Anticipation City

Today is Mother's Day and so this weekend i got a friend of mine's stepdad to take pictures of Jason and I for my mom, his mom, and some for my grandmother also. They turned out pretty well, I wish I had gotten them taken earlier because now they are going to be a late present but...oh well, better late than never.
This morning they talked about Parenting at 12Stone. It is the third part in their new "Classics" Series in which they touch on Marriage, Career, Parenting & Finances. It's really easy to be skeptical when you go to a big church, especially for me when it's easy to be skeptical in general, of anything, but I really feel like I GET something out of every sermon I've heard there. Even if it's not necessarily the sermon it's the worship, the spirit, the way I dive into the Bible there, the stories, the reverence...or maybe it's just the Starbucks. ;) Whatever it might be on whatever particular day, I'm really enjoying how excited I get about going to church. I never know what to expect but I always feel God's call to be there. Side note: Jason is the best thing since the invention of coffee...even better than that honestly.
Anyways, so after the sermon the pastor read a letter from PK (the senior pastor) honoring single mothers and giving $50 to each single mother so that she could treat herself on Mother's Day. For some reason this, out of all the other things that had gone on up to it, made me well up. During the offering they showed a video from a Ukraine foster home of all these little children without mothers and fathers...It's a completely different situation to actually really see this children without real homes. Without a dad to come to your soccer games, or a mom to hug you so long and hard you think all your guts are going to fall out. Without your earthly life forces. It just let's you know there really is more to it than graduating, working, making money -- than just getting by. It really is just that simple. So simple that it hurts to think of all I'm not doing. So simple that it makes my mind turn and heart flip and twist to think of all my possibilities! I just pray that God will call me, enable me, allow me to do even half the wonderful things I have running through my mind. I especially pray he will keep us grounded, down from the clouds of monetary worry and pride. That love, honesty, and humility would always rule my heart - I just want to pray to maintain a level head and conscious heart.
So yes, it was a very good morning.
I spent Thursday Night and Friday with Isabella and it was fantastic. I was telling Annie that I forget how young she is because I feel like I've been talking to her all day long. That little girl, she is so incredibly full of life, vibrancy, tenacity...all those big huge words that mean super fantastic amazingness. I know love Jack's Big Music Show, can sing along to most of the songs. And have gained a new appreciation for Noggin and it's attempts to instill an appreciation for all sorts of languages and cultures into kids that young. It's also pretty ridiculous how a little ones laughter can make your entire day. :)
Alright so this weekend has been pretty full but now there's only 6 days left until I leave.
6 days.
This will be where I keep my daily blog, both by choice and by assignment, but I hope that you guys will thoroughly enjoy all my Chinese culturizing/tripping I will be engaging in.
It's going to be....weird. 12 hour time difference, never being away/incommunicado for longer than a week or two at most, NEVER without communication. But the experience, I feel, will be worth it. I have amazing people encouraging me, so many praying for me, and an open heart and mind to ABSORB EVERYTHING!
I will leave this with a few of the pictures from our impromptu photo shoot: