Thailand!

This is what happens when I put Dad on sunscreen duty!

Fae absolutely hated the sand- she desperately tried not to let her feet touch. Ila was grabbing it by the handfuls and eating it.

It looks like we're glowing--we are a pretty fair skinned bunch!

There were awesome lizards everywhere! I love lizards!

Finally starting to get better at this whole traveling thing--if you travel a lot an i-pad is a must!

After it was all over they were pretty worn  out- don't worry the booger sucker is clean! I think.

We needed a break-----BAD. Any one who has spent a significant amount of time in China knows what I mean, the gray polluted sky, hoards of people, constant noise, and strange food (my “food” homesickness set in about a month ago) wears on ya after a while. Since we’re still in the process of getting our residency visas and had to leave anyway…….we decided to go to a place where there was sure to be blue sky and sun, Phuket, Thailand!

While we waited 4 hours at the Nanning airport for our delayed flight we met a cute Taiwanese lady who spoke English, When we told her that we were from Utah she said she had been to our square (temple square), she said that it was very beautiful, she also told us about the missionaries she sees in Taiwan she said “they are always smiling and riding bikes, they’re very friendly.” 

Another lady we met was from Nanning, but had moved to New York and was just in Nanning visiting her family. She came over to talk to us and brought a few friends with her, when one of them reached to touch Fae, she quickly pulled her hand away and said “Americans don’t like it when you touch their babies.” Ha Ha. I like her.

Both of these Ladies were really concerned about us living in Nanning, and obviously thought we were crazy to be living here. I’m like “don’t worry I am already fully aware of how crazy we are.”

We flew into Hong Kong stayed the night and planned to fly to Phuket the next day. While waiting for our plane to Phuket we chose a back corner to sit and relax....until………they found us. It started with two girls asking to take our picture and ended up with 15 people snapping photos for twenty minutes. No Joke! It was so awkward especially since they only really wanted pictures of the girls. Let me just sit here and try and act normal, like this isn’t making me totally uncomfortable while all 15 of you photograph us from every angle.

What I really want to know is what these people are going to do with our family photo, hang em on their wall?? It didn't help that the girls were giving them huge smiles, they were totally possing for the camera!

The flight to Phuket wasn’t too bad until the apple juice remedy we used to clear up some constipation worked all too well about half way through the plane ride-(I’m talking about the girls here, not Ezra)  I wondered if we had made the right choice flying to Thailand. Especially when we walked out of the airport and were ambushed by 500 taxi drivers.

But I’m so glad we did! It was absolutely amazing. We got to spend some good quality time as a family just having fun—(we’re still trying to catch up with the quality time we missed while Ezra was in China). We stayed at a resort that was simply unreal. The sky was blue, the beach was beautiful, the food was amazing, beautiful flowers grew everywhere, and butterflies were fluttering all over the place. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. To top it all off we even got to see a baby elephant walking down the street. 

Ezra and I love Thai people, I don’t know what it is about them but they are just so warm, friendly, and genuine. In China our girls get their hands and faces touched, in Thailand they get full on kisses.  We were sad to leave, we felt like we were leaving friends. One of the good things about traveling so much is that we get to meet awesome people from all over the world. This trip we made friends with Australians, Italians, Indians, and Slovakians.

On the way home our flight to Nanning got canceled so we ended up having to fly into Guangzhou first. The Guangzhou airport is huge and like a million times nicer than Nanning, but they were much more strict with security. When they found all my water bottles and baby bottles the girl at the counter kept trying to tell me something—I looked at Ezra like “are you getting any of this?” and he says, “She wants you to drink it.” So I take a swig of both water bottles. (I should have started convulsing—that would have been funny!) I looked at her like “is that good?” and that’s when she lifts up the bottle of formula that’s been sitting in my bag for who knows how long—I look at Ezra like “really?” and proceed to take off the lid.

I started to put it to my lips and…….I couldn’t do it……so I held it out to the lady like “you drink it , crazy” she sniffed it and put it down. That’s when I remembered all the baby medicine in my bag, I was like “oh man, I’m going to have to down that too!” But luckily they let it slide and finally let us go. Apparently we are one dangerous lookin bunch. Ha.

