books & babies

started reading a book that my teammate robin HIGHLY recommended.. my other teammate gordon (who is not a parent) said "even if you're not a parent, or a woman, you should read it!" haha so yes. here i am 26 yrs old and definitely not a mother but reading "Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches". so far it's been an awesome, easy read, eye opening, authentic & real book with really short, simple, profound chapters :)

one of my favorite opening lines for a chapter is this: "i remember a time when i use to be much godlier. it was sometime in junior high and my room was clean." hahaha! in a word, if you need a good book to read for life (even if you're not a mother or woman)... i recommend! :)


have i mentioned how big the kids on my team have gotten?! kanyon tripled in size since last year i feel and lovesssss talking about running and how fast he is and just loves talking (he asked me the other day "um, jodi? can i talk to you for a bit?" hehe so sweet). he's gonna be a future olympian, i can feel it. olivia's hair is growing and growing and soon will be as long as rapunzel's and she says the darnest things (and in chinese!) too. corbin is like a 2 year old stuck in a 3 year old body.. haha he's repeating all kinds of things and his "yes" sounds like "res".. so cute! joel is nearly walking but needs a bit more practice and confidence to take that extra step... he definitely has smile with dimples that melts your heart too! i love the children and blessed to be an auntie and see them grow so much!

life with ruthy

one of my dearest friends is currently teaching at my school for the semester and living on the same floor! we've grown up together the past 12 years or so but this is the first time we've gotten to live daily life together, be true neighbors (just down the hall, and co-workers! :)

it's been a blast so far and a big blessing for not only me but my team as well having an adopted teammate come live, eat, hang out, and play with the kids too :) i've been helping her around town a lot and showing her all the local places and where to buy such and such goods- it reminds me of my first days here when i was the newbie to china and the language!

my favorite story thus far: we were walking down market street buying some groceries and the vendors all were commenting on her height, naturally, and asking me questions about her like "ta shi na guo ren? (what country is she from?)" and then i would translate "ta shi mei guo ren (she's american)", then the best response i got was "o, ni shi ta de bao mu (oh, you are her house helper)!" hahaha... what a funny compliment hehehe.. then i explained to them that i'm also american, chinese american.. and they would go on about how i look chinese... lol anyways. here are some pics of life with ruthy :)

ruthy in the elevator with the borrowed stroller of goods

ruthy enjoying a leftover potluck dinner together in my crib

ruthy and the sneaky slippery iced floor

ruthy lounging on my black "leather" couch (she often lounged on my black leather couch in america too! haha)

ruthy purchasing some beans at the rice/flour/egg place

auntie "ruffy" and the children

ruthy, daisy, and i reuniting after more than a year of the last time they saw each other! :)


in a word, life with ruthy is colorful. ^^V (squinty eyes with the peace sign hehe)