost every week, the pace of the summer has seemed to be much more leisurely. However, the realization that I'll be boarding a plane in 10 days to return to China is forcing me back into action mode. There are errands to be run, stacks of items to somehow be strategically smashed into suitcases, one last trip up to Chicago, multiple lunch dates, an aunt coming into town to visit, and a graduate school application to finish...and yet, the overwhelming feeling I have is excitement. I just got back from a trip out to LA visiting good friends--and some of my "last friends" on my list that I had yet to see this summer. Now that reconnections feel somewhat complete, I'm revving to go back to my home on the other side of the sea. Although it hasn't even been quite a month since I've seen most of the team, I'm still excited to be reunited with the crazy Siping gang. I'm also getting quite eager to meet our new teammates. Hopefully in the next days of preparation I'll still be able to find a few more quiet summer moments!The Jones family...my first time meeting Canon!Kasey and Kurt

Good friends & Good ice cream

This past weekend I headed over to Columbus to visit some college friends. The blessing of them and other dear friends this summer is simply indescribable! So thanks to all of you who have made me feel so loved! :) The other highlight of the trip (and summer) was a visit to Graeter's, simply the best ice cream in the world. If you're ever in Columbus/Ohio look for a Graeter's store. You won't be disappointed!

Back to Indy

It was hard to drive away from Wheaton--people, places, and a fellowship I love almost more today than the day I left. I had an awesome couple of weeks just soaking up love and relaxation. And to be quite honest I wasn't too excited to begin my time of being stranded without a car in suburbia. However, this past week has been wonderful in its own special way. It's been nice to sit down to amazing dinners with my parents, photograph their spectacular gardens, and exercise my competitive muscles at a few round of croquet. I've driven my mom to work a couple days this week and tucked myself away in Starbucks (I'm loving the raspberry mocha...) studying for the GREs. I've been learning all kinds of useful knowledge such as, if a triangle with a right angle has two sides the length of 6, the third side is 6 times the square root of two. And in less than two weeks I can forget all of this pertinent information that is supposedly indicative of my future success in grad school. Tomorrow I head back to my birth land (that's Columbus, Ohio--not Iowa) to visit some friends. I can't wait to have a nice big helping of Graeter's ice cream--best ice cream in the world!! I'll also be sure to say hi to the Shoe for you Wu...

Home

The last couple weeks I've been hanging out in the Wheaton/Chicago area. If I have a "home" in the States, this is definitely the place. My parents are currently in Indianapolis and since I only lived there two years I don't really have any roots down there. Wheaton, however, is full of memories and dear friends. It's been simply incredible to just soak up time with the amazing folks around here. I've also had plenty of time to tuck myself away in coffee shops reading. I should have been studying for the GREs...but, I can do that when I get back to Indy... It's been really good to be forced to take things at a slower pace, to sit still and reflect, and to simply rest. Last night I headed into the city to meet a friend of mine. I was sitting for a little bit in the Metra station waiting to meet him, watching the crowds pass through. I was amazed at how rushed and harried everyone seemed. I was slightly disturbed by a very visual representation of how my home culture is constantly running from one thing to the next. This type of living is something I am often guilty of myself--which is why a couple weeks of being forced to live without schedules, tasks, and time frames has been startlingly refreshing. To take time to go on a long walk after dinner, to sit and chat over cups of coffee, to sit outside in a heavy summer rain. Hmmmmm, it's late and I'm beginning to ramble here, but I think you get the point. The summation is that my time here in my American home has been a wonderful time of rest and renewal and pausing, which I'm incredibly thankful for. In addition, it's also been fun to hang out with some of the team on this side of the ocean (we miss you Michelle!).

The 6th Annual Mordt Tournament

I just got back form a fun week in Florida hanging out with my sister and brother-in-law and one of my college roommates. One of the highlights of the trip was the annual putt putt competition with Heather. We've competed annually for six years and the rivalry is fierce as ever. This year was a close race all the way to the tied end...after 15 holes. We were playing behind several large families, which meant it was slow going through the course. And what is the only thing more important than putt putt? Cheesecake!! Consequently, we abandoned our tournament to make it to Cheesecake Factory before closing time. The raspberry chocolate cheesecake was well worth the sacrifice of three holes of putt putt.