More traipsing in Spring

Another day to "allow the beauty of nature arouse the students' senses and motivate learning" - according to the translation sent home to parents explaining today's Elementary field trip.

Bummer of today was the 80% of the Botanical gardens were now bloomed out.  A big storm the day before we arrived, had a detrimental impact on many of the blooming varieties.  But we were treated to some spectacular azaleas that made us a little homesick. 

Below:  The 2nd Grade class of Brownie and Potato, Momma was one of the chaperons for this wild group.

Below:  Potato, and aspiring photographer it would seem, snapped this photo of a peony, still in bloom.

Above:  Some variety of iris?

Below:  Mrs. H's "group" for the day, Brandon (left), Tony (next to Brownie) and our girls.  Hard to get them to pose together.  Tony is a romantic interest of one of the girls...ever since Kindergarten...so it was an exciting/awkward day as we toured the gardens!  ;)

Below:  The Bug pauses in one of the greenhouses for a photo.

Below:  Another peony shot by Potato.

Above:  My nature photo contribution...azaleas!

Below:  some unique sites of the day...

Below:  Daddy and I with our teammate Mr. V...who loves to "Gump" himself into any/every photo!  

Below:  Nurse Ann with The Bug.  Poor Nurse Ann, she struggles to continually educate me about Eastern Health ideas and practices that conflict with Western views of the same.  She really tries to be gentle and patient with me...but we've had several times where we've left our sessions together, whether the topic be vaccinations, eye exercises, IVs given for any ailment, or bed rest for weeks on end, each shaking our head at each other.  I am really astounded at her grace with me.  She is a tender heart and she is so good to our children...I think she thinks she may be the only thing standing between them and some great health issues due to their parents' lack of knowledge of "common sense" health facts!   

Below:  We often see unusual (to our thinking) choices in attire.  Here a local Kindergarten teacher from another school has brought her class for an enormous walk in the park...in her platform shoes.

Below:  Magpie and Ethan...a dear close friend of our family...he comes to our home regularly for homework help...or just to hang out and soak up the chaos!

Daddy took a bad jolt to his back tonight in a van ride into town so he's turned in early to rest it.  Please be lifting him up.  We've got to get some things ready this week for our travel South next week, so we need Daddy to be all rested up before we leave our home!  And, I'm having some weird neuro stuff with my left shoulder, elbow and hand.  I have a significant neck injury from years ago that had caused nerve trouble in the past down my arm, but this pain and some real discomfort in the hand (like arthritis aching, I imagine.)  Anyway, we could use your prayers if your remember us.

Grateful for everyday.

Dancin' in the Streets

well, not really.
I don't allow him to dance in the streets...but The Bruiser is a mighty happy soul since Wednesday brought freedom from his leg cast!  The trooper has worn a cast all summer (10 weeks) and on Wednesday when the tech cut off the cast The Bruiser commanded that he "throw that in the TRASH!"

We're amazed at the healing in his leg!

He now will use an orthotic brace for the next several months with the goal of weaning off of it after 3-6 months.  We're praying now that the tendons in his feet will strengthen and help his foot remain flat to the ground (instead of rolled up onto the side and his tippy toes) thus avoiding more surgery next summer.

As the reason we remained stateside while all the other family is back home in the Middle Kingdom is now removed...we are profoundly homesick at this point.  The boys are as friable as I've ever seen them.  The slightest issue dissolves them into tears (or violence against their brother-man.)  And I am, well, I am a jumble of nervous energy, emotion, and angst.  (Note to all of you...if you see us coming down the road...best to just avoid us and let us pass on by!)

We're excited for a huge happening coming this Sunday morning as we'll celebrate one from our "local family" in the Middle Kingdom as he participates in the symbolic rite of dying to his past and being raised anew.  (I'll be the one hollering with joy!)  Sunday evening will bring a chance to visit with friends at a potluck to share some crazy stories of life in the Middle Kingdom.  (If you're reading this and you'd like to come, EMAIL ME, all are welcome.)

Monday will bring some shots for Bub (that ought to go really smoothly after the week we're having)...cramming suitcases full of things we've been accumulating...and praying for a "good weigh-in" at that airport counter on Tuesday (glad their not weighing ME in after 11 weeks in the States)!

