On Turning 30

I'll start with a conversation with my oldest:

Me: Wanna help me open some birthday presents, bud?
Josiah: Sure, what are you gonna turn?
Me: {hesitantly} 30...
Josiah: Wow, you're that old, Mom?

That's what I kept thinking! I'm that old?! Really? Because I promise, in my head I'm maybe mid-20s. When did I get to the end of that decade and jump over to the new one? Ok, only 3 days ago, but still. I'm pretty sure I'll still be shocked when people ask my age and I have to sputter out "30."

Alright, alright. So I'm taking it kinda hard. Yes. I am. I can't actually pinpoint why, either. I had some things I wanted to accomplish by turning 30 that haven't happened yet, but I'm ok with those now. Maybe it's just the turn of a new decade. Soon 30-something will be flowing out of my mouth like it's nothin'.

Leading up to my birthday, I kept whining about the new number. Thanks to all of my dear friends who encouraged me. More than anything else, most wrote that the 30s are the most fun...most exciting...and that life only gets better. Really? I truly thought my college days were pretty darn awesome. But I think what's ahead may be a different kind of awesome.

 I will admit, though, I'm having a hard time foreseeing what could possibly be more exciting than getting married, having 2 adorable kids, and moving to a foreign land. I mean, we're gonna have to take up cliff jumping or something to keep the excitement levels up! 

To welcome me into a new era, my dear friends threw me a party, including burgers, coconut cream pie (FAVE), games, and presents. Pretty much a perfect way to celebrate!

Seriously amazing pie. For someone to tackle this in a land that doesn't carry half the ingredients was amazing!!

Christmas

Whoa, where did December go again? I feel like I was swallowed up by all the activities--in a good way. Actually, as I write this, I have to keep reminding myself that it will be a new year in 3 hours. Doesn't. even. feel. like. it. For real. Not even on my radar one bit. What is in my radar? Thailand. 2 weeks. Reunite with my parents and aunt we haven't seen in 1.5 years. More about that later.

So, Christmas was grand. Much better than last year, I'd say. Being in a place with a huge community has its pros and cons. I'd say Christmas is something you have to work for around here.

The students get one day off and some would rather just spend it alone, rejuvenating for the last few weeks of class looming ahead. Personally, I want people around me. The holidays are a little tough for me, and add into the mix no one beyond my hubby and kids, and I'm not a happy camper. That's what happened last year, and I was a little depressed. So, this year, I took matters into my own hands and made sure we had people to celebrate with! 4 awesome friends came over and camped out for the whole day. I loved it. Ok, I missed out on an afternoon nap, but other than that, loved it!

We exchanged gifts, ate brunch, played games, watched movies, ate a small Christmas dinner (which included home-cured ham, a first!), and enjoyed each other's company as our China family.

 What a great gift from our friends/neighbors! That's a sacrifice to share from such a precious stash. Funny thing is, Malachi's first time having it, he didn't like it. No worries--Josiah ate his share!

We realized all but 2 gifts this year were practical. These shades will get lots of good use come Thailand time! Let's hope they last with this crazy dude...

Hopeful this will come in handy while on our trek south!

New hooded towels made by Grammy. They even have their initials on the back! Too cute.

The Grove: Taste

                                  
Writing for The Grove: Taste

I've been thinking about this post all day as I scurried around the kitchen. Which dish would I write about? Oh, the pictures I could post!

I guess the Father had other ideas in mind. Like shattering my pride. Again.

For our Thanksgiving meal with 60+ others, I was in charge of rolls (boring and old hat to me b/c I make them so often), cornbread casserole (also kind of old hat..), and my challenge: banana cream pie with meringue.

I was going to write about the cornbread casserole. Our first year, I tried to make it and it wasn't like home. After 3 years of trials and mostly errors, I had finally gotten down a recipe. I now make it often for our family because it reminds us of home. Yum.

Then I stared making the pie. It took most of the day with all the steps and refrigeration periods. But when it was finished, it was beautiful. It reminded me of a local cafe at home that had mile-high meringue. The pride started to swell. Oh, the pics I would show to people! Oh, the comments I would get from people when they tasted it!

 

I wasn't quite sure how to transport it. Foil? No, the meringue would stick. So I opted for covering it with a bowl and focusing on walking carefully. Have I mentioned that our streets are now covered in thick, bumpy ice?

