Final Exams... Done!

54 Freshmen Automation and Electrical Engineering majors... nine students over the class cap, and quite a large number for a Speaking and Listening class, but we made it work!

...now to grade a large stack of English major exams, and average grades for everyone!

Finals Week

Grace and I taught through Christmas and New Year's Day, and are currently in the middle of final exams.  I gave my first two to the classes pictured here... big gender ratio difference between the English majors (pictured at right), and their Mechanical Engineering & Electronic Science/Technology counterparts (below.)  We, of course, love them all!

Big shout out to our grandson, Joshua Strickland, who is celebrating his 3rd birthday today!

New Year's Eve

A couple of the girls Grace has been helping prepare for their exams to get into grad schools in the English-speaking world insisted on fixing us a meal as a way of saying thanks!

Here's hoping all of you have an absolutely fabulous 2015!!

圣诞快乐

We all taught full loads of classes today, but made time this evening to celebrate our Elder Brother's birthday with sibling colleagues over hot cider and cocoa...

We miss all who are likely to read this entry dearly, especially at this time of year, and send our love with the hope that your own celebrations are filled with the joy of the season!

We haven't seen a snowflake in these parts yet, but the local mall created a little for those who wanted a white Christmas!

Beijing Opera

Strange place to see your first opera, you say?  Well, we thought so too, but never having been to the Water Cube, we couldn't resist the offer to do two firsts in one evening!

We got to see "Madam White Snake" based on an ancient Chinese legend about the love between a man and a snake demon disguised as a beautiful woman...

Giving Thanks in China

Thanksgiving has made it all the way around the world, it seems... really cool when we see our favorite book quoted on flyers like this one! (even when they fail to cite their source.)

Grace and I have tons to be thankful for beginning with our five kids, two sons-in-law, grandson and all our friends and extended family who encourage and support us in so many ways throughout the year... we love and miss you all!

Oh, and the rest of that verse on the flyer?
  "...for this is the Father's will for you in His Son."

APEC Weekend

While the Presidents of our home and host countries were busy meeting in our city of residence for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Conference, Grace and I met with the Beijing leadership team from our organization in the country's 5th largest city (Tianjin), which is famous for (among other things) the beautiful "Eye" pictured in the photo below (the largest one in the world that is mounted on a bridge)