Why China is Awesome

How do you get your baby to stay on a statue while you take a picture?

Look closer.

A little bit more...

That's right! Tie it on!

Gotta love it--this group was actually pretty cool.  We ran into them through out our day.

More to come from Tong 'an later!

Whatcha Doin? Where ya been?

Gosh!  I guess it has been a while since I've been on here to let you all know what we've been up to.  Sorry about that!

Well I have some good news.  I'll catch you all up in one big post.  Get some coffee.  Get some cookies.  It might take you a while....

December:

Crazy month at school made all better by lunch with monks.  Right down the street is one of China's most famous temples (okay one of the thousands) Nanputo Temple.  One of our co-workers is friends with an ex-monk, Dylan.  Dylan does some out reach for the temple, including providing English services for them.  Because he is so generous with his time, they allow him to invite guests to eat with the monks. 

Let me just tell you, it was a very cool experience.  We didn't feel it was right to take pictures (except the one below), so I'll briefly tell you about it. 

Imagine this:  You walk into a giant mess hall.  There are about 100 or so monks (all with shaved heads and yellow robes).  You take a bench with three bowls in front of you.  Then in walks head monk.  They hit a gong, and start singing/praying.  It was beautiful. 

Next, servant monks (I don't know what else to call them) come around, ladling out food.  You can have as much or as little as you like.  Oh and it is all vegetarian.  And it is delicious! 

We dig in, but before we know it, a gong is hit again and the monks start chanting.  The head monk, walks out.  Lunch is done. 

Total time eating lunch.

Ten minutes.

But completely worth every minute of it.

December 17:

Our 6th anniversary and last day of school.

December 18 -January 1:

THAILAND!!!

Instead of writing a huge long narrative about it, I'll just post some pictures below.  Of course there are more to be edited, but you'll get the idea with these....

If you want to see the non-blurry versions of these pictures, go ahead and click the link to the right.  It will show you the edited pictures!

So coooolllllldddddd!!

Our house has no heat.

I don't mean that we didn't pay our bill so we don't have heat.  I mean, literally, it has no heat.  It wasn't built with heat in mind.  The average temperature INSIDE is 59.  Which is cold!

It is freaking cold, let me tell you!

On top of our house having no heat, our shower heater (at least we kind of have that) doesn't like to go above 25 degrees Celsius.  Which means that it is cold. I'm not sure what the exact degree conversion is, but you should know that when you are taking a shower and want some heat and steam to warm you up, 25 degrees Celsius doesn't do it.

Ed and I have resorted to wearing blankets around the house.  Plus sweats, sweaters and thermal underwear. And not snuggie blankets or what ever they are called. Seriously, blankets. Stolen from the bed. I've been transported back to my childhood...

This is too much.  I don't mind the cold if the option of heat is near.  Having no option of heat sucks.  And I'm in a 'warm' climate.