2014 Just Getting Settled

Sorry for the silence. Don't call it a comeback! Here is another blog. Man almost to 6 months in Taiwan. Wow, crazy how time flies. But looking back at the past six months words that pop in my mind are those such as: Difficult, Crazy, Awesome, Hectic, Scary, Exciting, Amazing....pretty much all emotions you can think of. We now partake into the new year, literally, about to celebrate our first Chinese New Years!! Our plan? SLEEP. HAHAHA! But seriously it just now seems that life is getting settled down after six months. For they way my mind works its best to take it one by one.

Jobs: We are both employed full time at great, secure schools. After spending the first 4 months in a crazy CRAM school (after school program that CRAM english into children's brains) I have got a job as a reading teacher at Washington Elementary School. A private school in the same company that Christiana works for. So its very secure, pays well and all I teach is reading which is by far my best and favorite subject. Financially this comes at a great time as the baby approaches. We are both very thankful for God's favor in providing for us.

Friends: We are so beyond blessed with the people that we have met here in Taiwan. Some amazing people. We fill like we have a great support system of those that will offer advice and help when we need it. Christiana has some great co workers that have looked out for her since day one. I have gotten to know them too and they are some great people. I am so amazed still that our paths cross with so many people. Truly blessing.

Church: We have finally landed at a church that we feel comfortable and enjoy. The Community Church of Taichung is a English speaking church that meets on the campus of Morrison Christian Academy. We felt very comfortable the first time we there. We are excited to see what God does while we are at CCT. If you want to check them out feel free www.cct-taiwan.org.

Family: I can't even begin to describe to you how much closer Christiana and I feel after this move. Really you have only each other to lean on here. There is no family near by. I feel like I could not have done this adventure with anyone else. She is amazing. I joke that life is just now settling down and it will all change again in 3 months when Baby Mustion arrives. Giving birth is crazy enough, even more crazy when its in a whole different country. But God has provided a great doctor and great support from other foreigners here on the Island that have given birth here.

The past 18 months. weight loss surgery, move to Taiwan, get pregnant. Unreal. What does the next 18 months hold in store?

Baby! Baby! Baby! Oh!

COMING SOON!!! In approximately 113 days, Christiana and I will be welcoming our baby girl into this world. We are excited beyond words for this exciting adventure in 2014! Things here progressing smoothly with both the pregnancy and the ministry God has called us to here in Taiwan.

However, none of this would be possible without your friendships, continued prayers, and the support we have received from all of you! Thank you so much for helping us embark on this life changing calling in 2013 and for continuing to follow us into 2013. We appreciate you!

Some of you have asked how you can help with the baby since we are far, far away. Obviously, we won't have the opportunity to have a traditional baby shower. If you could pray for Christiana's spirits to be lifted about this that would be great. We have been waiting so long for God to bless us with a child and we have so looked forward to sharing the baby with all of our friends and family that being far from home and not being able to celebrate the baby in some of the more traditional ways has been hard for Christiana.

So that's what this post is mostly about.

We are so thankful for the overwhelming love we have received from you all. We hope you have been enjoying our baby posts and pictures on Facebook and that you feel like you are a part of Baby Girl's coming. Can't wait for April!

Anyway, if you would like to send actual gifts we have registered at Babies R Us, Walmart, and Amazon. If gifts are ordered online they will be sent to Christiana's mom (Janice) and she will send them in a few large packages. Or if you would like to send items directly to us or Chrisitiana's mom just email or message us for the address you need. Please keep in mind that shipping things here is VERY EXPENSIVE so we do ask that you not order any large items for her mom to ship.

If you would rather send a financial gift there are a couple of options. #1 We have Ikea here and we can use gift cards purchased in the US. #2 We can use prepaid Mastercard or Visa giftcards also. #3 you can send money to Christiana's mom (please email or Facebook us for the address). Or #4 You can send money through Paypal. If you choose to send money it can also be used to help ship other gifts too.

Pic from our 23 Week Ultrasound

Thank you all again for all you have already done for our family. We are excited to welcome Baby Girl in April/May and we are beyond blessed by anything you may choose to do to help us celebrate this pure blessing in our lives. Please check below for direct links to our registries.

Jimmy!

Amazon.com	http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/baby/3GV11PHW8G7GC
Walmart.com	http://www.walmart.com/giftregistry/gr_detail.do?registryId=26773403111	Or find us in-store by name
Babiesrus.com	Registry #: 51175993	Or find us in-store by name

Halfway There! Pregnancy Week 20

Hello, friends! Thanks for coming back to visit us on Taiwan Ramblings. It's been a while since we last posted and a lot has been going on here. I hope you have been following us on Facebook! This post is about one of the biggest things happening in our lives right now--Mustion Baby Girl!

