Remembering Summer

I took these pictures about a month ago, when our days were not so busy with school and all the activities that come with it. On this afternoon, Gwen and Madelyn enjoyed playing out on our deck (you'll get another little view of our outside space here) with their friend Jacelyn. They were supposed to be filling the baby pool, but I don't think much of the water went in it!

Pray, Please

This family needs your prayers. They have come to China to adopt their daughter, and when they arrived they discovered that she is very, very sick and is not receiving the type of care she needs. They are trying to expedite her visa and the adoption process so they can have custody of her and quickly get her the medical care she needs to survive. They are believers and are trusting that nothing is impossible with God!

It's About Time

I am pleased to report that I am finally working on a scrapbook/life book for Gwen. I had purchased some supplies before we moved to Shanghai to start working on this project, but got hung up when I realized that I really wanted it to be more than just a photo album of pictures from our trip to get her. An adoption life book is intended to tell the story of the child's life, which in Gwen's case included twenty-one months before she joined our family. I wasn't sure how to address the whole issue of her birth parents and why she was in an orphanage... we don't know the reasons ourselves, we can only speculate. So, I got stuck. I did the front page and that was it.

Early last spring I got inspired to finish the book in time for Gwen's 4th birthday. I did a little research on the internet about life books, and looked at some sample pages that helped me create a couple more pages that told about her birth in China, and the fact that she grew in her Chinese mother's belly. I was really pleased with these pages, but couldn't come up with what came next... why her Chinese parents' couldn't keep her.

So the book sat. For six months, I have done nothing. Then the other night, when Scott and I were riding our bikes through the dark streets of Jinqiao to our small group meeting, I thought about it again, and I had some ideas. Scott and I talked about them a little. When we got home some hours later, I sat down at the computer and typed out my ideas. I showed Scott and he said he he wouldn't change any of it.

So now I've been working again. I've spread scrapping supplies out on the table, and I've churned out the tough pages and even moved on to the really fun, easy pages with pictures of the day we met our girl. Gwen has seen what I'm doing, and is telling everyone that, "Mom is making a book for me."

Whew. It feels good to be working on this. I am so thankful that God has given me the words to say in this book, this account for Gwen of His plan for her life. I'm not finished yet, but now I know I can do it.

Half Birthday

Today as we were walking to church we realized that it was Gwen's four-and-a-half birthday. We used to celebrate our kids' half birthdays when they were younger, by going out to a neat 50's style hot dog place for dinner. They served chocolate milk there that had whipped cream and colored sprinkles on top... the kids thought that was such a special treat! In recent years, half birthdays haven't been much of a big deal. But I guess the youngest child so desires to be catching up to her siblings... when we told Gwen that it was her four-and-half birthday today, she was really pleased. We went out for dinner after church with several other families, and with so many other people around we all forgot about recognizing this milestone. But Gwen remembered as we walked in the door at home, so I scrambled around the kitchen to create a little something to put a candle in. Madelyn sent Gwen to the dining room and instructed her to cover her eyes until she carried in the yummy creation and set it before her. The birthday song was sung, the candles blown out and licked clean, and dessert was enjoyed by all.
Happy Half Birthday, Half Pint! You're on your way to 5!

Headstands!

Extreme Thirst

Seth and his friends Kevin and Lance were so hot and thirsty that drinking from a mere glass couldn't possibly provide enough liquid at once... they opted for cereal bowls instead.

Caleb's Turtles

The day I took the kids to the bird and flower market a few weeks ago, we came home with some pets. Not planned pets.

Caleb, who didn't want to go to this market in the first place, couldn't tear himself away from the turtles once we got there. The fact that they were only 5 RMB (less than a dollar) a piece made them very attractive. He bargained for turtles, a bowl, and food. He bought three of these little tiny guys.

We had another stop to make after leaving the market, so we left the turtles in Mr. Wu's care in the car. When we got back to the car, he told us that one of the turtles was crippled, and he thought we should take it back. Caleb had already phoned his friend Lucas to tell him of the fantastic deal turtles were, so he wanted to return to the market anyway to buy turtles for him. We did round #2 at the market, bought more turtles, exchanged the bowl for a cooler tank with a little hill in the middle, and in the end decided to keep the crippled turtle... shouldn't we be the ones to care for it?