We made it to the gate of our complex and started the process of hailing a taxi. Near rush hour on a Friday. Great. My bowl looked a little uneven beneath the bag, so I decided to re-adjust. I started to fix it, then the whole pie plate slipped halfway out of my cold hands. And that was it. The meringue that was already sticking to the bowl and bag completely slid off and the rest of the pie was now a big mess.

Before I even knew what was happening, I burst into tears. My husband tried to help and comfort, and my sweet little boys just stood there watching, not sure why Mommy was so upset. A few locals walked by, wondering why the foreigner was crying so hard. (Later my oldest asked what was wrong. I told him I was upset that the pie fell apart. He sweetly told me, "We can fix it, Momma." :))

I finally gathered myself, we finally got a taxi, and made it to the dinner location. The failure was still fresh, so I tried to avoid talking to people. Especially anyone that had anything to be thankful for. I wasn't in the mood.

Then the Father started pricking my heart. I was so prideful about this silly pie. Sure, there's a balance between satisfaction in completing something and outright pride. Pretty sure He wanted me to know I was teetering on the wrong side of it.

I told a few people what happened. To soften the blow, they said they'd eat it anyway. After everyone had their fill of dessert, I finally unveiled the mess. Oh, it was a mess.

A few kind souls (including my hubby..way to go, babe) ate some. Not sure if it was to make me feel better or if they just really wanted pie. It really didn't taste bad, that is if you were able to find a way to get all the layers in one bite.

And so there it is. My hot mess of a pie. And another lesson in humility. Maybe this one will stick.

You know another lesson that needs to be learned, though? How to deal with failure. Wow, this has been a rough spot my whole life. Ask my mom. Going back to piano recitals--the first wrong note, I was in tears; slamming my tennis racquet when I kept losing points..on and on. How I wish I could be one of those people that just brushed or laughed off mistakes. 

Always "the Foreigner"

Last week, the boys and I went to school to serve lunch to hungry classmates. Always a joy.

It was cold and the ground is already frozen with a thick layer of bumpy ice, so I decided to take a taxi home. I usually stay on the same side of the 8-lane street to catch a taxi even though it takes longer to get home. That day, I decided to cross the giant street and try taking the shorter way home.

The wind was whipping and cold. The kids were tired because, once again, I had stayed too long at school, soaking up the conversations with other adults (highly valued these days), and it was almost their nap time. We stood, waving down taxis, for about 10 minutes. Several stopped, but always with another passenger. Do they do that in America? In other Chinese cities? Here, if you tell the driver where you're going and it's in the same direction as the passenger(s) they already have, they'll let you in. Bonus money for them, I suppose. No one was going near our home. Bummer.

So I crossed the street, hopeful for an empty taxi. An empty one means they'll take us straight to our door. One with a passenger means they'll take us to a certain point, then we have to walk 10 minutes.

We waited. And waited. Several stopped, again, no one going in our direction. Then an empty one approached. Malachi and I waved our arms vigorously, letting the driver know we wanted in his car! He zoomed by. A few minutes later, another slew of cars came by. Another empty one passed our waving arms. What in the world?! I may have yelled something like, "Why won't you stop?!" Of course, the boys picked up on it and started yelling random words. Not my greatest Mommy moment. But the frustration was really kicking in.

After a total of 3 empty taxis passed us, finally a dear soul stopped and picked us up. I told him where we wanted to go, then started questioning him. Is it change-over time? Why did several empty taxis pass us? Didn't they see I had 2 young kids and it's freezing outside? He simply replied, "They saw that you're a foreigner and assumed you don't know how to speak Chinese."

And there it was. Another reminder that we'll never fit in this place. Our face prevents that, even if they don't take the time to stop and talk with us.

A great reminder that we're all aliens in this world. Someday we'll all fit in...

The Grove: Together

When I saw the prompt "Together" for VelvetAshes, a picture popped in my head.

Living here in this land of loud everything, no lines, and plans that change in an instant hasn't been easy for me to adjust to. For the first 2.5 years, I only thought of all the negatives of living here. Even when kind people would tell me all the positives, in my head, the negatives ruled.

A major negative: alllllll the things my kids are missing out on. I would make a list, but that would take a long time.

This year, God is slowly changing my heart. I see that the positives outweigh the negatives. Concerning my boys, that's still up for debate. There's just so much I'd rather them see and do in the comforts of America. May God continue to show me how he's molding them into little men after His heart and being here is exactly part of that plan.

