Gracias, 感恩

Happy Thanksgiving

I know this post came a little late...

Guess you guys already have Christmas decorations up

Well, we have been talking about to put ours up...

But...

We both sick... 

I mean we have been "good friends" with Tissues for a while

But we had a great time with friends here on Thanksgiving day

Jen is our Photographer

I got an email this morning from Ani's mom

Ani, who is adopted this October

She can not hear either, like our Bolt

She is a cute angel.

She just had her third birthday with her forever family

Luke was blocked by his big sister 

Well

I am thankful

I am really thankful

Battle

Yes... I had a battle yesterday

With a boy whose name is Little Monkey

He is 3, and I am 23

Who do you think WON?

He is in a silent world, and I am in a noisy world

Yes, he can not hear

but he is smart

He is flexible like a little Monkey

Scott calls him Bolt... The fastest toddler in the world

Loves to run

 he could suddenly disappear without people knowing...

Well... basic info is out

now back to the BATTLE

Yesterday was the SWI's field trip to the supermarket

I was assigned to take care of Bolt 

On the way from SWI to Supermarket

He was happy, quiet, and snuggled with me 

I was thinking... oh, this is a good sign

He likes me...

Then one of the teacher told me that he hadn't gone potty yet...

Oh no...

I know Bolt is already potty trained, he should let me know...

Oh yeah...

Picture this,

Here we are in the supermarket

also known as CANDY LAND for kids...

Okay... here we go

Most of the teachers and Volunteers either got a cart or pushing basket

I was thinking, hmmm, it will be easier to have a cart

he can sit in it and point at the things he likes...

Good thought...

But Bolt is transform into a monkey on me

I am not a human being anymore

I am a flesh tree...

He climbs up to my shoulder holding on to my neck

or holding on my legs but not touching the ground

but he won't go down to the ground or sit in the cart!

Fine, I said to myself, nice try...

At this moment...

He grabs his pants and starts screaming...

okay... potty time... 

I grab him under my arm, then run to the restroom...

He did a good job there

Very insistent to button all the buttons on his jacket

then he will stop his 'communications'

Okay... Battle one ends here...

I sat him inside the cart, I know it shouldn't be like that...

but it is the only way he willing to... and stop screaming...

I think maybe just about 15mins quietness later...

Battle two started

Bolt saw something he likes... I give to him, but he starts to open the pack immediately...

Oh no...

How should I going to tell him to stop...

I use wave hands and signal we always use in the pre-school class to tell him that he should stop what he doing now

but seems his attention is all over the food...but me

I took his food in my hand and wave hands, he screamed

I let him hold them, and wave hands, pointing to my mouth...

back and forward

back and forward

He understand...

He hold all the snacks we pick and he did not open them

and he stayed quiet...

After we checked out, he is happy

He became a monkey holding on me again...

but he is happy

I am happy...

I never know what is gonna like to take a kid can not hear me

to shopping

I never know they screaming just trying to get your attention

if you careful observe enough

you will find a way to communicate and clam them down

I am not a parents yet

but I learnt today

Parenting a kid is sometime you have to insist what is right

and not giving up by let kid doing what they want

the process is painful

I think Bolt killed my hearing for a second

I think the people who is shopping in the market does not know what's going on

may think I mistreated him

But it all worth it...

A lesson for Bolt and Me

Who said battle always have a winner

Guess we have two this time.

Wrestling with yourself... Father wins at the end

I admit sometime I am showing some OCD symptoms in my life...

Well...I believe not only me... 

Life is like wrestling with yourself,

usually it comes to an end that has no result

then later Father wins at the end...

When you want something

you always try to persuade yourself that 

you need it 

or I could save it for later

because you just want it...

but Father's words show in your mind, be content...

Father wins...

Recently I have been reading Titus for a ladies' study...

I am so excited about it...

The reason is that this is my first little group study and it is all about how to become a Godly woman

Yeah! for me and also for my husband

But I wrestled again during my study...

Lesson one,  Be Sober... no problem

Lesson two, Be a Good Wife... no worries

here comes Lesson three, Be a Loving Mother...

Battle started...

my mind told myself that I am not a mother yet, how am I gonna do this lesson...

I go through the whole lesson... but I couldn't write down a word...

The questions have nothing to do with me right now

Still in my own mind I just think....

I am physically not a mom yet

so I couldn't know as a mother how to do it...

Again, I look through all the verses, but I still can not write down anything...

I told myself that I am not ready for the study this week...

Well... this leads me to tears for a while...

Hubbo understands my struggle... He said it this way

You are not a mom yet, but God's word is for everyone, every different situation

You're a teacher

You're taking care of kiddos at the orphanage

A loving mother is to love her kids the way that God loves us

A loving mother is all about building good character for her kids

That is exactly the goal I want for my students 

and 

the orphans

Students are my kids

Orphans are my kids

Game over

Father wins again

Although this lesson I did not write much down

I learned much more from our Father

Thank you, thank you, thank you...

I am young, true...

but you may experience the same wrestling game as me

Just enjoy the game process

You may win more than just the title!