We know that there might be a major slight problem when we get to Beijing with the transfer of our baggage from the International flight (and international baggage allowance) to the domestic flight (and domestic baggage allowance)...please be lifting us up that we will find favor with the ticket counter gods service staff!  In 6 years I've never had an issue with this...but apparently things do change (surprise, surprise) and I may have a run for my money (or at least people trying to demand that I pay for my luggage to fly the rest of the way home!)  Never hoped before that I would appear overwhelmed and desperate enough with only 3 children in tow that someone would have pity on me!

Going to post a few cherished photos from our summer visit with ALL our kids!  We had 2 days with all 9+1 (our dear daughter-in-law) and got a few photos that we'll cherish forever!  The visit brought even more phenomenal news to us...that the Rockstar and his Princess will soon be making us GRANDPARENTS!  In January we expect to behold the beautiful sight of Malachi!  Wow!  Now that is joyful anticipation!

Must run and try to cross some more t's and dot some more i's...

The H Family, July 2011

Encouragement

A few weeks ago, our partner went back to QQ's village.  She had a better camera, a scale to weigh him, and three weeks worth of milk powder, cereal, and eggs.  Her email told me that she found him getting stronger, his weight increasing, and with a happy heart!  The above photo is of his picturesque village.

I have seen a few photos of QQ's older siblings, the olders are all daughters.  I was touched deeply by the below photo of this boy, his lip repair looking great, being carried by his sister.

QQ's family is one of the many minority groups Here.  The below photo shows his grandmother at the dinner table with him, she wearing the traditional dress.

Like many parts of the US, the summer is brutally hot in QQ's village.  The photo of this dear boy makes me feel hot just looking at him!

Below:  But this photo, this is the one that brought tears to my eyes...

Momma, holding her boy and washing his feet.  A smile on her face, though she is bashful for the camera...a smile I've never seen before.  How beautiful it is to see them, in their home, living life as a family...full of hope for the future together!  Just 18 months ago she gave birth to a son that she knew she couldn't keep.  She had no way financially to fix the cleft in his lip and palate.   Yet, she fought bitterly and courageously against the acceptance of that fate...left her village and people group and traveled more than 20 hours standing on a train with her son tied on her back...to sit down and endure the degradation of begging on a street near my home.  I admire her to my core.

The villagers knew she left with the baby and I imagine that they all knew she would return without the son who was born unlucky.  That is simply how it is done.

But instead, she brought her baby home...healed.

I wonder how the news spread around the village? Did they finally arrive at the question...WHY?  This was surely not the outcome they expected.

Then, by a perfect design, someone came to the village...someone who could speak their dialect...who knew the answer to the "why" question.  Someone who brought food to help the boy continue to grow so that he could go away to another far away place and have another sugery. 

Then they all hear.

The answer is love.  Love that is quite literally...out of this world.

Easter Photos

It is always a rush in the morning to get everyone out the door.  We stop each day though and as the kids are ready to go, one by one, we pray for them about their day and lives.

The above photo I caught as the Bruiser was being prayed for by Daddy.

Below: the shot after the first one, he knew that I had taken a photo...but also that he should keep his eyes closed during Daddy's prayer for him...and should he smile?...obviously conflicted

Below:  5:30 am on Easter morning after finding the baskets.

Below:  I taught my annual lesson on Friday before Easter to all the students at school about Easter.  What is is...how it is celebrated in the West...etc.  One of the flash cards I had was of an "Easter Cake" so I thought I'd take a stab at making a coconut cake from scratch.  This process took me much of Saturday, and then, due to the major bend in my over sized toaster oven's "rack" it baked unevenly....thus it has a bit of a "sliding" appearance. Regardless, it tasted quite delicious and may have been nearly worth the work!

Below:  For our Easter meal we set the plywood table with three bedsheets, used the Coco-cola giveaway glasses from McDonalds last year and managed a "Spring-y" looking table.

Below:  Our fellow teammates from the 4th Floor have announced that they are leaving and returning to the US to care for sick relatives.  (Pray for us, and especially Magpie and The Bug who will be losing their daily friends, classmates, and playmates due to this change.)  So, we thought it important to have one last, large meal celebrating the holiday and their past year and a half living alongside us Here.

