Earthquake

As you have probably read, there was a major earthquake in China yesterday, registering 7.9. We are ok-we are located several hundred miles from the epicenter. We felt the aftershocks but it was mild enough that if you weren't sitting down you might not notice. Yesterday reports were saying no major damage but today the death toll is estimated to be around 10,000. Please pray for people in those areas-for workers to be able to get in and rescue people who might still be trapped. Please pray also for God to work through this diaster and bring more people to know him.

11 months

Mom, I'm not really in a picture taking mood right now...ok, fine...I'll smile...

ok, this is getting old...

look, I've got better things to do...
I'm outta here....

Returning to my generic cereal roots....

In order to really understand the significance this story has to me, you have to know a little bit about my history with generic cereals. See, I have this wonderful cousin, Brandi who is 6 months to the day older than me. (Brandi, Haley (her daughter) and me at mother's day last year)

Growing up we spent a lot of time together-every Friday night we "performed" a new dance (which was really the same dance every week just with different outfits) for my entire extended family during our Friday night family get-togethers. We were really great friends but Brandi had something I always wanted-BARBIE CEREAL. Barbie Cereal is something most of you never heard of but it was a much coveted "name brand" commodity that she got every week and I didn't. We had generic cereal. My mom refused to pay top dollar for Barbie or any of the other much loved name brands. So, after years of jealously, sadness, and soggy generic breakfasts-I finally got what I wanted. My mom actually bought a box of Vintage Barbie Cereal for me in college and gave it to me for Christmas. (I still have it by the way!) This was my moment-I could shut the door on my generic past and move confidently into the world of name brands. And for a while I did-eating such wonders as Smart Start and Frosted Mini Wheats. But these days it seems I'm back at square one-except this time I am eating generic cereal and paying 5 dollars a box for it! See, in our country, breakfast foods are a whole different ball game so Andy and I stick to cereal. We sometimes buy a cornflakes, which are made here and are reasonably priced. But we really really love two special IMPORT ONLY cereals. Me, Frosted Mini Wheats and Andy, Honey Bunches of Oats. These are imported and pricey but we splurge sometimes and get them. This week I went to the import store to pick up a couple boxes only to find that our namebrands had been replaced-with generic cereal at the same expensive price! I mean if you're gonna go to all the trouble of importing cereal, at least get the real deal. So here we are eating our "Frosted mini Spooners" and "Honey and Oat Blenders" at a whopping 5 dollars a box! (I have to commend Malt-o-meal for making a pretty good imitation, but come on, what is a "spooner" anyway?) Guess you can't really ever escape your roots...

Happy's Mother's Day!

Happy mother's Day to two really wonderful moms!!!!!



To my mom :

(this picture was featured along with an article written about her in a really important magazine...sorry I can't remember the name)


Loves life
Young at heart and in looks!
Nice. Kind. Tender hearted. People love to be loved by you!
Notices God's hand in creation-esp through her beautiful garden.
Encourager
Tells us why she loves us often!
Totally supportive of us following our dreams!(even if they take us far away)
Eats pizza, not salmon cakes!!!

To Kathi:

(this picture was taken when they visited us after Christmas! Man, that was fun...come back soon!) Andy wrote this for you!!!

Kind hearted

Always eager to talk with us and know what's going on in our lives

The best fried chicken in the world

Has a lot of fun

I LOVE YOU

Happy Mother's Day to our Moms! We love you and miss you!

"Tagged"

Sorry I haven't updated much recently-no excuses! We are doing pretty good. It's saturday afternoon and Andy just finished a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich with some chips-after eating it he told me what he really wants is a Husson's (charleston, WV) pizza. For some reason the two of us have really been missing American food the last few weeks. Husson's for those of you who aren't from Charleston is maybe the best pizza in the world. Ok, maybe not in the world, but man their sauce is really awesome! We've had pizza from Australia, America, China, France and Thailand, and we think Husson's is number one! We'll let you know if we find one that tops it. Anyway, this week has been pretty smooth. Emma Grace is crawling all over the place these days and getting into lots of stuff. I am trying not to "baby proof" our house but rather teach what she can and can't play with-it's not going so well so far. But we're going to keep at it.

A week or so ago, I was "tagged" by my freind Laura. There's a game of blog tag going on, so I am supposed to complete these sentences and then "tag" the next person-so read to the end and see if you're tagged!!!

I am...clean-just took a shower but put back on my pajamas for a lazy saturday

I want...to know God more.

I have...A really funny husband who makes me laugh often

I wish...we could go over to our parents' house for dinner tonight

I hate...dry scrambled eggs. (my paw paw's runny eggs with a little sausage grease are to die for!)

I miss...driving a car, hanging out with my family, high school sports

I fear...Andy or Emma Grace dying

I feel...thankful-for God's love and healing and for my family

I hear...the WVU fight song. Andy is playing football on PS2. The game is tied. This is getting seroius. (just saw brady campell dancing-go mountaineers)

I smell...nothing and I am really thankful. Recently I smelled chinese dumplings for two days-Andy ate them with a friend. normally he eats 10-15. That day he ate 40! Everytime I got near him I smelled that terrible smell. I couldn't kiss him for several days!

