following an unknown path

it's hot under there you know . . .

I love this playful shot of me waiting for someone to bring me my flowers. 

(We forgot them for most of the bridal shots and almost missed them for the shots we took with the bridal party.)

I am so thankful that we did decide to go with an outdoor wedding even if it was August in Texas!  It was hot . . . but not unbearable! :)

I never would have chosen an evening wedding . . . but I preferred outdoors over afternoon (afternoon would have been unbearable) . . . so evening it was. ;)

putting on "the dress" and other bridal details

Finding a modest wedding dress is NOT easy!!  There are many more choices online than there are in the stores. . . but after just a few hours of trying on dresses, I realized how VERY important it is to actually try on the dress.  Especially when the wedding day is less than 60 days away. :D

So, what I ended up with is perhaps not one I would have picked had I had more time to be selective (picky), but I learned to love it and am happy with this choice.  And, I was also very grateful that it fit without alterations; the only alterations needed were to add the bustle to the train.  Oh, yes, and we added cap sleeves that I taped with body tape to my shoulders to keep in place and give just a little more coverage.

Lawrance was totally unfamiliar with the "can't see the dress before the wedding" tradition in America . . . and not very happy about it either. He kept begging to see the dress.  The dress hung in a bag on my bedroom door for a week before the wedding . . . he was very tempted to unzip the bag and take a peak. 

But somethings are worth waiting for. Later, he told me that he thought the wedding dress is like wrapping paper on a present.

The Dress:

Mom and Sarah helping me get dressed:

Mom reassuring me (I love the look on her face here):

Everyone helping out:

I also took a few bridal shots before the wedding since I hadn't done that earlier:

Some of the bridal details . . .
The pearl earrings I wore were the same ones one my mother wore on her wedding day.  My paternal grandmother had given them to her upon my parents' engagement. 

The necklace, was my "something borrowed," it also belongs to my mom.  My dad gave it to her this past Christmas.  I liked that it was simple and elegant. Just a single drop pearl on a 

The strand of tiny pearls around my wrist was my "something old."  My mom had a broken pearl necklace that had belonged to her paternal grandmother (my great grandmother).  Lawrance and I restranded the smallest of the pearls into a bracelet. I was so afraid it might break (they holes were very tiny so we had to use really skinny string) and that 60 precious little pearls would spill everywhere.  But, it didn't.

And, my shoes . . . cuz I wanted to go barefoot but that didn't please the groom . . . I compromised and wore sandals that I found at walmart for next to nothing . . . and that Lawrance absolutely loved. :)  So, all was good there.

And the lace on the dress . . . that was probably my favorite part of the whole dress . . . the train was lace!!

Yay!!  all ready . . . now let's get this party started!!   Bring on the groom . . .

getting ready for the "big day"

After the quasi-rehearsal, we all grabbed a quick bite to eat and then started to get ready.

The hardest part of my entire wedding planning was finding someone to do my hair (and make-up).  No one seemed to be available because it was a holiday weekend and others never returned my calls.  At times it was a bit frustrating.  But, in the end, I finally knew why I had to wait until the week of the wedding to secure someone to do my hair (and make-up). 

She--the stylist--was at another salon.  We had to wait for her to change jobs and then for her new employer who had turned me down before to go through a list of brides and see if they had found a hair stylist yet.

Why??  Because this stylist needed to hear about God's kindness.  She needed to be encouraged in her faith.  She freaked out and got goose bumps as I told her our story of God's grace in our lives.  It meant a lot to her.

Did I enjoy the bumpy, emotional roller coaster ride of stylist after stylist rejecting me or accepting and then later declining?  No, not at all.  But, now looking back . . . I see God's hand in it.

This was one of the things were I was glad I was not "married" to any one idea.  Because she totally didn't do what I had picked out from online photos, and she didn't do exactly what she had practiced on the practice day.  But, it turned out to be something I liked, and that looked like "me" (my style) and still captured the feel of what I wanted (simple but elegant). [Oh, yeah, and I also wanted something that hid the fact that 85% of my hair was permed straight.] So, that's great!! 

