Some Fun News!

We’re having a baby boy at the end of August (or early September)!

The timing is a little crazy, with Sara starting her new 4th grade teaching job two weeks before our due date, but we’re choosing to trust His plan. We’re very excited and thankful for this blessing, and we’re so grateful to have family nearby for this birth!

Even in such a joyous time, both of us have definitely felt some worry creep in, since there are so many unknowns during the pandemic. If you’re dealing with uncertain life situations right now, please know you aren’t alone. We’d love to sit alongside you to listen and help carry your burdens— 6 feet apart or virtually;) but seriously, let us know if you just want to chat about hard things or life in general.

Would you join us in bringing some things before the throne? Here are some of our requests:
- that the Father would work out the details of Sara’s maternity leave length
- that the baby/Sara remain healthy
- that Jesse would have some time away from grad school for the birth
- that Camellia would feel loved during all of this change.

Our main goal is for our Creator to be magnified in it all, as we use this life experience to love on others around us.

Thanks for reading,

Jesse, Sara, Camellia, and Baby Teel

***P.S. Now accepting baby boy name ideas because we don’t have a name picked out yet!!!

Life These Days

Since our last blog update (last summer...), a lot has changed!

I (Sara) taught 1st grade the first 3 months of this school year and loved it. Since that job, I have been teaching English language learners (ELL) out of our home. All of my students except 1 are local moms, and it has been so fun to help people improve their English skills while learning about their home culture. I've also been hired by Auburn City Schools as an ELL tutor 3 days each week with kindergarten and first grade students. I've continued my part-time work as an exercise instructor and online English teacher. Kind of crazy to have 4 part-time jobs, but I'm loving the variety for this season, before I begin my 4th grade teaching position for the last 3 months of school.

Camellia is still at preschool/daycare each day and is learning SO much. She has a lot to say from the minute she wakes up until she falls asleep at night! Still working on the potty training, but she's getting there and is communicating more when she needs to go. Stickers are helping a lot. ;)

Jesse is in his third semester of graduate school and is working very hard each day on his thesis, project, and research on local foods. He's interviewing farmers, attending conferences, touring gardens, and learning a lot in his classes. It's fun seeing him excel in his coursework and in his research!

We knew coming back from China that we were here for a reason:  to serve and love our family and reconnect with friends we have missed seeing while we were far away from America. But only our Father knew that we would get to be here to help both sisters move to different cities, to serve some of Jesse's family by hosting a marriage course, to join a new fellowship in Auburn, to be nearby when my grandmother (dad's mom- "Bam") had a stroke and went through rehab, and to be close to family when my sweet grandmother (mom's mom- "Grandmama") passed away.

As for our journey back to China (we get asked about this often), we are still on a study Leave of Absence with our company and are considering returning. We have several months to decide, hopefully by the end of this year. So we're still bringing those plans before the throne, holding them loosely, willing to sacrifice everything for the kingdom wherever we're led.

For now, we are enjoying time with family and friends.

Thanks for thinking of us!

~Jesse, Sara, & Camellia Teel

New Season... War Eagle!

Well, I may be the worst at blogging, but if you follow my more-updated Instagram, you already know that it we'll be in Auburn for the next two years! ;)

Jesse started the Public Horticulture Master's Program in May of this year. He wants to combine his horticulture Bachelor's degree and sustainability minor, and we're both really excited for this opportunity! He will most likely graduate May 2021, so we're taking a "study leave of absence" and remaining with our overseas teaching company for now. I (Sara) have recently become an exercise instructor at a local studio called True40, and I will be teaching 1st grade maternity leave for the first 3 months of school this fall. I'm not sure if this will lead to a regular teaching job or another maternity leave (either is okay with me), but we'll see what happens! Our long-term hope is to either return to China in Fall 2021 or to go wherever else we might be led, after Jesse graduates, but of course, we are trusting Him about that direction.

Getting reacquainted with the Auburn community has been a blessing this past year. A lot has changed since we graduated and moved away, but we see amazing things happening here! One of our first goals after spending 6 months focusing on family was joining a local fellowship. Thankfully, we found a new group called Grace Auburn and have really gotten plugged in. However, to be honest, we're still adjusting to larger group setting instead of a small apartment meeting, but we've been welcomed back in to the Auburn Body with open arms. Excited to see what happens through our time here in Auburn!