Below:  We did manage an egg hunt in our apartment complex.   Bub and The Bug teach the Singer how it is done. Many of the neighbor kids also got involved...it was a frenzy for about 5 minutes!  

Below:  One of the neighborhood two-year-olds.  He LOVED it!

Below:  Potato and The Bruiser searching and searching!

Below:  The Singer shows off one of his finds.

We hope you had a blessed Easter!  It is a time of transition for us with the Wu's departure.  We've had great provision for our paperwork costs for Nehemiah, we're expecting some special visitors from an Abbottsford organization in two weeks, and we have our major English Performance/Competition in two weeks, too!  We could use prayers for stamina and confidence as we face this major change in our life and team situation.  We had great news this week however that two new couples will be joining our team in August as teachers at the school.  This is welcome news.  He gives and takes away.

No matter where we live or what our experiences are, Easter is the ultimate celebration of power over the grip of darkness and despair.  We're so thankful for the hope we have in Him.

Predator & Prey

It was a warm and sunny Sunday afternoon.  We decided to head out on the buses and see what trouble we could stir up.  Daddy had the idea that we take some dice along with us (perfect for the Lord's Day ;) and roll them once we got on the bus...then get off at the stop whose number corresponded with our roll of the die.  Then get onto the first bus that came to the stop, roll and repeat.

What a creative guy!

We didn't get to bring this to fruition fully yet...but next time, we'll be more serious about the fun of it...we HAD to find a pet store to get some fish food...that sort of dictated the direction we had to end up in, at least.

It was a great day to be pressed on the bus with 500 others.  The sweat started to bead on our brows...promising that the furnace will soon be turned on here in our fair city...and we'll walk around constantly sweating for months on end.

Once we reached the fish food store...we decided to prowl the city streets and look in the shops. ) Everything Here is clustered by the products they sell.  If you want a toilet, you go to "toilet street" where you will find 20 shops that sell toilets.  If you need kitchen appliances, you go to "kitchen appliance street" and decide from which of the nearly identical row of shops you want to buy your products.  It seems that, to my western-free-enterprise-style thinking that this is not the best business model...but hey...it works and it is VERY convenient for the consumer.)

Near the fish food shops were many flower shops and live fish shops...and then we came upon one shop selling lovebirds.  The kids were smitten and we gave into an impulse purchase ($20 for birds, cage, food, and two stones apparently important for their beaks.) Below, our new tenants...the girls named them "Paris" and "Helen" as we this week were just studying Greek history and the story from Greek Mythology about the "cause" of the Battle of Troy.  (The History class I teach has now produced names for the cats "Tigris" and "Euphrates" and now "Paris" and "Helen.")

 So I've already mentioned in the paragraph above our two cats, Tigris and Euphrates, who were keenly interested in Paris and Helen.  We thought we'd put the birds up high, on top of the kong tiao (standing air conditioner)...but within about 5 minutes of cheery lovebird song...Tigris had scaled the curtains and had pounced on the cage...very nearly making Paris and Helen another tragic love story.

So, in our desperation, we moved Paris and Helen outside, literally hanging them on our clothesline.  

Below:  Tigris and Euphrates are spellbound by the laundry.

Tomorrow is Monday and we must decide how to bring these four into some sort of peaceful cohabitation.  For tonight, Paris and Helen are locked in the bathroom.  Tigris and Euphrates are resting, delirious from their blood lust. 

Here's to my hope that the children won't have a life science lesson to add to the History lesson.

Life on the Range

It has been awhile since I've offered a "newsy" sort of update.  I suppose this sleepless night offers me the opportunity to do so, though I have tons of writing to do for the school play/musical/English performance...

We have good news on the Qian Qian front...looks like in about 3 weeks he'll be traveling with his parents to have his palate surgery!  We've been waiting all winter for him to gain enough weight (now that his lip is closed, it has been much faster) so that he could undergo anesthesia under the hospital protocols.  We'll be sending the family to a city in the South where they will meet up with a team of foreign doctors.  The foreign team will do one week of surgeries and then Qian Qian will remain there for about 2 more weeks while his sutures heal.  Many heartfelt thanks to all of you who have continued to carry Qian Qian in your hearts!  How wonderful it will be to see him taking another giant step toward his future!  We are so blessed that He arrested us on the side of the road and gave us the privilege to participate!

