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“It’s THE golden ticket. Never turn it down!”

We had just moved to Wuhan, China and our new expat community was welcoming us greenhorns with lots of advice...everything from “always bring toilet paper” to “say ‘bu la’ (not spicy) when ordering” (we learned quickly that these two tips were lifesavers since there’s no toilet paper in public restrooms and saying “not spicy” takes the heat down from blazin’ to just plain HOT!). But after more than a few newly-found foreign friends told us to never turn down an invitation from a local friend to visit their village, we got the point.

Our first Chinese New Year approached a few months later and we were giddy with excitement that a sweet Chinese teacher at our school asked us if we’d like to travel out to her village, only about one-hour outside of Wuhan. We probably scared her with our eagerness, however she diligently wrote down all the directions from our home to hers...and in Chinese AND English. We were a little nervous about the taxi to a bus and then another bus route, but thrilled to get out of the bustle of this metropolis and experience life in the countryside.

One of the great benefits of being an elementary teacher is actually remembering all that helpful, but slightly forget-able knowledge you learned back in your early days...

Husband: "How many cups are in a gallon?" 

Me: "Sixteen."

Husband: "Are you sure?"

Me, emphatically: "I made the Gallon Man seven years in a row. Believe me, it's sixteen."

Yes, I am your personal measurement Google in the kitchen. And since I'm a bit of a language nerd, I can also tell you the difference between two slightly confusing linguistic terms: simile and metaphor. 

Two years ago today, our hearts stopped as a little bundle of yellow in the arms of a nanny proceeded down a dark tunnel into a stuffy government office in Zhengzhou, China. Two years goes by in a blink and it feels like this not-so-little-anymore bundle of joy has been a part of our family forever. 

Some days cannot be described in words, only emotions. And Titus's "Family Day" (what we refer to as the day we first held him in our arms) had all the emotions, from him, from new big sister, and especially from us parents. If I had to wrap a word about this momentous day, it would be...bittersweet. 

Not sure how to start...especially when we're in the middle of a pandemic? Here's a few ideas!

Maybe you're like our family, who's been taking this time to figure out our priorities, looking hard at our life, and wondering if we're really using our time, money, and talents for God's kingdom and to the best of our abilities. Maybe God is pressing on your heart that you've got room for a child who every day feels unsure of the future and longs for the very thing that most of us are complaining about...being home with our family.

So, what can you do if you're ready to take that first step of faith? Well, here's a few ideas, especially if you've got some extra time on your hands these days...