So, without further ado, I give you the wedding hair:

And, just for comparison, here is the trial run from a few days before the wedding:

Here are some other shots of us getting ready. 
 

Not only was the stylist blessed on that day by our story . . . she made my getting ready simply fun.  She was relaxed, comfortable in her own skin and made me laugh--which as you know I love to do!!

And, of course, what wedding day is complete without the official MOB nap?

Side note: It took me a long time to finally voice why looking "beautiful" was important.  When I had a little meltdown over not yet finding someone to help with hair styling, Lawrance of course was like "What's the big deal.  You are beautiful no matter what. You could come down the aisle with nothing done to your hair and no make-up and you would still be the most beautiful bride in the world to me." He was very kind and encouraging. 

I knew he was right.  I knew beauty is all in the eye of the beholder and only skin deep.  I knew my mom was right--that I'd glow because of the day and day's events. 

But . . . I wanted to "feel" beautiful too.  I wanted to "feel" special.  Since I'd permed my hair straight, I felt like I had no idea how to make it "nice" or wear it more formal.  Curly hair is so much easier!!  And, I wear very little make up on a day to day basis.  I wanted a little something that looked natural and accentuated the positive.

At times I felt very vain for wanting to feel beautiful . . . but . . . this was a special day, so I wanted to feel and look special too. 

quasi-rehearsal on site

After we worshiped together, we piled in cars and headed north to Salado.  Then, we had a lunch time rehearsal with the family members who would be in the wedding.

We didn't do a full, formal rehearsal because (1) the day before we were at my grandmother's 85th birthday party, (2) the night before there was another wedding going on, (3) there were only a few people involved--it didn't seem necessary, and (4) the groom's family didn't come to the wedding.

Let's talk about that real quick. . . . Since the time from deciding to marry and the actual wedding was very short--three months--that made buying international tickets difficult.  Originally it was his father's idea that we go ahead and marry this summer instead of waiting another year, so since it was their idea this softened my guilt of not having them be apart of the day.  But really, this entire ceremony was a very Western/Christian thing to do . . . the ceremony we choose to do has little to no meaning to my new in-laws.  This does NOT mean it is not important to them nor does it take away the sadness that they were unable to attend, but it does lessen the sadness a little. 

Also, we are going to also celebrate our marriage in a very Taiwanese way in the spring (6 months after our American wedding) which will be MUCH more meaningful and important to them.  All involved felt ok with our decisions . . . and Lawrance didn't mind so (I made sure of that MANY times) . . . so this was what happened/is happening: we celebrate American style in America and Taiwanese style in Taiwan.

Lawrance was also comforted by the fact that neither of my grandfathers had their families present at their weddings . . . he felt like he was in great company. :D

(We also had another quasi-rehearsal a week earlier for some of the "little people" who would be in the wedding.  We wanted them to know what to do, but didn't want them to have to stick around for several hours waiting for the wedding to start.)

Here are a few shots from our informal and VERY HOT rehearsal:

morning of wedding

Our wedding was at 6:30 pm in another town about 45 minutes away from my parents' home. 

Since we didn't have a rehearsal the night before, we did a walk though around noon with the family members in the wedding and then met for a lite lunch.  Then the girls left to go get hair and make up done. 

But . . . before I get ahead of myself . . .let's talk about the morning of. 

Lawrance decided to include a tradition from Taiwanese weddings into our wedding day in America.  In Taiwan the bride and groom give a gift of appreciation to their parents.  Since we were not going to do this at the wedding, he decided to invite my parents over to our neighbors' home (where he was staying; they are more than neighbors since we've worshiped together for over ten years). 

Lawrance desired not only to thank my parents for how they raised me and for allowing him to become a part of the family, but he also desired to start off the day focused and centered on Christ.  He wanted to calm his own nerves by worshiping the Lord, reading Scripture, and spending time in prayer.  He wanted to remember the whole purpose of this day was to glorify God.

We met at the neighbors' home at about 9:30 for a great southern breakfast and then a time of worship and prayer.  During this time, Lawrance presented my parents with a gift of appreciation.  And, I also presented the neighbor couple a gift of appreciation. 

