Dragon Boat Thoughts

   It is important that we learn from one another... I personally learn a great deal from my children.  I see their motives and realize that they mirror my own far more often than I would like... and then sometimes their motives are so pure and simple that they put me to shame and I realize how far I have to go to being like a child before the Father.  This week the kids have been challenged by mosquitoes and by wounded hamsters.  There have been many tears and much wailing! 
  Today we were watching some live cams for various animals.  Fascinating!  What touched me most was while watching http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/jellyfish-cam Sarah suddenly exclaimed "God is so amazing!  They are so gross and God is so creative."  I love hearing the kids' perspectives and that God can make something that to her seems gross but that makes her in awe of His creativity.  I had to respond with an Amen! to both thoughts!
  It is Dragon Boat Festival time... vendors line the streets with charm bracelets of 5 colors... braided, knotted, bells, all types of charms... favorites are fish (good luck) and money pots (success).  The course is laid out for the Dragon Boat races.  The Dragon Boats have been practicing on the river. The Zongzi is in every home. When we were further south Dragon Boat Festival did not seem to be very important.  But up north it is a big deal so we are learning new things.  http://www.lostlaowai.com/china-info/chinese-culture/holidays/dragon-boat-festival-duanwu-jie-explained  Try this link to see some Dragon Boat info if you'd like.  The beginnings are very sad... amazing how something so sad can now be a fun holiday.  And the saddest part is that someone's protest ending as it did could be seen as the ultimate in patriotic behavior.  I just read a book on Nathan Hale.  Both lives were cut short for their country's sake but what a difference!
  Just in case anyone was holding their breath... the wardrobe has been successfully built and is now in use! Yeah!  AND today some visitors came through and brought me... drum roll, please... my first Kindle!! I am so excited to see how it works and to make an effort at reducing the amount of books that homeschooling seems to add every year to our home! 
  I will be making an effort to add photos soon!