One of the most fun things about having a sister-in-law from another
country, is being able to experience normal things in a whole new way. She sees the world much differently than we do; even the smallest flowers are worthy of
being photographed.
Lele moved here from China last November when her, and my oldest brother
Matthew got married. We've absolutely loved having her join our crazy
family. The best thing about Lele is that she fits in, and holds her
own in the midst of all of our antics. The province she's from is far from any ocean, which means she had never been to a beach before! Since we're blessed to only live about an hour from the shore, we were able to go for an afternoon. So this past Sunday my mom, Matt, my best friend Sam, and I took Lele to the beach for the first time!
(She was SO excited to finally be going!)
(She had to taste the ocean water) (Life guard doing his job)
(Matt leading Lele to the water against her will)
(Sam is as close to family as a friend can get, so she had to be there)
(Here's proof that I was there too! The saddest part is I didn't even get a little tan)
(She kept saying, "The water tastes like fish!" and "Look, garbage!")
(Matt, Lele, and my mom)
(Lele wanted a jumping picture, but they couldn't get the timing quite right.)
It was a fairly successful day. She was absolutely terrified of the ocean, but we're hopeful that over time we'll be able to help her with her fears of water. We have a ton of fun introducing her to new experiences. It's also such a blessing to be able to learn about her culture as well. She cooks us meals, and is teaching me how to speak Chinese! We wouldn't trade her for the world. God really blessed our home when He brought her into our lives.
My mom and I are flying out for Jinan, China this Thursday! Lele has been extremely helpful in getting us prepared for the culture, and what to expect. I'm looking forward to updating everyone when I get back in three weeks! Prayers would be MUCH appreciated.