Lawrance led this very special time . . . which left all the girls in tears. :)

It was a WONDERFUL way to start off one the most special days in our lives! 

thoughts about our wedding

One of the things I fought during wedding planning was stress.  Meaning I made every effort possible to avoid it.  I totally wanted to enjoy the preparation and the day of as much as possible.  Of course there were a few intense moments--but let's just chock those up to little sleep and an uncooperative-for-the-moment computer. :)

In fact, for this self-confessed perfectionist, letting go of so much that I would have wanted "perfect" was both a struggle and a blessing.  My mom was great in her constant encouragement of "no second guessing" and "no, you are not allowed to rethink that."

Some other things that helped the stress factor was that we planned everything in practically one month.  The first month we were engaged I was still in Taiwan . . . I started to look at things online (mostly images of real weddings on flickr and a few blogs about real weddings).  And we did decide place and date that first month, but that was about all.  Oh, yeah, and I choose the gerber daises--the oh so important gerber daisies which set the mood for everything else I decided! :)

The third month, Lawrance was in America, and I wanted to spend lots of time with him, showing him Texas and introducing him to family.  So, of that third month, only the last week was "wedding week."  We did do a few other "wedding" stuff his first day in the States--got the marriage license, fitted the boys for tuxes, and picked out our rings.  But that was it for the next few weeks.

It was that second month back home that mom and I did most of the planning.  So, I count this as a good thing and not as a stressful thing because I couldn't have it in whatever elusive "perfect way" I could envision.  I loved that my choices--due to time and money--were limited.  Instead of how in the world could I make this as beautiful as possible, I was limited to "here is choice one, two, and three; which one do you like best?"  "Two please, but can we do it in pink instead?"  "Yes."  Ahh . . . so nice.

I also didn't have time "to be married to any idea."  There were several times we "cut" stuff simply because to do it in the time we had it would have been stressful . . . and no one but us even knew it was cut.

I wanted our wedding to be simple, joyful, and God-centered.  I wanted it to be uniquely us, but still have traditional elements.  I wanted it to be worshipful and reverent but at the same time a fun celebration.  I know it's a dichotomous combination, but somehow it totally worked and came together beautifully if I do say so myself! :)

And, Lawrance was totally flexible about so much and OH SO VERY supportive.  For example . . . one night as I was picking out songs to use for the wedding, he sat across from me folding tissue pompoms (which he is now an official expert at making).  I, of course, asked him his opinion, he gave it, and then I totally didn't go with his opinion.  I, of course, asked him though "is that ok that we go with the one I want instead?"  To which he very kindly replied, "I know what my job is.  My job is to fold pompoms, be here for you and support any decision you make.  So, yes, that song is great.  Good choice, honey."  And he meant every word; he wasn't being sarcastic. 

day of events and pictures in up coming posts . . . :)

a shower

A few months ago . . the weekend before Lawrance came to America, there was a "Smith Family Bridal Shower" where all of my aunts and most of my cousins came to shower me with blessings.  It was the first time in two years that I had seen most of them!! 

My mom and sister did all the decorating . . . and they did a great job.  It was so colorful and fun . . . because, well, they used gerber daisies. 

See how cute? And yes they made those really cute daisy cookies!!

We ate at a local Chinese food place that does the round table, everyone share thing.

Mom made me wear a silly veil for awhile while we played some shower games:

And, the girls blessed me with some cute stuff for our master bathroom, things to use in the kitchen, a great cozy blanket for two, and some beautiful lingerie too.

One last photo . . . of me with mom, Sarah, and Grandmother.  I am blessed.  Oh, so blessed!! :)

here we go . . .

I can't thank my mother enough for helping us to have our wedding at an inn that is handling nearly everything for us!!  Our stress has been minimal in regards to wedding planning even though we only had three months to plan our wedding.  And, one of those months we were still in Taiwan and one of those months we were busy spending time with each other, sightseeing, and meeting with family.

