Milkshake

Even though I haven't started back to work yet, I have officially been hired back and so I am an employee. As such, my boss called the other day to tell me that I could come in and bring whomever I wanted to the employee sale days!! Mum and Dad will need little gifts to take with them to China for all of the people who will help them during the final stages of this adoption process. Because YC is made in the US, it makes for the perfect gift to give! 

While we were out, I stopped to get milkshakes at Steak N Shake. I had a buy one get one free coupon and wanted to treat my Mum, as she is always going above and beyond for everyone, both in my family and outside of it! She got a Caramel Apple Milkshake and I got a S'mores! 

THEY WERE SO GOOD! 

As much as there are days when I {already} get homesick for China and all of that life,

I have really been enjoying the little blessings of being able to talk to my family whenever

and about whatever. Not only talk, but spend time with, do nothing with {There has been a lot of 'Chuck', 'Star Trek Voyager', 'Call the Midwife' and 'Burn Notice' being watched!!} and

make plans for more exciting things. {Its also really great to finally be on this side of the adoption stuff and get to find things out the same time, in the same way as everyone else in the house!} 

Today was a good 'Mom' day! We talked a bunch and I got to hang out with her when we 

took the trip to get the candles. I may be 31, but a girl still needs her Mum!

#ItsTheLittleThings

Little things again

I was going to start back to this on the first Monday of the month, trying to get myself back on track as far as posting. Alas, as you can see, I muffed that one!! haha! However, seeing as how Monday was a holiday I could say it technically counts as a weekend and NOT the beginning of the week...so....yeah? haha. I also really didn't do a whole lot yesterday, not that today was any mammoth milestone of a day! 

We had hoped that today would be my first day back to training at Yankee, but my employee number has still not come through so it will have to wait until next Monday. Means an extra week to just try and tackle the heaps and heaps of things I left behind. I am trying to be ruthless, throwing/giving away or selling anything I can do without, that I haven't thought of all year in China, or that I just know is silly to keep. This evening I started a Facebook yard sale in order to relieve the space of some of my things and try to earn some money for my return trip and life in China. I still have lots to post on it and I am hoping to be able to add things for many weeks as I continue to go through everything and learn more about what my return will look like etc. 

The temperature has gone back up, which has been great in my opinion! I am not ready to let summer go just yet! I love that I can walk out in my bare feet to take the trash out, and yet not feel even so much as chilly! 

For over a week I have been trying to get a quilt pattern for a friend of mine. The first time I couldn't seem to find it, and then once we finally did it wasnt open. Again then, Mum and I went yesterday. but of course it wasn't open. Today I went in and YAY, it was open and I got what I came for. Then, ended up staying for like 30 minuted talking to the guy whos wife owns the shopppe! It was kinda fun! 

Friday, I went across the street to a neighbour's house when I saw her out. I got to introduce myself as I knew she had met my family while I was gone. She has a cute-a-bug one and a half year old which was one of my excuses for going over. The biggest reason....she is Chinese and I so wanted to be able to use Mandarin. We talked for five or ten minutes, all in Chinese which was awesome! I understood everything she said, and she seemed to have no trouble with my language either. In the end, we both said how close our homes were and that we should head to the others house when the desire to speak something other than English struck! She is here with her husband and son, but knows few other people and is often very lonely, I gather. "Everyday, we are here, just him and me. Nothing to do. You are always welcome" was what she told me. 

Saturday, us girls struck out and got to the farmers market. after which we stopped in at another produce stand. Mum has been making meals with the Goliath of a broccoli we found for only three dollars! I LOVE IT! First corn on the cob I have had in a long time....which is silly seeing as how there is a street vendor for them right outside the gate of SIAS! 

Sunday I went to the Mandarin speaking Church down the road. It was so nice to be back with Believers from China again! Because it was the first service of the month, they had the Chinese and English services begin together in order to share Fathers Supper. It meant there was only one song sung in Chinese, which made me kinda sad, but it was nice to hear it none the less, and thankfully I knew the songs that were sung in English. After the service I spoke with a couple of people and got high praise for my language, which always does me well to hear! 

