Trip to Kunming

Last weekend I (Joe) went to Kunming in Southwest China to visit Maria who was there on church trip as part of their trip to Thailand, Laos, and China.

We visited Green Lake Park in Kunming



Some ethnic minorities (or people dressed like ethnic minorities) dancing in the park



Maria and I at the park



The downtown shopping area in Kunming



After church on Sunday we enjoyed some Lanzhou noodles at the park with some members of Maria's team.



Then when we enjoyed some iced mochas at a nice coffee shop.



It was a great trip (but a little short), I enjoyed getting to catch up with Maria and hearing all about her adventures traveling around Asia.

7 Month engagement anniversary!!

Today, April 27th, 2009 marks the 7th month of our engagement!! (September 27th, 2008)

Joe is so good at remembering dates, anniversaries, count-downs...way better than me!
I was so surprised to have a bouquet of roses delivered to my door!!!


And of course we had to go out to celebrate.

These photos are actually taken of our 6th month engagement celebration.
I have now returned home and just hung up with Joe from a Skype call. Yes, we're back to that again. We can't wait until anniversaries can be celebrated together again. That's way better.

a Bridal Shower in China!

I was so surprised when a friend, Lizzy, offered to plan me a shower while I was still in China! I had just met most of these people, but they were wanted to come to celebrate my upcoming marriage! There is truly a very high, amazing quality of people here.

When Lizzy said she didn't have time to actually plan the shower until I got back in August, I was disappointed, but understood.

The day my shower was supposed to be I was curled up in a ball on the couch extremely sick, anyway, thinking that it's a good thing that I didn't have a shower that day!

That was when I found out that there really WAS a shower that day...a surprise shower! And a group of people was waiting for me at a restaurant to double as a farewell party!!! I MISSED MY FIRST BRIDAL SHOWER!!!! :(

Here is a pic of the girls that met for my shower WITHOUT me that day!

Front to back on left: Patricia, Andrea, Christine, Sarah
Front to back on right: Gaby, Nicoleen, Lizzy, Natasha


You can imagine how disappointed I was when I found out that a group of amazing gals were waiting for me for dinner and I COULDN"T BE THERE!

A few days later, though, we re-created the experience (I missed you, Sarah, Gaby, and Lizzy! but thanks for coming to the first one!) I was feeling better and we had a GREAT time!!!

Here is me telling the story of how Joe and I met.

And some of the great gals that were there! Fun times! :)

Michelle

Daphne

Nicoleen

Andrea

Patricia

Christine

I had to do Listiane's makeup--blindfolded!!! Poor girl!

Most of the pictures were taken with me IN my wedding dress! Those have been edited to save for the big day. July 11th! Woot!

Joe had gone out with the guys, and came back later to see what damage had been done.

My incredible fiance and almost-groom!!!!! Wow.

L-R: Andreas, Paul, Percival, Joe

Percival jumping in on the action at the end. haha

Thanks for so many great memories that night! You are all making the move over here soooo much fun! See you in August!!

I'm an Auntie!!!

Congratulations Ben and Debi on the arrival of your beautiful son!

Carter...I cannot WAIT to meet you!

Carter James Eby
Born April 10, 2009
6 pounds 13oz
19.5 inches long

WELCOME TO OUR WORLD!!!!

Jonathan in China!

The past week has been so fun with Jonathan as we go exploring together! He is helping me to branch out and discover new places, eat food I haven't tried yet, and just capture the wonder of a new country with me!

This is me after I picked up Jonathan from the airport...a victory shot once we got close to my "landmark" in my area...a giant leaning blue tower. If I can find it I can find home! haha


Seas of bicycles or scooters is very common here. Jonathan thought it was cool. ;)



Shopping together in Carrefour...about 5 min walk from my house, which is so handy! It's basically like Wal-Mart. We had to buy sheets and pillows and blankets for Jonathan!


The first dinner we took him to was this tiny little hole-in-the-wall local Chinese place that makes GREAT noodles. Probably wouldn't pass any health inspections at home, but the food is aMAZing! Jonathan loved it, and Joe and I love having him here!!!

He fits right in around here. haha

One day last week Jonathan just took our map and walked down random streets. It was so fun! We found some beeeautiful areas!

Other times we pick random things off of menues selling food off the street. This is me after I ordered a drink...it was crushed ice with strawberries poured on it with balls of gelitin. I wasn't sure at first, but it was quite refreshing! I'll remember that for a summer's day sometime.

On Saturday, Jonathan, Joe, and I took a train to Souzhou (sp?) to go DRESS shopping! They are such good sports...I had gone previously to find and order the bridesmaids dresses and my wedding dresses, but they got to go and help me pick them up! (Of COURSE we didn't let Joe see my wedding dress! How could you think that???)

This is us as soon as we stepped off the train, trying to figure out where to go!

Waiting in the queue for the taxi...

And if you want to see our FINDINGS from that day, you will have to join us on JULY 11th!!! ;)

Let me tell you, though, we were successful!!!

We stopped for a picnic on a patch of grass that we found...Joe captured Jonathan and I with a very famous leaning pagoda in the background!

Enjoying pineapple on a stick. Jonathan bought a pineapple-carving knife this weekend so he can do this, too!

Jonathan found out what "chestnuts roasted on an open fire" tastes like! Yum!

Me waiting patiently to see and try on my finished wedding dress!!! WOW!

Suzhou is known for its dress shops, and also costumes! After trying on a bunch of different kinds of costumes, Jonathan FINALLY found one that fit! and then he didn't buy it. boy. ;)

children playing. the area is sooo poor, but the dresses sooo beautiful.

My WEDDING DRESS!!!!

another pagoda...this one isn't supposed to be leaning, it's just taken out the window of the taxi. :P

After a long, FUN, but tiring day of shopping, we collapsed at a Korean restaurant, took off our shoes, and sat on the floor to enjoy a WONDERFUL meal! Jonathan loves Korean! I knew he would. :D

play by play of Jonathan seeing if a pepper is hot or not. haha He's a nut.

Joe and I laughing from the other side of the table. It WAS a hot pepper. VERY hot. lol

I'll post more pics soon of a water town we went to visit on Monday! But that will have to wait until AFTER we get back from hiking up a mountain tomorrow. Fun times!!!

J&N

PS...3 months and 2 days left!!!