Made in the USA

In the US the joke is that everything is made in China.  I think there could be several statistics to (nearly) back that claim.  But, on two separate occasions, when I have been particularly observant,  I have noticed some good ‘ole “Made in the USA” products here on the mainland.

The first time was at the girls’ doctors office in Shanghai.  One of the international hospitals uses otoscopes that are made in the US.

And the second time was this past weekend. At McDonald’s. Near the bathroom.  The hand dryers were not only made in the US, but also in my home state of Illinois.  You really just never know!

(And, for full disclosure, when I told the girls that their reward for being such good troopers while I dragged them through Old Town was McDonald's, LBean groaned.  She really wanted to have sweet & sour pork from Yang Yang's.  Sorry missy, mama wanted a spicy chicken sandwich.)

My Word for 2015

Last January several of the bloggers I follow shared how, instead of making lists of New Year's Resolutions, they chose a word to represent their upcoming year.  Maybe as a mantra or a reminder, but something to direct their efforts and new-found enthusiasm at the start of the year.

I jumped on the band-wagon and I chose the word steady.  You can read last year's post here http://mcclintockclan.blogspot.com/2014/01/now-where-were-we.html.  Although I didn't wake up every morning and chant "steady, steady, steady" or meditate on it, the word was running through the back of my mind.  One friend would even reference it for me.  Over-all, I did feel steady last year.  The waves of life came (house stuff, expat life, heart surgery, months in the US and away from our normal routine, and the general calamity of having three young kids), but the waves did not over-take me.

Drum-roll for this year's word please...
                                                                      rest

Which, as it turns out, is oh-so-hysterical at the moment because it's 5 am and I'm up blogging.  I'd really rather be resting, but ChinaBean still has a touch of jet lag.  So, when she woke up at 4 am asking for a waffle because she was hungry, she woke me up too.  She is now happily sleeping in a cozy bed next to her daddy and I'm up blogging. Oh well.

Anyway, looking ahead to 2015 I know there will be epic adventures (trying to soak up all the goodness SE Asia has for us), there will be changes (moving?  Probably. Where to?  No idea), building a house (maybe), and by the end-of-the year I will have a 9, 7 and 4 year-old.  Wait, what?!  

In between all that I need to find rest.  Seek it out, look for it, ask if what I am doing is restful.  I want to read more.  Enjoy the quiet.  Be alone some.

Found this on: http://bravegirlsclub.com/archives/10250

As for the "not" New Year's Goals that I wrote in my planner last year (I like to think of it more as a running to-do list), I will happily be carrying over the unfinished ones to this year and not add anything new.  And, in last January's post I referenced potty-training (done) and pacifiers (done)...I'm calling 2014 a complete success.

So, here's to 2015 and a new year!  May it be restful for all of us.