Zài jiàn Nanning

Ezra was concerned for their safety so he fashioned these diaper helmets. Ha Ha

TWINFORMATION: Fae has learned to clap and it is the cutest thing ever, she likes to clap every time she wakes up. She gets so excited and it’s just adorable!

Ila is crawling now—I cannot keep up with that girl she is already into everything. Fae doesn’t even army crawl—she just rolls everwhere—so funny!

Our tile floors are the perfect surface for the girls to cruise around in their “cars” (as Ezra calls them). Ila is a little maniac—that girl can turn on a dime and man is she fast. Its hilarious to see her zooming around. When Ezra gets home from work they both zip on over to greet him at the door.

Ila and Fae have  started to fight, usually Ezra and I just let em duke it out because it is soooo funny. They squeal and scream at each other and usually end up wrestling over the coveted toy.  I know we wont always think this is funny- but right now it certainly is.

Here’s the news: We are leaving Nanning in 1 week,  me for good and Ezra for about a month. Ezra will have to come back to Nanning to finish up some work projects and then………….well we haven’t gotten that far yet. 

Ezra and I don’t really feel like China is done with us, so who knows. I’m still hoping for a tamer option in the future, I’m not gonna lie, ANYWHERE in the United States would be just about a dream come true at this point. But I’m not going to hold my breath.

The first long flight I made to Nanning was really really bad, I had morning sickness and felt incoherently nauseous the entire time. When we where getting ready to come this time I kept telling everyone “there’s no way it could be worse than last time”…....and…..it was. I have definitely learned my lesson about saying things like that. HA

Even still, we’re feeling much more confident about our 1, 5, 11, and 4 hour flights this go around.  And let’s face it I am so incredibly happy to be coming to America, that I don’t care if they cry the entire way……..I shouldn’t have said that.

I am quite happy to be headed home....okay...really...I'm thrilled! However there are a few things I am going to miss……in no particular order….

1. The curiously shocked expression on the face of just about everyone we encounter

2. Being able to have any sort of conversation—anywhere because no one can understand us.  (Ezra and I have fun with this.)

3. Attending "virtual" church—Our little group here in Nanning, sitting on the couch together---You should hear us sing, can you say tone deaf?! HA

4. Heather- you are seriously the best! Love the Shaw Family!

5. All the cute friends that tried so hard to speak English

6. The girls that work for AgFeed, you guys are awesome!

7. My pizza hut friends, Thank you for always taking care of us and giving us your employee discount

8. Mrs. Whu and Mr. Lu—thank you for letting us live in your apt and being so ready to lend a hand when we needed it

9. Dave and Bonnie thanks for taking Ezra to the Dr. that one time

10. Ashley-you better come visit, I would love nothing more than to give you a tour of Salt Lake City and take you to temple square and the conference center!

There is not so much about this place itself I am going to miss—it’s mostly just the people, so many kind and good people. I just wish I could take them all home with me.

Nanning—what a place. As hard as it has been to take care of twins living in a foreign country and as homesick as I sometimes get, I am so glad that I have been able to have this experience. It’s been a good thing for me. I am learning to appreciate my blessings more fully.

I have truly been given so much:

I am a member of the only true church on the face of the Earth

I am sealed to my family and get to be with them forever

I have purpose and meaning in my life

I have knowledge that I am a child of God that he loves me and watches over me

Wow!

I don’t ever want these blessing to become “ordinary” to me. These are not “ordinary” blessings, they are AMAZING! Sometimes it can be just too easy to “count up the coal” in life and forget that there is always so much to be grateful for. I hope that whatever happens in my life I will always remember these most important blessings and be happy and grateful for what I have.

So thank you Nanning, thanks for the laughs, thanks for the adventures, thanks for the friends. We will miss you!

P.S. In preparation for Easter I compiled a bunch of movies and activities on pinterest, plus I found a family home evening Easter program--go check it out!