CaitlinAW81's Xanga

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:25:31 GMT

I stole this from my cousin-in-law James' myspace comments....thought it was so awesome :)

followed by my contribution to Buckeye pride this national championship year....my homemade buckeyes :)

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 04:35:47 GMT

Some bad news....multiply has now been blocked, so my Nanjing friends and Raul and I have to find a new way to post our photos. It completely sucks and all that. So I'll probably be using yahoo photos. I also joined facebook (peer pressure from David Welch sunk in), but you have to be on facebook to see my photos there, so yahoo is more convenient. I'll let you know when photos of Christmas are posted. for now...here's some to get ya started...

me and Britt showing off our gifts from each other (Raul, she loved the earrings and hairband from Changsha)

and me with Jada, Kim, Bryant, Cherry, and little Shekinah.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 01:42:42 GMT

The trouble with having Christmas on a Monday this year was that it felt like any other day...seeing as how China doesn't celebrate or even really recognize Christmas(save the opportunity to make money off foreigners and the few others that do celebrate it as large supermarkets sell commercialized Christmas). But in any case, Sunday felt more like Christmas than yesterday did. I guess in a way that's good.

Yesterday I started my Christmas by waking up to the most intense fog I've ever seen. I walked out of my apartment building and couldn't see 10 feet in front of me. I'm not kidding. It was like a white-out. Then I tried to find a taxi to take to work since I'd left too late to take the bus (was exhausted from the night before)...and couldn't catch a taxi. Then I grabbed a bus to take me a few stops, closer to Carrefour, so maybe I could catch a taxi along the way. Finally caught one. And we stepped into horrendous traffic just before the bridge. I was 45 minutes late to work and missed my first class....my homeroom class when we were supposed to have our gift exchange. Not a great way to start Christmas when you have to work in the morning. But the Father was good and taught me something in the experience...as I find He's often doing on my commute to work.

So since I'd missed my first period, that left me with 2 free periods then watching a movie with combined classes 4th period. That was it. Well, after a great conversation with my parents, B, Amber, and her parents at 9am....which I loved, by the way. That was the highlight of my whole morning. :)

For lunch, I ate with Bryant and Cherry and Kim and Jada and Bry and Cherry's place. Played with Kim and Jada's new puppy, Thunder. He was a Christmas present from Jace...and he's sooooo adorable. I'll post a photo of him later...but he's great. Lunch was nice...then Bryant and I went to the city together, me to Carrefour to buy some things for my little "party" last night. I spent my Christmas bonus in my salary on Indian delivery for Britt, Chris, Tanya, Michelle, and later Nathan. Yuuummmy. Chris contributed some Chinese wine (not entirely bad), and it turned out to be a nice evening of conversation.

Complimented by my Christmas gift to myself...internet in my house!!! Woohoo!!! So we got the internet installed yesterday afternoon, and it feels awesome...though I won't truly get to try it out til tonight (Britt used it more last night than I did). But...yay!

So...a Christmas with a few highlights. But most of all, a reminder of His faithfulness and love...

Raul will be moving to Nanjing sooner than expected.

Happy Christmas!

Mon, 25 Dec 2006 01:33:23 GMT

Merry Christmas from...

the teachers at NEIS

and the NICF

Happy Christmas y'all! Be blessed this Christmas and always.

PS. I'll write more later...from my house :) My Christmas present to myself? Finally getting internet in my apartment :)

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Thu, 21 Dec 2006 04:41:54 GMT

Only 4 more days 'til Christmast? wow....

I miss Raul.

I miss my family.

Happy 4 days to Christmas, y'all.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 04:35:06 GMT

Cannot believe that I'm getting another cold. What is this? honestly...I feel like I'm never healthy anymore. It completely sucks. I've missed the Chinese study for the past 2 weeks, so I need to be there...for so many reasons if not just because I'm supposed to lead the 2 Christmas carols tonight. Argh.

Body...please heal quickly.

