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So it's 4:30 a.m. in the morning in Cheyenne and 6:30 China time.  I think this will be the new question I get from the kids as this has been a constant question since leaving China yesterday (I think).  I can't sleep and my head feels like it is still in a moving plane.  It's Ellie's birthday and she is up and ready to go.  I am hoping a little boredom puts her back to sleep :)
I will post a blog about each section of our trip with pictures but right now I just needed to put down what is really weighing on my mind.  I just keep thinking of what I take for granted after visiting China.  Her it goes: my faith, my family (including in-laws cousins etc..) friends, my babies, my husband, my home, American bathrooms, refrigeration, standing in line and not pushing. Beef that I know is beef and chicken that I know is chicken. I take for granted grocery stores and meat coolers, western food and the list can go on and on.

We saw amazing things in China and the people are so sweet but there are some things here that I truly love and adore.  I really feel that even though America has some problems we do have it wonderful here.  I think this list made me respect my friends working in China even more.  They know what they left behind but do it with a smile and with a sense of humor.  I know Ellie and Caleb were exposed to some things that part of me wishes they weren't like the maimed beggars on the street exposing their injury to get money.  That has been very hard for the kids and me to get past.  Caleb cried last night about one man we saw who had been burnt severely and was begging on the side of the street.  That was back on one of the first day trips we took there so it has just been resurfacing every few days. 
I want my kids to know how blessed they are to have what they have and to have a love for others who don't.  I want them also to have an attitude like Todd and Lisa to love wherever they are and whatever conditions they are in.  It was so easy to love the people of China and it made me love my life a little more.

Latest update

We are in Chenchun and fighting the stomach bug.  We have seen amazing things and cannot believe we are on our last leg of the trip.  We will visit friends today and get on the train to Beijing tomorrow.  We saw the city where thousands of people lost their lives.  It is such a weird contrast of this beautiful valley with all of the ugly destruction in it.  It was one of the most moving things I have experienced.  People are amazing here but very different and we are having some moments we just have to breathe to understand and be patient.  We are good and blessed. 

We are in Chengdu!

What a trip so far.  We have had so many new experiences that I know we will have many stories for years to come.  We flew from Beijing to Chengdu last night and are getting to stay with our friends.  We are amazed at all we are learning about our world and our father.  The kids are doing so well and did better at climbing the Wall and the plane rides than I have.  We have already taken about 300 pictures and we haven't even been here a week.  Thanks for the "thoughts" we have felt them tremendously. 

Made it to China everything is great

3/25/12  “We have Made it to China everything is great。 Starting to catch up on sleep getting use to the stares。  People are beautiful especially the children。  We will try to post More later when we can find better internet service and not fighting the autospell that is sure we want to write inChinese。

Thank for the thoughts。

 The Brewers

天后宫”

3/28/12   We fly to Chungdu today all is well. We inned the Great Wall yesterday. Still cant believe we are here.

Three Days and Counting

So I woke up at 4:30 yesterday morning and began worrying about how the kids were going to get up the steps from the train to the city in Beijing.  I don't know why I do this, I just do. 

I was talking to my students about my trip to China and I think some of them are almost as excited as I am and some of them are as worried as I am.  But most of them keep asking me about the trip and how many days until I leave.  Maybe they just want to get away from me for 2 weeks but I do know some of them are very interested in what I will experience in China. 

We have had our shots and have all our paperwork is done.  Last night we will packed the two big backpacks with all of the cloths and figured out what we are still missing.  Tonight we will pack Ellie’s with the items we need on the plane (including a spare set of cloths just in case) and it will be used as our carry-on.  Caleb’s backpack gets the leftovers for now and may get repacked in Beijing, we have been telling him that he gets to carry the snacks.  It is so hard to believe that this journey that we have been getting ready for months is almost here and all the hard work we have done to prepare will be complete.   Only Two days until we leave!!!

One of the biggest blessings in preparing for this trip has been our CMA family and our own family and friends.  We are completely funded for this trip and it brings tears to my eyes every time I think of how Sunday we had a huge line of people waiting to buy our breakfast burritos.  It also brings tears to my eyes to think of the friends who are going with us and were already funded but gave up their time on Saturday to help us make breakfast burritos, Plus Anne S. (Thanks Anne).  I have seen our family wrap their arms around us and support the Brewer's time and time again even when I don't think they understand why we want to do this trip.  I have seen our CMA family and friends completely behind us and support us far beyond what I thought they would do.  We have had Caleb's teacher and both kids’ dance teacher give them gifts for the trip and have encouraged us every step of the way.  I am so blessed by this trip even before we have stepped foot in China.

50 Days and Counting

I made a count down on my school calendar to track the days left before we head to China.  It is now 48 days until this family heads out with our friends from here to see our friends over there and have many great adventures in China.  I was talking to a close friend about how I don't know if Ellie and Caleb understand the reality of the whole trip and then I stopped.  I don't know if I get the reality that in 48 days I will be heading to China. 

Preparing has been slow, I wanted to start an exercise program and then my doctor was worried I had a heart aneurysm and told me that I couldn't do exercise until we knew what my condition was.  After a month of testing and waiting we found out that my heart is fine and strong.  So we started walking with our backpacks.  I wish I had the joy of my children for anything new.  I was on treadmill and they walked in circles around the trampoline like it was a ride at Disneyland.  Laughing and chattering the whole mile. This week the whole family got a cold and we have not made any trips around the trampoline with our backpacks.  I think we are on the mend and we will start our exercise program again.

God has been preparing me spiritually also.  He is showing me so many ways that I need to let go and let him take care of things.  I had to ask for an extra day off from school because of flight changes and that seems to be working out just fine.  I worry and try to figure out how to fix so many things and when I just sit back and pray through it, God shows me his plan. I am getting there and I know that this trip to China is his, now I have to let God show me what he wants to do with it.

Getting Ready

Link for time, date and weather in China.When I was single I went on many  trips and have loved every one of them.  When Bill and I got married, I was hoping and praying that he would want to go on a  trip with me and love it as much as I did.  Three years ago we went to Mexico on a  trip with our CMA youth group and we loved it.  We started talking about how we wanted to go on a trip as a family and started praying that God would make it happen.  Well, he has and the four of us are headed to China in late March and early April for 2 weeks.
I have days where I am so excited and days when I am screaming "We have got to be crazy to take a 5 and 7 year old to China!"  But as we have been prepare to go on this adventure I have seen God's hand in everything.  Caleb and Ellie are working on their Chinese and explaining to kids what we are doing and why they are going to China.  They already understand that there are many different types of cultures and God's love extends to everyone and we are to show his love to them.
I also have learned so much as we have been preparing. I have stressed over finances for the trip and this has been a big blessing.  Bill's parents have blessed us tremendously and we never asked them for help.  I also have had family and friends that I was uncomfortable asking for help, help us.  The financial situation isn't over but I need to make sure I trust.  I don't want it to sound like I have completely given this trip over to God because I can't honestly say that I have.  I still have days I freak out.  I especially have panic attacks about Ellie and Caleb's safety.  I know I can trust God with my life but I really have a hard time trusting him with my babies.  I am learning continually that he is good, all the time and all the time he is good.