Here he is, grinning about the possesion of these pets. Fast forward a couple of weeks... the turtles sit on the desk in Caleb's bedroom, climbing on top of each other to get closer to the light he has shining over their tank. Every morning before school, Caleb calls to Madelyn as he's heading out the door, "Can you change the turtles' water and feed them for me?"
How handy to have a younger sister to pass that task on to.

More First Days of School

Caleb and Seth humored me last Monday by posing at our gate before they made the two minute walk to school on the first day. Don't you love their fresh haircuts (ha,ha!)? Madelyn created a little desk for herself on our first day of homeschooling, at the end table in the living room.

Since then, we've often moved our school space out to the table on our little deck. It's been unusally cool for this time of year in Shanghai, making it pleasant to work outside.

It's Good

Have I mentioned that I love where we live now?

I most definitely miss the wonderful river view from our 48th floor apartment. I miss the boats, the city lights at night, the feeling of being in the heart of real Shanghai. It was really cool to experience city life for a year.

But as Caleb said last spring when we were contemplating moving, "We've done the apartment thing, now we can do something else." And we are. It is so very different, in some really great ways.

I love being so close to school that the boys can run back over later in the evening if they forgot something there.

I love seeing people I know from church when I'm at Carrefour.

I love having friends for my kids a quick bike ride away.

I love having neighbors knock at the door.

I love walking to church, and walking to dinner with friends after church.

I love riding our bikes places... to ballet, to Starbucks, to gymnastics, to the store for a few groceries, to the pool, to friends' houses.

I love walking over to the school library with the girls.

I love sitting out on our little deck with Madelyn to do schoolwork, and to eat lunch.

I love having friends' kids come hang out at my house while they're waiting for their ride, because we're so close to school.

I don't love water dripping out of lights in the bathroom, or the AC being broken for days and days, or the washing machine breaking repeatedly, or the phone acting up all the time. But those things are worth it somehow, for the community we feel in Jinqiao. It feels like we belong, like we're part of something bigger. Somehow in our apartment, as much as it felt homey to be there, we were isolated.

So I'm glad to live here, in this place and time, and for these moments.

Getting On the Bus

Zao shang hao! Good morning!

The van stops right at the gate outside our house. There is an ayi on the bus who greets Gwen every day, helps her into the van, and makes sure she gets buckled in.
All buckled in and ready to go! Gwen is the first on her van in the morning... next stop is around the corner in our compound, where her two friends Sophie and Chloe live.
Have a great day, Gwen!

Up In The Green

Poconos 2008

These photos were taken in Bushkill Falls Park in July. We had visited Bushkill Falls nine years ago, when we were in the Poconos with Scott's family. It is so lush and green! I loved being there again.

Who are these goofballs?! We didn't plan for us all to wear similar colors... but it made a nice picture.
Mom, Sarah, Mindy and me.

Perpetual Motion

New Baby

Although China is a country of smokers, apparently cigars are not the item of choice to distribute when announcing a new arrival in one's family. Scott brought home this bag from work yesterday. It was given to him by a Chinese colleague in his office who was announcing the birth of his child. The two red plastic eggs in the bag contained Dove chocolate.

Can't complain about chocolate.

Gwen

Four year old picture, taken July 2008.

"Antique" Street

One day last week I took the three older kids to this pedestrian street on the Puxi side of Shanghai. Mark and Mindy and I had gone together last spring when they were visiting, but the kids had never been. I'm not sure how much of these vendors' wares are true antiques, but it's a fun place to poke around and hone your bargaining skills! Caleb, Seth and Madelyn jumped right in and wouldn't take no for an answer to their price. They actually didn't buy much, but decided they might like to come back here to Christmas shop. Watch out, grandparents!

Notice how people gather to watch the Western kids.

I love this shot of Seth, in full bargaining mode!

End of the First Week

I installed this little clothesline in Gwen's room to display her school projects and papers.

Gwen finished her first week of school today. She said to me a couple of mornings this week that it was a "long time" until I came to pick her up at the end of the day. This tore at my heart strings, because I also feel like 9-3 is a long time for a first school experience. I plan to pick her up early here and there, but felt it was important for her to get the first week under her belt first.