On the plus side, my Christmas shopping is completely done. Britt and I were uber productive at the night market last night and I got everyone finished...and even managed to ruin 2 of my gifts from Britt... she went ahead and bought me this scarf that I really liked...then talked me out of buying the exact same photo frame she'd already bought for me (the chances of that happening at night market are slim). But in any case...it was a fun night of shopping with my roommate.

Only 5 days til Christmas!!

Monday, December 18, 2006

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 04:07:22 GMT

Here....the photos are uploaded... http://catieinchina.multiply.com/photos/album/67

Here's a teaser for ya....

One Week Til Christmas!!

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:26:22 GMT

Wow...can't believe Christmas is almost here. It's definitely Christmas weather in Nanjing these days...absolutely freezing. And last night, the power outlets in our house decided to go out, and neither Britt nor I knew how to fix it at 10:30 at night...so we went to bed with sweatshirts on and extra blankets on our bed. Nooot good. And it's 1 degree Celsius today, too. Fuuuun.

Armel is awesome and sent me some amazing photos from the Newsboys concert, so I'll be putting those on multiply sometime soon...so check that out. And on the NICF website, http://www.nicfellowship.org he put a video of my Christmas drama Light a Candle and a video from the Newsboys concert, so definitely check that out :)

Be blessed y'all.

Oh...and music courtesy of Danielle :) She let me borrow all her Newsboys cds while she's home for a month...so I don't need to worry about buying them (thanks mom)...some classic Newsboys to get me started this week :)

Huge Praise!!

Sat, 16 Dec 2006 05:33:34 GMT

Because I can't comment on their blog lately and I'm a few days behind on my checking of others' blogs...I just noticed the best news on JoEllen and Burke's page...

their twins are finally home!!!! After a few months of hospital visits and lots of prs for their little ones, Maylee and Jakobi are finally at home in Berlin with Jo, Burke and Caislyn. It's been an amazing testimony for them to share, and for me as I've told some friends here about their story. You have reached across the Pacific to touch hearts, little Maylee and Jakobi. :) We're so glad you're finally home!!

and in honor of Burke...and my fellow Buckeyes, I put this post in our favorite colors :)

Newsboys!!

Sat, 16 Dec 2006 04:58:55 GMT

I had the privilege of being at the first CCM group concert in China last night. And it was...awesome!! :)

After a fun road trip to Shanghai on the bus with about 30 other people from the fellowship, we arrived in the southern part of Shanghai at the venue, a large gymnasium. The crowd was a mixture of foreigners, but we seemed to be sitting the Korean section :) There wasn't really an opening act, but at about 7:50 (the concert was supposed to start at 7:30), a Korean worship band (maybe college age) came out and did a few songs. Then the main attraction....Newsboys!!!! The show was waaay too short (little over an hour! but we think they were given a time limit. they couldn't sell cds either :p ), but it was good. They did some Newsboys classics (Shine, Breakfast in Hell...reminded me of high school and Body Shop so much!), then some awesome praise and worship. Paul Coleman is great in the group, but mei you Phil!! No long, curly blonde hair to stare at! It was disappointing, so all of us were wondering where he was. But in any case, Peter was awesome as always, and the Word was spoken out.

I'll be sharing about the concert in my QT at school on Monday (one of the "stipulations" of Mr. An giving me, the Mwenyas and Kimberly the afternoon off) about the concert, and one thing I'm excited to share is what Peter spoke about in song...He Reigns...the song of the redeemed stretching wide and far across every land. How every land will sing His praises one day. Shouting that He reigns. And that just...it was so wonderful to hear that last night, reminding all of us of this land we live in, how blessed we are to be here, and that though we sometimes feel He's not working...He is! The concert last night was a testimony to that, as well as the ad in the program for other C groups and singers that will be coming. Steven Curtis Chapman paved the way, and it's amazing to think what will happen next.

Thanks y'all for your thoughts. Be blessed!