Well it’s nearly D day…departure day…and I am finally feeling like I am ready! This will be my last post from home…without Matt. I’m really looking forward to posting from China WITH Matt, and then when we get home as well. Thank goodness this time apart is nearly over!!!
Yesterday, I took the day off to do some yard work with my friend Gina. We spent all day working on stuff at her place, then working on stuff at mine. She helped me put in downspouts, transplant stuff from her place, and mulch, mulch, mulch my new front flower bed. It was a busy day and we were dead tired at the end…but it really felt good to get it done, and to have some help. My friend Jami also helped clean up when we were done and we all hung out together, eating Chinese food and watching a movie…until we all three started falling asleep. This morning I finished mulching (after yet another trip to Menard’s) the front bed, and will work on adding more mulch around the house when we get back.
It feels so good to know that I can leave and the front is all done though, and can easily be watered while I’m gone. Lucky me – it rained yesterday and today…so no watering! 
YAHOO! It’s also supposed to rain Sunday and Monday so I’m hoping that we won’t have to worry about anyone watering the lawn those days either! I can’t tell you what a joy it was waking up to the sound of rain and knowing that I wouldn’t have to schlep around the yard in my PJs!! 
Today I’ve been getting caught up on the laundry, dishes, etc…and getting all packed for tomorrow. I fly out around 10:00 AM…and get to Beijing around 3:00 Monday afternoon (China time)…that will be about 2:00 AM Iowa time. From there I will be driven to Tianjin…and we should hopefully get there around 6:00 PM China time (5:00 AM Iowa time). So, my body will be TIRED by the time I burst into Matt’s room…but I’m sure that the excitement of finally being reunited will be enough to perk me up!!! Matt and I have been talking on the phone nearly every night this week…which has been fun and helped a lot getting through these last few days apart. I’ve been teasing him about the foo-man-choo he’s got going on right now. Apparently, he decided to change things up a bit (he’s always liked to mess with his facial hair) and he shaved the middle part of his goatee. He said ‘when in Rome’…but I said no, no, no…it’s gotta go! So I’ll be interested to see what’s in store for me when I arrive! I’m just hoping he didn’t shave everything but a mustache…which would be even worse! He’s done that before and it wasn’t pretty…he just looked weird. Like a Super Trooper…or one of those ‘Da Bears’ guys from the Saturday Night Live skit. Just didn’t look like the Matt I’m used to seeing. Of course, he gets a kick out of getting a rise out of me…so we’ll see what he does now!
Right now I’m just trying not to stress too much about the trip, the long flights, the cramped quarters, the language barriers…and just focus on the wonderful reward waiting for me at the end. I’m happy to endure all the blecky-ness of the trip, half way across the world to get to my Matt…and then knowing that the trip back, I can spend talking to Matt and resting my head on his shoulder. Yeah – it’s worth it!
Yesterday, I took the day off to do some yard work with my friend Gina. We spent all day working on stuff at her place, then working on stuff at mine. She helped me put in downspouts, transplant stuff from her place, and mulch, mulch, mulch my new front flower bed. It was a busy day and we were dead tired at the end…but it really felt good to get it done, and to have some help. My friend Jami also helped clean up when we were done and we all hung out together, eating Chinese food and watching a movie…until we all three started falling asleep. This morning I finished mulching (after yet another trip to Menard’s) the front bed, and will work on adding more mulch around the house when we get back.
It feels so good to know that I can leave and the front is all done though, and can easily be watered while I’m gone. Lucky me – it rained yesterday and today…so no watering! 
YAHOO! It’s also supposed to rain Sunday and Monday so I’m hoping that we won’t have to worry about anyone watering the lawn those days either! I can’t tell you what a joy it was waking up to the sound of rain and knowing that I wouldn’t have to schlep around the yard in my PJs!! 
Today I’ve been getting caught up on the laundry, dishes, etc…and getting all packed for tomorrow. I fly out around 10:00 AM…and get to Beijing around 3:00 Monday afternoon (China time)…that will be about 2:00 AM Iowa time. From there I will be driven to Tianjin…and we should hopefully get there around 6:00 PM China time (5:00 AM Iowa time). So, my body will be TIRED by the time I burst into Matt’s room…but I’m sure that the excitement of finally being reunited will be enough to perk me up!!! Matt and I have been talking on the phone nearly every night this week…which has been fun and helped a lot getting through these last few days apart. I’ve been teasing him about the foo-man-choo he’s got going on right now. Apparently, he decided to change things up a bit (he’s always liked to mess with his facial hair) and he shaved the middle part of his goatee. He said ‘when in Rome’…but I said no, no, no…it’s gotta go! So I’ll be interested to see what’s in store for me when I arrive! I’m just hoping he didn’t shave everything but a mustache…which would be even worse! He’s done that before and it wasn’t pretty…he just looked weird. Like a Super Trooper…or one of those ‘Da Bears’ guys from the Saturday Night Live skit. Just didn’t look like the Matt I’m used to seeing. Of course, he gets a kick out of getting a rise out of me…so we’ll see what he does now!
Right now I’m just trying not to stress too much about the trip, the long flights, the cramped quarters, the language barriers…and just focus on the wonderful reward waiting for me at the end. I’m happy to endure all the blecky-ness of the trip, half way across the world to get to my Matt…and then knowing that the trip back, I can spend talking to Matt and resting my head on his shoulder. Yeah – it’s worth it!
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