This summer has been full of new adventures. We have had a chance to travel around China with Morgan’s parents and cruise the Yangzi river. We met them in Hong Kong and went to Disneyland for Alleyah’s 5th birthday. After returning to town we moved to the first floor and have enjoyed back yard BBQs with the kiddy pool too.
A few local friends have come for our outdoor dinner and they sure get a kick out of the experience. We enjoy having the summer relaxing schedule where we can hangout with people and get to know them more. Alleyah likes to joke as we are coming home from the store by saying, “oh now we have to climb the stairs, just kidding!” She is very happy with the freedom of playing outside while Lori can watch her from the kitchen window. Noah loves the outdoor play too. He just has to learn how to take off the muddy shoes before getting into the house.
The weather is either rainy or nice. It’s nice to have the rain and see things staying green. It is also nice to enjoy the sun and chat with neighbors out in the courtyard. The life here is definitely more about relationships and being with each other than it is to be busy. We are starting to let go of our American cultural ways and embracing the culture here.
School starts up again yesterday and so do the many activities of life. We will be teaching again this semester at the university. Lori will continue at the orphanage two to three times a week. Baseball starts up again and Morgan will be coaching. Alleyah will be full-time kindergarten going everyday and Noah might start 2 mornings a week at a local preschool.
The newest plan will be adding a once a month ‘Play & Learn’ for the neighborhood kids. We want to open our home and have a time to share a story in English and the local language. Our family constantly gets asked by locals if our kids can be friends with their kids. Their goal is to have their child pick up English through the friendship. It’s getting overwhelming by the invites. So we have the idea of starting a kids club so that we can have something to invite people to, and for our kids to develop friendships with locals as well.
Hope that many of you had a great summer as well.
The Joneses~