Did you "Bridging" yet?

I never thought one day I will become a bridge

Interesting thought

I will continue 

I am not good at Yoga

my body is not soft enough to do a bridge pose to stretch my back

I am not good at building things

most things I built is out of balance or weird style

But tonight when I was writing emails to those "unknown" friends to tell them what did their baby do today.

I become a bridge

Father is the strength to made me become a bridge

With love, patient and kindness

I felt fulfilled when I being the "bridge" lady

Well, " thank you" this word is not enough to express my feeling now

I just gonna enjoy this moment till the bedtime

maybe a little longer in my dream

 Because tomorrow is another day

And Father said no worries

Love is amazing, Don't you agree?!

Today is a day full of joy

A boy who got adopted this Monday

back to the Orphanage for a short visit today

We are blessed to be there to hug him

cheer for him

and say goodbye to him

He run to his MAMAs(Ayi who taking care him in the Orphanage) in Orphanage with such a big smile on his face

They hold him, kiss him, asked him' how's everything going?'

Suddenly

He started crying, he is so sad to leave his MAMAs

My eyes started to 'sweat' from that moment

He is not in my class

but he always hug me and wave at me

and talk to me when he saw me passing by

He is so optimistic

He is happy all the time

He is a great helper in his class

He is a good 'brother' to his roommates

He is a great joy to his new family

I know he is in good hand

I know it is very hard for all the Ayi,

But he has a family now!

Scott told me a detail when we on the way back

one of his MAMA told him:' You are a little man now,

you should help your parent, picking up socks for them,

help them carry things, taking care mom, you have to love them, listen to them, be a good kid'

Oh, my eyes sweating now again...

What a great heart they have

What a kind thought they own

I just want to write this to thanks all the Orphanage workers and Adopting parents

Your love is amazing

Your love make kiddos felt special

Thank you for let me being a part of your work

It is amazing what you doing for all the Orphans
Family is amazing

Love is amazing

Don't you agree with me?!

Much Love

Road trip to Xi'an

Last week, Scott and I went on a road trip to the middle of China, Xi'an

We camped in the Tai Bai Mountain

It was beautiful there

The place we camp on the mountain, the sky was breath taking

Beautiful sun set in the mountain

The road we drove up to the top was crazy, all kinds of turning...

Hey! Never Quit! That's my man

Thanks to Debbie bring our matching shirt!!!!

Fresh air, nice place to pray and think

The waterfall in the mountain, matching shirt couple

So blessed to have a nice hotel to stay in after the long hour driving and camping! SHOWER!!!

From our hotel window, we could see the old city wall of Xi'an

The night pic from our hotel window... 

When I was a student in school, I know Terra-Cotta Warriors for long time in book, I saw the real one that day!!!

I am excited to see my hometown name showing in another city!!! BAOTOU

Look at that smile on my hubby's face, wish there is a SUBWAY in Baotou 

Well, this lady is tired and hot... and do not want to walk anymore...

A peak from the Xi'an city life... grandpa is so cute on the scooter...


We thank our Father in heaven for this trip
We grateful for the relaxing time after busy working
I am so thankful for my hubby taking me on the trip
I love being married
I love living a life under HIS plan
No worries

PS: Pray for our friend Catie have safe and fun trip in the south of China, we had fun seeing you in Xi'an

Much love

Goals

I know it is kind of weird to talk about goals in my first post...
Yeah... I know... 
maybe it comes with some grammar mistakes too...
Well...
I think writing a blog may help me to improve my English writing...

I am Gloria 
I am happily married to my hubby for 8 month now... 
This is related to my goals... trust me...
I am a teacher, and half-housewife

My hubby and I have been on a short vacation to another province
in China
You do not usually drive to someplace, either you take the train or you fly...Well, I mean you fly in a plane...

But for my hubby, he is not a LOCAL person, he like to drive
we talked about our GOALs during the long hour driving

Before our vacation started, my other half ask me what do I want to accomplish during the vacation
I wrote him an email
I said I want to go travel outside the Baotou
I said I want to rest
I said I want to work on my cross-stich
After he read this, he just laughed and laughed...
Vague, if you want to use this word...

So we talked again in the car...
We always have 3 goals when one is accomplished we fill it with another one, so we can always working on something

1. Be Healthy
I used to play tennis and work out when I was in School
After I dating, married... 
I felt like I am becoming a couch potato...
So I will start running with our dog, Oscar. Deal...

2. Be a good wife
I do not mean that I am a bad wife... if you ask Scott...
but I do not think I am used to the housewife role yet...
I have to take good use of time, take care my hubby and house
Be Willing and NOT Complain
From full-time teaching to part-time teaching...
I have no reason to say I have no time now...
So Just do it!

3. Orphanage
I have been volunteer there for 3 month now
Which I will continue and do a good job there
I think kids taught me a lot things
The most important one is to have a Big Heart
you can say, a Bigger Heart
to love others first, care others first
to forgive others

Well... Summer here almost finished...We have to get ready for the new semester soon
Matthew 6:34, Our Father said, No worries