Xin Nian Quai Le - Happy New Year!

For anyone who has been worried... Yes, I’m still alive!  AND, No, my mom isn’t still in China!  I’m amazed you’re still checking the Blog!  One of my resolutions for this year is to blog more than I did last year.  So, at this rate, if I create ten entries, I’ll feel successful!!!  (My actual goal is to write once a week - - but we’ll see how that goes.)  

I’ve been back in Shanghai for almost three weeks after going home for Christmas.  It’s nice to be back!  I’m embracing life here and counting myself as blessed.  Justin’s job is steady and the time here is passing so quickly - I’ve committed to enjoying everyday (or trying to at least) and I’m starting to remember why I  loved coming here to visit over the past three years.  I know when the time to move home is ‘right’ then I’ll be home - until then, I’m trying to let go of controlling the unknown!  We are so fortunate - many families are being sent home or to other locations and expat packages are being minimized.  All that to say - I want to share this experience.. and will try to blog more!!  

This week was Chinese New Year!!  Everyone takes an entire week off work to celebrate!  Locals shoot off fireworks every night of the week.  On the actual day of the New Year, we were invited to a get-together for dinner and fireworks!  At midnight, we shot off fireworks in the street near our apartment and watched as the sky lit up.  This is, by far, the most fireworks I’ve ever seen.  The sky was booming in every direction and the streets were flooded with confetti and paper.  (Some of the pictures were taken from inside the warm car!!  It was below freezing out and I do NOT like the cold :)  I was both amused and scared to see cars and taxis driving super close to fireworks being shot off in the streets.  I moved the car backward twice to avoid becoming part of the booming display!

Chinese New Year is also THE time of gift giving in China.  The drivers and Aiyes get a bonus and the week off work.  Jen, my aiye, has worked for Heidi for three years - and we decided to go in together and get her two children rollerblades for Chinese New Year!  The kids (little boy 6yrs old and girl 14yrs old) were soo excited to see their gifts!  Mei Fei (the little boy) looked so cute all strapped in the protective gear and wanted to go outside right away and try out the rollerblades.  He was also very inquisitive about my computer when we showed him the pictures we took of him in his new gear!