Everyone's on the move...

Officially next Thursday begins the "Spring Festival Travel Period"...at least according to the national Railway system here....that will carry a staggering number of people to the far reaches of our massive host nation. 

As a Westerner, truly, I have nothing in my experience to compare to the magnitude of this holiday period of time.  I chose the words "period of time" intentionally because many people will spend 2 -4 weeks away from their jobs, with their families, celebrating the New Year.  (I can remember when one time I took 5 days off work around Christmas and New Years and I felt like I'd won the lottery...living as a person of leisure!)

While our host nation punches the clock and goes on holiday, this is the time that our family also goes on retreat.  It has now become our only down-time in the year, and as we continue living cross-culturally, our spirits and bodies ache for some refreshing. 

We will head out on a "sleeper train" next Friday (with thousands of other happy home-goers) as we head to the South on the first leg of our trip to SE Asia.  Our train tickets, that were purchased after a 2 hour wait in line, offer us the first of many challenges on our trip.  We are holding the only tickets in the "hard sleepers" that we could get...unfortunately, our 6 sleeper berths are on three different cars of the train!  So, we will go to the train, heavy-laden with gifts and perhaps some small money, to try to "swap" berths with others so that our family of 9 can get on the same car (at least) an in the same compartment (at best.)  As no one buys 6 berths at the same time, our purchase was greeted with speculation after an initial refusal.  Ticket scalping during this frantic time is at an all time high...so the ticket office usually sells a MAXIMUM of 3 tickets together (One family-One child...as is still the policy in most of the country.)

Once we'd purchased berths on the getaway train...we realized that we needed to replace a few of our carry-on sized bags, that are simply beat to thunder after all the traveling they've done.  So, I headed into town with Magpie, Potato & Brownie (as The Bug is still in the US for Grampa's funeral.)  As we traveled the main road from our apartment I realized that the exodus from the city had begun.  Each bus stop along our path was overstuffed with anxious-faced and eager souls spilling out into the road, arms burgeoning with burlap bags or the occasional spiffy suitcase at their sides, eyes intent on seeing the next bus that might allow 1-2 people to squeeze on (leaving the hundred others to wait, and wait, and wait for their turn.)

When we made it to the major shopping mall we went to the big K-mart/Walmart-type store in hopes of finding suitcases.  As we rounded the corner in the store, our eyes took in an amazing sight...literally 100 other people in the suitcase section, shopping for the bag that would take home their possessions as well as the precious gifts for their family members living in the the distant countryside villages of their birth.  Suitcases, all with wheels, starting at just 87 RMB, about $15, all the way to slick-sided, four-wheeled bags labeled "Tokyo Chic", selling for 800 RMB.  We were lost in a sea of people...college students...young families with their new babies ready for their first introduction to relatives...young professionals, shopping for that bag that would show that they are on their way to achieving the dreams of their parents...wealthy men shopping for the best bag to accessorize their BMW, Lexus, or Mercedes that will prove to everyone in their hometown that they are as rich as God.

Every eye I could catch revealed the mood of these days...joyful anticipation. 

I thought of our colleagues at the school.

Teacher Linda who was married in October, took 10 days off work to help pack her husband's belongings and send him off to a "new/better" job in the South that will keep their time together to twice a year.  Spring Festival is one of those times...they will have three weeks to live as husband and wife...and then 6 weeks in the summer.  This scenario is so common. 

Teacher Li who was married yesterday, will spend them time taking his new wife to meet his relatives, receiving "hong bao" or red envelopes stuffed with cash to wish them "double happiness" in their new life together. 

The Principal who will host many (15-20) out of town relatives in her 2 bedroom, 1000 Sq ft. apartment (the family is originally FROM our city, increasingly a rare situation.)  All this entertaining around helping her daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law get settled into the new flat she purchased for them.  

Teacher Maggie who will travel with her new husband to her hometown.  The last trip they took, one year ago, they could only get "standing" tickets on the train for the 20 hour train ride.  She will finally get to see the new nephew born this year to her sister.  She has been preparing for her trip to see her mother, who she missed dearly, for months.

The excitement is palpable. 

When I reached the check-out of the store, our two new modest suitcases in tow...I had a monumental experience....