I often shed tears over how few friends they have. Since our lives and the lives of those around us are so transient, they barely have time to make a friend. And when they do, we're tearing them apart a year later.

But lately I've been rejoicing in the fact that they have each other. They'll always (Lord-willing!) be together while we're here. They'll become great buds because, well, let's face the facts...no one else will be a constant in their lives. This makes my heart swell with joy and prayer, that they truly will learn to lean on each other through the ups and so-far-downs of living here.

Potty Pants

Lately, Josiah has been holding off going to the bathroom a little too long. One day, I realized he didn't go when he got up in the morning. I realized this at noon. Wow, kid. (Wow, Momma.)

So I've been trying to remind him to go..ya know, to keep his bladder healthy. (He's big on staying healthy. This works great in my explanations of not eating a lot of sugar!) Today, I asked him again. He replied, "No. I'm not doing the potty pants."

Enter hysterical laughter.

Slight misunderstanding. He meant "the potty dance."

And another one that deserves an entry in the I'll-make-it-someday quote book.

Who knew giant blobs of plastic could make a Momma's heart so happy?

Since moving to China, grieving over what the kids are missing out on in the States has been a constant struggle of mine. I know they are gaining so much. Believe me. I know. I try to focus on those daily. But some days I dwell on the things they're missing. The library (although this year, we've been so blessed with a local that opened one up that actually has English books!!), parks...REAL parks, not ones with just exercise equipment, and right now, since it's in my face, pumpkin patches.

They don't even know what so many things are. I'm pretty sure Malachi has never been to a real playground. One with slides, swings, something besides concrete on the ground, and things he can climb on and fall off of, knowing that daredevil.

But yesterday, my heart swelled with joy. A former tutor and friend with her own son about Josiah's age (I've mentioned him before--they're great buds!) took Josiah and I to a playground!! We squealed with joy when we saw it! It's literally the first one of this magnitude we've seen since being here. It was inside an apartment complex that houses lots of foreigners. Rich foreigners..go figure.

It was great to see Josiah running around with his buddy, playing games, and acting out characters from a Chinese cartoon. I even enjoyed sitting on the bench with my friend, chatting about life, just like mommas do in America. I told her this and she said, "Good, this is your little piece of America right now." 

It was so fun, I told some friends about it last night, and we made another trip this morning and 3 more little ones squealed with joy at a familiar sight. It was awesome!

My only regret is that we knew about this earlier. I mean, we were here all summer and this glorious playground was sitting across town, a mere $2 taxi ride from us.

Alas, we'll enjoy it until we can't play outside anymore, then watch the weather like a hawk come springtime for when we can return.

Guess That Flavor

The other day, I was desperate for a salty, flavored chip. Really desperate. I went to the little store in our complex and found my choices were plain (boring), cucumber (refreshing, but not feelin' 'em this time), and several meat flavors. I took a chance on a bag of spicy chicken ones. 

I brought them home and the boys were ecstatic. Josiah popped one in his mouth and said, "Mom, these taste like spicy chicken!" He hadn't even seen the bag. 

Either I should be proud of his amazing palette or scared that he could imagine such a combo for a chip flavor.

Maybe someday I'll have him try the fish soup and blueberry flavors to see if he can guess those, too.

 

Precious Prayers

After praying for dinner tonight, Josiah broke into his own prayer. Not unusual. Except tonight he did it in Chinese. I didn't understand a word of it, but to him, it was a prayer nonetheless. Lately he's been breaking out into full dialogues (sometimes with me, sometimes to himself) in unrecognizable Chinese. I love it!

I then asked him who he heard pray in Chinese that he learned from. His answer: "God, Jesus, Ayi (our helper, who is a believer and does pray in Chinese), and Jodi (a Chinese-American, although I'm not sure he really made that connection or of it was just coincidence)."

I love that precious boy.

After seeing all the attention big bro was getting, Malachi chimed in with a prayer in his own language.

Quotable

While eating lunch today, I picked a rotten grape off the stem and put it on my plate. After examining it, Josiah asked, "What is that?" "A rotten grape,nit's dying," I replied. "Ohhh. "Yeah, those are pretty, they're healthy! That one isn't healthy, it didn't eat very well."

