Spider Rings

My friend Laura, sent me a care package last week. And among other wonderful things (like candy corn, stickers, and leaves from home) there were spider rings!

 I wasn't sure how the kids would react to them at first as for some reason they really don't like bugs. I mean, come on.... my preschool class is currently all boys! Don't most boys like bugs?

 Well let me tell you... they sure LOVE these rings! I have kept them in the preschool room and they only get to wear them during class time. I will catch them occasionally just gazing at their spider rings.... it's too cute.

 Nope, not scared one bit. I even made a big spider out of paper and they were a little unsure at first until I had the spider start bringing them treats. Now they say, "thank you, Spider!"

 Spider rings unite!

Thank you, Laura! The kids love them!

Thank You!

Thank you, thank you, to those of you who have been praying with me for my Chinese visa to be renewed and processed successfully.

As many of you know, I hit a few roadblocks a few weeks back with China changing some of their requirements in the last year and me needing more documentation. After many emails back and forth with my contacts in China, I finally received the proper documentation (so I thought) and sent my application package off to the visa company.

Once it arrived, I was contacted about changing a few things which once again, took a bit of time.

More emails were sent between me and contacts in China until finally, I once again had the correct documentation.

This time it was correct (thank goodness!). 

But then the waiting began.

Throw in a Chinese holiday to push my paperwork back even farther until finally, I received an email Monday evening with the wonderful words that  my visa was processed and had been sent  to me and was  scheduled to arrive the next day.

Most days I am home while my parents are at work, but that day I happened to be gone and of course, just missed the Fed Ex guy.

Apparently I needed to sign for my package and they were not able to leave it.

So.... the waiting began AGAIN.

Are you noticing a pattern here? 

Think God is trying to teach me something?

One detail I forgot to mention was that when they emailed me that my visa was done, they did not tell me WHAT I was issued. I was assuming I had received what I'd requested but you never know! So until I had my passport in my hands and opened it, I had no idea how long China was allowing me to stay in their country. 

To make a long story short, finally yesterday I received that precious package.

Opened it up and what did I get?

Well that's not important. ;-) 

Just kidding... I was issued the visa I had requested. 

What did I learn in all of this?

That there really was no need to get stressed and anxious about all of this because if God wanted me in China (which He clearly does), then He would provide the correct travel documents that I needed in order to do that. 

Through all of this, I was reminded of a well known verse from the book of John:

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? (Matthew 6:26-27)

Thank you, THANK YOU!

Thank you so much for the INCREDIBLE response to my request for children's CD's and DVD's!

You all are amazing!

Since I am not sure how much room I will actually have in my luggage, I am all set on DVD's and CD's now.

Those of you who have already contacted me, I would still love those but no more new requests.

Thanks! I am already thinking of things that I will need in the preschool once I get back and will ask again if anyone wants to send anything over.