Today we hit the halfway point in this pregnancy and we are SUPER excited about welcoming Baby Girl to our family in April/May! So in honor of this pregnancy milestone, I recorded a vlog for you talking about some of the things I like about being pregnant in Taiwan, some of the interesting Chinese/Taiwanese pregnancy traditions and taboos, and some of the things I don't like or will miss about not being pregnant in the USA.

Please bear with me and my pregnancy brain as this vlog got a little longer than I intended but I hope you will enjoy!

Meet the People of Taiwan #1

Meet Jamie and Alian aka Linus.

Jamie and Linus with Kendall and Megan at LAX Burger.

I would like to take time throughout this journey and blog and introduce to some of the awesome and amazing people that God has given us the privilege of meeting. I mean privilege in the highest honor. Some of the greatest and nicest people we have ever had in our lives we have met in the past three months of Taiwan. If you read my previous blog (of course you did!) then you understand the fact that we feel none of these meetings are by accident. Enough. More about Jamie and Linus.

THE STORY:
When we moved to Taiwan we had nothing. People are always leaving and selling off all their belongings. One day we found a post about a couple leaving the country and selling off stuff we needed. Plates, silverware, q tips etc. Their name were Kendall and Megan (another great couple) we messaged back and forth and set up a time to come and get the stuff. I inquired about places to eat by them so we could eat before we met them. That is when LAX BURGER entered our lives. L.A.X. Burger like the airport code for LA. LAX Burger is owned by Jamie and Alian aka Linus. Seriously one of the best burgers I have ever eaten in my life.

THE PEOPLE:

Jimmy and Lily at Lily's birthday BBQ.

Jamie and Linus are a young couple. Both 30 yrs old. Boyfriend and Girlfriend. Two great and wonderful people. Jamie, her mother (my taiwan mother), Jamie's sister, Linus and Lily (Linus' niece) all live above LAX. They are a close knit family that have had a rough past year. Jamie's father passed away, and they moved locations because of it. Jamie and Linus have taken in Lily to live them and help her get back on the right path. She has been getting trouble at her old school so they put her to work all summer and then kept her. Lily is still trying their patience. Pray for that. We do daily. But what a wonderful thing they are doing.

THE MEMORIES:
OK. The food at LAX is great. I love it. We go once if not twice a week. SO that will always be with me.

Jamie and Linus invited us to our first Taiwanese BBQ. It was a great night of getting to know more locals and experience the great tradition.

We went to dinner one night with Jamie, Linus and Lily. Man it was fun. ITs great to go out with Taiwanese people. They love to each get a different meal and pass them around letting everyone try the dishes. While us americans horde our beloved meal. In fact this would be a great way to enjoy Lambers or Dennys. Especially Dennys. Mmmmm Dennys. Whoa got distracted there.

Emergency Room. Not a fun place to visit in the US. Imagine not knowing the language and going to the ER? but Jamie came right over to help us translate and take care of us. Amazing. She is such wonderful person.

WRAP UP:
We both love Jamie and Linus to death. We love their family. We love their food. We love that God as brought them into our lives. We hope that we will build many more memories with them both here and in the states. If you are living in Taichung or ever visit Taichung please take the time to come and not only eat at LAX but get to know this awesome owners and family. They are just so-so....kidding! They are great!

How to pray for Jamie and Linus:

• Pray for them taking care of Lily
• Pray for success of their business
• Pray for Spiritual health.

Bye for now,

Jimmy

Paid (by the hour) in full!

I have a new perspective on work life. Where to start? Last week I had a bad Sinus infection. One of those knock you down fever, sinuses, cough, sore throat, tired, achy basically everything from the Nyquil commercial. But unlike any previous time in the past 15 yrs I didn't have the option of a "sick day" Having a job that pays hourly is a new thing to me. Therefore I have such a new found respect for the hourly worker. It hit me on Wednesday: We are having a baby, we have to pay for visa papers, if I don't work I don't get paid.

So i get up. Fever is 101. Ok, Ok! I get it. Don't go to a school with a bunch of little children when you have a fever. But that is not very Taiwanese of me now is it? Besides those little carrier monkeys are the reason for the sickness anyway! So like I said, 101 fever. I walk to the bus in a daze. I ride the bus in a daze. I ride the train in a daze. I teach my classes (Wednesday of all days is my longest and hardest days), I go home in a daze. Go to sleep. It was not exactly fun.

So I learned this. Man, how I have taken my nice little salary jobs for granted. I haven't had an hourly wage job since Johnston's Paint Store in Boonville, MO the summer of '94. Always had the luxury off sick days, vacation days, etc. If anyone who is reading this knows me very well they will know how much of a baby I am when I am sick. I did enjoy it. But it granted me a new respect and perspective on the working life of many people. I also realize now why so many Taiwanese people fall asleep on public transportation. If I was so afraid of missing my stop I would have joined them in dreamland on the way there and home.