Vastness

I went to Shenyang, a nearby city, the other day by train. Outside the train station is usually a line of people waiting for a cab. This day, no line. It was rainy and cold and a mess of people trying to get in a dry taxi. I joined the mob. After about 10 minutes, a guy finally pulled over towards me. Another passenger got on the front, and I hopped in the back after telling him I wanted to go to the embassy. After realizing the driver didn't turn on the meter, the following convo followed (obviously in Chinese):
Me (to the passenger since the driver was on the phone): Is he going to use the meter?
Passenger: I don't know. You should ask him. *Hmm, fishy.*
Me (to driver, finally done gabbing): Are you going to use the meter?
Driver: Where are you going again?
Me: The American embassy.
Driver (severely mumbling): 100kuai
Me: What? Can you say it again, slower this time?
Driver (slightly better): 100 kuai (~$15)
Me: What?! Stop the car, I'm getting out! Slammed door, super mad.

Later, I got in a legit taxi that didn't want to rip me off because I'm a foreigner and it cost a mere 15 kuai with the meter.

So, I went there because I had to get pages added to our passports. I so wish they would've let me sew in the pages myself instead of charging me $85 per passport. Instead, the took all my money and made me wait in a cold, bleak room for 2 hours with nothing. I mean nothing. They took my purse, book, phone, everything. Even my chapstick. Don't they know some people are addiction to a certain yellow tube of lip satisfaction?!

But what was interesting was that since everyone was stripped of all their "stay to myself" devices, it forced everyone to talk to each other. I talked to everyone in the room waiting, as they were one-by-one called up to retrieve whatever they were waiting for. I actually enjoyed hearing everyone's story...why they were in this foreign land.

On the hour and a half train ride home, we all got to see this beautiful sunset.

 

As people were leaning over my window seat to snap a picture for themselves, something struck me. This vast, vast land with over a billion people needs the same shining Light the sun provides for us every day. I was hit with how awesome the sky and land looked with the orange sun covering it all. (My pics through the train window truly don't do it justice.) Just like the Father's arms cover all of us. Every day.

My heart swelled for the locals all over again. May they learn of His vast love and grace. Soon.

Even better, to top this off, was that the entire day was rainy, windy, and cold. What a perfect ending.

Brothers

Lately, the boys have been fighting a lot. Verbally, physically, every way possible, it seems. I do better with patiently disciplining them some days more than others. And then, there are these few moments that Josiah agrees to read to his 弟弟 (didi, Chinese for younger brother) and, the more miraculous part, Malachi stops long enough to oblige. It doesn't often last long, but I'm just glad it's beginning to happen!

May there be more and more of these moments...even if it is in the oddest of places.

And so it begins...

First, a few convos to record:

Last night...
Me: Josiah, tomorrow is your first day of school. Do you know who your teacher is?
Josiah: Wahoo! Keeping my eyes on Youuuuu... (a song he recently learned at Sunday school)
Me: Um, no. Me. I'm your teacher.
Josiah: Me. I'm your teacher.
Me: No, ME. MOMMY.
This morning...
Me: Josiah, we're starting school in an hour. Do you remember who your teacher is?
Josiah: Keeping my eyes on Youuuuuu!
Me: *sigh* No...
Josiah: Oh yeah, you! Momma, when I get older, I'm gonna teach YOU.

Sure, kid. Whatever it takes to get through day 1.

So, day 1 of homeschool. Albeit pre-school, but still. I've semi-dreaded this day for years. Had you asked me 10 years ago if this would ever happen in my home, I would've laughed at you. I would've laughed even harder had you told me I'd be living in China.

We made it, but it wasn't pretty. It started with tears when I told Josiah he had to color more than 2 lines on his paper. I mean, coloring is the easy part, right? This boy hates it. Doesn't coloring make up for most of pre-school? I could be in for something....interesting.

Malachi, on the other hand, wanted to color. Color everything in sight. I had a few activities lined up for him to keep him busy. I mean, it couldn't be that hard for him to entertain himself for one hour, right?! I forgot who I was dealing with.

I gave him pipe cleaners and a strainer. 30 seconds. (Later, I found the strainer in the sink. How thoughtful!)

A coloring book and 5 crayons. 1 minute. Then he started throwing the crayons into the living room.

A whiteboard and a marker. 20 seconds. Then he started coloring on the floor.

Cheerios from Josiah's craft. Sheer distraction.

Stickers. 2-3 minutes. But he needed my help getting every one off the page. His pant leg was very decorative by the end of it.

And then I gave up. Josiah about had it with all the coloring and his type-A-ness was coming on strong when he tried to place Cheerios on a paper in the shape of an "A" and they kept sticking to his fingers, making them slightly off-center. Oh boy.

