5,000 Views! And A Panda Gets Punched In The Face

This week we hit 5,000 views! This means my mom has been to this site a lot more than I thought she had. It’s been super fun and engaging for us to have this site. It’s been a great way to get all of you involved with our lives and to give you a picture of what life looks like here in China. To be honest this blog continues to surprise me. I started it super late one night (on a whim) and now it’s become one of the greatest tools we use to communicate with all of you lovely people. Well I hope that someday I can write that we hit 500,000 views, but until that day, read on friend.

I wanted to add quite possibly the funniest story a Chinese person has ever told me. I heard it awhile ago and am afraid I already wrote it on here, if I did, pretend it’s the first time I told you and laugh to your heart’s content. (I must also prep you by saying that no one in this story got hurt, so don’t worry)

So back when I started to get into teaching, a teacher’s assistant was telling me how she used to work as a Zoo tour guide. In the Zoo that she worked at there was a panda area. One day she was leading a group of Zoo goers and walked up next to a panda and told the audience something like “Look, you can pet the panda” and she began to pet it. Well the panda mistook her arm as a piece of bamboo (according to her, because who knows the thoughts of pandas) and bit it (it, being her arm). This small little Chinese lady in a state of shock turned and in all her fiery punched the panda in the face and then ran away! (I wonder how the people witnessing this reacted, did they run like the Japanese did in Godzilla, or did they sit there calmly and say something like “She had that coming”) I’m glad that this girl was safe and lived to tell her tale. (Again, to emphasis that she was ok, she tried to show me where the panda bit her and there were no bite markings to be found) If I hear more wild stories I will make sure to pass them on.

Well here’s to the next 5,000!
The petersons

It's Baby Time! And A Health Update

WE’RE EXPECTING OUR THIRD BABY! We’ve known for a few weeks now, but today we went to the hospital and were told that there is a heartbeat! Yay! If you’re sitting there thinking “Matt and Heather aren’t you already overwhelmed with raising two kids in China? Won’t three be even more work? Why are you having a third?” well the answer is that a few months ago Heather and I decided to stop with two, but as we thought about it we felt something was missing. After more discussion we decided that three would be our special number (Heather’s words, not mine).

So the plan as of now is to go home in May (like we originally planned) to visit family and friends and now to also have a baby. The due date is July 18th and Heather is currently two months along. We plan to have this one in South Dakota… at Heather’s parents’ home… with a mid-wife. That’s right, a home birth! We’re kinda hippies like that (my wife must be crazy). In China you can’t find out the sex of your baby so we won’t know what we’re having till the day it comes. After we’ve had the baby we will still be visiting family for another couple months and then heading back to China!

In other health related news, the Chinese doctors here confirmed Heather and I’s self-diagnosis, I have pneumonia (quick side note, pneumonia has to be one of the most difficult words to spell, but in Chinese it’s called, fei yan, pretty easy huh?). They put me on one IV a day for the past three days (since they give you medicine through IV) and have me taking some pills. I’m starting to feel better, but hope that nothing returns. I was impressed with my hospital experience, but I did walk by a couple dead bodies which I was not expecting at all (and to be honest it was creepy). So I have no plans as of now to have to go back to the hospital, but again if anything sneaks back up I will have to head back in.

I need to say that I’m so blessed by all the love that was poured out over this ordeal. Tons of our friends here were calling me and bringing food/medicine by the house, it was truly a blessing to me. One example is that my new teacher (Ethan) when he heard I was sick came by with his wife and child and made me Pear soup (which was really good!). And with Heather taking care of the kids by herself there wasn’t much time for her to do dishes that day, but when Ethan’s wife saw them she took it on herself to clean them. This is just a small example of the incredible kindness we find here in our Chinese friends (and American friends).
Well that’s it for now I will hopefully be better enough now to keep the posts coming…

‘till next time,
Matt, Heather, Sydney, Aubrey and our special little number three

P.S. For Heather to get an ultrasound it cost $7.50, for me to get; an x-ray (which was just a guy who doodled what he thought the inside of my chest looked like… that’s a joke), two blood tests, medicine and three IV’s in cost less than $100… I love China.

A Short Update About Matt's Health

Here’s a quick update on my (Matt’s) health. I, as you know, have been sick for the last little bit. It’s now been two weeks (and as of this morning I’ve lost 17 pounds). Some days I wake up and feel better and so I haven’t been worried, thinking I was getting better. Well yesterday was a tough day as I experienced a lot of pain when I coughed and my fever returned. So this morning I will be going to the hospital. I haven’t had to go since being in China and don’t know what to expect, but my wife has and had a good experience. After looking online last night it seems like I might have pneumonia. So we will keep you posted when we find out any info.

On another note my wife has been Superwomen these past two weeks. I haven’t been able to help her much with the girls or around the house and she has done an incredible job taking on everything. We even had a guest for about five days this past week (an old friend of ours came and stayed with us) and she hosted her the whole time. Seriously, my wife is amazing and everyone reading this needs to know that!

'till next time