Also, our pre-marital counselor (a missionary in Taiwan) gave us a golden piece of advice.  He told Lawrance to give me one specific set time each week to talk about wedding stuff with him, the rest of the time we were to work on continuing to build our relationship and prepare for marriage.  We weren't supposed to discuss wedding stuff 24/7.  It was golden advice.  It was great for me, and, I think, it was good for him too. 

So, I thought I'd share with you just exactly what our current mental states are: 

You'd be amazed (well then again, if you know us IRL, maybe you wouldn't) at how many people have told us how loud our house is going to be--a place of fun and laughter and just sheer joy!!  Of course, we hope we also have done the same thing with the wedding.  We hope it is a fun, fun, time of joy and laughter . . . and an opportunity to glorify God because He is our everything, the reason for all the fun and laughter we share.

Our wedding is in two days . . . here we go!!

"Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
What joy!"
(Psalm 126:3 NLT)

horseback riding

An important thing to do while in Texas: ride a horse. 

Some of our friends that we worship with (their two little girls are some of my "little friends" and will be junior bridesmaids in our wedding) own and board horses.  So, we made a deal--let us babysit your kids so yall can go on a date and in return let us ride your horses. 

It was wonderful.  We loved the horse riding and the babysitting too. :)  Lawrance had difficulty getting on the hose, and I had trouble getting off.  Needless to say there was lots of laughter going on all night.

p.s. bug on tongue is plastic.  :)

yay!! :)

We got our marriage license today!!  We can now officially receive the rites of matrimony. :)

oh yeah . . . by the way, Lawrance is now in Texas!

pompoms and favor bags

Mom and I spent some time this week working on wedding stuff.

First, we started making things to hang at the wedding.

We will be hanging these tissue paper pompoms both in the tree and in the reception hall.  Have I mentioned we are having an outdoor wedding and are getting married under this great big, 200 year old tree:

I've always dreamed of an outdoor wedding.  As a side note, I always told my family that I'd get married barefoot in someone's backyard--it almost happened till mom found the inn.  And, well, I'm going to wear sandals because Lawrance thinks it's safer.

Back to the pompoms.  Mine will be orange, teal, pink, and yellow.  We also have some pomanders made out of several different colors of gerberas to hang from the tree.  Mom made those.

We also bagged candy that Lawrance and I picked out in Taiwan.  Traditionally in Taiwan, a bride and groom will stand at "the exit door" to thank all the guests for coming to their wedding.  This also ensures that everyone at the wedding has one more chance to congratulate the new couple. 

They stand at the door with their parents and pass out candy and cigarettes.  I'm not sure what the cigarettes symbolize; however, I do know about the candy.  :)  The giving of candy at the wedding symbolizes the guests sharing in the sweetness of the new marriage.  Or that the guests wish a sweet life on the new couple. 

Lawrance also told me that in Taiwanese the word for "candy" sounds like "di di" which means "little brother."  So, by taking the candy the guests are also wishing the couple has a son very soon.

One aspect of the candy is that I've been told to take the candy in even multiples.  In other words, never take just one piece.  Taking two pieces is important because you want the two of them to stay married forever. 

So, . . . Lawrance and I got some of the traditional wedding candy and also some other fun Taiwanese candy we thought Americans would like.  We aren't going to stand at the exit door at our American wedding, but we will give out the candy in little bags with an explanation of its cultural significance as our American wedding favors.  The little bags look so cute and make me very happy.

2 more weeks!!

In two weeks I will be ecstatic with anticipation!!  In two weeks I will be beside myself with joy. 

Because . . . . in two weeks, this guy:

is coming to Texas!!

I can't believe we've already been apart for 25 days.  The time has actually gone by quite fast, but it is getting harder and harder to be apart.  But, I am oh so very thankful for unlimited international calling for only 4 USD a month with skype--can't beat that.

I don't know how military wives do it.  I'm not even his wife yet, and it hurts to be apart.  And, we only have to be apart for 39 days, but still it's not easy.  So, how they do it . . . I have no clue and much more respect.

making decisions

I've made more decisions in the past three weeks than I think I have in the past three years!!