So we ended with some ABC videos and called it a day.

So, who has advice for me? All ears.

At least we started happy!!

Intro or Extro?

Some friends were over tonight. Josiah was still up, playing quietly while we caught up on life. We started talking about classmates and who fit in the extroverted and introverted categories. No judging, just discussing.

Our friend asked Josiah, "Which are you, an introvert or extrovert?"

I looked at him, very curious what he would respond. He quietly said, "Introvert."

We all busted up! He was embarrassed, not knowing why we were laughing. But his Daddy saved him by saying, "Don't let anyone put you in a box, buddy."

Funny quote, funny food

The other day, while Josiah was going to the bathroom, he was having a hard time getting started. He looked at me and said, "It's not working, Momma. It doesn't have any batteries." Ah, modern-day kiddos. :)

And, his favorite new dish is tofu and cucumbers. Never in America would that happen. Never.

Unrelated, Malachi turns 2 in 4 days. Um, what?! Time to get busy making Sesame Street decorations!

Just for fun:

Taken during a "Papa's Tshirt" photo shoot

He potty trains himself

This blog is mainly to write down things I want to remember that I hope to print into some schmancy book someday. This is something I want to remember...

Malachi is potty training himself.

It started a few months ago, him showing interest in sitting on the potty. Of course, like any other parent, I was elated at the thought of an "early" potty-goer (he'll be 2 at the end of the month).

We don't have room for a child potty, so we just bought one of those attachment things that we set on the top of the toilet.

Well, he didn't love it. But, he didn't hate it either. He would say "poo" meaning he needed to do something on the potty (someday we'll tell him the other one is called something else--ha!) So, I'd strip his pants and diaper off, rush him in there, plop him on the toilet, and he'd immediately put his hands in the air, waving, doing the "all done" sign.

This happened several times. Not every day, but several times. He knew when he was about to poo, would tell us, and sometimes we would rush him in there....and then sometimes I was just lazy and told him to poo in his diaper. Uhh...woops?! But really, it got a little annoying to rush him in, strip him down, to only have him immediately wave "all done."

So I kinda left it alone. If he insisted, I'd plop him on there. 

The other day, he pointed to the front of his diaper and mumbled something that I understood to be "potty." I decided to try again, and he did it! We made a big deal and he gave a cute smile, knowing he was a big shot for the moment.

Today, he did it TWICE! The first time, he whined at using the potty attachment, so I just stood his feet on the toilet and squatted him down. I think he just wants to stand like his brother. :)

Ok, I didn't intend the post to be this long about Malachi using the bathroom. Congrats if you made it this far!

Another point, I take no credit for this. We hadn't even begun to encourage him to use the potty, since we didn't start Josiah until later. But, I guess what he sees is a bigger influence than we thought!

Good job, Malachi!

Summer!

Wow, where did the past month go?!

Summer is here! We finished classes well and are happy to have a break. Well, I am. Michael has since started going to school 20 hours/week to study by himself to ensure he's caught up to the 2nd years' level, so he'll be ready to jump in with them in the fall. I already know he'll be more than fine!

We've had fun:

 

throwing a 4th of July party with tons of goodies! (check out the homemade oatmeal cream pies on the left!!)

 

purposely bought the same 4th-appropriate shirts. (We get mistaken for twins or each other by locals and Americans anyway, so why not join in!)

checked out the local fellowship. Here, the boys were in Sunday School. Kinda hard to pay attention when you don't understand the teacher...

going to the zoo! 

Sometimes it felt like the kids had their own exhibit!

Yeah, I know, sad. People were able to throw things to the monkeys.

Josiah's 4th Birthday

3 weeks late posting about this. I'm sitting here eating leftover icing from his cake; doesn't that count for something?! I'm actually nearly sick after only eating a few teaspoons. I think my appetite for super sweet things is waning. I pass up tons of recipes on Pinterest because they look nausiatingly sweet. I digress. This is about Josiah, right?!

We celebrated our sweet boy with a big party. Come to think of it, all of his parties have been pretty big in China. It's hard to not invite those we're close to--and that's a lot of people, especially this year! Since our house is too small, we had it at the school. Dear friends Lauren and Emily helped me decorate; had they not helped, I would've upheld my tradition of being severely late for my son's party. (Malachi's 1st: an hour late, then everyone had to help me decorate..ha!)

The theme was Cars, so it was fun and pretty easy to decorate.