While we were gone Nanning went from cold and mildly humid to hot and mega-moist. Now we are a sweaty lookin bunch!

Hong Kong Revisited!

I always feel like I’m racing against the clock when we go to Walmart, Ezra and I have learned from experience that if we dilly dally….if that stroller is not moving faster than 25 miles an hour…..a crowd of curious, hand, face, and hair touching spectators will gather faster than you can say chop-sticks.

We thought when we headed for a weekend trip to Hong Kong that we would get a break from all the attention………and then the maid asked to take our picture in the hotel elevator.  Ha

Ezra and I were definitely a sight to behold, packin our two little munchkins all over Hong Kong. They rode in a bus, taxi, mtr, and ferryboat. I also feel it fitting to include elevator, we were on the 80^th floor of the hotel, and it felt like that thing was traveling at the speed of light, our ears popped on the way up!

Hong Kong is always a nice get a way for us, we watch a little National Geographic (our favorite channel in Hong Kong), see a few sites, drink a little milk, and pack our suitcases full of things like red vines. Mmmm

On the way home all the weekend travelers from Nanning got to watch Ezra show off all his little baby stunts as we waited for our delayed flight. It was a really full plane so we made quite a few friends.

Our funnest friend was a quirky old guy from India that ended up sitting right behind us on our way “home.” I will call him Ahmed.

Ila was  quite interested in the whole "this is how you put on your life vest" spiel the flight attendant was performing.

Ahmed was watching Ila and said, (imagine the Indian accent for me now) “she is very observant.”

Ila kept Ahmed quite entertained the whole flight, he told me that she was very intelligent (which of course I already knew ; ) he said,  “my son was just like her, he walked at 9 months…….what is her sign?”

At first I had no idea what he was talking about……her sign?  Finally it dawned on me…..her astrological sign!

“I don’t know....she was born in August?”  

Between Ahmed and the cute little chinese girl that sat behind us, Ila stayed quite content. Towards the end of the flight Ahmed says, “she is great…just great!......."

“She looks like a boy.”

Really?......She looks like a boy???? What does a daughters mother say to such a comment?…..thanks?

Oh Ahmed, I was really starting to like you, you complimented my babies intelligence, you didn’t break any personal space bubbles, and you kept her happy the entire flight.

Why did you have to go and blow it like that?…we could have been friends Ahmed……we could have been friends. Lol 

It’s funny how matter of fact people can be. One time Ezra was showing a Chinese co-worker a picture of the girls. He pointed at the picture and stated, “this one is pretty, and this one is fat.” Awww so funny. I love it!—it makes me laugh every time I think about it.

The girls sign is Leo—like Leo the Lion. And it’s a good thing Leo’s like adventure.

Let me paint this picture for you: tiny taxi, Ezra in the front seat eating his knees so that I can fit Ila’s car seat on my lap in the back seat, Fae is next to me in her car seat, and our double stroller is crammed next to us. Needless to say- it was a tight fit. 

After only about 10 min of driving we slow down and realize we are in a huge line of backed up traffic, the girls start fussing,….and I start singing show tunes in the back seat (I’m sure the taxi driver thought I was nuts).

When we get to the front of the line we see that there has been an accident, the roads all blocked up, I’m thinking “oh no, we can’t get through.” And the next thing I know we are between two trees, half way on the side walk, and half way in someone’s garden. “We’re in a taxi here…not a hummer!”  After a few minutes of four-wheeling "plunk!" we go off the curb back onto the road.  Holy Cow! This was definitely a- close my eyes and pray- Chinese moment! (Mom, please don’t read this).

Welcome to Dahua

These Guys are everywhere in Dahua- tied to trees along the street

Ezra took this picture out at the farm this summer, I've never seen a day this clear in China yet, but atleast I know they exist.

I’ve had some pretty wild curve balls thrown at me, especially since I met and married this guy named Ezra.  I knew when I married him that he was a dreamer, I guess I didn’t expect that he’d be such a follow through-er. That is why I end up in places like Dahua, China.

Recently we all took a trip to the  “village” of Dahua. The police needed to see our pretty little faces in person so we could get registered in preparation to receive our residency visas.