I mean just deciding about the cake alone I think I must have made at least 15-20 decisions!  It's crazy!!  I had no idea wedding planning included this much deciding.

I am SO thankful that we went with the inn.  It was so much easier just answering her questions and choosing from preselected possibilities then thinking and searching and planning and trying to make it all work.  Even having to think of all the questions that needed answering would be an insurmountable task!

And don't even get me started on how hard making all those decisions on music are.  Once I choose what song I want to use, I then have to sort through and find the version I like best.  It can be overwhelming to say the least.  I have set this task aside and will work with Lawrance on it when he is here.

Oh, yeah, all that and I'm planning all the things I want Lawrance to experience while he is here for a month.

And, I made a small registry  . . . that just about killed me.  I honestly was overwhelmed with all the decision making at that time.  Do we really need this?  Do we need that one or this one more?  Is there room for this in our suitcases?  Is it really worth the space and weight it will take up? 

I am SO thankful my brother (who for those of you who don't know is only 14) went with me.  It's summer vacation; he was bored; there was a "gun" to use . . . it was a great excuse to get out of the house.  Actually, he was a blessing.  A few times he got a little impatient with me and was like "yes.  get it;" scan.  But, for the most part he helped me think though and make decisions.  And most of all he was incredibly patient.  I did however have to remove duct tape, a ficus tree, a turquoise tamale steamer, a bobble head thing, and a few other random surprise items off the registry when I got home. :)

Oh, yeah, and another person who has been awesome in all this is my mom.  She has also been really patient and understanding too.  She also keeps chanting "no second guessing" or "nope, can't rethink it now" to me. :)  After I added a fourth color two weeks ago, she stated firmly "no more changes." 

And, when I've vented to Lawrance he's been good about either encouraging me and supporting me or about helping me refocus and keep the Main thing the main thing.  And, of course, he is constantly bathing the all of the wedding planning in prayer.  What a blessing!

Ok, so . . . . all that to say. . . . I am SO tired of making decisions.  I have no idea how some of you who have long engagements spend a year or longer doing this.  I think I would literally crash and burn.

But, praise God!  I think I'm on the downward slope now and have made the majority of the decisions regarding wedding ceremony and reception.  Just need to spend some more time planning how to spend our time together before the wedding experiencing life in America.

our invitations

(Now, I am "live blogging"--as opposed to reposting past posts--the wedding.)

Yesterday I sent out our invitations to the American wedding.  Yipee!!

In planning our whole wedding . . . we don't necessarily want to "buck tradition," but we don't want to be bound by it or to it either.  We are seeking to do things in a simple way that doesn't cause lots of stress and that also honors our Father. 

Ever since I saw my parent's wedding invitation when I was a child--which included an engagement photo of them on the invitation--I've also wanted a photo on my own wedding invitation.  And since everyone we invite to the American wedding hasn't seen me in two years and won't meet Lawrance till August, we thought having photos on our wedding invite would help "introduce us."

Originally I was going to just make my own photo-based wedding invitations, but we decided that paying someone to design them for us might cost a little more but would be less stress.  So that is the route we took. 

We are both very pleased with the results!!

In addition to going non-traditional with the layout/design/paper of our wedding invite we also changed the words of the invite to be uniquely ours but still seem formal/traditional.

Here is the text of the invite (minus all the specific details):

With joyful hearts
Rev. & Mrs. Kenneth Parmley
invite you to join them in celebrating
the union of their daughter 

Amanda Nicole
to
Lawrance Aaron 
son of Mr. & Mrs. Sen-Song Wu
as they glorify God
for what He is graciously joining together.

On the return address label we used a "double happiness" seal/stamp.  This double happiness character is used at Taiwanese weddings and is hung on doors and walls of a new couple's room or home.  It is called "double happiness" because it is the word "joy" twice.  Kinda like "joy joy"--meaning that when two are joined together there is double the joy.

nate nate

I've been able to hold and give sugars to my nephew twice now.  Both times were wonderful!!!

He is such a cutie and such a good baby!  What a blessing!!!

