Spoke with Megan last (Sunday) night. It was very cool she skyped us about 7 pm and all the family was here (aunt, uncle, grandparents, cousins). We made her start at the beginning and tell us everything. Saturday night Meg (it was Sunday afternoon for her) and I spoke by phone she had me use Tango so it didn't cost anything. You need Wifi and she happened to be at the Branch Presidents house in SuZhou where they went to church. It took along time to get there and about $15 for all the transportation costs. The Branch Presidents wife fed them lasagna and popcorn, they used forks, let them use their computer and the biggest luxury - THE TOILET!!! Meg said she used it a couple of times just to remember how good it felt to "sit down." Kenzie said "it was the best day ever!" They are planning on going to church only once a month because of the cost. They also ate at McDonald's. Meg says they have the best orange/icecream drink there that we need here in the USA. If you saw the pictures Kenzie took you saw that the food looks just like it would here.

Ok, now it's Tuesday. Spoke with Meg this morning, 11pm her time us 7 am. Poor girl she was so full of life and talking a mile a minute and I had to keep getting people ready for school, drive them to the bus stop (we made it to the last stop:), get people out of bed etc. . . . Sooooo grateful for Skype what an amazing thing!!! Can't imagine waiting for a letter in the mail to tell me she got there safe. Ahhh technology:) Tressa forgot her retainer so yesterday I mailed it to her along with some hot chocolate packets, flavored oatmeal packets, Crystal Light, a Valentine, and soup in a packet. Yeah, that's the LAST time I mail anything!!!!! I'm sure I can do it cheaper - I'm learning but it cost $68!!! It's all about the retainer - hee, hee. The package should get there on Mon Feb 20th. Meg is teaching 3rd grade spelling and reading and on Frid she is teaching an art culture class to 8-12 year olds. She is really enjoying herself - not homesick (I told her I'm glad - makes it easier on me:). She says that she is very tired after teaching. She drew very cute pictures of different fruits and glued them on Popsicle sticks to teach them different fruits in English. Such a creative girl:):) (so fun to see them thanks to Skype:). She needs us to send pictures of our family and places we've been so she can show the kids. she says the children are all so cute - but "smelly" lol!! She still hasn't gotten used to the food. She has gotten used to bamboo shoots but can't gag down tofu yet. She says that "I have ruined her," she can't eat chicken with a bone in it!!!!LOL I don't use/cook meat with bones. Yuck!! When we have a turkey it is Chris' (or my moms) job to clean it. They love to go to the out door market and buy food. She says she can eat for under a $1. It is still very cold, she wears three pairs of socks and she says that doesn't ever think she will feel her feet again.:(

Ok, Ok now it's Wednesday morning. Just got off Skype with Meg. She bought herself a PET!!! A dwarf hamster!!! $3.00 for food, cage and hamster. she says it smells!! She doesn't care for animals so I'm not sure how she ended up with it. Oh, yeah she was having fun haggling with the street vendor:)

Did Katie's Valentine party, I was in charge of Bingo. Then we went and picked up the rental car. Got there and it was DIRTY!! They tried to tell me it was clean! It had dog hair everywhere, dirt on the floor mat. I wouldn't even get in! They brought out another one that they said "was clean" it wasn't!! I must have high standards on what is clean and what isn't:) We didn't have time to wait while they cleaned it because I had to get to Jacob's valentine party. Got in and Katie found cheerios in the back and soda down the door! Sound clean to you?? Later we would find that it had been smoked in (I called and let them know it wasn't us and how unhappy I was with the service). Jacob's party went well. My mom and I did the chocolate fountain. It flowed beautifully. Lots of treats brought in and the kids were well behaved. I only got a little chocolate on my shirt and pants:) not like last year when we did it for 6th grad (Taylor's class) it was everywhere!!! After that I ran home and started on are family Valentine dinner which consists of everything either being red or pink. Lasagna, pink rolls, cherry jello, strawberries, (green salad -need vegie), sprite and heart shaped ice cubes in fancy glasses and for dessert this year chocolate pudding with whip cream and a strawberry cut in half to look like a heart. A fun tradition that the kids look forward to, funny story: timer went off to tell us the lasagna was done, I wasn't home and had asked others to take it out. Well they "thought" they turned off the oven but instead had turned it to broil - needless to say it was black on top and a bit crunchy:). We did are other family tradition earlier - we went to Famous Dave's for dinner before Meg left for China.