Everyday I grow more and more excited that Thomas will be here soon! 

I still have a ton of things to get done and it is 11pm! But things are 

ticking off my 'to do list' and making room for more!!

#ItsTheLittleThings

Here are a few photos from the past two weeks!

The farmers market

The produce stand

Such a nice day!

Gotta admit, I enjoy being back in the drivers seat!

Well,...two of us are paying attention!

Is she smiling to smile with me...or is she smiling to hold in the laughter AT me?

Mum is pretending the camera is not there

"Shes NOT here!"

People say she is a mini me...I just dont see it!! ;)

I told a friend about our Tree Canopied roads and how beautiful they 

become in Autumn. This isn't the best example of one, and the

leaves have not begun to turn at all yet, but it is a testament to

how lovely and green it is here in my home town!

I got to hang out with this little one about a week ago!!

LOVED IT!!

My little Ember! Oh how I missed her. 

Ember doesn't want to look, as she is too preoccupied by her 

lemonade, but that is ok. Sparks looks beautiful as always!

Ah...close enough! 

<3

Sparks and Ember!!

Two 'hot' girls! ;) 

Home or home?

Today, well tonight, marks two weeks since returning to Michigan. I left China a month ago.

In the time since I've been back to the Mitt,I have hung out with my dear friend Sparks and see how much my little Ember has grown up! I have been given back my job at Yankee, in full! Not just a position there, but I have actually been given the 2^nd assistant position back! Though I have not started back, as we are awaiting the results of my background check {Though they had to complete one before my previous employment, because I have been away for more than 6 months a new check must be made. It would seem then that it is only for the time not employed by YC....to which my reply was 'Good luck finding anything on me! There will be no US records!!'.} I had hoped that meant that I would hear back right away and would be able to begin work again next week, but as of this moment I have not heard from my boss. If they do not get it done before Monday, then I will start back to work the following Monday. Either way, I am beyond happy to be returning to work there and to only have to have 'refresher' training rather than going back to square one at a job! I know that this is not only a blessing but a rare occurrence here in MI, to be offered a job so quickly and be placed in management once again. The provision here and the amazing gift of it all is not lost on me, to be sure.

Speaking of gifts, I am sitting outside, in my parents backyard {You see...I am just visiting. This is not my home any longer! ;) This is my parents house and I am a guest here.} We got an awesome storm last night, and now the sun is out illuminating the wondrous green that surrounds me here in the patio. Two weeks ago when my plane touched down, the weather was on the chill side. I had a bit of a sinking feeling that my summer was now over and there would be less and less sun light. Not being able to fully see the screen due to the shining of the sun on me is such a welcome event!

Many times over I have been asked how I am adjusting to life back here in my families world. I always want to say that it hasn't quite sunk in yet, because I almost feel too adjusted and I just hope that its because I am in a dream state. There are moments when it feels like I have never spent any time away from this brick and siding building which has housed me for so much of my childhood. At other moments though, something will happen that is an all to glaring reminder that I have called another place home for the last year. I have changed. But, while there are times that it does seem strange to be back where I grew up, all in all I am so familiar with it that I am still at peace. I remember during winter break, talking with a friend who was spending the Holiday with her family in Minnesota. She had about the same feeling as I do. “I feel at home and that makes me unhappy and nervous since home is in China.” Its not that I ever want to feel out of place here with my family, it is just that I feel like I have another place where I belong more and when I feel at home in another, it makes me unsettled! Its strange I know, but it is how it goes.

I think I will try getting back into my 'Its The Little Things' posts.

My translator,Casey, from 2010 when I had two girls in Yantai.

Kat, LeyLey,Me, and Mercy in the Erqi tower in ZhengZhou one Saturday

We are cool...and know it!

Me on my first class train ride. That seat cost me 200 kuai more!

I made it into Seoul! Me with my Oppa Chris driving around the city!

Kent along the sea side in Monterey California!

It was gorgeous there, California!! I loved it! Took walks next to the water every day!