Below are some of the photos I took of Nate with his Uncle Sam (my brother, who strongly dislikes being called Uncle Sam), Nonny (his grandmother, my mom), Great Grandma (Nate is my grandma Smith's eleventh great grandchild!!), and Mommy (my sister) too. :)

howdy yall!

Greetings from Texas!!

I've been back in America for about two weeks now.  It's been good to be with family--both day in and day out and at family reunions.  It was wonderful to hold my nephew, the cutest little boy, in the world!!  And, I've enjoyed eating yummy Mexican food and Bluebell ice cream.

But, oh, is it ever so hard to be away from the man who has become my fiance and will, in about two months, become my husband. 

Wedding planning has had it's ups and downs.  It's been fun at times but at other times it has been a little stressful.   When it gets stressful it is always a reminder to refocus and remember Who is to be the center of our wedding.  Not always easy to refocus but necessary.

Pictures from the past two weeks coming soon. :)

53

Only 53 days left till I go home for the summer!!! 

I can't wait!!  It's been TWO full years since I've seen my family.  That's just too long in my opinion!!  My brother has gone from little boy to young man.  My sister has gone from newlywed to new mom.  My parents have/are both changed/changing jobs, and they totally redecorated the living areas of their home.

Of course, skype video helps them feel not quite so far away . . . but it is not the same at all!!  And, I am very thankful for things like email and flickr so that I can very easily share my life and be a part of theirs as well.  Oh, so much better than waiting months for handwritten letters to cross the ocean. 

BUT . . . still . . . despite my thankfulness in technology helping us keep in touch easily . . . I am SO READY to see my family.  To hug them and touch them and sit with them and play with them and just enjoy being with them!

And . . . another way that I can tell that I am SO READY to go home is that every time I think about what I wanna eat I can only think of American foods and restaurants.  Nothing Chinese sounds good anymore.  For the past two years I've not had this "problem," but every time I know it's getting close to the time to go home I start having this "problem."  I think it is funny how we "know" things on several levels.  How subconsciously I am allowing myself to start to miss/desire American foods for the first time in two years.  Oh sure, I've had random cravings for specific foods occasionally, but not the same as every single meal time only being able to think about American foods. 

(Speaking of American foods, Mom, do you think you can make chicken and dumplings even though it will be the middle of the summer?  I've not had that in  . . .what? . . . six years now???  Pretty please!!)

from the rising of the sun

From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised! (Psalm 113:3)

For from the rising of the sun to its setting, my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 1:11)

answering some questions

Right before I left to come back to Taiwan, I did a post Q&A style.  I offered to answer other questions as well.  Deb asked a few.  And, finally I am getting around to answering them.  Thanks Deb for some great questions!!

Q: What did you enjoy most about your younger brother being with you this summer?
A: That is hard to answer.  I loved showing him Taiwan.  I loved watching him grow and learn and try new things.  I loved watching him be a young man.  But, most of all, I loved spending time with him.  I enjoyed watching two whole seasons of Lost in less than three weeks together.  I enjoyed our moped rides and late night talks.  I enjoyed laughing with him and teasing him.  I even enjoyed being able to spoil him.  Really, the answer to your question is that what I enjoyed most about him being with me was that he was with me.

Q: What will he do with all his new knowledge of a foreign country, and how do you think it changed him, if it did?
A: I guess only time will tell.  But, I did ask him his last week here (while we were riding my moped), "Everyone has said how much this trip will change your life.  What do you think?  Has it?"  His answer was something to the effect of: "OH YEAH!!  Before I was thinking to come back because you were here and that would make it easy.  But, now I would come back even if you moved back to the USA."  Whether or not he ever would come back, I don't know.  But, I do think that the trip has influenced who he is and who he will be . . . I just don't know how yet.

Q: Do you think your parents would ever fly over to visit you? (However, maybe they have in the past, and I didn't read your blog back when you posted those blog entries.)
A: They haven't yet.  Sarah, my younger sister, came out for two weeks at Christmas time three years ago.  And, my best friend from college came out for about two weeks when I was an exchange student (six years ago).  But, my parents haven't come yet.  I would LOVE for them to come.  I think my mom would probably make it over here before my dad would, but . . . you never know.