If you do want to follow us more closely, check out either of our Instagram accounts:  jessecteel & sarajuneteel.

~ Jesse, Sara, & Camellia Teel

Back in America Until...

"How was China?"

Literally one of the most common questions people ask us;)

Right up there with, "So what's next?"

And those are both great questions! They're fun to answer, and we love sharing with everyone. But honestly, after being asked these questions so many times, we still don't have concise answers. So here are some of our less-rambling thoughts...

1. How was China? Well, our 3 years there are hard to put into words or even a few sentences. So much happened, we grew a lot, and we saw the Father work in amazing ways through teammates and other friends. It felt like sometimes we were the cheerleaders and supporters while other times we were getting to speak into lives and plant seeds. Such a privilege and an honor. We have made some really good friends back in China, and our hearts often long to be there continuing those relationships. Actually, a better question is, "How is China?" because while we are definitely happy to be here in Auburn spending time with family and friends, we're not sure we feel called to end our time in China just yet. Which leads to the next question.
2. Hmmm... what IS next? We don't know. We have a few options:
• Language school in the northeastern part of China and then continuing to teach with our company (somewhere in China) for another 3-4 years. 
• Wait another year to return to China so Jesse can get his Masters in the USA (school TBD... and major TBD... actually not even sure he wants to get his Masters... ;) )
• Jesse could possibly get his Masters degree in China. A couple universities there look promising with English programs available, and there are a lot of interesting things being done in the Sustainable energy field, which is what Jesse is interested in.
• Could be that our time in China actually is over (for right now).
3. Right now, we are enjoying our first 6 months back in America. We told our families we'd spend July 2018 - end of January 2019 in Auburn, so that's where we are (but we might be in Auburn longer than that). We're both working part-time, and we have a cheap place to live-- a huge blessing! It's like a sabbatical with a lot of intentional time spent with family, where the Father wants us right now. There are some things about American life that have been a reverse culture shock for us, while some parts of life are nice comforts that we have missed. It's really hard to explain! Many days we miss China, but we are definitely enjoying this time with family and friends. Everyone has been so patient and welcoming as we adjust to American life-- thank you for loving us so well!

We're so blessed by our amazing and supportive community here in America, even if some of that community is spread all over the country. If we're traveling near you, we'll try to let you know! It's fun meeting up with friends in other cities or states. If you want to meet up with us for coffee/hot chocolate/ tea or even a meal, we'd love to share more of our hearts with you.

We love y'all!!!

Love,

Jesse, Sara, and Camellia

Camellia

CAMELLIA JUNE TEEL

Date:        9.26.17
Time:       1:05pm
Weight:    3.5 kg (7 lbs. 12 oz.)
Height:    47.5 cm (19 in.)
Eyes:        Blue
Hair:        Brown
Where:     Chengdu, China
Hospital:  Chengdu Western Hospital
Doctor:    Dr. Yang
Doula:      Lisa N.

Our sweet Camellia is almost three months old now! What a joy it has been learning to be her parents. Now we know some of things you’ve experienced, mom and dad (and others of you with children)! There are so many interesting joys that happen after becoming parents, and some might be a little different since we live in China. One thing that is still very strong culturally in China is the community mindset, which we have learned to embrace. We have also adopted (albeit partially) some Chinese traditions for raising Camellia because we respect the ideas and are affected by the cultural “peer pressure.”

TRADITIONS

One tradition that was difficult to keep was staying indoors for thirty days. We had to return to Chengdu for a doctor check-up, birth certificate finalization, and passport application the week after Camellia’s birth. In China many people still practice 坐月子(zuo yue zi) which literally means ‘confinement’. It’s considered very wrong for the mother or baby to leave their home before thirty days after birth. We’ve mentioned before that we call all older women 阿姨（ayi), which means ‘auntie’.

