To My Daddy...

Dear Dad,

How do I even find the words to express how much I love you? There really aren't words and so I shouldn't even try, but I will. 

Thank you for always being there for me. For loving me, pushing me, and always believing in me. When life gets rough, you are always there to listen to my problems, calm my fears, and encourage me. Most importantly, I know you are are praying for me each and every day. You love me enough to let me move to the other side of the world because you knew that was what the Lord placed on my heart. And you continue to encourage me through this crazy journey I have been on since. 

You inspire me to trust God in everything. In the joys as well as the struggles. You are a father figure to many. To your students, swimmers, and baseball players, just to name a few. I am just the blessed one who gets to call you "Daddy." You show Jesus through your actions and through the way you listen and love unconditionally. You never give up on me no matter what a mess I make of things, and for that I want to say, thank you.  

I have always been a "daddy's girl" and I know I always will be. I just have to share that role with Kiah now. : ) Thank you for just being you and loving me for me. I just pray that my future husband will be just like you. I can't wait until one day when I'll actually get celebrate Father's Day with you. 

Love Always,

Your "baby doll," Anneli

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Trusting in the Midst of Uncertainty

There goes my plan to blog more while home.

I appear to have abandoned this blog lately. 

Often times while in China people ask me who I have so much time to blog.

Well, when your family and most of your friends are 7,000 miles away, it's pretty easy to find time to blog and journal!

Both of those have been put on the back burner since being in the states.

My time at home has been so very, very good. 

I went on vacation with my family to South Carolina, and this past week has been spent putting support letters together as well as seeing several good friends.

This week's plan was to get my visa application done and submitted. 

Past years the visa has been pretty simple. Fill out the application, get a passport picture taken, then send it all plus my passport and money to the Visa company and I get my passport back within 10 days with my Visa stamp in it.

It's been over a year since I've applied for a Chinese Visa (mine was good for about 15 months) and China has changed a few of their requirements.

Let's just say that I have all of a sudden found myself in the midst of uncertainty. 

I'm pretty sure China will issue me a visa but for how long? 

Now that is the question. 

Last night I took my eye off of my Father. 

I started looking at my circumstances and fretting about the "what if's."

"What if my visa doesn't come before I'm supposed to leave on May 22nd?!"

"What if China doesn't issue another 12 month visa?"

"What if they don't issue me a visa at all?"

"What if I have to change my return ticket because I don't have my Visa yet?"

So many questions and worries that began to overwhelm my heart.

After a night spent sending emails and just waiting to hear back from my contacts in China, I felt God speak quietly to my heart:

"What about me? Why are you not taking this situation to me? I healed Treasure, do you not trust me enough that I can provide something as easy as a Visa?"

Hmmm.... good question, God. 

Why did I start feeling anxious automatically to the point of being in tears?

Why DIDN'T I take this to Him from the very beginning?

Well because I am on this journey of faith and trust just like the rest of you.

I often get the impression from people that because I moved to the other side of the world for an indefinite amount of time, that I somehow "have it all together."

No, that is not the case, friends.

I struggle with faith and trust just like the rest of you. 

And just like the rest of you, God has to remind me over and over again that He IS in control.

I feel very confident that God has called me to China for another year.

And even though there may be a few more hoops to jump through, He will see me through.

Will you pray with me?

Pray that I will get all of the correct documents and paperwork I need for my Visa to be approved?

And that it will all happen BEFORE May 22nd when I am scheduled to fly back.

A dear friend reminded me of a verse from Ephesians this morning and has been my "theme verse" on this journey the Lord has me on:

"Now to Him who is ABLE to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us."

Ephesians 3:20

Wordless Wednesday

Sunday Snapshot: Fun in the Ocean

I have quite the "fish" for a sister.

And possibly part polar bear?

You'd never know the girl is originally from SOUTHERN China by the way she is.

She rarely gets cold.

EVER.

This week was proof of that....

Hmm.... perhaps they were "cold?"

No... probably just running for fun!

There she is.... back in the water.

Out of the 16 years my family has gone to South Caroline over spring break (I have missed several of those years), this was by far, the coldest we have experienced.

I think it hit 70 once or twice. 

It was cool, and cloudy several of the days.

And this has just been a cold "spring" in general all over the US.

Which means that the ocean had to be F.R.E.E.Z.I.N.G.

Did that stop little miss?

Absolutely not!

There she is... body boarding away with her friends!

I laugh at how much she is like her older brother, Cael.

Never cold.

And how much she is like us. 

