Hawaii Five Ohh-

So I have decided that the best way to deal with the icy cold grey days is with a great set of "Hawaii Five OHHHH" print scrubs (thanks Vanessa), and snuggling a little baby- it's like having your own personal warmer only so much cuter!

Happy (Lunar) New Year January 23, 2012

 A time to celebrate...Brightly and Loudly!

We had so much fun, lighting, laughing, and running...Yes, we were staying safe what would you expect from doctors and nurses.  None of us wanted to have to use our professional skills-  We stayed up late and also enjoyed the incredible fireworks display going on with a 360* view from the roof top!

 Some time out in the cold at the New Year's Day Fair and Celebration at one of the local parks.

New Year's Eve- January 22, 2012

 It is once again time to prepare for and celebrate the Lunar Chinese New Year and here at the Big House we are in full swing.  The decorations have been hung, thousands of jiaozi have been rolled and are ready for eating. and now we wait for dark- which will mean time for fireworks here...though everyone else around us has already started.  I had to smile today as I looked out the window at our red lanterns and looked at the red decorations that framed each of the doors because I could not help but think of Passover.  Here in China the red around the door posts is meant to bring good luck and keep evil spirits away...There was another night long ago when it did just that, the blood on the door posts of the house of Israel kept The Angel of Death from entering and taking their first born as He passed through the land of Egypt.  What a reminder to each of us who have been bought with The Blood, who have the message painted on the door post of our lives that we are purchased at a great price.  Remember it next time you see the door posts of China...  

"What is your perfect snow day?"

 Recently a friend posed the question, "What is your perfect snow day?"  It got me thinking...I really enjoy the snow, maybe because I have only lived with it here in China where our city gets a lite dusting and everything looks beautiful until it turns into mushy muddy icy slush but that is NOT a snow day and I must admit that I still love snow days but for us here they are a little different- we are already at work, soooo.....

  I wake up to the flakes falling and pull on scrubs, they really are like cozy pajamas and since we wear them all the time it just makes sense to wear them today, a huge part of me longs to stay snuggled under those warm covers- but babies are calling!  I grab an ENORMOUS cup of coffee but today it will be special because there is snow and it feels like Christmas so I will add a packet of hot chocolate and sip away.  I will pray that the babies will be doing better this morning because I am just dying to sit and watch the snow fall- watch the world turn from drab grey and brown to powder sugar white.    This day is looking to be the perfect snow day because the power is staying on, the heat is working well, and the little ones seem pretty stable.  Then I will hear it, the shrill peels of laughter and squeals of voices from upstairs "Auntie Mariah will you come play in the snow with us?"  And who could resist little snow angels?!?  Not me...  The thing I love most about this snow play is that at the end when I am hearing, "My hands are cold, I can't feel my nose, I think it's running."  I hear Laura's voice calling to us- "Hot Chocolate time."  When we reach the 6th floor the most wonderful smell of fresh baked cookies greets us.  It is time to snuggle in read stories watch movies and once again check little ones.  All the time humming some good snow music..."Winter snow is falling down, children laughing all around, lights are turning on like a fairy tale come true."  We did still have the Christmas tree up and the twinkling lights made me feel like a little child waiting once again for Christmas. 

   As we enjoyed the warmth inside I just had to shake my head at one of the things I find most fascinating, funny, frigid, on our snow days here and that is the fact that no matter where we go we will see little children bundled up like giant marshmallows barely able to move their arms or legs with their little chapped cheeks bare- I will never understand this.  I just had to add a photo so you could get the picture.  This little guy was just carried inside for a visit to the green house before returning to the snow covered streets.  I thought a picture was worth a thousand snow day words and this one may make you smile... 







PS- Someday I want to do a snow day in a cabin up in the mountains where I can sit by a huge fireplace with its roaring blaze and sip my chocolate, snuggle in a quilt, watch movies, work a puzzle, and just savor the delight of it all...  But for now I will enjoy simply having snow.  "Auntie Mariah can you take us out again?"

Family, Friends, and Funny Faces

 During my time at home there was just never enough of the family and friend time... I was was richly gifted by time with people that I love and who love me.  Grandma Bywater was even able to fly out from California for a few weeks... "Look at those Bywater's"

And Cousins from California and Florida came up to have some party time as well!

Merry Christmas- 2011

Merry Christmas from our Family!