By today her slight hesitation of the last couple days had escalated to full blown tears when we arrived at the school room door. The teacher first sent one of Gwen's friends over to encourage her to come in, to no avail. I reassured and reassured, but finally Laoshi Sharon, the head teacher, who is lovely, came over and got her from me. Gwen went to her and I was able to walk away, but not without second guessing myself for having her in school at all.

After school I met her for the two of us to ride the "bus" (van) home together. She could start taking this van both to and from school next week. She had been so excited to do this, especially because two of her friends from our neighborhood who are in her class ride it also. All the children were seated and buckled in first, then the moms who were there were given a place to sit. I wasn't right next to Gwen, and although she was between her two friends, my distance (I was right in front of her) seemed to set her off. Suddenly the seatbelt was all wrong, she wanted to be on my lap, etc. Quickly her behavior turned into a tantrum, complete with screaming and kicking the seat in front of her. I tried in vain to talk softly and hold her hand to settle her for the 6 minute ride home. By the time we walked in our door, she was inconsolable and I was thoroughly embarassed. We dealt with the whole scene in the privacy of her bedroom, she perked up, had a snack, and all was well.

After dinner tonight she pretended to be Laoshi Sharon. She motioned for Madelyn and I to sit crosslegged, with our hands on our knees, while she opened a book to read to us. She held it up to show us the pictures, and began "reading" in complete nonsense words. I guess that's how storytime in Chinese sounds to her so far! However, she has been able to sing some Chinese songs this week, and repeat phrases in Chinese that Seth understood and she seemed to know the general meaning of.

Tonight at bedtime she was thanking Jesus for her school, and asking when she could go again. Sigh. It seems that school may be an emotional rollercoaster for both of us, at least for a little while!

Lunch is Over

Look carefully... someone ate a whole fish for lunch... and his eye is still peering out of his intact head! We came across this scene at what is called a "bird and flower market", kind of an old Shanghai scene, with many types of pets for sale along with some house plants. More photos coming.

Making Music

Seth and & Will Stevenson compose a song together.
Durham, NC, July 2008.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Can't believe you're two now, EC. We all love you so much!

Gwen's 1st Day

"Welcome Everyone!"
This sign is on the door of her classroom. I didn't read it myself, in case you wondered. :-)
This backpack, which she picked out Friday after preschool orientation, was a really big deal to Gwen. Her first backpack... somehow it made everything official. We had several items to take to school the first day- toothbrush and toothpaste, change of clothes, inside shoes to keep at school, and an updated info sheet for the office. Gwen checked and rechecked her backpack over the weekend to make sure everything was in its place. I arrived a few minutes early at pick-up time so I could take some pictures. (I brought my camera this morning, but didn't have the memory card in it, so I couldn't take any pictures.) I found the class at circle time... I couldn't understand a thing as the whole day is conducted in Mandarin, but Gwen seemed to be following Laoshi (teacher) Sharon.

Sharon told me after class that Gwen had done really well, for her first time in school. There were no tears to start the day, which was a good sign, but I did hold my breath every time my phone rang, wondering if they would be saying she was falling apart. I was so thankful for the good report!

Notice the all the Chinese characters on the wall. Gwen's classroom!
One of her favorite activities at orientation last week was manning this little store.
I wondered what Gwen's reaction to hearing Mandarin all day would be... I expected her to tell me that she couldn't understand anything, or something along those lines. She said nothing of the sort. She produced a page from her backpack that she had done at school- it was a character that they had traced and learned today... she matter of factly named the character (I don't remember how to say it, but the picture was of a sunshine). Later today she repeated some Chinese words to me and just said, "Chinese people say this." I'm sure it will take quite a while for full understanding to come, but I expect she will learn much more quickly than I would!

She was exhausted tonight and was asleep within moments of me leaving her room. Praying for another good day tomorrow!

Rooting for Brazil!

Here are some pics from the Friday night, when Scott and the these three went to an Olympic soccer match, the bronze medal game between Brazil and Belgium. They wore the colors for Brazil!

The kids were so excited that they had been on the jumbo-tron four times!
Caleb, Madelyn and Seth with their Brazilian friends.
Final score!
Olympic ticket stubs... great soveniers!

