Hello everyone, and welcome to those of you who haven’t got my updates before!

Well, it’s been a while since I wrote my last update. Many apologies! I don’t think there’s really been anything since the great Thumb Incident. You’ll be pleased to know that my thumb is completely healed. The doctor was very pleased with it. There is a thin scar, and you can see a few of the stitch marks, but it’s not particularly obtrusive. The feeling has all come back properly, which is amazing. Not only this, but the nail has re-grown perfectly. There was not even the bump or ridge that the doctor had expected there to be in the beginning. So.. yes, couldn’t be better! And the insurance came through for the entire amount, which is another big thing!

Tanya at Camp :)

The big thing in my life since the Thumb was the YOUTH CAMPS! I’m sure you all know that I’m really involved with the youth ministry here. I absolutely love it. Working with/for these kids is one of the biggest joys in my life. We have camps twice a year. When we had the April camp, I assisted with the organizing etc and learned a whole lot. Usually there are two camps, but in April we could only find one viable date so we had one big camp (about 220 people). In October we went back to two camps, and I oversaw most of the organising for it. There were two camps on consecutive weekends, with 120 and 160 people attending, respectively. It was a big job and I was thoroughly exhausted afterward, but it was a WONDERFUL experience, and I loved it. I’ll even attach a pic from camp for you. There were four team for games, each with their own team colour. I decided to be “unbiased” and not play favourites – by wearing every colour! So this is me at the high school camp with… well, you’ll get the idea ;)

The big news in my life right now is that I will be in Australia in FOUR WEEKS! (Three weeks and 6 days, but who’s counting anyway?) I arrive in Sydney on December 21 ^st, and go straight to my grandparents’ place for Christmas. I’ll arrive in Canberra on December 27^th, and will be around until first thing January 15^th. I’m getting really excited about it! It’s been so long since I was home – I didn’t really feel how long it had been until recently, with all this thinking about going home. A highlight of the trip will be my second time as a bridesmaid! My dress fabric and pattern is currently with a tailor here in Beijing to get made up. It’s going to be great!

Within two weeks of my return to Beijing, my sister Carla will arrive! She is travelling the world for a couple of months and will be in China for three weeks. Amanda and I are planning lots of shopping and pampering for our time together with Carla. Will be so much fun! I’m very much looking forward to having her here.

What else…? I’m still pretty much off the sugar. It’s kind of weird, to remember how much chocolate I used to eat, and how easy it is (relatively speaking) to ignore it now. I haven’t been trying to lose weight, but taking that much sugar out of my diet has had an effect – which is not altogether unwelcome! So I’m enjoying that.

Actually, I’m enjoying most things about my life at the moment. I’m working on my singing (not so much on technique, but on letting my “real” inside voice come out), I’m drawing and painting regularly after 5 or 6 years away from my art (I’m attaching a photo of one recent piece I really like), I’m running a small group and spending time with a bunch of the girls from youth (which gives me so much joy!), and I’m just generally in a good place. I actually like who I am, and how I look, and what I’m doing with my life. And that’s a good feeling.

Turquoise boots, and balcony sunshine :)

Ooh! So another exciting thing lately has been… shoes! Hehehe! Yeah, I know I have too many shoes, blahblah, but I love my boots :) I love buying shoes in China. My feet are fairly small and narrow by Australia standards, and I have trouble getting shoes that fit properly. Here I can pick up almost any shoe and it will fit nicely! That and the range of funky shoes combined with low prices means shoe heaven for Tani! I recently bought two pairs of boots that I am LOVING! Long black suede-ish boots with rhinestones up the sides, and mid-calf turquoise boots that can fold down into ankle boots with fancy stitching on them. I like them! I’ll even include pics of me wearing them :) My daddy insisted on seeing the purchases that excited me so much, so I had Manda take some pics for me – enjoy!

And on that note, I’ll finish up, I think! I hope that you’re all well, and I’d love to hear from you soon! If you’re going to be in Canberra or Sydney while I’m home, let me know so we can get together!

Love always

Tanya