Quite honestly I am never comfortable in Dahua, I feel like I’m on the edge of the Earth, like I couldn’t be farther away from home. It might as well be a different planet.

But at the same time I am mesmerized………mesmerized by the way the way people interact, the places that they live, the food they eat, the work they do to make a living.

900-year-old women carry their grandbabies on their backs

People sell hunks of meaty-who-knows-what on the street corners

Many men spit, smoke, have really long finger nails and hairs that grow out of their face moles (I’m talkin 2 inches)—it must be unlucky to pluck those honkers.

Women wear high-heels to ride their scooters and weed their gardens

Little children toddle around in the dirt in front of their family owned shops

Huge loads of “whatever” are Hauled “however,” on a back, bike, or bus

Groups of people sit at little tables out on the street playing games, talking, and eating

Small ugly dogs scavenge the streets for scraps, so do little old men and women

People squat while they wait for the bus

Honking is how automobiles speak to one another

And I still can’t get over these mountains, so abrupt and mysterious.

I can hardly believe I’m in this place seeing what I’m seeing and doing what I’m doing. Traveling through Dahua, China is an experience I never would have ever wanted and yet, I’m grateful for it. Experiences like these ground me, they help me to focus on what is most important in my life.

This is a quote by Marjorie Pay Hinckley, I absolutely love it.

“I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.” 

I admit that sometimes I get caught up wanting the “shiny sports car” kind of life. But then I remember what this life is truly about---it’s not about having the ideal, it is about “getting mud on the wheels” it’s about giving and learning and loving.

We all have different circumstances, but we also each have a choice. We can choose each day to spend our time doing things that really matter.

As a new Mother, occasionally I wonder if what I am doing: feeding babies, changing diapers, and singing silly songs is really that important. But I know that although I may not see the significance in the daily tasks I undertake, God does. My good works, however small they may seem to me add up to something meaningful.

Here in China I may get a little bit more dirt under my fingernails than I had hoped for. But I also have an abundance of opportunities to let my light shine and bless the lives of Heavenly Fathers children that are all around me.

Just another day in PAIR-adise

6 months

Ila

Fae

Whenever we leave the house we hear these words over and over, shuāng bāo tai, shuang bao tai---Twins. People stop dead in there tracks to watch us pass. We’re not just the giant Americans anymore, we are the giant Americans-with twins. Old ladies shuffle over to our stroller, and about jump in to see the two blue eyed babies. Complete strangers ask if they can hold them. Everyone is so curious! Ila and Fae don’t seem to mind the attention and are certainly getting used to it!

Our two little celebrities just had there half birthday, Spent in Dahua, China. 6 months old! Woo-Hoo!

They are so fun:

Ila squeaks when she wants attention, Fae grunts. Ila has a hearty little laugh (she laughs like her dad) and Fae giggles and gives us big smiles every time we talk to her.

The coolest toy to have is always the one the other twin is holding. They love their bottled water baths even though they’re only an inch deep. They grab each others hair every chance they get and are constantly trying to eat one another.

My favorite part of the day is when Ezra comes home, they are always so excited to see him and give him the biggest smiles.  It’s also my favorite part of the day because I get a “break” when Dad gets home I only have to take care of one baby. Ha. Such is life with Twins.

I do not know what I’m going to do when I can’t hold them both at the same time! My mobility is already at a low! It’s hard for me to get much of anything done.  Especially when they double team me, or play the alternating nap game. Showering, teeth brushing, and eating are all luxuries…….just kinding—uh…well….sort of. We are seriously lucky to have any clean clothes or a cup of noodles for dinner. (I’m wishing China had dryers and dishwashers right about now)

When I really absolutely need to get something done I have to prop them both up….somewhere? That’s when I turn into the one woman broadway musical, dancing around and singing at the top of my lungs. The crazier I act the more content they stay.  Sorry neighbors.

My Mom (also a mother of twins) gave me some great advice. She said “you can laugh or cry, I always tried to laugh.” Well I laugh a lot, sometimes to keep from crying, sometimes at the girls, and sometimes at myself. Oh yeah, we all laugh at Ezra.

