Update

Shelby left for Thailand yesterday. She is going with some of our church staff to do a youth conference. She will be home the day before Easter. I am excited for her, but realize it's just one more step to her complete independence. Alas, they do grow up, hu? Unlike Samantha when she traveled, Shelby has sent me update emails - letting me know she's alive and well. =o)

When we moved to California, Matt & I had to take a written test to get our drivers license. Well, we are going to have to do the same for China - ugh! I almost failed the one in California!!! The book for the Chinese license has almost 100 pages with about 8 questions per page. The thing is, some of the questions are absurd - well, not so much the questions as the answers. Well - not always the answers, as how the people implement the answers. Let me give you an example - One question was regarding how you pass other vehicles (going the same direction). The answer is on the right. Well, here they will pass a car, which is in the right lane, using the shoulder of the freeway - never slowing down. There's another question about where to drive on the road if there's no median. Surprisingly, the answer is the vehicle must run in the middle of the road. UUUMMMM, what about the oncoming car?? Needless to say, I have a lot of studying to do. I am so thankful for James - I honestly don't think he wants me to drive either. I am always gasping at what other cars do on the road. He just laughs at me. He has had his license for years, which is not too common here - AND he's not a horn honker. Yes, there are questions regarding horn honking. I am convinced once you get your license it doesn't matter how you drive, as long as you don't have alcohol in your body. At the toll booths, they have a breathalyser to check. Honestly, it's a good concept to keep drunk drivers off the road.

The girls had a great time at camp - even Samantha. I think she came home sleep deprived though. She starts her new job today - she will be a TA teaching American History to Embassy kids. How cool is that going to be? I hope she has a good time.

Sydni came home from camp so excited about life. She has some really good friends here in our compound, and they are always doing fun things together.

Matt bought a badminton net, rackets, and shuttle cocks... set it up in the back yard, and we've had so much fun playing. None of us are that good, so it makes for a ton of laughs. Our neighbors dog "talks" to us the whole time. He doesn't bark, just "talks."

I have enclosed pictures of Coke and M&M's from here - yay for us! There are times you just need a "fix."

I hope you are all having a great week. Be Blessed