 

Friends were gracious enough to bring presents. He got lots of cars...appropriate. :) 

 

This was my first double-layer cake. It was so-so. I'll use a smaller pan next time so the layers aren't so thin!

 

Before his party, we talked through the moment when everyone would sing to him. I reminded him he didn't need to be scared or embarrassed. He assured me he wouldn't be. Well, maybe next year...

 

Michael was in charge of games and did great with choosing them! First was a video series in which people had to guess what happened next. So funny! Next, was a minute to win it type game where 2 people had to keep 6 balloons in the air for as long as possible. The winners? 9 seconds! ha!

We had lots of fun and are thankful for so many people who came to love on our little guy! I should also mention several people sent him packages and cards from the States--thank ya'll sooo much! He may not be able to fully appreciate the extra efforts, but this Momma does!! 

Some extra pics from the day...

 We are so thankful for a fun-loving boy. This past year, I have seen him come out of his little shell. He is now walking up to kids he doesn't know, saying hello and shaking their hand, and ready to play if they aren't too scared of "the foreign kid." Now that Malachi is old enough to move around and have a personality, I have seen Josiah tweak his a bit. For now, Malachi is the instigator for most things--especially when it comes to anything involving risk. In the past, Josiah wouldn't do anything involving risk....no jumping off things, getting dirty, or falling backwards on the bed. After he watches Malachi do it successfully, though, he's all in! I'm mostly glad for this change. He was a little too timid in the past and now his little bro is teaching him how to live a little! He's still very compassionate and caring. Any time someone is hurt, he's quick to apologize (even if it wasn't his fault) and offer them comfort, sometimes insisting that he can pray for them. I love this about him. As with many kids, his memory is amazing. When I take the effort to teach him something new, be it Chinese or a Bible verse or whatever, he has it down pat within 2 days, and hasn't forgotten them yet! I'm looking forward to this next year, to watch him grow and flourish in new ways!

Mini-immersion Trip

A few weekends ago, all of the my classmates (1st and 2nd years) and I went on a mini-immersion trip. We were divided into 4 teams and sent to 4 different areas of our city; places most of us had never been. The main goal: speak only Chinese for 36 hours. Even with our teammates.

My team: Aaron, Lauren, and Jeremiah

Aaron was our map guy. He had spent a long time the night before our trip plotting out where we could go, how to get to our hotel, etc. Sadly, the map couldn't keep up with the changes. (A phrase he repeat often in this country.)

This site became too familiar to us during our trip. We ran into construction site after construction site....it quickly became a team joke!

We trekked around for a few hours to find a way to our hotel. Our part of the city ended up being where all the car factories are. So, we trudged through street after street of car part stores. There weren't even that many people--just those selling and buying car parts!

Part of our assignment was to ask older people what their lifestyle is like. After lunch, I spotted a group of old men playing games on the street. We figured we had better approach them, or we may not be able to complete our assignment since there were so few people milling around!

These guys were great! Far left: 72, middle 89!!

Most of the men we talked to were retired from the military. They said their lives now are very relaxing. They spend their days playing games (Chinese chess, mostly) with their friends, exercising, and strolling. Quite different from our retirees/elderly who are often found in front of the TV! The one on the left emphatically told us to start exercising now to stay healthy. They were all great and spoke fairly clearly, being patient with our imperfect Chinese.

After speaking to them, it started to sprinkle. There was no where we could escape unless we wanted to check out the latest radiator fluid, so we went a smidge outside our "area" to a giant mall where we walked around and drank some coffee, waiting for the storm to pass.

For dinner, we went to KFC. Not anyone's favorite, but it was literally one of two restaurants anywhere near our hotel. To add to the hilarity of our area having nothing interesting, several things we tried to order at KFC were also not available. It fit quite well into the theme of our trip!

It started raining again, so we decided to go back to our hotel and watch a Chinese TV show. We watched "Stars in Danger." I hear it also plays in America; a show about celebrities learning how to dive and competing against one another. We didn't understand it all, but we didn't need to. Watching the horrible diving techniques was funny enough!!

The next morning, we had planned to go to a park near us, but it was still raining and miserable. So, we decided to just head home. Good thing we started then. We waited for a bus for an hour before realizing it probably wasn't going to come, perhaps because it was re-routed.....because of the construction. So, we tried to catch a taxi. This was also impossible because traffic was crawling. We finally got on a bus that took us in the right direction.

We were a bit frustrated, and wet.