Ezra and I often find ourselves saying “this is crazy, I can’t believe we have twins.” But along with all the crazy also comes twice the smiles, twice the laughs, and twice the love.  ( This is Ezra) I needed to mention twice the diapers.

Lizard Soup Anyone?

The first part of this post is an experience written by Ezra about a business dinner he had in China.

Chinese Experience 1,828,462

After being here about a year, I thought I have seen it all. Well guess what! I was wrong.

The soup was just an appetizer! Inside the soup if you look carefully you can see 2 lizards 1 turtle, 2 separate diced snakes, 2 types of coral, and shark stomach, not to mention several dime size things with wings that were not flying. 

Next we had “Nanning Dragon” which is the largest snake in south east China. Then they brought us a platter of a dark stringy meat that nobody knew what it was, (or at least they didn’t tell me) and the main course was alligator.

For a foreigner to be snapping photos left and right is not the gentlest thing to be doing at the dinner table. (I did get a couple of the soup) I was so astonished at the crazy dishes that the waitresses would bring that the business men at the table asked how long I had been in China. By the expression on my face you’d think it was my first day.

I was at that meeting with a coworker named Jinfeng Yuan, he also works as a translator. Also at the meeting were seven other business men. Jinfeng Yuan (who we call D.Y.) drinks, but he knows of my Mormon faith and that I don’t drink, haven’t drunk, and will never drink.

As they started to fill my glass I declined and asked for Coca-Cola; they were flabbergasted and in total disbelief (not drinking with Chinese people, after having poured a glass is totally offensive, and outright senseless, especially if they are potential business partners.)

Most times Dan (a coworker) and I, will not go to these types of meetings because we found out early on that if “we couldn’t drink with them, they wouldn’t do business with us”, It’s a bad deal. 

So here I was at a meeting/ dinner with seven very influential business men, who by the way each individually have more money than I’ll probably ever have, and I just dropped the bomb.

When I said NO, I want Coca-Cola, all seven heads turned in unison to D.Y. They wanted an explanation. I didn’t have to guess what D.Y. was telling them, because I have told him exactly what to tell those who ask. “I’m sorry he does not drink, he is a Mormon Christian, and that religion teaches to stay away from anything habit forming, addictive, and just plain bad for your body. He politely asks that you respect his religion and beliefs.”

All of them turned again in unison, looked at me, looked at my glass and then swiftly removed the beer and wine off the table, while the older more distinguished Chinese man yelled at the waitress, demanding Coca-Cola for everybody.  

I have to say it was pretty cool raising our glasses and throwing down Coca-Cola together.

I love you all, Come see me in China,

Ezra.

Last year Ezra and I spent Chinese new year in Hong Kong. There were plenty of fireworks but they were definitely more regulated than here in Nanning.  In Nanning you can shoot off fireworks anywhere anytime. This year is the year of the dragon-it’s the most celebrated year of all, we knew there would be a lot of fireworks.

I was not in anyway prepared for what was to come.

At about 7 pm people started lighting them off. We didn’t really want to go outside so we let the girls watch them out the apt window. It was fun.

The fireworks continued the whole evening, we put the girls to bed, they were pretty good about sleeping through the noise and so were Ezra and I, but at mid night it all turned ugly.

6.5 million people lighting off 6.5 million fireworks. Half of the fireworks are noise makers- there are big ones I like to call atomic bombs, they make our apartment shake.

From mid- night to 4 in the morning there was not the slightest  break in the noise, it was defening….indescribeable….simply unbelievable. Atomic bomb fireworks were going off 10 at a time. We were yelling to speak. It felt like all 6.5 million fireworks were being lit off on the porch right out side our window, all night long. They were coming from every direction. The noise was assaulting.

I felt like I was going to loose my mind. I desperately tried to fall back asleep, I prayed for a monsoon, but nothing came.  At six am another round of fireworks started and we finally gave up the fight.  We had coca cola for breakfast to try and relieve our massive headaches.

I don’t know how it was possible, but the girls did amazingly well through all the noise, they stirred but never fully woke up. I was worried that they would have permanent hearing loss, but in the morning they were the same happy little campers that they always are. Phew!

We are still waiting for the fireworks to end...........they wont, at least not for a while yet.

Next time we’ll just have to wake up and join the party.