Scooter Rides, Sick, and Classes Starting

Well I'm surrounded by a pile of soggy snotty tissues, my nose is completely raw, I've exhausted all my patience waiting for Hulu and Youtube to load on this slow-boat internet, i don't feel like getting off this couch anytime soon - seems like a perfect time to update the blog.

I don't know why I haven't updated in so long, I guess we have just had a couple of busy weeks full of babysitting, playing, and soaking up the last weeks until classes start again. My sinus congestion is not only clouding my breathing but also my creativity so I'll just keep this straightforward:

- This is a picture of us on our scooter that we love so much. :) It makes us both smile just to ride it together. However, I'm not usually smiling when I'm having anxiety attacks about it being stolen or heaving the 40 lb. battery up and down from our apartment. All that aside, we love that thing.

- Did I mention I'm sick? I have been sick (at least) once a month since we came to Beijing and I don't know what the deal is. Chinese super-germs? I think so. I came down with a cold this last week and it's a beast. Maybe I'm just a wimp, but colds do me in! I have had six healthy weeks of vacation and of course this week, when my classes start again on Tuesday, I'm this sick. Awesome timing. Good news is I am blessed with a wonderfully sweet husband and amazing friends. Today A made food, Jess brought over medicine (cause our in-home-American pharmacy is about out), and tomorrow Ash is bringing soup. I do feel really blessed and am so grateful to have such wonderful people around me.

- Karaoke! Karaoke is huge in China but neither of us have ever gone to do it before. It's different from the typical karaoke atmosphere in the states, in that you are in a private room with your group rather than an open club/stage/area. Going in we were thinking the odds were already against us - white, American, sober, Mormons - but turns out, we were all pretty good and had a riot! Couple of the Putnam's hits from the night: Airplanes - B.O.B., Grillz - Nelly, Halo - Beyonce, and Somewhere Out There - Our Lady Peace. We had a total blast and will definitely go to do it again soon.

- Babysitting. I'm not joking when I say that we really do love it. A and I love being around kids and have enjoyed getting to tend quite a few kids lately. Most recently, we spent the last four days with 5 kids and had a total blast. They are in the other LDS branch here in Beijing so we didn't know them before, but they were looking for sitters and since we were both home last week we decided to do it. We mostly took care of the youngest two girls (5 and 8 years old) and loved every minute of it. They live in an amazing home near the airport in an area that's known for it's foreign accommodations and lifestyle.  Kids were great, home was beautiful, bed was SO comfortable, and the food...oh the food. We've only been home for 24 hours and already miss those two sweet little girls.

- A's work. So due to some foreigner visa restrictions we're dealing with, A is currently not going in to HP for work on a daily basis anymore. Yes, a bummer. There is a law in Beijing that all foreigners must have 2 years working experience after their bachelors degree before they can obtain a working visa here (a law specific to Beijing, not all of China). Well, he graduated with his bachelors in May of 2010 so he still has 2-3 months to go until he meets that requirement. In a way it's our fault for choosing Beijing over other cities, but it's what we decided and we still feel good about it. HP still wants him, the offer is still on the table, but they and we decided that it would be better for all of us if he doesn't come in again until that visa goes through. So we're keeping our fingers crossed and prayers said for May and hoping that it all ends up working out like we want it to. In the meantime A is going to register for some Chinese language courses here at BIT (the university we live at). It'll feel like language boot camp - 20 hours of intensive courses per week - but it will be really good for him.

Well I think that's about all I got. Again, my classes start on Tuesday and A's will begin next Monday. We're just hoping we can make it through these next couple stressful months - and hey, how busy we will be will only make the time go faster until we get to come home to visit in the summer!

With the day on Youtube I've had, just thought I'd share one of my most recent favs. I like Kristen Bell but I love her after watching this. I can totally relate to what she's saying about her emotional scale - anything outside a 3-7 and I'm a basketcase too...

Have a great week!