[Side-note:  let me tell you, the aunties on campus will treat your baby as their own niece. The title ‘auntie’ on campus is held primarily by the women who clean the campus grounds—people we see every day. You better believe these sweet ladies knew exactly how pregnant Sara was, and after she gave birth they couldn’t wait to see their new “niece.”]

How were we greeted the week after we came home as we were heading off campus? With a big hug and excitement? NO! Each campus ayi told us we were terrible for taking little Camellia out of our home. They said we needed to stay inside for at least one month! We politely agreed that we should but that we must go to the hospital now for a checkup.

We love these ladies, and they love us, especially Camellia. I’m sure any of them would give their left foot if they thought our baby needed it. That’s why we know that our aunties scolded us out of love. In order to respect this cultural norm, after the doctor checkup and paperwork trip, we did try to keep both Camellia and Sara inside as much as possible for the rest of October. It was easier than being scolded on the bus, in the grocery store, and at the market. Plus, it was a great time for bonding and getting our parenting feet under us.

HER NAME

Our time in China has forever changed us, in the same way that a good friend will change you. We do some things differently than we probably would have had we not lived here. We view things about Chinese culture differently and many things that are American cultural norms that we thought might have been our own idea, we are now seeing as a lifestyle choice that isn’t always necessary. Camellia will both suffer and benefit from our changed mindset. Our home is here in China and our heart is here 100%. Our heartbeat is for the community here that surrounds us.

While we are fully invested in this place we have so many roots in Auburn and so much of who we are now was formed there. Since Camellia is the fruit of both our time spent in Alabama and here in China, her name comes from the State Flower of Alabama, and it is also what tea is made out of (translated to “mountain tea flower” in Chinese). Yes, you read that right—there’s a good chance that the bush on the side of your mom’s house is the same kind that is grown here in Dujiangyan to make green tea, black tea, and red tea. The flower is also edible, and many people here grew up collecting sweet drops of water from camellia flowers the same way you might have picked and eaten from the pit of honeysuckles.

We know that the Master has been in our lives, guiding us to this place, and Camellia is part of that now. May she always follow the Light, spreading His kingdom far and wide, just as the camellia plants cover the mountainsides of Sichuan province and the rolling countryside of Alabama.

Thank you for lifting up her little life and continuing to do so as she grows. We give her completely over to our Father.

~ Jesse & Sara

We Have Some News!

You may be thinking, THEY'RE HAVING A BABY...


😳  


This time you're right!

This is definitely a blessing from the Father, and we give Him all of our praise and all of the glory. We would love for you to join us in lifting up this baby's life even before she is born. We're almost 19 weeks along, which is about half way to meeting our little 女儿 (Nǚ'ér: daughter) around September 22nd:)

As we learn about being parents, we're excited to grow in the Father and grow closer to each other. We want Him to remain first, our marriage second, and our little girl third. That's probably easier said than done sometimes;) but we're trusting Him to help us in keeping our priorities in the right order.

We're planning to have the baby in China, since we'll be here for another school year. You can be thinking of us, the baby, and our families during this exciting and special time. Thank you for being our community of family and friends who point us to Him and lift us up! We're beyond grateful for your love and support, even from across the ocean.

 💗 👶  Now those extra seats on the plane to and from China will be put to use more than just for Sara's naps;)

The day we found out! We went on a hike with friends that day and kept our little secret for another month:)

Staying in China for another year was a clear calling from the Father, and we feel humbled that He wants to continue working through us here as a family of three next school year!

To Him be the glory,

~ Jesse, Sara, and Baby Teel

Our Very First Mei Guo Ren Visitors!

Our first visitors from the USA came last week and stayed for 10 days. Jesse's older brothers, Taylor and Zach, were so much fun to hang out with and show them our eastern home. We kept them very active the entire time! From bike riding to archery to Panda Valley to the Dujiangyan irrigation park and water releasing festival to the mountain countryside to hiking to Chengdu to daily life at Guangya School to exploring the city that we love, it's safe to say they got a pretty good glimpse into what our life is like here.

Qingcheng Shan

Dujiangyan is very close to Qingcheng Mountain. We are constantly being asked if we have visited the mountain, and we haven't been able to go until recently. Now we understand why it is a popular sightseeing spot for tourists and even for the locals. Because we had been advised that the back side of the mountain is more beautiful than the front side, we decided to trek up the back side.