 In all, it was a great experience! I'm thankful I was on a team that could laugh at all the annoying situations we ran into. We really had a fun time with each other! Lesson learned: no need to go to that part of the city!

Later in the week, we presented to our Chinese teacher/class about our trip. Some classmates said our presentation was the most interesting. How ironic.

Josiah's Chinese Joke

This may only be funny to those of us who speak Chinese, but I want to record it anyway.

The other day, a friend and I were working on a project. Josiah kept bugging her with "Hey, look at this!....Look at this!" She once responded, "哇塞"(Wa sai), which means "wow!"

He followed with, "Lauren, look at this 哇塞！" :)

He made quote of the week for our community for this clever one!

Highlight of my Week

A dear friend of mine got pregnant last fall. Throughout her 9 months, we often chatted about natural birthing strategies, how to deal with pain, etc. I knew learning about the birthing process was a passion of mine ever since we took a 10 week birthing course (Bradley Method) before Josiah was born. During that class, I was fascinated with the entire process as well as all the helpful tips that had been long forgotten or brushed aside. I was reminded that our bodies were created to go through this process, and yes, insane pain was also promised. (Thanks a lot, Eve!)

When I had Malachi in a giant blow-up tub in my midwife's basement, I realized I much more enjoyed a comfortable place to birth over the bright lights and disruptive nurses and annoying beeping machines. It was a beautiful process that I'm still thankful I was able to experience.

My friend would have loved to have had a home birth, but it's just not possible in this country at this point. So, she picked the best hospital in our city and trusted the Father to figure out the details.

I was able to be with her for 2 days while she labored. I loved being by her side, encouraging her, massaging when the pain increased, and reminding her that she is strong. At one point she yelled, "I can't do this!" For anyone that knows the birthing process, this is called the transition stage. I had to stifle a chuckle because I clearly remember saying the same thing during my labor experiences. I encouraged her by telling her she truly was in transition, which meant she was nearing the end.

Her labor was hard and intense for over 3 hours. Her husband and I used all our strength to push on her hips as she, with every breath, whispered, "You've gotta push harder, guys; you've gotta push harder!"

As soon as she said she felt like she needed to push, she was whisked away to the birthing room, where I wasn't allowed in. Only 1 person could go in with her. Of course, her husband went. I was hoping they could bend the rules for me, but I soon realized they were already bending the rules for her hubby to go in. I sat down in the waiting room next to a nervous-looking man. After striking up a conversation with him, I realized he was an anxious new Daddy, waiting to hear when his wife, alone with the docs and nurses, had given birth to his new little bundle. He, too, wondered why the foreign guy got to go in with his wife and he couldn't. I then swallowed my annoyance, realizing he was probably more frustrated than me. That's just the way it is here.

When I got to meet baby Pilgrim, I was elated. I was beyond blessed to be a part of the process to help him come into this big, new world. Even better was to watch him and his Momma and Daddy bond after a long 2 days of waiting and hard work. Even as I type, my eyes swell with tears, amazed, again, at the beautiful process the Father has created.

If I was in the States, I would probably look into becoming a certified doula. I would love to help other Mommas through this painful, but oh so amazing process of birthing. But, since I'm not, I'll help as many Mommas as I can that live close to me and that desire such help.

*Of course, I realize that everyone has an opinion on the birthing process. Some choose other methods, and that is completely fine! Other Mommas want to have a natural birth, but something comes up and can't. I'm just a proponent of the parents educating themselves on this difficult and intricate process of bringing a baby into the world. :)

A Memorable Mother's Day

How my the started: As soon as I got up, Josiah says, "Happy Valentine's Day!" I gently corrected him, then he followed with, "When is it gonna be Josiah's Day?" 

Michael got me some cereal and chocolate. Cereal may sound random, but it's way expensive here, so it's a definite treat! This has become his tradition for Mother's Day; I love it! 

I ran a few errands. One was to buy some fresh milk. While there, I couldn't resist taking this picture: 

Yes, she is wearing pajamas, a very white face mask, and hair curlers. No shame!

How my the day ended: We decided to go to a local place for burgers, a big deal because we rarely go out as a family. As soon as I got Malachi down from the bike, he pooped. And I had forgotten to pack a diaper. So I asked around for directions to the nearest store, rode to it, and only found newborn-sized diapers. I knew it wasn't even worth a try, so I bought the next best things...giant pads! I returned to the restaurant to find the bathroom was a squatty, so we quickly changed him on the chairs at our table. Surprisingly the pad lasted until we got home!  