In our first two years Here, I had suffered several embarrassing moments at the check-out of this store...mis-translating the amount of money required, forgetting that I had to BUY the sack to take my purchases home, my bank card being refused for some unknown reason, and two or three times...trying to use a store-issued coupon to save money on my purchase, but always being told that I had it wrong, that it wasn't valid, etc.

As we were nearly done with the suitcase transaction, I remembered that I'd been given one of those coupons on my last visit.  Since I am illiterate, I can't read the rules/regulations on the coupon, but I sheepishly pushed the crumpled paper across the steely, cold check-out counter...avoiding eye-contact for the inevitable barrage of rudely-delivered "you are an idiot, this coupon does not work in this situation" Chinese monologue...

but something magical happened...

she TOOK the coupon, and reduced my bill 60 RMB!  That's $10!

While it was simply luck...I was ecstatic!  I had successfully used my FIRST coupon Here!  In year 3! 

The high carried me home...though the buses had stopped for the night and we had to wait one hour in the freezing, windy night for a taxi...

We're just a few folks enveloped in the masses, headed out of town on holiday...

Summer Furlough - In Photos

This will probably be the longest picture post I've ever done.  (Not for the faint of heart to wade through!)Our summer furlough was six weeks long, full of family, friends, and hours on the road. 

Above photo: the first evening we arrived in Hawaii...we'd had several hours of immigration work...then we drove the kids down to the beach and gave what was for a couple of them, their very first look at the ocean.

Above & Below:  A sunset swim was an exciting first taste of the beach...Magpie (10) and The Bug (8) relished the experience as you can see!

Above:  We were amazed at the blessing of having our oldest daughter Butterfly (19) with us for the stop-over in Honolulu.  It made every one's experience just that much more special!

Below:  Bub (4) was born to be a Surfer Dude!  Who knew? Generally all he talks about are cars, planes and trains...now he talks about those things getting him to the beach! 

There were a few times during these first few days when I would stop and stare at the two New Guys.  The first night in particular they were sitting in the sand, on both sides of their Daddy...staring at the ocean, the sunset, their new family...and I thought "in just two weeks time how far you boys have come...one who spent most of his two years in a crib in the orphanage...the other who never traveled outside of his foster family's neighborhood in this densely crowded city...now sitting on the beach, playing in the sand...what must be going through your minds?"

And then I thought, adoption truly is a glimmer of our own adoption as sons and daughters of His family...our lives, our futures limited by a dismal sentence, with no hope other than what temporal pleasures we enjoy for the moment, with nothing that satisfies...and then, once adopted, made heirs...partakers in hope, beauty, joy and LOVE that we have never known...how blessed we are to have a tiny connection via adoption to the miracle of our spiritual adoption...

Each of the New Guys, full of their own personalities...processing the change differently...I'm sure that the above photo of Graham will forever be difficult for me to look at as his grieving is still so evident...how different he is this morning, running around the apartment screaming happy sounds and bounding over to squeeze my legs, with a big smile and a "Good Morning Momma!"

Left:  Brownie (6)...really enjoyed the ocean!

Right:  This kid, Potato (6), was a maniac in the water...she just wanted to go and go!

Left:  Magpie was so entranced with the water and the waves...she could have stayed there for years...







Below:  Though it was obviously really bright in the sun, The Bug brought her cheery, sunshiny-personality to add to the brilliance of the beach...

Above:  Bub (4), just played it low key...he wore those goggles nearly constantly...even though he rarely ventured off the sand and into the water!

Above:  Silas wasn't so crazy about the sand in his eyes...but didn't mind it in his mouth, especially when his Daddy gave him a tickling "work-out"

Above:  Daddy shares a precious hug on the beach with his dear girl...we see her so seldom as she's away at university...where has the time gone?

Above:  This poor fella is Mr. T, he and his lovely and generous wife Mrs. T took care of us like family during our stop-over in Hawaii...we enjoyed visiting their church, staying in their rental home, and most of all their magnificent hospitality to our traveling horde...Potato was able to convince Mr. T that he should allow her to bury him in the sand...she was so proud...

Above:  Then back to our home state and our beloved family and friends who made us feel so very welcome!

Above:  Hugs from Uncle J who has the reputation in our family as having "the best hugs in the world!"

