Some of my favorite people

It probably won't surprise you for me to say that living overseas can sometimes be somewhat of a lonely endeavor.  An ocean away from family & friends where only the daring will attempt an international call.  Yes, our Chinese friends hold a near & dear place in our hearts, but there really is something to a shared culture and language that makes a relationship a bit easier.  

That's why our relationships with the other American families with whom we share life here are extremely precious.  And that's why it's also really tough to say goodbye when people head back to the States for a little (or a long!) while.  Take the Morello family, for example, who left on Monday to spend the next year in the US.  With them, I always know that I will have...

Someone to tell me I'm crazy for even considering buying a white couch in China

Someone who will go so far to convince me that "butt dust" is a word, that they'll add it to their phone's Chinese dictionary and forever leave "pi gu chen tu" seared in my brain (it's not a word, by the way, in case you weren't sure)

Someone who will subject herself to a Chinese hair salon just to make my rough day a bit better

Someone who will risk saying the hard things because it's for my good

Someone who patiently re-explains recipes when I call her in tears because I accidentally made scrambled egg brownies ten minutes before my party is supposed to start

Someone who shares my dislike of Chinese food but makes life here work nonetheless 

Someone who prays for & loves my boys as much as I do

Someone who laughs from that deep pit of your belly where all contagious laughter originates

Someone who constantly reminds me of the sovereign love & care of our great God

Someone who gives an amazing example of all how to love & honor her husband

Someone who makes use proud to be called Uncle Kev & Aunt Beck

Someone who is just as bummed as I am that Sami & Micah didn't come home with us when we went to Africa last April

Someone who always pops their eager head into my kitchen while I'm cooking dinner and asks if there is anything they can do to help

Someone who justifies my mistake of purchasing a bright yellow chaise chair by arguing at every sleepover who gets to sleep on the "highlighter" first

Someone who wants to know why Uncle Kevin's twin brother doesn't live here in China because they can't fathom why you would ever want to be away from your twin

Someone who makes me cards for any occasion that always read "U R the Best"

Someone (or someones I should more specifically say!) who have made the past two and a half years living in China a blessing & a joy