So, so blessed to be the Momma of these cute boys!

 

Birthday Boy Request

Josiah is going to turn 4 in about 3 weeks. He's getting to be such a big boy!

Since we're not planning on coming home this summer, I thought a way to bring parts of "home" to him would be if some family and friends would send him a birthday card, picture, etc. If you have kids and they'd be willing to draw him a picture and/or if you could take a picture of your kids, he would love that! He doesn't have many foreign friends here, and I don't want him to forget about his other home. :)

If you get it in the mail within the next week, it has a good chance of getting here on time. Even if it doesn't, who doesn't like a birthday that just keeps on giving?!

Below is the address to attach to the envelope. It's probably easiest if you just print this out and tape it to the card, that is, unless you have a secret talent of writing Chinese characters! *If you don't attach the Chinese part, it may take several months to arrive, or get lost altogether!*

Thanks for loving on our little guy in this way!!

Josiah Felder
ELIC Chinese Language Program
Teacher Training Building #401
Northeast Normal University
#5268 Renmin Dajie
Changchun, Jilin 130024
130024吉林省长春市
人民大街5268号
东北师范大学师训大楼 #401
美国英语学会
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Where are you, Jesus?

The other day, I somehow found myself explaining to Josiah that Jesus can live in his heart. He immediately looked down his shirt and said, "Where are you, Jesus? I don't see you!"

I couldn't contain my giggles. Once under control, I explained to him that he could listen for Jesus' words and read His words in the Bible.

I love little minds.

Tofu and bean sprouts

When we first arrived in China, the first few months of eating were rough on all of us. The first month, we spent living in a hotel room, so we ate out a lot. The following few months, I was adjusting to cooking in a kitchen I didn't understand and with ingredients I wasn't as familiar with. I tried new recipes, and often threw the finished product in the trash. During that time, Josiah mainly lived off of Ritz crackers and raisins. Literally. He gradually started eating yogurt and Chinese food, but it took a while for him to transition.

These days, I'm comfortable in the kitchen and a much better cook than I was even in the comfort of the States. But, I still lack a serious skill.....

...making all veggies so delicious that my kids and I want to gobble them up. Who has this skill? A LOT of Chinese people!

In particular, our helper. She comes once or twice a week to clean and cook for us. She is amazing! She buys the ingredients she needs to cook, and whips up 4-5 dishes every time. And my kids devour her food--every time!

For example, the other day she made homemade tortillas with 4 different fillers: green peppers and potatoes, tofu and bean sprouts, broccoli and garlic, celery and potatoes...and then a sauce with eggs in it (sounds gross, but was DELISH).

I had to chuckle tonight as the kids and I all scarfed down 4 wraps. At one point, I had just helped each boy take a bite, and bean sprouts and tofu were hanging out of both of their mouths. If we still lived in the States, I'm not sure this would have ever happened.

Another interesting thing? We eat much less meat here, and don't even notice it! In our home, we eat mostly chicken, and usually only a few times a week. The veggie dishes are so good that we don't even miss the meat! 

I have some serious learning to do.

*I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad, just trying to share that kids (and formerly very picky adults!) can love just about anything if it's made with some pizzazz!!

Times are a Changin'

Out of the blue, Josiah starts this conversation with Erika, who is visiting right now

Josiah: Do you have any games?
Erika: No, do you?
Josiah: No, I don't have a phone.

Ha! We do have board games that he also loves to play, but I guess his mind was just on electronic games at the moment!

Easter!

On Easter Sunday, we went to a friend/former tutor's house to have dinner and play. Her son is also 3, so he and Josiah hit it off well. Who cares that they don't speak the same language?! All they needed were toy guns and all those "boy" noises! :)

 

I brought along some eggs filled with treats and we hid them around one of the bedrooms. Sadly, it was still too cold and too much ice was on the ground to do an outdoor hunt. But, the boys didn't care! It was EnTong's first hunt, and he had a blast!

Then we sat around and played the piano, guitar, and danced. Such a fun family!!

The day after Easter, a group of my classmates and our tutors had a party. We dyed eggs, decorated cookies, and told the Easter story with the help of Resurrection Eggs. It was a lot of fun and cool to see how much the locals already knew of the story!

**Oh, and yes, the kids didn't have special "Easter attire" this year because it's still so cold! So, they just wore their spiffy winter attire. Ah well...they sure didn't notice!