Above:  Our dear friends H & B...for the second year in a row they took us into their home, gave us a place to sleep, fed us marvelous pies and home cooking, pushed kids on the swings for hours and hours...and made us feel WELCOME...under the definition of hospitality, you should find their picture!  How could we say thank-you enough?

Below:  These next photos show how we spend our time in our home town...enjoying a few days of our old life there...playing, chatting, feeling like we belong...it definitely recharges our batteries for the challenges of the next year...

Below: Then of course...we must go for "herd health week"...Bub is keen on examining the equipment while TUD tries to examine Bub!

Above:  We were treated to a real delight when "The Dutch Girl" (see early posts in 2008) came to see us during our visit...she is a delight for all of us to see!

Below:  Then we hit the road!  This is a view of the inside of our van.  We bought it a few years before we moved Here...it has been the greatest blessing to have it when we return for visits as we can fit everyone in it!  We bought it from a commuter/carpooling company who had these captain's chairs all through the back...now we see the true beauty of that as no one can touch each other during 6200  mile road trips!

Below:  Then we crashed the wedding of my youngest brother...this snapshot was taken at the site of their wedding, overlooking the ocean...it was amazing! It also is our first decent photo with the New Guys.

Above:  The Bride and the Groom

Above: My Momma and Dad...what a gorgeous couple!  These two know how to get the party started!  Never has there been a pair who are more fun to be around!

Above:  My brother, his stunning wife and their darling daughter Miss J delighted us all...the cousins are smitten with each other (on Left)

Above:  My sister and I got the rare occasion to see each other and to laugh, and laugh, and laugh!

Above: My Dad, "The Big B" with his beautiful wife Ms. K and below them, Grace, Sam and Eve (highly beloved by their nieces and nephews)...such a great time to spend with all of them...darlings, each of them!

Above:  Sweet moment at the rehearsal dinner with the New Guys - these guys are FANS of Mexican food!

Above:  The guys all wore their white silks to the Wedding.

Left:  My bro Sam...when I see him...I just want to hug him till his head pops off!

Above:  My beloved Momma...with my darling nephew Griffin...

Below:  Then we hit the road again for our Midwest family...to see our big kids...Daddy's Momma and Daddy...and to enjoy some hot summer days!

All of the H Family kids including our oldest son "The Rockstar" (27)

Above:  On Grandma's porch...we LOVED the chance to get our hands on Grandma D!

Below:  A glimpse of the Annual Birthday Party that Grandma D throws...cakes for each kid...and for the New Guys, their FIRST experience with a birthday party...they were INTO it!

Above:  Daddy with his Momma

Below: We had to visit Papa G in the hospital this year, that was our one sad issue of the summer...but the kids were thrilled to see him!

We were also surprised to see Daddy's sister make a long drive to see us, too...what a sweet time!

Above: one of the highlights of the trip was visiting The Rockstar, along with his bride, The Princess at his place of work...we watched him in full scuba..."swim with the fishes" and narrate a "feeding show" for all of us...as Bub said, "Rockstar, YOU COOL!"  And he is!

These two are more fun than can be told...our little kids are CRAZY for every moment we get to spend with them...


Below: A quick Sunday morning stop on our way back had us enjoying a morning in full-dress with my sister and brother-in-law's family including our surprise guest, my niece Lexi...it was awesome to have all these cousins together!

Below:  Four days later, road worn, we swarmed upon my Mom and Dad's house...got some more Auntie and Uncle lovin'...and made a few more memories with Pendy (Grandpa)

Below:  We raced off to see the incomparably caring team at Bub's occularist's office...they let the kids in the lab while Bub's artificial eye was adjusted for the next year...Todd, Christie and Rachel are the most phenomenal team...Bub said for several days after our visit this year..."I love Todd."  We do, too!

Above:  a few days before we boarded the big plane...we took our kids to see the little chapel we were married in almost 14 years ago.  Wow...things have changed!

Below:  And so, that's where I'll end this longest post of my life...with a photo of my dear Husband who is my best friend, my personal comedian, my faith champion...and the love of my life.  This summer we had many hours driving in the car with the little kids...reading books aloud challenging us to live our lives more fully for Him...gazing bleary-eyed at each other at the "rest" stops...ours is a story of His redeeming grace...a testimony of His power of restoration and forgiveness...without this guy...there would be no story to tell...I am grateful, more than I can ever say...