So, now it's Thursday morning:) Spoke with Meg this morning via Skpye:) Kenzie bought a dwarf hamster so now there are two. Meg is getting a room mate. One of the girls decided to go home so they are moving the other girl into Meg's room. Poor girl she isn't to happy about it she has enjoyed putting her stuff everywhere and using that other mattress and blanket. Tressa and Kenzie said that she could move in with them if it doesn't work out:) She didn't eat anything for dinner last night because it was sooo gross - one of the dishes they served was chicken legs with the claws still attached!!!! Yuck!! They went to the out door market and got something to eat and Meg bought two dresses, a ring, a pair of shoes -which says are hard to find in her size because Chinese have smaller feet and a bunch of packaged goodies "that looked good" she isn't exactly sure what they all are can't read package but she is willing to try them:) She said that the washing machines are worthless!! They don't really clean the clothes and there is no dryer so they have to hang their clothes up on rope that they brought, she also says thank goodness they have heat in their rooms other wise she isn't sure how they would get dry:) She doesn't know if she will be able to talk with us tomorrow because of having a roommate - she usually calls us around 11 pm her time. Katie doesn't like to get up for school and the last three days have been "a little" easier because I can bribe her with talking to Megan:)

Other things that are happening are: Chris was called as Gospel Doctrine teacher, Jacob has to do a science fair project (Grrrrr...), Rye starts working at Chick fil a on Friday (part of his job - being the cow:) will let you know when so you can visit him -hee, hee), additional damage was found inside the car when they went and pulled it apart. They said that the sliding door (drivers side) is under warranty so it will also be fixed. Can't wait for my car back - at first I disliked the light colored floor etc. in the car but after having this car with dark everything I'm glad I have light - doesn't show the dirt as much:) Monday for FHE we went and saw the Muppet Movie (poor Rye and Tay they were both asking if they could leave hee, hee) at the dollar movie.

So, I'm not trying to brag or say that "We're so nice" but I myself am writing this so that I can always remember what a wonderful man Chris is (then I can cry even harder:) and I would try to write it in my personal journal but I just don't seem to be able to find the time. LOL so bear with me or just skip to the end. Last Friday when we got to talk to Meg for the first time Tressa didn't get to talk to hers. Her family (Tressa's mom is a single mom, father doesn't pay child support or alimony) didn't have skype set up or a camera on their computer. We saw Tressa crying behind Meg and she walked out of the room (this was midnight to us). We told Meg that we would go over to Tressa's moms house tomorrow and set it up for her (her name is Michelle). We called her and set up a time to come over. Chris went and bought a camera to put on the computer. We couldn't get Skype to work on her Macintosh and the camera wouldn't work either. We were all discouraged trying to figure out how to get this to work. We went home to think and get on line to see if we could figure out how to do it for a Mac. Chris remembered that we had an old tower (broken) and a monitor. So for 7 hours and two trips to Best Buy he got it up and working. At 10 pm he and Rye took it over there and I stayed here so that we could try out the Skype. We got it working and it was ready for Tressa to call. Michelle left skype up waiting for Tressa. Meg called and we told her to get Tressa but Meg had gone to church (she was using the Branch Presidents wifi, using his toilet, and eating lasagna and popcorn, oh and don't forget using a fork lol) -Tressa had stayed back at the school in bed because she was sooo homesick - I would be also if I hadn't talked to my family since Tues. They finally got to see each other Sunday/Monday and usually when Meg is on with us Tressa is on with her family. Tressa is enjoying herself and happy to be in China. This is when I have to remind myself that the Lord knows "the bigger picture" as to "Why, is he taking Chris" such a great guy always looking out for others. It would have been easy enough for him to just give up on the Mac but instead he fixed a broken computer and made a girl and her family less homesick for each other. Again this is when I wonder "why?" Take a rotten man instead of my wonderful one!!! Ahhh. . .

This week we just have left, me working in Jacob's class, CAP, Jacob's last bball practice (and game on Saturday - Yeah!!!), Chris has a bball game:), Rye working and working on a science fair project. Monday, no school. Next week I feed the teachers and very, very exciting Tay gets to go and tour the Air Traffic Control Tower at the Salt Lake International Airport! How cool is that!! I tried to see if I could go but only CAP members who have done the special training can go.:( (So I get to sit in the car and wait lol) This month is just flying by!!

HOPE - H appiness, O ptimism, P ersrverance, E ternity.

Love ya, Ricki