Q: What did you bring back with you from the US that you can't find in Taiwan? Any books? Any new clothes or food items? Or maybe Taiwan is so modern and well-stocked that you can find everything you need there!
A: Well, Taiwan is pretty modern, but there are just some things you can't get here--well, at least not easily.  There is a Costco in town that does a good job satisfying some of the cravings I get. 

You hit the nail on the head in your list though--I do bring back lots of books.  I actually go on a book buying craze a month before I leave Taiwan.  Mom says she can tell it's time for me to come home because they start getting several packages from Amazon. 

I also do all my clothes shopping in America.  Clothes here are inexpensive, but they only come in XXXS, XXS, and XS.  I am no where near a super-small, so . . .  (Actually, they do have S, M, and L, but their L is equal to an American size 6, 8 maybe.)  So, yes, I brought back a few tops, skirts, and two pairs of goucho pants (love those--they don't have that style here yet).

And, food.  Ah, yes, food.  This time, I brought back Dream Whip, salad dressing (one bottle of Bacon Ranch and a box of make your own Italian), a can of pumpkin pie stuff, and some spices.  I also brought back Splenda and Crystal Light drink mixes.  In April, I brought back lots of spice packages (for tacos, sloppy joes, and so on) and Jello packages.  I also brought Cinnamon gum and bubblemint gum. :)  Little luxuries are nice, right?  Along the lines of food, my NeeNee (paternal grandmother) gave me a small George Foreman grill that I brought back with me.  Can't wait to try that out with some of my Tony's spice mix.  Oh, I also brought back one jar each of natural peanut butter, no sugar jelly, and salsa.  And, I brought back one more little luxury . . . Velveeta cheese and canned Rotel tomatoes for cheese dip making. :) 

Other things I bring back include hair products and smell goods.  It is really hard to find stuff here for making curls stay curly and not frizzy.  So, I stop by Sally's Beauty supply and bring back to Taiwan my fave "ethnic" hair styling products. ;)   I also learned, after my first year here, that smells were very important to me.  So, I stock up on candle tarts to melt and Glade Plug-Ins to, uh well, plug in.  I actually buy different smells for the different seasons so my home tends to have an "American smell" to it that fits the holidays and seasons in America.  And that makes me smile.  As far as smell goods go--that also includes lotions.  I like to bring back a bottle or two from Bath and Body Works.  It is another little luxury I allow myself--but, usually, this luxury is given to me by my NeeNee. 

Most of the toiletries I need I can get here except deodorant, razors, and make-up.  I always bring a truck load of deodorant with me.  You can get that here, but it is not easy to find, not a big selection, and really expensive.  Many Taiwanese don't shave, so razors aren't easy to come by either.  I don't really wear a lot of make-up, and I could buy make-up here, but the coloring is a little off for my skin tone (they like/prefer really pale skin), and it is really expensive.  Once, I ran out of mascara, so I went to get some--the cheapest was about 12 US dollars.  I could get the exact same tube in the States for 3-4 dollars. 

The other thing I have bought in the States recently are my door decorations, photo frames, and albums.  They just aren't the same here as they are there, so I cave into my American-me for those things.  Oh, yeah, and I also bring back some cold medicines, Ziacam, and vitamins.  Vitamins (like I am used to) are hard to come by here.

This last answer may have been a little TMI . . . I don't know.  But, it is the truth.  I will also admit that it is always hard for me to shop and pack to come back to Taiwan.  When I make my Walmart/Target runs and come back with loads of stuff that I fit into giant foot lockers, I feel guilty, over-indulgent, and spoiled.  I don't really "need" much of the stuff I buy and bring back: want? yes; need? no.  But, then when I get back to Taiwan and start to unpack, it looks like I brought back so little, and I wonder why I didn't squeeze in some more stuff.  It is amazing how 8,000 miles can change one's perspective. ;)

I would be happy to answer more questions on life in Taiwan.  If you have them, please feel free to ask.  I enjoy being able to share my life here with others. On a similar note, Michelle, a missionary in South Korea, wants to start sharing about life in Korea; I might have to mimic her . . .

here i am

Well, after 1 truck, 3 planes, 4 airports, and 1 van, I am back in my home in Taiwan.