I crave...chic fil a. almost daily

I search...for other people's blogs

I wonder...what heaven will be like. What will we eat? What will my relationship with Andy be like? What will I be like with no sin? I get excited thinking about it.

I regret...not following Christ in high school.

I love...so many people. my hubster and baby girl, my parents, my brother and my sister way more than I communicate-I miss you guys! my awesome grandparents, my in-laws.

I ache...for outcasts, for orphans...for Christ to come back and make it all right!!!

I care...too much about what I look like

I always...bring a lot of ranch dressing with me when we come to China

I am not...good at baking

I believe...me being here has as much or more to do with what God is doing in me than it does what he is doing through me.

I dance...in front of the mirror often, with Emma Grace, always after watching "White Christmas"

I sing...really badly!

I cry...a lot less often than I used to

I don't always...brush my teeth at night. (5 out of 7)

I fight...the tendency to believe that if I lived in America, my life would be perfect.

I write...things on my hand so I won't forget them

I never...go to bed without checking on Emma Grace

I listen...to my husband tell me lots of random facts very very very often

I need...more cucmumber ranch dressing

I am happy...spending time with people I love!

ok, that was a lot. So, I am going to "Tag" my mom and Marianne Dean!

ok, game update....we are putting on whomping on Maryland. 45-14. It's gonna be a good Saturaday!

Getting back into the groove

We are getting back into the groove of normal life! Emma Grace has had a big week. She started the week off by pulling herself up on the coffee table to a standing position. She's also taking a few steps forward in the crawling department. (this is good considering before she would only crawl backwards-and get really frustrated that she was moving away from the object she was trying to reach) And today her third tooth officially appeared. Yesterday was a no fun day for her-her gums were really bothering her and she cried most of the afternoon. But today the tooth is officially through the gums and she is back to being a happy camper. Made a yummy chicken and rice soup last night, as it's been cool here lately. But today it's warming up! Planning to go on a walk with the Kvernen ladies this afternoon and stop by the market for some chicken, onions, and peppers. Thinking of making fajitas on the grill, Tim Huffman style! Here are a few pics for you!

We had lunch at Peter's last week while out of town...it's a tex mex resturant that also has some southern favorites (a mean chicken biscuit) along with sweet tea. Emma Grace stuck with the pureed carrots...
Let's just say she wasn't happy about the carrots.... Today The Kvernen Girls came over so we could call Alisa on skype. She is in Thailand, having just had their second child, Zeb! The younger two were hanging out, being very entertained by Julianna. I'm beginning to not want to post pictures of my living room...they all have piles of toys in the background-I am trying to teach Emma Grace that we clean up after we play, but sometimes even moms (esp this mom) can't quite get it all together. oh well, guess you're seeing us as we really are!

The entertainer...

Also in Emma Grace news this week-she had her first spaghetti and loved it! She only had a little but managed to get it all over her face, hands and clothes! Will take a picture next time! This is the beginning of some messy eating for the Huffman house!

Sunday Afternoon

We are back home and so glad to be sleeping in our own bed! There's nothing like your own bed and your own pillow. Well, actually I am having some pillow trouble these days. First of all, I like really flat pillows. I got on a little spring cleaning kick a few weeks back and decided to wash the pillows (I am convinced my mom washed ours in the washer when we were little but andy says that people don't do that) But my favorite really flat pillow didn't fair so well in the wash and I had to find a new one....trouble is, out of the 8 pillows in our house, not another one is flat enough for my liking! So though I was so happy to lay down in my own bed when we got back, it didn't bring the full enjoyment it normally does because I was lying on a fat fluffy make-my-neck hurt pillow. But I am thankful to be home, nonetheless! So mom, is it true that you washed the pillows in the washer when we were little?

It's nice to be home but we also enjoyed our time away as well. Got to eat some yummy food, visit with some neat friends, and do some resting-I enended the week 7 out of 5...meaning I managed 7 naps in 5 days! Pretty good, huh? I'm going be Asian before you know it! Ate at a Mediterrean Resturant, Del Mar, which was fun. Andy and I left EG with some friends and enjoyed a date there. We both noted how nice it was to "linger" after dinner and talk-our lingering days are mostly over-when eating with EG we usually scarf down our food and try to keep her entertained at the same time. We often are in and our of resturants in less than 30 minutes! We had one meal we had to abandon this week, as Emma Grace just lost it! Oh well, we all have those days I guess! But we wouldn't trade it, that's for sure!

Emma Grace is doing pretty good...she is teething so that makes her a little fussy these days. But we have lots of Orajel and Infant Tylenol so we're managing! She is currently sitting by her basket of toys, having squirmed her way across the living room to get there. Still no "crawling" per se, but some definite movement going on!

It's cold and rainy today, great weather for sweatpants and staying inside! ok, pictures to come later this week!