In other amazing news...

We saw Little Kevin (young boy hit by a truck last September)...and he is WALKING!  What an enormous answer to prayer this is!  The last time we saw him, in January, he was unable to walk and was confined to a stroller.  He came to visit the Kindergarten (and Bub's classroom) last week and we're told that if he continues to strengthen, he may soon return to school.  He's lost nearly an entire year of his life to his injury and rehabilitation...but we are so thankful to see how he has been restored!  We are giving praise for this development!

Related to school...

Our character eduction program headed up by the Dean of Students (aka our Daddy) is taking off!  The school has had weekly lessons on various character traits.  This week, Justice, is the morality issue and Daddy produced a 70 page powerpoint depicting visually some of the injustices in the world.  Our students will be confronted with the disparity between images of wealth and poverty.  Please be lifting this up, that seeds will be planted!

We had a huge meeting with local officials (one that I've been hoping for over our 3 years here!)   We are eager to provide our students with a practical outreach, an opportunity to put this character education into practice within the community here.  We were blown away at how positive the meeting went, though less than 12 hours before we were told it was a non-starter!  It was staggering for me to consider that in this meeting,  the language, cultural understanding, and credibility required to not get tossed out the door simply couldn't have culminated until now.  So often we have great ideas, even vision for our future, but we have to be careful not to be too hasty.  We must get in sync with a time schedule far beyond our understanding!

Related to family business...

We are so thrilled to report that The Bruiser has been accepted for treatment into a major charitable hospital this summer!  This is a profound answer to prayer!

His acceptance through us a bit of a curve ball as we found out that his treatment required 10 weeks to correct his feet...not the 6 weeks we had been told by another hospital previously!  We have only 6 weeks furlough each summer before school begins again.

We were astounded to discover that His plan has provided for a long-term substitute for my position (allowing me to remain in the US for The Bruiser's treatment!)   Due to Daddy's Dean position, he must return after only a four week furlough, so this situation will cause for a significant separation of our family, something we are not accustomed to!  Additionally, our dear Grandma D will have her first trip to see our home Here, when she travels with the girls to bring them back before the start of school!

So the boys and I will remain in the US for 12 weeks (living like squatters off friends and family members!!!) ;)  The girls will have 8 weeks to visit their home culture (and will be able to attend their first Fair in 3 years, which used to be the ANNUAL HIGHLIGHT of our summers.)  It is a beautiful picture of how He takes care of our every need, the finest detail, even BEFORE we understand what our needs will be!

On the adoption front...

We are fully in the throes of paperwork now.  We're back in the line-up waiting for immigration approval for Nehemiah.  This wait will be a tough one as we know that he is in a tough spot...and he's getting older...we so hope to have him home before his 5th birthday!  Please lift up with us the need for speedy approvals and the next $2800 we need to send our paperwork on to the next step...we wait and watch for the miracles to unfold!

Now to make a long post, even longer...

These photos are from our recent Spring Field trip for the Elementary school.  I'm mostly posting them because they show a little bit of how many people we rub shoulders with on a trip to "the zoo."  These photos were taken on a Thursday, prime field trip day, in our little city of 10 million.  

 Above:  While we were lining up to go into the "seal show" these folks were doing their daily routine...we see this often...groups of people gathered from morning to night...to exercise.  It is one of the charming things of Here, I think.

Below:  This shot is of a fraction of the seating area for the "seal show," there was not an empty seat in the place...the sound was deafening...throbbing masses of school children!

Below: this was the line for entering the "elephant show"...we stood in this amusement-style line for 30 minutes...every inch of the four winding lanes was jammed with people...everywhere throngs of people!

Below:  walking through the zoo/park with some other patrons...

It is because of this population where we live now that when I visit my home culture I keep thinking, "WHERE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE?!" Truly, it is the strangest thing to me during a furlough in the West...where are all the people?

Below:  These students where snapping photos and practicing their English with Daddy...a daily phenomenon for us...they were so cute...and so excited about seeing a foreigner!

 Below:  another shot of some park patrons on Field Trip day...

