A New School Year Starts! New Things Going On!

August 11th, first day of preschool.

These two big boys are going to preschool! A local Chinese preschool in our complex. It was Chael's first time ever. Dash has gone for one semester already. Chael transitioned really well. When I dropped them off he said, "Bye Mom! See you later!" My babies are getting so big. I miss them at home but am impressed with how much their Mandarin has improved already and hope they will learn a lot this year. 

August 14th, first day of school. Big 5th and 2nd graders!

Callie and Brock have had a really great start. They are happy and love their teachers. They just started after school activities this week and are doing soccer on Mondays. And on Thursdays, dodgeball for Brock and running club for Callie. Hopefully that's not too much. And they will have soccer on Saturdays eventually too. 

Brock's been so diligent about doing his homework and is managing getting to school and his homework really well now! Just growing up! He is speaking Mandarin more and more and we are really proud of him. 

Callie ran for student council last Wednesday and surprised herself by winning! She's enjoyed being involved in student council as a V.P. last year and a class rep the year before that. There were 14 students running also and she is now the student council president! Way to go Callie! She has a great sense of humor and is well liked because she really is nice to everyone. She was so shocked that she won! She's not one to want to be on stage or giving a speech but she did it and did a great job. Win or lose we're proud of her for trying and doing her best. 

Some of the funny things she said in her speech:

Let me share some reasons that make me a great president.

1. My experience in 1st grade taught me that I can do hard things. So if any of you are struggling with something, I can help. I have been through hard times and came out the other side HAPPY!
2. I lead by example.  I’m a good student. I don’t run with scissors. I don’t eat paste. And I don’t bite people (except my brothers.)
3. I have great stories to tell like the time when I was bit by a snapping turtle or when I was attacked by a flying cockroach when it landed on my head.
4. I’m adventurous. I jump off cliffs, snowboard, and even eat fish eye balls!
5. I’m really smart. I can count to 10 backwards. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. If you don’t believe I’m smart just look at me. These glasses prove it. 
6. I have the ability to stay focused when it counts. ........ wait. What was I saying?

And finally, #7. I’m a good friend and I’m friends with everyone. Everyone is my best friend. In fact, my best friend’s name is Everyone. 

She ended by saying "I'm 5'2 and the right president for you!" haha! She's quite tall these days. 

Kelvin Goh (1st Counselor), Pres. Brian Phillips, James Moore (2nd Counselor)

On August 10th, Brian was called to be the new Branch President of the Hangzhou Branch. His first counselor is Kelvin Goh and his second counselor is James Moore. 

Pres. Sheffield and his family moved to Shanghai and we will really miss them close by. But we're grateful they are still in China! It was a really heartfelt meeting as he and Annie shared their testimonies and his counselors, followed by the new branch presidency. You could feel of their love, humility and gratitude. We have a unique situation here in Hangzhou where we really feel like a little Zion. We are a small branch, close to 40 members, and we are a tight-nit group. Even though we are a transient lot, we get really close and take really good care of each other. It's a beautiful family. As HZ members move else where I hope they take that feeling of unity and help create that family feel in whatever branch or ward they move into. I hope we never lose that ability. It's a treasure. The families in our community are so strong and so amazing. I feel like we are armored in light and truth and that together can do great things. The Lord is doing a great work in this corner of the world. 

Russell Orvin, Pres. C.S. Teo, Kelvin Goh, Pres. Brian Phillips, James Moore, Pres. Steve Dyer

Brian's new calling has been a humbling calling for our family and we are grateful for the opportunities we will have to grow even more and serve even more. We are excited for the extra portion of the Spirit that will be involved in our lives as Brian has stewardship for the Lord's flock here in Hangzhou. He is sincere and dedicated and humbly serves. He's such a strong patriarch in our family and I'm grateful for his example. I'm grateful for the father he is to our children. There is no doubt that we are who he wants to be with and he shows us that everyday. He's the kind of man I will willingly follow anywhere in the world--and happily do so--because I'm simply happy to be where ever he is. 

