November and December Pictures

Thanksgiving dinner.  Thankful to have others we can share this meal with....

...And on to Christmas!  We love rainbow lights.

Josh's request:  All-you-can-eat Japanese for Christmas Eve.  Because this time of year is so busy for him, he just wanted to have a relaxed quiet night.

If he's not doing this (sitting at the sound board or running around making sure things are working properly)...

...or this (he's in a meeting with the other church staff and if you didn't know, this is after Christmas Day service, in the sanctuary, in the dark, with Sarah photo-bombing, LOL...)

....he's usually doing this.  So he's busy!  In a good way, though.

 

Here's the staff, by the way, a little more clearly!
(Su - Community Life Director, Mr. Xiong, Penny - Church Finance Officer, Julia - Community Outreach Director, and Pastor Dale.  Missing a few of the others.)

Today was a good day, though.  Because...

...it was Sarah's first time sharing the Word in service!  She did a great job as she taught & encouraged her congregation.

All these toys!

I think our first sisters picture.  2 months after I've been here!

This could be you!  (When you visit us.)

Year to date pictures!

For the next few posts, we'll be putting up random and some not so random pictures!  Here goes...

Chilling.  (Literally.  It's cold here.)

Turtle Shop!  As in, this restaurant serves turtle.  It was quite busy.

Our second guest this year!  He went back home to France, and he wish him the best!

Babysitting duty while her mom was at worship practice.  This girl's a darling!

Favorite vacation fun:  going to the movies.  (you have to pick your seat.)

You thought construction is bad by you?  This is our everyday: How should I cross this sidewalk...?

Fresh off the plane!

This country wins in copycat branding!

Oh hello, Library.  How awesome is it that you happened to be located RIGHT NEXT to our hostel in Hong Kong? 

How laundry is usually done here.  

Weeks flown by with friends!

Phew!  Too many weeks have gone by since we've updated!  What a flurry of a month it has been for us.  We can't believe that Christmas is upon us, too! (Namely because it's been sunny 60's here.)

Only a week has passed, but it's hard to believe that the ladies have gone home already!  We were blessed to have 3 of Sarah's friends (our friends, too, but much closer to her) visit us for the majority of November.  To summarize, the one thing we probably did the most was... WALK!  I know Sarah warned them in advance to bring a good pair of shoes, and if not prep by getting out and walking a bit more than usual, but I bet they still weren't prepared for the sheer amount that we actually did.

There will definitely a lot of eating (we don't normally eat out so much, but you don't come to Shanghai to eat either Sarah's or my home cooking, that's for sure!)  Lots of shopping, primarily for the ladies' friends and family.  And of course, exploring all the craziness China has to offers.

Highlights and lowlights include:

• Visiting Suzhou: riding a canal boat, exploring the garden, and taking LOTS of pictures
• All you can eat Japanese buffet (sashimi, sashimi, sashimi!!!)
• Messing up on purchasing the train tickets, not once, but twice!  The first time, I didn't check carefully to see where the departing station was, and subsequently the ladies missed their train.  So sad!  The second time, I didn't confirm the destination station, so we arrived in the wrong place and had to backtrack.  Lesson learned.
• Hearing the crazy Beijing trip the ladies had.  You'll have to ask them for details.  Let's just say, I would never hope for what happened to them to ever happen to you here!
• Winning Shouayee over with Beijing duck.  YUM.
• Exploring the fabric market. 
• Having reciprocated enthusiasm about KFC with rice.
• Sharing our church and worshiping with friends.
• The sticker stores.  (Sorry I bailed on the 3rd trip.  I just didn't have it in me anymore.)
• Warm sunny weather, but too much smog.
• Listening to "The Voice" in the background as Shouayee and Hills caught up
• Hearing Sarah's laughter.  Our house was much warmed with more people here.

With that said, any of you are welcome to be out next visitors!