I got home at about 1 AM, showered then went to bed; I woke about 7ish.  I then spent all day at my new office unpacking boxes and preparing for classes.  It's now 7:42 PM here, and I can barely keep my eyes open. 

I want to fight the urge to sleep--to stay awake at least till 10ish.  However, I also need to be productive, and I think I can be more productive if I sleep now and work later (even if that means at 4AM tomorrow morning).  So, I have decided to succumb to the call of my bed.

After my interview-style post the other day, I solicited more questions.  Deb asked some great questions which I will answer either tomorrow or this weekend.  Anyone else care to add their own in the meantime?

And, with that, I bid you all a very good night.  晚安!

flying thousands of miles

I am now on my way back to Taiwan.  After I brought my brother back from his three month visit to Taiwan, I was blessed to be able to stay in the States for about another month. 

Here is a little Q&A to fill you in a little more on my trip.

Q: How far apart are your two homes?
A: As the crow flies, I think my home in the States and my home in Taiwan are around 8,000 miles apart.

Q: How long will it take you to fly back to Taiwan?
A: Well, the easy answer is "about a day."  If you want the long answer, keep reading, I will leave my home about 3 hours before my Austin plane departs; then fly to LA (about 4 hours) and have a small layover in LA; then fly to Taipei (about 13 hours, and I also lose a day by crossing the International date line) and have a small layover; then fly to Kaohsiung (about 1 hour); then go though customs and immigration; then find my former student who is picking me up and drive home (about an hour).  So, I leave my Texas home at about 9 on Tuesday morning and arrive at my Taiwan home at about 1 in the morning on Thursday.  C.R.A.Z.Y!!

Q: What is the time difference between Taiwan and Texas?
A: Taiwan is 13 hours ahead of Texas.  So, if it is 1 AM on Thursday in Taiwan, it is 12 noon on Wednesday in Texas. (Well, that is right now before Daylight Savings time changes it to 14 hours ahead).

Q: What do you miss most when you are in the States?
A: Gilby and friends.  Also, I enjoy having a break from teaching, but it doesn't take long for me to begin to miss being in the classroom.  I also miss hearing and using Chinese.

Q: What do you miss most when you are in Taiwan?
A: Family and food--in that order. ;)

Q: What is your fave Taiwanese food?
A: Uh . . . is that really possible to answer?  Which meal are we talking about?  Does fruit count?  There are so many wonderful foods in Taiwan!!  But, I know I can't wait to have the stuff that a street vendor sells right down the street from my house.  I'll show you a picture of it the next time I eat it. Ok?

Q: What American food do you miss most?
A: Beef, milk, cheese.  I also really miss good Tex-Mex, Cesar salads, and a good grilled burger.  And . . . Diet Dr. Peppers (does that count as a food?).  And, Blue Bell ice cream.

Q: What is the toughest adjustment to being back in the States?
A: Not being stared at.  Why is no one looking at me?  Am I not special anymore?  And, all the choices!!  Oh, and being clueless about pop culture stuff--anywhere from names of people in the news to why are pomegranates so popular this summer?

Q: What is the toughest adjustment to going back to Taiwan?
A: In previous years, it takes me awhile to get back into the groove of using Chinese again.  And, this year, I know that I have no time really to "get over" jet-lag--I have to be at work on Thursday, and start teaching Monday morning!

Q:How long will you be in Tawian?
A: I don't know.  This is the first time I have purchased a one-way (not round trip ticket) to Taiwan.  I know my contract at the school is good through one more school year; but, I will keep living there until God leads otherwise.

Anything else you wanna ask me?  I would be happy to tell you more--so please feel free to ask away.  (And remember, no question is too trival or mundane.)  Just be patient in waiting for the answer; I don't have internet access while flying over the ocean. ;)