Caroline and the art of Zen

We met an amazing woman yesterday from England. She has a 12 year old adopted daughter from China who decided she would like to live in China, so they picked up and moved! They live here in Xian and Caroline teaches English. Cost of living here is much less than in Beijing. For example we fed 8 people at the restaurant for about 10 dollars. Caroline prefers to travel from England to China by train--the Mongolian transcontinental. The ride is about 10 days long and takes a person through China, Mongolia (which she loves) on to Russia and finally through Europe. Caroline likes the hard sleepers which are like big bunk rooms. She says you meet the most interesting people that way. I could tell she was fascinated by Andrea and I and our 11 kids and could not wrap her mind around how we fill the needs of that many children. I don't think she can understand the idea of a family and how other members of families can fill needs as well as, if not better than, the Mom.

Yesterday Tony, Cooper and Lily accompanied Naomi to the Home Depot for a few supplies. They got teak mats for the bathtub, magic erasers, soap dispensers and chips ahoy cookies. Tony loved the experience. Andrea and I spent the time cleaning the storage room and holding babies. The babies are so attached to their nannies, so well cared for. The kids all run around the house, just like at my home. At 4:00, if Chloe wears her glasses, they all get a boiled egg. They love it. Naomi is quite strict about treats, but it is a good thing, just like what a real mom does. She doesn't allow the, a bunch of processed foods.

Tony spent the evening having philosophical and spiritual discussions with a man who lives at the nursing home next door. He speaks beautiful English but is paralyzed as a result of a head injury. His name is Joseph.

Yesterday Wilson and Eli spent a good chunk of the day practicing Chinese with their homemade flash cards. I told Wilson if he would get good grades we would send him to Chinese camp at BYU. Whatever it takes.

Our breakfast situation has been a little dire. We bought some drinkable yogurts that gagged all of us except Wilson. Eli said they were both edible and drinkable which makes them "dread able" .

Today is our last day in Xian. We are going to go with our new friends this afternoon to the Muslim quarter for dinner and to see the city center. Our experience has been amazing. I am reminded over and over of how much bigger the world is than my little worries at home. I am also reminded over and over that happiness comes from living the gospel, and that good people everywhere are searching hard for something I have.


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