treasure chest

We are really beginning to know individual people here. When first saying "yes" in coming to HK, these chinese people just had question marks on their faces [I usually have a visual of people, so this is the picture that I would draw in my head].

But now there is much more. It is becoming so real to us.

God is now giving me more than just question marks. He is giving me treasure chests.

Treasure chests that I feel like are just waiting to be opened, with all these unique treasures inside. It's as if they've never been discovered and are now being known. It is so special to be a part of unravelling what may have been kept tight.

chinese blogger.

Who knows why I thought Chinese people probably didn't blog. But they do. My friend Christy [from a conversational english class we're helping out with] gave me her blog address. So I went to it and found lots of pictures. Of course i had no clue what the rest of it said. 

But it was so fun to scroll down on it to find a few of us from last week.

 [having tea at kt, malorie, and mary's apartment]

a ballerina

Tell me you don't want to just reach through the

 computer screen and twirl this little munchkin.

color wheel

I've seen one in a whole new way this past week.

[yes, our tall jason created it.]

I love looking at this sweet piece of paper in our office [slash] guest bedroom [slash] not really because it's way too small to have anyone stay in there unless you sleep indian style. 

Rich conversations have led up to this paper having colors and facets of people, passions, and giftings.

When i stare at it, my eyes do that blurry thing. You know the one... Where you want to stop staring but you can't because it feels so good that you keep doing it until your eyes water. Looking like this.

And i love the blur. While I know we each have particularly unique + individual color we express in life, the blur allows me to see beyond myself. I so need my name blurred way more than I choose to make it. 

When i zoom out of my name and stare at the big picture, I can see how brilliant the Lord is with all the shades He has created. 

I love a good color wheel.

too fast. [too furious]

It's no secret. They're chinese roaches. And they're here. 

[I have to make this guy without all the nasty, terrible details. Or else i would throw up drawing the durn thing.]

I can just see it now.

It's as if they are having a field day in our walls, having so much fun. Then they make a team plan to grab their tennis shoes and run out the [little roach] door just to wave and see if i can catch them. Oh and yes i do. And i kill them. Then i announce: FIELD DAY IS OVER.

They are fast.

I am furious.

ice cream date.

23B has the most precious eight year old. Not too long ago, I introduced you to Breanna, or at least her handwriting. I wrote her a note today asking her to circle which day she'd want to get ice cream. She just knocked on my door with the reply. 

[zoom in to the sweet stars and hearts around her circle of friday.]

I am counting down.

And as for the little brother [Lucas]...

He blew me a kiss.

This is a huge deal. 

One year ago

I was taking classes at Auburn.

Scott was seeing Hong Kong for the first time.

We were one month away from getting married.

And a year ago to this day, I opened my mailbox to find this little artsy shocker. 

And I thought the same thing: Why in the world is Scott Littlepage trying on purple [skinny] jeans. It makes me laugh so hard now. For me, it kind of represents the first of many shockers along the path to being in Hong Kong. 

In the best way.

two randoms.

1.  What makes a person go out to his garden and think: Yep today is a good day to thread a few CDs on some string above my plants.

2.  I am going to start capitalizing. I just decided. Pretty sure it's easier to read. No wonder people do this.

Human Development and Family Studies

seriously. it's like HDFS heaven over here. playgrounds galore.

after having this as my major, it's hard not to keep my eyes glued to the chinese kids that play on the playground downstairs. i would add more pictures, but that would mean i had taken them. and i'm not bold with the camera. i am working on it, but i do feel like a stalker. it's kind of like stage fright.

 i know, it's weird.

happy birthday to you.

jen: this is in the mail on it's way. wish we could be there to celebrate today with you.

comfort to the country boys.

for all you dads... and by that, i mean especially the ones who are just dying for rut season to just hurry on up and get here... this is for you.

if you've found yourself thinking that your son or daughter went to some foreign country to find their life "right smack dab" [that saying is for you, dad] in the middle of the city, then let me add a little southern flair of hong kong to your thoughts.

yep. it's our local market. dad: i have moved away from home and i still can't escape dead animals hanging up on wire. so don't you go on worrying about this city life erasing those horrible memories of you cleaning deer. they are forever etched into my brain.

pull it up + out.

i painted a little somethin' somethin' for our apartment. result? not my favorite. meaning i can't stand it. BUT scott loves it. 

so he wants it in our living room. i don't want it in our living room.

i have decided that i can deal. just deal with it. i am thinking that instead of it being some really neat piece that hangs in our living room/kitchen, it can be a lesson to teach me. there is definitely zero pride in that thing. but i still feel it in me. when i look at it i think "ok swallow your pride". but i don't want to do that. because to me, swallowing something means that it is bound to come right back up + out.

i'm asking Him to pull on the roots of pride that have grown down in me. 

so there sits my little reminder. it screams: "rid yourself. rid yourself."