If you missed the first part of the story, be sure to check out Part 1 here. As I walked down the hill leaving the temple, I felt more strength and power than I ever thought possible. Yes, I thought, I am going to take my boys back to China and everything will be okay….
Evacuated. (1)
I wrote this months ago, but did not feel it was the right time to post it. Now that things are moving forward, I will be posting updates more frequently, both to inform loved ones about what is happening, and to help me process what we are going through. “Wouldn’t it be crazy if the…
2019: Lots of tears, a really expensive piece of paper, and a squishable bundle of love
My 2019 can be divided into three phases: Getting my master’s degree Having a baby Moving to China (again) Each phase brought me to tears more times than I expected, but each was more rewarding than I ever imagined. Here is a rough overview of my year in words and pictures. Please forgive my complete…
Can I have my nose back?
I was laughing out loud as I left the music studio, wondering if I would even get one decent picture out of the “photo shoot” I had just experienced. I looked at my reflection in my phone. The red apple lipstick that I tried to hide was still as bold as ever, my eyebrows were…
For the Love of Food
It has been a few weeks since I’ve posted and I apologize. Between a sick baby and a three year old, there hasn’t been much time to write. But I want to introduce one person who has saved me this month: our lovely cook, Xiao Li. Xiao Li comes twice a week, but she has…
From the top of the Capitol
The United States Capitol is probably my favorite building in the entire world (although the Library of Congress comes in a close second!). It’s not just the beautiful architecture–it’s the deep symbolism of the highest ideals of the United States. It’s a monume
Home: My toilet, the robots, and that blasted water show
Have you ever moved somewhere new, gone on vacation, and returned only to find your home feels more “home-like” than ever? Something magical happens when you go home. All of the sudden, the things that were once so unfamiliar, and perhaps even strange, become beautiful reminders that things are back to normal. Of course, for…
Goodbye (again)
Three days before leaving America, we enjoyed a perfect fall day at the Denver Botanic Garden’s Corn Maze. As the cousins wound their way through the maze, I relished in the blue sky and sunshine. Clean air. Endless blue skies. Cousin time. Just a few of the things we would miss in China. Are we…
Families are Forever
One of our most cherished beliefs is that, through Jesus Christ, we can be together as a family forever no matter what trials we go through in this life. Because it means so much to us, Kaylee and I try to collect the phrase “families are forever” as art in the local language everywhere we go. This gives us beautiful, unique art with deep meaning, and there’s almost always a great story to go with. We’re quite proud of our burgeoning collection, so we’ll share it here!
To the Roof of the World
After lunch, we set out for the first park of our trek. The trail is a loop around the tallest of three peaks, Chenresig (6032 m or 19,790 ft). The two other peaks, Jampelyang and Chane Dorje, both top out at 5958 m (19,547). Just one would be breathtaking, but all three…