I woke this morning to find a layer of wet, white snow on everything. Last night’s rain turned to snow around 11pm as the temperature dropped. Gotta love snow after a week of warm weather (warm meaning tops of 12 or so several days in a row). The drive to church was so pretty! The wet snow clumped more than dry snow would, so the stands of trees beside the expressway were completely outlined in white – it was lovely!

Life continues to be busy, but productive and fulfilling and generally wonderful. I hardly see my flatmates, and I’m having trouble fitting my singing lessons in, and my diet is entirely too rich in chocolate, BUT I’m loving (almost all) of it.

birthday fun at school :)

It is very fun being at IAB all day (although it’s hard to remember that at 7am). I really do love those kids. Youth group has been amazing lately, too. This week was a new record attendance at Rev, our high school group (grades 9-12). There’s been a few broken attendance records this semester but this week we ran out of chairs! There were 54 people that night, and a total of 69 students this week from grade 6-12 (plus leaders). Amazing things are happening – it’s exciting to be a part of it.

The Psalms study I’ve been leading on Sundays is nearly finished. The kids want to keep meeting which is great. Problem is that there’s Easter then Youth Conference then I’m in Australia for four weeks – so I’m going to set them up with materials they can use for a peer-led group (or invite someone else to come in) and I’ll rejoin them when I get back. It’s good to remember how much I enjoy teaching and discussing the Bible with youth. I’ve started writing a study of the book of Ephesians to run over the summer. Lots of fun :)

I’ll be in Australia from April 17-May 9, then a few days in Singapore before returning to Beijing on the 13th. My grandparents are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary and I will see them, aunts/uncles/cousins and my sisters for the first time since August 2010. Then my family will be coming here to visit in July – we’ll have a belated 30th birthday party for me and do some travel together.

So there’s a lot happening, a lot of plans being made, and a lot of work to be done! Good thing I love what I do :)