Although things are going tremendously well, I started my day feeling a bit sad and homesick this morning. For some reason Mom weighed heavily on my mind and I just wanted to call her up and share all these tremendous experiences of living and working in China. I walked to work with a heavy heart and as I headed up the stairs to the school, there was Jason the Guard calling me over because I had not one, but two cards from home. The first thing I saw was a dragonfly on one of the envelopes and instantly the tears started flowing and just wouldn't stop. They were good tears because there was Mom again in the spirit of a dragonfly saying, "Why are you missing me so much? I'm right here. Tell me about all your adventures!" And the tears flowed even more when I saw that the card with the dragonfly on the envelope was from Mom's best friend Rosemary (whom I call my second Mom) and the second card was from my dear friend Carla. I went into my classroom, grabbed a box of tissue and opened the cards. I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was when I saw even more dragonflies on the inside of not only Rosemary's card, but Carla's too. I sat there with tears streaming down my face as I read two heartwarming letters from these two dear, dear women in my life and my sadness and homesickness faded away.
And the day only got better...
At about 3:30, I was sitting at my desk working when Jason popped his head into my door and said, "Do you have a second?" When Jason pops his head in the door and asks if you have a second, it only means one thing...A CARE PACKAGE FROM HOME! I came skipping out to Jason's office and saw, not one, but TWO packages! Woohoo! Michelle, Kevin, Karin and Kimberly, you made my day! I did my "thing" for a while where I just leave the boxes unopened on the table and stare at the beauty of packages from home addressed to the Dalian American International School in the People's Republic of China. It's another "pinch me" moment. I was going to open one at school and one at home and extend the pleasure, but after seeing all the wonderful things in the first box, I couldn't resist tearing into the other one too!
This little gold fish was such a lovely sight. I didn't even care that the box that it came out of looked like it had been through a war and because of this there was not a single whole goldfish left in the bag. Those crumbs were the best crumbs I have ever tasted!
I brought all my goodies home, started munching and I haven't stopped since! My friend Nancy came over and we had all kinds of packages open...trail mix, cookies, goldfish crumbs : ), Trader Joe's peanut butter cups. It was a true gorge fest! Thanks to the Collinge family, I think I've gained back all 10 pounds in one night! And I must say Michelle, I was a little hesitant about the bacon. Bacon that's been in a box sailing to China for three weeks...hmmmm. But man, I tore open one of those boxes, popped the bacon in the microwave and made Nancy and myself a B (no LT available). It was the best doggone bacon sandwich ever! And the delicious aroma of cooked bacon made it's way through this whole wing of the apartment building. I just never knew how important food was until I became so sick here in China for so long. I can't tell you what a gift it is to open up those boxes, Michelle, and be able to eat all these treats from home.
This little gold fish was such a lovely sight. I didn't even care that the box that it came out of looked like it had been through a war and because of this there was not a single whole goldfish left in the bag. Those crumbs were the best crumbs I have ever tasted!
I brought all my goodies home, started munching and I haven't stopped since! My friend Nancy came over and we had all kinds of packages open...trail mix, cookies, goldfish crumbs : ), Trader Joe's peanut butter cups. It was a true gorge fest! Thanks to the Collinge family, I think I've gained back all 10 pounds in one night! And I must say Michelle, I was a little hesitant about the bacon. Bacon that's been in a box sailing to China for three weeks...hmmmm. But man, I tore open one of those boxes, popped the bacon in the microwave and made Nancy and myself a B (no LT available). It was the best doggone bacon sandwich ever! And the delicious aroma of cooked bacon made it's way through this whole wing of the apartment building. I just never knew how important food was until I became so sick here in China for so long. I can't tell you what a gift it is to open up those boxes, Michelle, and be able to eat all these treats from home.
Yum!
Double yum!
Best trail mix ever!
And the People Magazines...they will be treasured by all here at Campus Village!
Thank you Michelle, Kevin, Karin, Kimberly and your friend Jim Plank from Kraft Foods! I love and appreciate you guys so much! Hugs! Hugs! Hugs!
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