Dahua

 The Chinese Way of life is so different than anything I ever expected or even have the ability to adequately describe.  The only way to truly understand even a little bit about what I mean is to see it with your own eyes.

 

Today I am in Dahua it is a very small city (400,000). In fact, it's so small it's nearly impossible to find on any map. Ezra does a lot of traveling to this city right now for work and somehow talked me into coming with him (he's does that a lot!). It is much more third world and honestly I was nervous about what I would see. The city has garbage lining many of the streets and the stores and houses are basically little cement garages.

 

I recently read a book about the German occupation on the Channel Islands, it talked about the destruction and bombing and how the people where working to rebuild their cities. There are many buildings here that look to me like they could have come straight out of a war scene.

 

 As we drove into the city we passed vacant building after vacant building, they look so cold and creepy. Some, I was surprised to find are not so vacant, dirty little children were standing outside of what must be their houses.

 

Small abrupt mountains poke out of the ground all around, and fog settles around the bases. It about looks like a dragon may glide over -head.

 

Their fields look like misshapen puzzle pieces. Farmers wearing little rice hats can be found hoeing by hand. Many of them are women. Sometimes they use water buffalo to help till, but most of the buffalo just laze about eating grass with their calves.

I can't help but look into those fields and see those women toiling at their work and wonder why it's not me out there slaving away in the dirt day after day.

 

Living in China I feel like my eyes have been opened. I am so much more keenly aware of the many blessings I've been given. I find myself asking questions like "Why am I so blessed to have been born into the Gospel? Why am I so blessed to have been born to loving parents that provided me with with a safe and secure home where I never wanted for anything? Why am I so blessed to have been born in America where life is so easy and we have so much opportunity and freedom? I have had the opportunity to be educated and to make all my own choices, many people don't enjoy these blessings, why do I?

 

AND, I can have as many children as I want to….two at a time if I feel like it ( :

 

All I know is that Heavenly Father expects a lot from me. Where much is given much is required. And I have been given a whole heck-of a lot.

 

I really never noticed how easy my life was- okay so it has never been all rainbows and butterflies, I've had my share of life's tough experiences. But compared to what I've seen of life here in China "rainbows and butterflies" might not actually be a bad description.

 

I'm beginning to realize all of the blessings I took for granted every day. Simple blessing like:

 

Taking a long hot shower

Laying on soft, clean, green grass

Making dinner with an oven

Driving myself to the store in my own car

Going to a movie

Drinking a glass of water straight from the tap

Running around with out shoes on

Having access to a seat belt

Enjoying peace and quiet

Living close to the temple

Having all the food I could want made by myself or put in a take out bag.

Clean streets

Personal Space

Milk

Central air and heat

Carpet!

There are so many I could name.

 

Everything I do in China is so much more of a process. Whether it's cooking a meal, getting a light fixed, shopping, or trying to maneuver around the city. Life here is different and everything I do here takes increased time and energy.

 

It's easy to get homesick.

 

Especially when your apartment floods twice in one week and your husband is traveling, (The second flood involved human feces-yuck!). But that's a story for a different day.

 

My double dose of Pregnancy hormones has left me feeling nauseous again. Thankfully not as near as bad as it was in the beginning. But I am starting to think that my next pregnancies are going to seem like a cinch compared to this one.

 

I'm hoping that I will be able to feel well enough to take advantage of some English teaching opportunities that have come my way. I'll be the teacher that has all the snacks and sits in her chair a lot.

 

It's been a hard couple of weeks, at times it takes everything I have not to just jump a plane home. I knew it would be an adjustment moving to China. I just think my whole pregnancy and not feeling good has made it harder than I expected.

 

 It can be hard to be grateful when your trials are staring you straight in the face. But I try and remind my self of all the blessings I have been given and all the blessings that lie in store (in about 5 months-I'll have two little blessings :)

 

There are people all around me that have gone through much harder things-I just need to stop being a wimp. I'll make it over this hurdle just like I have the rest. Thank goodness I have such a wonderful husband to help me.

 

I know I am in China for a reason and I need to find "joy in the journey." Sometimes it is hard to live for today and not get caught up in what the future will bring. But I know that today is a gift and I should treat it as such. "Come what may and love it, right?" (I love how I'm giving myself a pep-talk.)

 

Everyday is filled with little blessings that come from the special people that live here in China. I can truly say that there are many extraordinary people all around. They give up their seat on the bus, they hold doors, they work hard, they smile, and their children say hello.