Spring Break and Beyond

Wow...that was a long break from blogging.  We have had a lot going on, so I will try to sum it up quickly and share some pics along with the summaries.

In December, when we went back to the US for Christmas, our dear friends, the Marlett Family, were in Europe the whole time.  While we were all excited for them, this made our Emma very sad because she would not be able to see her best friend, Megan.  So...for Christmas, Emma's gift was to go back at spring break and surprise Megan.  While we would only be in town for 11 days, Andy and I felt it was well worth the energy and money to bring so much joy to these sweet friends. Nicole, Megan's mom, and I planned it for months...and it just so happened that Megan's birthday was the following week.

Emma and I arrived on a Thursday evening.  The following Friday, Megan had a half day.  Emma and I parked the car in a not so obvious spot, and got to the Marlett's house before Megan got home. Emma and sat at their island in the kitchen, so when Megan came through the garage and opened the door, Emma would be sitting right in front of her. This went exactly to plan...and Megan was speechless.  I cannot believe we pulled it off!

Driving through Lancaster on a cold day...but I sure miss these farmlands and space:)

 The rest of our time in PA, I didn't see Emma very much.  She spent the majority of her time at the Marlett's, with a couple nights at two other friends' homes.  We also did a day in DC...ate lunch in Bethesda and spent the afternoon at the Zoo.  My time was enjoyed by connecting with friends and family.  It was crazy being in our town and not having any kids or husband to attend to.  I had some wonderful time catching up with those I love...it was very special.

Loved eating at Cava (a Greek restaurant) and finishing it up with a cupcake!

Meanwhile, while Emma and I were in the US, Andy and Marina took the other kids to the Philippines to our favorite spot, KIMS, in Manila.  ICS took another missions trip their during the break, and Andy wanted to take the other kids.  They had an amazing time serving and fellowshipping with other ICS kids and teachers.  While it was hard to be apart for so long, God really redeemed the time for all of us.

Grace with our sweet friends

After landing back in HK, we had the privilege of hosting our friend, Deane, from PA.  She had been in Thailand for a week and a half, and was swinging through HK on her way home.  While her visit was short, she and I had a great time as I showed her as much HK as I could...while getting over jet lag.  Actually, it was the best thing for me as I pushed through the sleepy afternoons.

The rest of April has been a bit of a blur.  Josh and his class lead a chapel for all of the elementary classes, Grace just finished playing with her soccer team from Tai Po, and Sarah just stays so darn cute.  I missed a pic of Abby...but I'll make up for it in the posts to come.  We have a busy May coming up...with a lot of things going on here in HK, and in the US:)