Brian did joke that half the family are presidents now. He being the branch president, Callie the student council president, and I am the district primary president. The Lord has to work with what he has: very imperfect people. 

August 20th!

Happy Birthday to me! 35 years old! I'm just growing up. So exciting. 

I feel incredibly grateful to be alive and for this time I've had here on earth. There are no coincidences. I was born bright blue with the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck three times. I wasn't breathing. I didn't breath for five minutes and I didn't breath on my own for 15 minutes. My dad had given my mom a priesthood blessing before I was born that I would be whole and healthy. When I was being delivered the doctor said, "Hold it." He didn't get much of a response from his helpers and then yelled, "I said, HOLD IT!" They breathed through a straw into my mouth to get me to start breathing again. During this stressful time my mom and dad were not worried. They felt peace and believed in the power of that priesthood blessing that was given to my mom the day before. Life is such a gift. 

George Q. Cannon said, “We humble people, we who sometimes feel ourselves so worthless, so good-for-nothing, we are not so worthless as we think. There is not one of us but what God’s love has been expended upon. There is not one of us that He has not cared for and caressed. There is not one of us that He has not desired to save and that He has not devised means to save. There is not one of us that He has not given His angels charge concerning. We may be insignificant and contemptible in our own eyes and in the eyes of others but the truth remains that we are the children of God and that He has actually given his angels—invisible beings of power and might—charge concerning us, and they watch over us and have us in their keeping” (Gospel Truth: Discourses and Writings of President George Q. Cannon, sel. Jerreld L. Newquist, 2 vols. [1974], 1:2)

I believe that there were angels seen and unseen that day ministering to me and those in that hospital room that day. What a glorious and humbling gospel truth it is that God has given His angels charge concerning us, and they watch over us and have us in their keeping. We have a loving Father in Heaven who has a plan for us and a purpose for us on this earth. 

It’s my testimony that the Lord’s angels love us and do watch over us.  I testify that “there is not one of us that God has not given His angels charge concerning.”  We receive help from both sides of the veil. Angels are agents of love, light and power and are empowered through our Savior, Jesus Christ’s infinite atonement. 

I love my life. I'm grateful for the people in my life who have helped me become the person I am today. I will always be proud of my age now matter how old I am! Why not? I love my Savior, my God, my family and everyone. It's my choice. It's what I choose and that's what makes my life so meaningful and so happy. What an incredible and blessed life I lead. 

Funny faces. Their favorite. 

I love how excited they were! My friends can't believe I made my own birthday cake. I personally don't need it or any big birthday hurrah. But I think my children need birthday celebrations and traditions when the occasion calls for it--for all our family members. 

I'm very happy to share that my birthday is coming up with all and would NEVER give my husband the opportunity to forget my birthday. That would just be really dumb. Why would anyone ever set themselves up to be in a situation to feel sorry for themselves? I don't need much but I'm certainly going to let people wish me happy birthday! It's fun! Why would I keep that from anyone?

Pumpkin Spice Cake

My children would have felt really bad for me if there was no cake or special treat to celebrate my birthday. It's such a big deal to them! So I made one. And it was delicious! 

Pumpkin Spice Cake

3/4 cups butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2c buttermilk (almond milk)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

2 cups all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each. Combine pumpkin and milk. Add dry ingredients. Add alternately pumpkin mixture and dry ingredients to creamed butter and sugar mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round pans or bunt tin. Bake for 35-40 minutes or 50-55 minutes at 350. Cool and then frost with frosting.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (8-oz) package cream cheese

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice (or lemon)

1 teaspoon grated orange zest (or lemon)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar ( I use less)

Blend first six ingredients with hand mixer and then add the powdered sugar. I used my Blendtec to make powdered sugar from granulated sugar! If you like spices, you love this cake! It's delicious!