Our washing machine sings......

JINGLE BELLS... Seriously just listen......

Our giant BUDDAH

This guy is outside our front room window... He is huge!!!!

our apartment..... pics

This is a lovely apartment, the counters are backbreathingly short for American's and the fridge is for midgets but we will do just fine as you can see.... Rick call's it our dance floor and it is big enough for two or three couples to dance.

We are NOT missionaries, but teachers of English

My good friends.... Tomorrow morning we fly to China. We are not going as missionaries, but as teachers of ENGLISH, we are not ashamed of our testimonies but to further the oral teaching of the gospel would only bring difficulty for BYU to send teachers to China. Teachers who will bring the light of the gospel in their eyes and in their actions. Of which we have the priviledge to do as part of this teaching experience. Our of respect, yes respect!!!! to the current Chinese government we WILL obey the laws of the country of which we will reside and provide a service to for the next year. We are excited to serve, we love our family more than anything else in this earth life, we expect to have a marvelous experience and will share it with you through this blog device. Yes our email is the same, and of course we will be starving for news from your lives.. our love,

Chinese going away party

Our wonderful children threw us a going away party. It was so fun!!!! CHinese food, hats, games and the tenderest gift of two songs by our grandchildren which turned Ella-Rene into jello. In fact, just to think of it turns me into jello and tears still. I didn't get pic's of everyone but here are at least some

Silk Road Trip

is scheduled in October...... This is the terra cotta soldiers plus .... I am excited and hope to take tons of pictures. While my pictures are as cute as the grandchildren photos on the various blogs (even outdated blogs hint!) it will be fun to share our adventure. We still don't have a lot of answer, and in fact I am expecting to not have answers for a while longer about what we teach and how many and stuff. That is why a blog will be so much fun. Will we miss you??? of course, but we will have a great learning experience and be home soon. A year is such a short time. I don't know blog etiquette, Perhaps I am rambling, but I just don't know quite what to do with myself. This photo is of Tam getting thrown as part of her ORANGE belt jujitsu advancement.

Uncle Joe and Ginny

enter the mission home tomorrow August 18th. Today we attended their Sacrament meeting with Rick's other siblings and enjoyed the emotions of leaving family and yet recognizing the service to fill a mission. Rick and I are excited for them at the same time reliving our own mission adventure as they talked. We are proud of you Elder and Sister Cannon

Pic's from the internet

Only 7 more days

and we will be one our way to Ji'nan, China The BYU required 100 hours of training was intense and fruitful. I can't say that I am an better at my own written English but I have a lot of ideas on how to teach oral English and some limited written English. We are excited and anticipate that we will grow and adapt. Currently we are in Sean's former apartment for the remaining 7 days. I have a laptop with Skype on it but no monetary value with which to make phone calls. Hopefully tomorrow I have Instant Messenger loaded, but that doesn't work with Mac's in time we will work that issue out hopefully as well. Sure do love our family