On Saturday while Maddie was at the TIAN-MUN conference and Jessie and Sean were working on robotics, Megan and I spent some time outdoors at the school’s early childhood playground.   Megan has fond memories of playing here in kindergarten.   Hers was the first kindergarten class to use this outdoor classroom after our school’s move in 2012.  That  spring her class helped create a garden which has grown to provide a home for caterpillars, who have metamorphed into beautiful butterflies.  It reminds me of the summer we spent  in South Dakota (2003); the girls raising swallowtail butterflies from caterpillars they found eating dill weed in Grandpa Larry’s garden.

Here’s a view of the garden from a 2nd story balcony.

A walk down memory lane with Jessie (same age as Megan is now) and her caterpillar eating dill on her lap.

China continues to grow right before our eyes.   Construction cranes line the skies, along with concrete dust in the air and on the streets.   From our 9th floor apartment window we can see the large power plant that generates electricity for the Hexi district in which we live.  Just adjacent to the power plant we have watched a set of tall apartment buildings, one of many in our area, as they rise into the sky.   The first photo was taken in January 2013, and the blue sky pictures was taken in September. 

Did you know that Amazon delivers in China?  Well if you are expecting a package don’t look for the brown UPS truck to deliver your order.  Here is how one can expect to receive their goods if you live in China!  Most delivery men have a designated spot on a street corner.  We often see deliver bikes waiting near the gates of most university campuses.  Student come out to the street corner to claim their packages.

At our friend’s recent wedding we had this family picture taken.  It is so hard for me to believe that the little girls below are all grown up now.   Jessie pictured below was the same age as Megan is now.  And Maddie, now in 10th grade was only in Kindergarten.   A friend encouraged me today “don’t be robbed of the joys of today because of worry or sadness about yesterday or the future.”  I am challenged to lean on God’s strength each day and have joy in the journey.