• I took a load of our belongings (mostly little girl toys) out to Jianzha this morning.  The roads were wet and muddy, but since I was in my friend’s jeep we had no problem getting through.  Tomorrow the whole family will be heading there with the last of the belongings we will need (for the…

    ·

  • If you’ve been paying attention over the past 6 months or so, you’ve probably noticed that my reflective posts have not been in the vein of My Utmost For His Highest too much lately.  In fact I would lump most of these spiritual-leaning type posts in the "why-oh-god-why" category.  What can I say; we live…

    ·

  • By all indications Sarah’s birthday was a smashing success.  She got the "pony/unicorn" themed birthday party that she wanted.  The kids who attended the party (only one boy) were very mellow and seemed to enjoy the cake, ice-cream, crafts and games.  Anna was a very supportive sister to the birthday girl and there were no…

    ·

    ,
  • It has arrived!  Christa is reading now, Todd’s on deck…

    ·

  • I do not recommend that you start your vacation this way: As you already may have surmised from previous posts, the Johnson family recently took an excursion south of the border (of Qinghai) into the Sichuan province for some western amenities and a change of scenery.  We started our trip with a day long train…

    ·

  • What do these two charming, beautiful ladies have in common?  (Specifically speaking the one wearing glasses in the picture on the right and the one in the pink headband on the left.) That’s right:  me.  I mean…um, scratch that.  Me.  There, that’s better. They do have me in common, genetically speaking, but more importantly today…

    ·

  • Well, we’re back from Chengdu.  We arrived home last night at 9:00 p.m.  Thanks to some rain in the area before we arrived, the temperatures in Chengdu were much more comfortable than I anticipated–but still balmy compared to Xining.  When the sun was out the pool was the girls’ favorite place to be.  My favorite…

    ·

    ,
  • The train leaves tomorrow at 8:13 a.m.  Check back in after August 1st for the update…

    ·

  • When I was a kid I enjoyed Choose Your Own Adventure books.  In these books you read a narrative in which you become the main character and usually at the end of each chapter you have a decision to make.   Much like in real life as you make each new decision your “story” follows a…

    ·

  • Now I know I am not the most conscientious blogger when it comes to "spoiling" the plot/surprises of various books and movies.  In the past I have "goofed" a few times in this regard by giving away various plot details and surprises for new readers/viewers.  (Sorry, Jason.)  I have let information slip out onto the…

    ·