Big Scary Binder...

Big scary binder is not so scary! It actually has TONS of useful information, is well-organized, and color-coded. Going through it meticulously was my super fun evening last night. It was also very exciting to receive a package, as it always is, no matter where you live...but, if you live in China, they are few and far between. It's way expensive to send them, and a bunch of trouble.

There was also a copy of There is no Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greene in the package. This was a lovely, unexpected surprise. I have heard so much about this book and had resigned myself to wait until the summer to find and read it, but my luck is better than that! Hurrah!

If anyone on Facebook reads this blog, here is the bus/snake story:

Dear Baby Girl,

There are some facts about China that I can't wait to teach you , and others that scare me to even think about. One of these involves dogs, which I will try my best to not have to tell you until we are long gone from this country. Another has to do with crossing the street. Someday far from now when you are 15, you will take Driver's Education (if we live in the USA). In this class, you will likely be very bored most of the time, but you will learn that the pedestrian always has the right-of-way. This is how it should be, since a person is more fragile and delicate than a big heavy car, or worse...a bus.

When crossing the street in China, there are blinking red and green men that tell when you should and should not cross the street. Usually, you would think that on green you can cross, and on red you cannot cross. This is not true in China. Here, you must check carefully both ways before crossing the street no matter what the color of the blinking man. Your mom made a terrible mistake the other day while jogging and crossing on a blinking green man signal. She was not careful enough, and a big bad bus almost ran into her. Not only that, but whereupon barely missing the big bad bus, a slimy stinky snake was slithering right towards her on the busy street! You may think I am making this up or exaggerating, but I am not. This is just the way here in China. Even in the city, you may encounter amphibious creatures out to attack helpless humans. Luckily, you mama is super speedy and agile and was able to leap over the snake with no time to spare. Whew!

You must promise me to exercise the utmost caution when crossing the street. Okay?

Love always,
Mama