You know, there's something about having birthdays in China.... I love it! Well, at least this birthday - I really enjoyed it. My actual birthday was last Monday, but it started Sunday night with a surprise birthday party. And a birthday cake that I didn't even have to make. It was lovely. Then Monday started at 4:00. A little too early, but it was all good.... and then I saw all but 4 hours of my birthday, so that, I thought, was pretty cool. I worked until about 2:30, then went home, all excited about a bike ride that I had planned for the afternoon. As I get home, my heart nearly stopped as I realized MY BIKE WAS MISSING!! I hadn't even gotten it a week ago! Sorta a let-down feeling!! But then I thought perhaps someone was playing a joke on me and I went to the bike parking across the compound. Wouldn't you know, I basically walked right to it. But then it didn't look the same as before, so I thought someone had stolen it and put their own stuff on so I wouldn't recognize it. Man, what do I do?! But about as soon as I thought that, I realized it still had the same lock on it, and someone had actually put that stuff on for ME!! It was a speedometer with lots of other handy things like distance traveled, time traveled, average and maximum speed, and the time of day... and a bell. So it was great! But now what do I do? Do I hate them because of the joke they played on me, or do I love them for the things they put on it??!! I wanted to be upset at them, but yet walked around with a permanent grin on my face that afternoon. So.... the culprits still haven't revealed the story to me. I tried my best to get them to tell me, but it wasn't working. So... the saga continues....

Anyway, I had a Chinese birthday party that night. A Chinese birthday party is when the birthday person invites all their friends to a meal at a restaurant and then pays... a little different than America, but I'd say it was worth it. Had some awesome Tibetan food! I really enjoyed it, and they made it good for me! Then I came home and called my mom and talked for *ahem* a long time. And then fell into bed after midnight totally exhausted but couldn't have been too much happier!

The next couple days were pretty awesome too... seemed like a whole birthday week. And the next thing is that I still have a box and perhaps some birthday cards in Thailand that I haven't been yet. So it might be like a month-long birthday! I can handle that! Might always have to celebrate my birthdays in China.

Hello everyone from the wonderful land of China. Although I didn't think it was so wonderful last Monday afternoon at about 2:30! As I huddled under the table with my Chinese teacher, we hung on to each other and talked to the Father with great intensity, I just knew that building was coming down on my head. Those 3 minutes were some of the longest I've lived through, but talking to the Father was also one of the greatest comforts I've had. And now I have so many blessings!! If you feel like reading them, that's okay... if not, I just feel like counting my blessings! :)

#1. We are still alive... none of the group here was even hurt
#2. We still all have our houses... aside from a few broken dishes, and maybe a cracked wall or two, our things
were all fine.
#3. It happened in Spring... not in January, which was extremely cold!
#4. We just had word that our friends that we hadn't heard from in days.... are okay!! So awesome!
#5. And just having the hope in the Father that we have - so incredible! I feel blessed beyond measure!

Anyway, now I've survived an earthquake... and I'm still alive in China... and I'm loving life... and thanking and praising the Father for all His many blessings! :)

 And one more post before I go back home.... (Thailand is great, but I'm so ready to be there again!)

Yesterday, the 3 of us went to Botanic Gardens...got some bikes and rode around.  It was such a neat place! So peaceful and beautiful.  Just the place to go on  "days off" (or with friends that have days off!) to relax and enjoy the day.

Just the 3 of us....

And one that definitely needs to be put on xanga... follow the signs....

And then of course me with my cousin's bike which he didn't tell me I could take... ('cuz he wasn't here!)
But I did anyway 'cuz someone else said I could...and I absolutely loved it! :)

Thanks, Micheal! 

Well, 'tis all until next time!!