Janessa Danae Yu Yan Bywater

"For this Child I prayed"

December 17, 2011

December 17, 2011

Dear Ones,

   Merry Christmas!  As I sat snuggled up in the rocking chair at home this morning, wrapped up in a quilt and sipping a very good cup of coffee.  I began contemplating the ornaments that hung glittering and sparkling in the twinkling lights of our Christmas tree.  I thought about how pretty they were and how many memories each of them holds, each one could tell a story. You may have already guessed it but in case you hadn’t our family Christmas tree is not one of those designer ones that you see in the magazines it is exactly what it says it is, a family tree.  As I thought about the memories and the meaning of our tree I began to reflect over a couple other trees that have caught my attention in the past several weeks. 

I was in the Old City of Luoyang enjoying a walk down the street, it is one of those places that I enjoy strolling along and just looking.  On this particular day in one of the shops there was a beautiful artificial Christmas tree trimmed with lights and red ornaments.  Christmas trees are not a common thing to see so I stopped to simply look at it.  The young lady in the shop stopped to talk with me and I commented how beautiful the tree was, she smiled and said "Yes, the company sent it and said to put it up." She then said, "Can I please ask a question?  When do I take it down? They told us to put it up for some holiday but they didn't tell us when to take it down."  We discussed dates and the timing of Christmas and touched a bit on the reason behind the decoration, but as I left I found myself praying for this young woman. 

Then there was the massive tree in the lobby of the Beijing hotel our family stayed at.  I stood at the reception desk waiting for my paperwork and overhearing the conversation of a father and son who stood next to me.  The conversation was in English which always catches my attention and the son who was about 9-10 years old was asking what the tree was for.  His father replied, "That's a Christmas tree." The young boy then asked, "What's that?" The answer was quick and simple, "It's some kind of American holiday thing."   Then they were gone strolling out the lobby doors onto the street where they were swallowed in the moving stream of humanity and all I could think of was, “How can this be possible, how can the only response to, ‘What is a Christmas tree?’ be that it is some kind of American holiday.”  It is not an American holiday it is the birth of the Savior of the World!  And I remembered Matthew 9:36 “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” 

The shepherds of Bethlehem would have understood this, they would have known the implications of sheep left on their own.  Maybe that was the reason that God sent the angels to announce the birth of His Son to them or was it simply because they were open and available to listen to the “Good News of Great Joy.”

And then I could not help but think of another family Christmas tree, the  one we recently put up in the lobby of the Big House, the one that is covered with tinsel, lights, and ornaments bearing the photos of so many precious children.  It is like a beacon of Hope shining a different light, the light of the Savior through the eyes of little children.  The staff looks at it and they discuss the children, they talk about the ones who are still here, the ones who are in heaven this Christmas and the ones that are no longer in our care.  They talk of the tree and they ask the meaning behind it all, what a gift to share with them.

Isaiah 9:2

The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.

Christmas trees, they are all around us and we ooohhh and aaahhhh over them.  But when was the last time you really stopped and contemplated them? Contemplated the wonder of a Savoir who came to seek and save that which was lost?  Do we cry at the thought of a world that thinks Christmas trees are just some American thing?  I hope that as Christmas comes this year each Christmas tree you see will remind you of the wonder of a tiny baby who was born to save the world and the awesome responsibility we have to share the glorious news of that salvation with a world that is dying to know Him.

With love for you this Christmas,

Mariah

Brother Time-

December 2, 2011- Dad, Mom, Melissa, and Janessa left for the airport at 3:45am.  Jacob and I had to wait until 2:00pm to leave for our flight and so we took some good sibling time... a walk in the new falling snow, and a stop at Starbucks for Peppermint Mocha to start the Christmas season off right.

 When we all finally arrived home the Mayo's had decorated the house with signs and balloons welcoming us home, and most importantly welcoming our "New Baby Bywater!!!" 

Beijing Time for the Bywaters....

 November 30-December 1, 2011


    The Great Wall- It was so exciting, almost like seeing for the first time through new eyes as I was able to share the experience with my family...For those of you who did not know it this was Mom, Dad, and Jacob's first time out of the States.  It was so incredible to be part of sharing this new adventure with them.

 The Summer Palace was beautiful though as bit chilly and Janessa only woke up when we told her it was time to dress up like a princess!

Jacob and Janessa spent lots of time discussing the Christmas Cabin with the smoke coming from the chimney that stood with the other Christmas decorations in the lobby of our hotel.