Adventures in China II

Anna has been in China forever it seems. Oh man, this day feels like it was a year ago!  In a way it was a long time ago. Since then I've taught fourth graders sixteen full days, we've food shopped at least ten times, Abigail has studied for midterm exams, gone through a big audition, and so on! And through all of that, Anna has been in China. 

But we have so much more to go!

the rest of January

February

March

April

May

and a wee bit of June! Sigh... 

The only part that is getting us through is how amazing she is doing. She has the sweetest (although I've never met them) group of friends, her "roomie" (as she calls her) has been incredible and so much daily fun, the classes are hard, and most of all her dream of being fluent in Chinese is coming true. She recently said on the phone to me, "It's hard to speak in just English now". Wow! 

I am so happy that Anna has been all over Beijing, learning the culture, visiting places we hoped she'd one day see. 

Her trip to the Great Wall of China is back in this post. 

Recently she also traveled to The Forbidden City. Click here to read a little about that amazing place. 

She sent us some great photos that we gushed over when we got them. 

These pictures reminded me so much of almost twenty year ago now when just days before we adopted Anna, Scott and I were at that very place. I can remember trying so hard to bask in the amazement that it was and remember it all of Anna. But at the same time wanting that day over so that we would be one day closer to our baby Anna Jiang Qian. It's so hard to believe that she is there right now!

Anna, I'm over the moon proud of you -- for going, for following your heart, for doing hard things, for taking a chance, for walking in the path that God set before you, for wanting to be there, for everything!

I sure know that Anna has been an inspiration for all of us in our little family to step out of our comfort zone, to try the hard, and to live a life walking in faith. For that I am grateful. 

Anna, I love you oh so much and can't wait for the first and biggest hug in June... love you all the way to China and back again!