The Beijing Shegs: Big Decisions

Things sure have been busy around here for a while, I normally try to post once a month but I've completely missed May in all the chaos.

I spent the beginning of April excitedly getting ready for my sister Annie to visit. I wanted to get everything in order in our house and stock up on some groceries. When she finally got here, I was so nervous on the way to the airport to pick her up. I hired a driver to take me there and then wait for us but I had never picked someone up from the Beijing airport before. I was terrified that something would go wrong and my sister would somehow end up lost or stranded in Asia and it would be my fault! But, everything went smoothly for the pickup and for her the rest of her trip actually. Her whole three weeks here we never had any mishaps.

I had been hoping and hoping for nice air and good weather while Annie was here so that we'd be able to go and do all of the touristy things I wanted her to see. We were so lucky because we only had a few bad air days while she was here and we were able to do just about everything we wanted. We ate LOTS of great food at our favorite restaurants and took her to all of our favorite tourist spots and even explored some new things that Joel and I hadn't done before.

I think my favorite was the unrestored Great Wall at Jiankou. Most tourist parts of the Wall have been rebuilt and restored because the original Wall has started to crumble and fall apart. We had to take a bus to a remote mountain village and hike straight up a mountain to get there but it was definitely worth the trip.

My next favorite was Datong to see the Hanging Monastery and Yungang Buddha Grottoes. It was a four hour drive and we saw some pretty amazing things. And Will even swam in the hotel pool. Bonus!

After Annie left, I felt really lonely. I felt her absence far more profoundly than I had expected. Even now that she's been gone for almost a month, I still catch myself missing her often. We had so much fun and I am so grateful that she traveled all that way to come and visit!

Joel and I had some big decisions facing us and we finally worked through them all and Joel has signed a contract for one more year at his school.

In February, we had pretty much decided that we were going to move back to America after this school year. I was so excited, it was all I could think about. It didn't make a lot of financial sense since we didn't really have a plan for what we would do when we got back, but I was too excited to stop and think about those things. I was really afraid to think about it too much because I didn't want to change our decision. I really wanted to be done and come home, regardless of whether or not it was actually going to be best for our family in the long run. I didn't want to pray about it because I was pretty sure I knew what the answer would be. I was so stubborn. But one day I had the distinct impression that the decision was ours to make and we would be okay if we moved home in July but I also knew that we would come to regret that decision if we left now and that we would end up wishing that we would have stayed one more year in Beijing. My heart was changed completely and I became more excited about being here a little longer. There are still more things to do and see and overall we are very happy here. Living in China has blessed our family greatly and will continue to do so for one more year. Our ideal plan is to live here one more year and Joel can apply to graduate school at the University of Utah for the Fall 2015 semester. We're keeping our fingers crossed that he can get in to the program the first time he applies!

Summer trip tickets are also bought, I'll be home on July 6th and Joel will follow on July 12th and we get to stay until August 24th. We already have our summer to-do list started and we're looking forward to spending time with friends and family.

Little Will is growing and developing like crazy. One day, he just erupted into all these words and he continually impresses us with his growing vocabulary. Toddlerhood definitely has its share of challenges, but having Will around brightens our lives and brings us an unbelievable amount of joy.

Last week, Will and I went to a bookstore to buy a book for a friend's birthday and while I was browsing, Will was busy "reading" books. He would take one very carefully off the shelf, open it up, say random words and babble in a very matter-of-fact tone, and carefully close it and re-shelve it. It was seriously adorable. He had a whole group of young girls totally entranced, they just kept watching him and trying to take pictures when they thought I wasn't watching.

His favorite things are Skyping with family, riding his scooter, going for bike rides, anything that has to do with Elmo and going to the market to buy "bananies."