 Below:  one of our students...(he's the one in the hat)

Below:  a few familiar students pose for a shot

Below:  Tomb Sweeping holiday has just concluded Here.  As we did not have any ancestors' tombs to sweep, we took advantage of the extra day off school to go to our local shopping area...these are a few photos of that...

Potato gets a ride on Magpie...

Below:  The Bug and Brownie sporting her new glasses...we found out a few weeks ago during a routine eye check by the school nurse that Brownie's eyes were not seeing distance very well...so off we traipsed to the eye doctor...upon wearing her new eyewear...she said after about 20 minutes..."Momma!  I can see!"  I felt SO BAD!  Immediately, her work in Chinese class (where she has to identify hundreds of characters comprised of fine strokes often from flashcards or written on the whiteboard) has dramatically improved!

Below:  Daddy and the tribe...no, we're not too conspicuous while out shopping...

Below:  In front of the main entrance to our little shopping area...it supposedly has the "longest pedestrian shopping area" anywhere...well, it sounds impressive!

We should be able to blend in with all this activity around us...right?

 Below:  Since we're in year 3 with no personal vehicle...we ride the city bus.  This is a photo of a typical bus stop where we must fight for position, run to an approaching bus, press ourselves (sometimes shouting) on the bus...it is always high stress!  This line up of people, here extending several feet OFF the bus stop and into the street, was nearly 1 city block long!

Okay, enough for this ridiculously long post.  Sorry that I've been off my normal rhythm of writing...I do hope to be past my adoption paperwork, writing the school play, and tax stuff soon!

All for One!

Random Photos

We are simply buried under life at school right now.  Trying to get paperwork wrested out of the hands of service providers for adoptions is also a daily struggle...but, we have been living, though not writing.  Here are some shots of the gang over this past little while...

Below:  The Bug shows her "glam" side on Retreat in January

Above & Below:  More shots of cool cats...in a Thailand-style taxi

 Below:  Another Thai-style taxi...the Tuk Tuk...we LOVE to pile into these! (note: we cannot ALL fit into one! ;)

Above & Below:  The Bug turned 9 - she had a cake on Retreat with Grandma J & one with classmates when we returned home

Below:  the going away party for our Indian friends (also see one of my worst cultural faux pas in history detailed in an earlier post)

Below:  Magpie shows her funky-style in this self-shot portrait

Below:  Brownie is CONSTANTLY mugging these crazy poses and wacko faces in shot after shot...this is proof that the apple does not fall far from the tree!

Below:  Pre-K Field trip 2011 - a visit to the Cherry Blossom Garden park...just our little group and 10,000 others for a relaxing Tuesday - Daddy stayed behind to do teaching duties and I got a rare morning with The Singer and The Bruiser

Below:  This photo is out of order...but it is a shot of Potato with one of the Kindergarten teachers (who is only slightly taller than Potato...so this endears them to each other)

 Below:  The Cherry Blossom Garden Park...a delight for adults...not sure why we take the P-K kids there...but it was fun to get out in a little Springtime!

 Below:  The Singer and the The Bruiser on a rock...it's sort of a funny smile on The Bruiser...but is shows how much he LOVES his brother...they have really become close...

Below:  The guys making crazy faces in front of a pagoda...no caption was really necessary on this, I know

 Below:  A random kid I took photos of... I call this shot... "suspicious and bored at the Cherry Blossom Garden."

Below:  Yes, he was wearing "split pants" - a favorite for many babies Here - they can be bundled with 10 layers of thick, thick clothing in the winter...but their "parts" will still be out in the breeze

Below:  Obviously...these pants, split from the front to the back, would allow a little breeze on the cheeks...

 Below:  Kindergarten teachers with us

Below:  apples for our picnic

Below:  The Bruiser - running - he LOVES to run, even though his feet cause him trouble...how FAR he has come from the boy who could barely walk just 8 months ago

Below:  The Singer...showing those dimples...

I will attempt to post some recent stories, soon.  Must finish writing the school play that has to be performed by all our ESL kids in just a few weeks...you should hear the re-write of R.O.C.K in the U.S.A that Daddy has done for our kids (using our school name)...I promise videos!

Hope Spring has come wherever you are!