Photo Dilettante- Year Two

If you haven't been to this site in a while, go check it out by clicking here. The new pictures are stunning!

Olympics!

Caleb, Seth, and Madelyn just left to meet Scott after work. The four of them are going to the bronze metal soccer match tonight! A lot (maybe all?) of the Olympic soccer is being held in Shanghai. The kids are rooting for Brazil, as Caleb and Seth have good friends from school who are Brazilian. Gwen and I, well, we're going to the pool for a while. :-)

Passage of Time and Place

The other night I was thinking of other places we've lived, and I started feeling nostalgic for the locations of the past. I even got tearful, thinking of what I had then that I don't have now. Never a good idea, to start down that road.

I was thinking of the amazingly thick, lush lawn we had in Medina. The greenest lawn on the block, because Scott always watered. I thought of times when we played in the back yard on that green lawn, little boys in diapers running through the sprinkler, while I picked tomatoes and beans from the garden and Scott mowed the lawn. I could almost smell those summer evenings... and I felt cheated that I don't have that setting anymore.

I thought also of fall afternoons in the woods, when the kids would have stayed until dark if it were up to them, so intent on their little adventures with sticks and other forest stuff. I remember lying on my back in the yellow leaves, looking up at the autumn sky. I thought of baby Madelyn, sitting contentedly in the leaves, crunching them in her fists. As I remembered, I felt sad that I don't have any woods to go hang out in for the afternoon, in Shanghai.

Do you see where this train of thought took me? Definitely to discontent.

The next day, as I relived my sad thoughts from the night before, I had a revelation. The times and places I was missing were nothing more than double page spreads in my photo album. They were little moments in time when my kids were little, and real everyday life wasn't nearly as idyllic as my daydreams of the previous day recollected. They looked so good in the photos... and they were good. But they had their own frustrations, I'm sure of it. All I remember now are what's captured between the pages of my album... and that's not what reality was. Those photos show it all in the best light... preschoolers tattling isn't pictured, nor is the frustration of having to mow the lawn at the end of a long day, nor the child whining all the way home from the woods.

I'm in a different place now, literally. My kids are older. I've written here before about the "hang out in the woods with mom" thing... that time is fleeting, and even gone for several of my brood. We're doing new things in a new place.

In some ways, I'd give anything to go back to my green backyard in Medina, or my perennial garden beside the garage in Aurora. But they wouldn't be the same places anymore, even if I did. Life has moved on.

Good thing I've got those photos... moments in time captured on a double page spread. At least I can pull the albums off the shelf and remember. The times and the places, in the most positive light.

And then move on to reality, today.

Preschool

I just got a call this morning that a space has opened up in a Mandarin immersion preschool that I had put Gwen on the waiting list for late last spring. There is a parent and child orientation this Friday morning, and school starts Monday.

Whoa.

None of my other children have attended preschool. I love preschool, in fact I directed and taught a church preschool program for the year before Caleb was born. I still have my lesson plan book from that year, tucked safely away in my files. But I didn't send Caleb, or Seth, or Madelyn. We were busy at home, learning together, and that seemed good.

Then there is Gwen. She is a full four years plus younger than Madelyn, which has made homeschooling Madelyn a challenge. I know so many people successfully homeschool a myriad of ages of children at the same time, while also keeping several toddlers busy. But I struggled with this last year. The girls had lots of fun together when we weren't schooling, but when we were, I felt like I didn't do a good job of being a kind and happy mommy and providing a good learning environment. I was frustrated often.

So I considered preschool for Gwen for this year. Madelyn and I need to buckle down and work hard on some things together this year, and I thought that maybe Gwen would do well in a different environment with lots of activities to keep her busy self engaged. Add in the immersion Mandarin... well, it may be frustrating at first, but what an opportunity for her.

But now that she's in, I'm second guessing myself. It is a lot of hours away from home. I've never done this with a preschooler before. Will it be too much for her? Will she and Madelyn miss their time together? Am I doing what's easy over what is best? I didn't expect this call so soon. I thought I had more time to consider it and prepare us all mentally.

Lord, calm my anxious heart.

Youth's Opinion

Comment from a certain son in church~

"This slow music hurts my ears."