Luke and Charlie - the world's best Kids

Skype has revolutionized living abroad. I remember feeling cut off and isolated from my family while in Argentina. We could IM but it just wasn’t the same, video quality was bad and the sound was always distorted, and that was only on a good day.

Skype, don’t get me wrong has it’s quirks but it is light years beyond IM. Or maybe I just feel that way because of the people I am know able to stay in touch with. My family, number one of course but runner up is most definitely these two gorgeous bundles of energy above.

"Can you show my your funny face?"

After spending a spring with these two I was hooked. For those who know me I’m not much of a kid person. Okay I’m not a kid person at all, but these two are my exceptions. They have always brightened my day, and now that I’m in China with Skype they are still able to do that. Here are the pictures that have recently brighten my week.

I can hardly believe how much Charlie has grown. When we were talking she kept asking if she could come over to my house, ahh. Tug at the heart when I had to tell her I was still away, yes Kayte has a heart.

After Nick reminded her I was still in China she changed her tactics, “I want to go to China with you Kayte!” I miss you too Charlie.

Luke then practiced some of his Chinese with me, he’s been watching Ni Hao KaiLan. Charlie tried her hand at a foreign language but ended up with a Vietnamese greeting.

Look at those grins

Charlie is still learning to talk into the camera rather than the screen. When we high five Luke will go for the camera, and Charlie goes for the screen.

Thanks for the pep talk this week! Talk to you soon.

The conception of two people living together for twenty-five years without having a cross word suggests a lack of spirit only to be admired in sheep.
  – Alan Patrick Herbert

I have to admit the google quotes of the day are always the first thing I read when I log on in the evening. (It changes midnight US time which is evening for me). Today’s quote just sent me rolling. I would just like to know who picks them and where in the world do they get them.

Who is Alan Patrick Herbert you might ask…well according to Wikipedia…

Sir Alan Patrick Herbert, CH (usually writing as A. P. Herbert or A. P. H.) (24 September 1890 – 11 November 1971) was an English humorist, novelist, playwright and law reform activist. He was Member of Parliament for Oxford University for 15 years, five of which he combined with service in the Royal Navy.

I will just have to add this one to my quote book. Yes, I’m a complete nerd and have a quote book. To top that off, it is a scrapbooked quote book.

So I’m finally home. Ahhhhh……so I’m safe and sound and tired as all get-out so I’m off to bed. Just wanted to reassure you Mom that I’m once again safe in my little corner of China and much in need of a good skype call. So I’ll get on when I get up in the morning your Sunday afternoon.

For everyone else, the Trip will follow tomorrow. I will post them on the days I went so look for previous posts, on 4,5,6,7,8.

I have finally arrived and much to my relief the blog works and my Internet is up and going.

The plane ride over was not as bad as I had anticipated. I was able to sleep for eight hours off and on. So by the time we landed in Beijing I felt rested. My biggest fear was getting stopped at quarantine or customs. Being the honest Reagan I am I marked that I had a runny nose on my health sheet prior to landing. Of course this got me pulled from the line and taken aside. I explained that I had just had some allergies while in New York but no flu symptoms. They had me refill out the form without the previous box marked, then sent me on my way.

I still find airports uncannily easy in foreign countries. I didn’t need a lick of Mandarin to get through. I didn’t even have to stop for customs surprisingly. Just picked up my bags nodded to the attendant then out the doors to recheck them. Oh, side note, Air China is great no baggage charges and free baggage carts at all the airports, amazing!

It was only an hour flight to Qingdao where James was waiting for me. He is the Director of Foreign Affairs and my direct Supervisor.  He has already won me over as the nicest person in China. He had a hot bag of KFC with him as he knew the flight had been long and thought I would be hungry. It was a two hour drive to Weifang my new HOME.

So I am here and things are looking great. Yes I know these first few weeks are going to be the honeymoon and reality will soon hit. As soon as I take some pictures of the apartment I will post them.

Well the adventure begins…Starting this blog seemed like such a great idea when it was a theory but now that I must sit down and begin typing I am getting nervous. Keeping a personal journal or even sending emails home is one thing but to have public entries available for anyone and everyone makes me pause.

These first few entries will be rough but I am sure in time they will begin to flow and the wrinkles will smooth themselves out. One such wrinkle has already been smoothed, I have found the spell check, hip-hip-hooray! Yes, I know I am off to China to teach English but lets face it I will always have my Dad’s spelling genes which means I spell Dictionary…MOM.