While it was still stairs the entire way up the mountain, it was breathtaking and magical, making it very difficult to choose only a few photos for this post. Enjoy!

The sticks are a superstition (mostly held by older people) that if the stick can hold up the mountain, your back pain will be bearable. Apparently the size of the stick compared to the mountain is proportionate to the pain in the person's back. 

Fun friends!

~ Jesse & Sara

Public Transportation in China

We received a package from family last year, and it was quite an adventure to get it.

Normally, packages sent via U.S. Postal Services (USPS) arrive with no problem, but FedEx, UPS, and other shipping companies like to change things up a bit, requiring paperwork to be sent over email and customs fees to be paid.  We had been emailing a lady in the FedEx office about our package and finally decided to just go into to the big city of Chengdu to pay and pick it up in person.  Chengdu has the population larger than New York City (but just more spread out) and is about an hour drive by car, if you're not traveling during rush hour.

However, we were taking a bus, so this trip would take up most of our day, with 50 minutes on the bus and 40 minutes or more on the subway or taxi. We didn't know where the FedEx office was located, so we decided taxi would be better than subway.

China life is slower than the fast pace of America.  Most simple things take just a little longer to get done, and "quick" trips to Chengdu take about 5 hours, even if you spend only 20-30 minutes at your destination.

This aspect of life here has been a lesson in patience.

Even so, we have grown to love using public transportation are embracing the slow pace of it all.  It's so nice to take a bus, taxi, or subway because someone else can drive for you while you read or talk to your friends! However, soon after this trip, we did discover the joy of taking the high speed train, which takes 20-30 minutes on the train and then a 30-40 minute subway ride to the center of the city. We have also convinced other teammates to ride the train more just because of the smooth ride. It still takes a while to do things in China, but the high speed train does help it be a little more relaxing!

We decided to document this last minute trip to the big city of Chengdu just for fun... and to encourage anyone who would like to send a package our way to only use USPS, so it will come to the post office down the street from our school;)

Leaving our apartment...

 Leaving Guangya School's front gate.

Sad because the bus left right when we got the bus stop:(

Finally made onto the city bus that takes us to the main bus station... and the man behind us was creeping.

 Gave the bus driver our tickets after purchasing them to head to Chengdu. The buses from Dujiangyan to Chengdu leave every 15 minutes and are convenient but also smelly, loud, and a very bumpy ride. Naps are hard to come by in a bus, which is why we love the train these days!

 We had to sit on the back row this time.

 All of our bus riding companions!

 In a taxi on the way to the FedEx warehouse. We're spoiled with cheap taxis in Dujiangyan (they start at less than a dollar). The trip from the bus station to FedEx was 100 RMB, which is about $15!

 The largest building in the world by square feet:  the Global Center. It has a mall, skating rink, and many other activities.

 Christmas trees are pretty common for malls to have outside their front door. It's a nice touch!

 Crossing a busy intersection to get to the FedEx warehouse. You just have to play Frogger and go when there's a small break in traffic. Just keep walking and hoping no one hits you!

 Finally talking with the FedEx people. They DID in fact have our package. Hooray!

 Huge FedEx warehouse. Interesting place! They even let us use the restroom before we made our journey back to the bus station.

 Successfully obtained the package.

 Yes!!!

 Thank you, for the package and sweet note, Mom!

 Delicious dark chocolate:) She knows the ways of my heart!

 Crossing the intersection calmly with the chocolate in my backpack. Yay!

 Back to the bus station to go back to Dujiangyan.

 But first, snack time:  delicious hot sweet potatoes.

 Heading back to Dujiangyan via the Chadianza bus station (in Chengdu)

It was close to dinner time, so we knew the sweet potatoes wouldn't hold us over. We grabbed some fried sausage wrap things for the rest of our meal:) Yummm.

 Got off of the bus in Dujiangyan and finding a taxi now!

 Scored a taxi. Almost home!

 Made it back to our home at Guangya School. Success!!!

 Home sweet home. Hello, Mr. Gate Guard Man!