Loving the water.

She was in for several hours... soaking up the sun and waves.

With her friends.... have I mentioned how social she is?

There she goes... out again!

Scoping out the situation.

Doesn't she look like she is loving life right now?

And again!

Enjoying the waves.

Good run!

Our little "bathing beauty."

When she was done, we asked her "wasn't it cold?!"

She just smiled and replied, "not once you were numb!"

Touche Kiah... touche. 

nihaoyall.com

Disconnected

I am sorry that I dropped off the face of the blogging world since I've been in the states.

Honestly, I'm all confused.

I know, I know, for those of you who actually know me know that this is NOT uncommon!

I have only been back in the US for 2 weeks, yet it feels like I've been back much longer.

Maybe it's the fact that after being home a week, I traveled down south with my family for vacation.

Or maybe it's just that jet lag confuses you altogether. 

Being home has been great.

People wonder how the adjustment is to life back in the states.

The first few days were a bit tough. 

Going to the store with so many options, understanding the language being spoken around me, and just trying to become acclimated to the right time zone.

Now though, I feel like I never left.

Which is good but makes me sad as well.

It's so easy to jump back into life in the states. 

This week has been good. 

Been good to spend time with my family. 

Been good to just relax, read, and not worry about what I have to do.

Come next week I'll jump into support raising but for now I'm just relaxing.

I feel like in my short time home, several things have been made clear to me.

God is confirming what I have been feeling in my heart. 

And confirmation is always good. 

We head back home on Saturday.

Once I'm back, I'll try to hop back on the "blogging band wagon."

But for now, I've enjoyed being disconnected. 

It's a good thing to be from time to time.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy (belated) Easter!

I know, I know, I'm a few days late. 

But with Church, beach, pool time, hot tub, dinner, etc, I have been too tired to upload, edit pictures, and write a post.

And then our internet here has been a bit sketchy lately (sounds like China right?). 

And basically, I've been on vacation from the internet was well which is fine with me for a week!

Anyways... here is a short recap from Easter 2013. 

My family has been coming to Myrtle Beach for 16 years straight.

All of my brothers have played high school baseball down here and since I have 5 brothers well.... that makes quite a few visits down south for this family! 

Several years ago we found our "Myrtle Beach Church" and that is where we spend whatever Sunday we happen to be here. 

This year it fell on Easter Sunday.

After a wonderful Easter service, we stopped for some Krispy Kreams. 

Delicious....

Isn't the Easter egg doughnut adorable?! 

Kiah obviously enjoyed it...

What would a trip to Krispy Kreams be without our "official hats?"

Oh yeah... and a stop at Dunkin Donuts for a vanilla latte (my birthday coupon) and a pumpkin muffin.

I promise... I didn't JUST eat on Easter.

Even though the weather hasn't been the best down here, I just love the ocean.

Had our annual jelly bean hunt. 

Not too many more of those left I'm afraid as Kiah is starting to get "too cool" for things like that.

And what would Easter be without "Peeps" or "marshmallow Bunnies?"

As far as candy is concerned, I definitely chose the right holiday to be in the US.

I have missed those palm trees. 

Living in southern China has spoiled. me.

Being down here has been so wonderful.

Spent time with family, friends, and just relaxing.

God has been speaking to my heart a lot and given me clarity and peace about several things.

ThoseI will share later I'm sure, when the time is right.

Only a few more days and then heading back to the "snowy north."

Supposedly things are supposed to warm up there next week and spring may actually arrive.

I sure hope so!

I pray you all had a wonderful and blessed Easter.

Vacation

Trading in this...

... for THIS!

Safely arrived in South Carolina with the family.

Going to soak up some sun and baseball this week. 

Great way to spend Spring break with the family!

On the Beach

Two months from today I will be on the beach. 

Soaking up the sun.

Relaxing in an outdoor hot tub overlooking the Atlantic ocean.....

*sigh*

Oh I can't wait!

One of the reasons that I decided to go home when I am is so that I can join my family on their vacation to South Carolina over Easter break.

I haven't been since 2009! 

We have gone to Myrtle Beach every year since I was in 8th grade but it has been 4 years since I have been able to go. 

2010 I was in China, 2011, I was working, and 2012 I was in China.

But this year I can go!

My "beach bum" sister in 2009.

My brother's high school baseball team plays in a tournament down there very year which is why we go.

We have both changed quiet a bit since this picture!

I was 23 then and Kiah was 8!

It screams "relaxing" to me. 

Can't wait to spend a week with my family on the beach!