Living Life as We Please...

Dear Family:
Just a few lines to report what we have been up to for the past few of days..
Monday, February 16, we decided that we would take a bus to Bathing Beach #1 and walk along the beach, and on the boardwalk, for as long as it took us to find the stone sculptures we have heard so much about. It was a chilly day and we bundled up. It turned out to be a gorgeous day and we walked for several hours and clocked about 5 miles of enjoyment. We took our time, even went down on the shoreline and collected seashells. I do love to collect seashells and it was one of those rare days that turn out perfect. We walked until dusk and stopped at the Sea Aquarium and had a ice cream and then took the bus home. A perfect day, as far as I am concerned.....

Tuesday we went to a Korean sisters apartment to have lunch. They live out by the Qingdao airport and it took us an hour and a half to get there. We took the airport shuttle and then Shelly came to the airport to drive us to Jennifer's apartment for lunch. Shelly is the Chinese sister who was baptized in November. Jennifer is Korean. The food they prepared for us was something right out of a food magazine. And it tasted wonderful. They are such special people, we feel it is a privilege to associate with them. What a grand time we had. It was a "chick day" and we even went to their spa and everyone had facials, full body and foot messages!!!! What a day - one we won't soon forget....

Today we have been to "Computer City" and then on to Jimo Market. I just keep buying pearls and they are all so very beautiful.. We had little Judy or Lulu with us and we were celebrating her birthday, which was January 30. What a great time we had and the "buys" were exceptional. Money here is unbelievable - what you get for the yuan..... It will be SUCH a hard adjustment, to have to pay the high prices in the USA when we return home. I am sure that we will seem like real "cheap skates" to everyone.

We only have a few precious days until school starts again - 11 days, to be exact. It is such fun to tour the beautiful city of Qingdao and find places we want to take our family that will hopefully come to visit us. Hint, hint, hint.....

We are also anxious for Joe and Diane Ward to join us, to teach for the upcoming Spring semester. It looks like Joe will come first, as he is the one with the teaching contract, and Diane will follow in a month or so. It will be such fun to have them here and to have the opportunity to get to know them better.

We have so very much to be thankful for, and we thank our Heavenly Father every day for this opportunity to live here and teach these special people. This truly is a chance of a lifetime and I treasure every day and dread the day we have to return home. We do love and miss our dear family BUT we are SO needed here and we are engaged in a worthy cause. How blessed we feel. Know of our love for each of you...

Much Love,
Mom