At the end of October, Magpie was enjoying checking her personal email on my laptop. Apparently, something caused her to rise suddenly to depart from the desk and her foot caught in the cords and the laptop (new in January) went flying/crashing to the ground. It was evident immediately that the LED was cracked and the computer is not usable until we can get funds together to replace the screen.
That computer has our special "access" and connection to the web that allows us to write this blog. Without it, we cannot access the blog on any other internet computer. Today, I prevailed upon some teammates to allow me to use their personal laptop that also has the special access ability...so that I could simply report that we are still alive!
Now and update, in a flash:
1) The last weekend of October, we celebrated four birthdays (Magpie's 12th, The Singer's & The Bruiser's 4ths, and our soon-coming 5th son's 5th birthday.) Four cakes in 7 days...intense.
2) Our English department took 19 students this year to the City-wide English competition. (Our first year I think we took 5)...and this year, ALL of our groups took top honors and have advanced into the finals, to be held on December 10th. If they win on Dec 10th again, we'll be invited to the Nationals in Beijing to compete in February.
3) QQ had his surgery on Nov. 5th! He is back home in his province and we are overjoyed! Now his lip and palate are closed and he can go on with a normal life in his family! Praises!
4) We baked 600 oatmeal raisin cookies (thanks to a fabulous recipe from Eva G. back at GNF)...for a fundraiser and street fair held in our apartment complex. We sold out entirely and are using the money as seed to buy a series of gifts for children who live in the local orphanage and in foster homes. Our students will use this money (adding to it some other money I'll tell you about soon) and will themselves buy the gifts for the kids!
5) We hosted a Harvest Party for the school complete with trick-or-treating in our "crazy hats." The whole school participated as we played games led by our teammate Mr V and Daddy, a lesson on harvest festivals by Mr. S, Snacks served up by myself, and a craft overseen by Mrs. V. (Pictures of our beloved new teammates coming soon to the blog!)
6) A co-worker "entered" our family into a national competition here that was gathering personal stories that "move" others. Our co-worker entered us, without out knowledge and confessed it all the day before a TV crew showed up to interview us about our family. Then a few days later the first TV spot about us aired...and it would seem that it began an avalanche of media interest in our family. It has been overwhelming these past 10 days as we have been interviewed by 4 TV stations, had 5 newspaper articles published about us, a "broadcast" of our story on the national social media source here called Q Q, and a radio interview later today. We have spent well over 25 hours in interviews and photo shoots since the first show came to the school to interview us. We have no idea when it will end, but we need your prayer to support us for protection and stamina.
7) We received some local gov officials here who represent people with special needs here in our city. They brought us a cash gift meant to express their appreciation for our story in the local papers. We're so excited because we are adding that money to the school's project to buy things for the orphanage and foster kids mentioned before.
8) We have a school-wide English competition to be held on December 22 that we must ensure ALL of our students can perform various songs and dialogues in English for their parents.
9) Today we were told that I would be singing an aria from the opera Carmen with a colleague, while Daddy dances with the Principal of our school, in the company of ALL the other teachers, also paired up to dance around the two singers...all this before the company's Chinese new Year party on January 6th...about 1500 people will be there...and yes...full costume and make-up. You just cannot take yourself seriously here...
9) Today I was asked to perform on Friday, another solo, for our school-wide talent show. No idea what to do for that yet...but it is only Tuesday...
10) Oh, we also had parent's day at our school. last week (simultaneously with the news interview period of time)...standing for comments and suggestions from the highly involved and interested local parents...just after we administered our Mid-term exams. (All our students did well.)
11) We served 33 lbs of turkey on Saturday cooked in our two over-sized toaster ovens...with all the other good stuff that goes with it...thanks to Mrs. S and Mrs. V who brought many key ingredients into the feast.
12) We have put up our Christmas tree...and have exchanged names with the children to determine who will give a gift to whom in just 26 days.
13) We are involved in a huge row over some adptn paperwork that involved what we believe to be highly unethical behavior on the part of one group stateside (not our agncy)...that has led us to talk with the top officials in BJ here and soon with gov't parties There, too....
14) This Saturday Daddy and I are compelled to attend the "teacher's field trip" to Mu lan mountain (about a 12 hour day). We will climb the mountain...unfortunately, the field trip is a little late this year, so we're expecting temps in the 40's as the highs on that day...
15) By His grace, no absenteeism yet this year...we've made it to school/work everyday.
Sorry for the bullet-point info...but time is short and I must get to some other responsibilities now...
Happy Thanksgiving to each of you! We praise Him for all of those who care for us and read about our crazy life here!
