Winter 2008/2009

2009 got off to a very different start than we expected, because as many of you know, my brother Chase had a stroke on January 2nd. Aaron and I were vacationing in Miami, Florida with my family when Chase had his stroke. Thankfully, we were all in the country (Chase lives and works in Hong Kong), Aaron was with him when it happened, we were in Miami, which has one of the best stokes centers in the country, and there was a highly skilled doctor, Dr. Yavagal, who was able to perform the Mercy retrieval procedure which saved his life. We have seen God’s hand in more ways than we could have imagined, and although this has been a difficult time, God has been faithful and merciful to our family. He has brought us together in a way that almost didn't seem possible, reminded us of what really matters in life, and has shown Himself faithful in a very real and tangible way. We are grateful!

You can check out Chase’s progress at http://www.caringbridge.org/. Enter chaseanderson (with no spaces) for the webpage you wish to view. It will walk you through from there.

Fortunately, Aaron and I were able to stay in the States an extra month and a half longer than expected, and have just now returned back to Beijing. Aaron is starting a new job, and I will continue my language studies as I also pursue some different possibilities. I will be traveling back to the States in April to visit my family, and we will both be in California the end of July for a family wedding. It was a blessing getting to see some of you this past month, and we look forward to hopefully seeing you in April and June!

Enjoy pictures from Aaron’s 30th birthday in Beijing and Gadsden, time at home with each of our families, our vacation in Miami, and the remainder of our time in the States. We were able to help celebrate my sister’s 21st birthday in Knoxville, and spend Valentines Day in Nashville. Extended time with family was an unexpected treat too! Look for more updates soon!