The New Barbecue Sauce

In the past, I (Drew) have had a particular affinity for barbecue sauce. At times a strong commitment to a certain brand held special importance and at other times the cheapest was the rule.

That is all in the past now that I have discovered hot pepper oil sauce. All I have to say is: wow.

Mid-Autumn Festival

Today is a holiday in China: Mid-Autumn Festival.

Chinese people will have the day off from work and visit their families if possible. Everyone should eat mooncakes and look at the beautiful full moon. Mooncakes are about the size of a donut and come filled with many sticky flavors like red bean, egg yoke, and melon. Right now, everyone is giving and receiving mooncakes like candy corn at Halloween, or candy canes at Christmas, or marshmallow chicks at Easter. Moon cakes abound. Few people actually like them, but it's tradition.


We made some American Mooncakes for our neighbors and superiors at the university. American Mooncakes are strikingly similar to raisin muffins and banana muffins.

Since we have the next three days off, Drew and I are both doing a personal retreat at a dirt-cheap motel. We'll take a 24-hour period to be alone and Listen. (Well, I won't quite be alone as Michael will be along with me.)

We will also visit a Chinese tutor of mine. Her daughter seven year-old daughter has just had an aggressive brain tumor removed. The prognosis is not good. We are feeling their pain, but hope to bring encouragement with our visit.

2&2

2 year-old & 2 month-old

2 month-old's hair will not stay down.

2 year-old likes to lie down on 2 month-old.

(Trying to keep lots of current pictures up here, especially for the grandparents, aunts & uncles.)

Bday Party #2

Titus turned TWO on September 14th!


We celebrated with a family trip to the indoor play area, a new tricycle, and McDonald's for lunch. The next day we threw a giant dinner party -- invited 30 people, and about 40 showed up (boyfriends, random extras...). We ran out of food (embarrassing!) but whipped up some bacon and eggs at the last minute. I think everyone had a great time. Titus liked it.

He got a few presents: a sweatshirt, a puzzle, two stuffed bears, a bouquet of daisies, a fruit basket, legos in a wagon, a dump truck, balls, two books, sand toys, an electric current set for kids, two mooncakes, a cake, and 200 yuan (Chinese currency). Did you think Titus was suffering living in China??? Not quite!


I think Titus is doing well, developmentally, for a two-year-old. He's reasonably obedient. When I'm cooking he runs to the kitchen door and puts his toes right up to the edge, because he knows he's not supposed to come in when the stove is lit. He's sort of OCD about wiping crumbs off his hands and spills off the table...loves to throw away garbage and help sweep the floor. His favorite people are his grandparents...sleeps with their picture at night now. His bed is a portable tent for little kids. He's pretty nurturing and protective of his little brother Mai-Mai...likes to help change the diaper, bathe him, stick in the pacifier and give hugs & kisses. He speaks more Chinese than English, says new words every day, but is not stringing any sentences together. His favorite animals are horses, dogs, and cats. He's interested in cars, trucks, and tractors. His favorite activity is hooking trains together, or trailers onto trucks. He loves playing with other kids and is crazy about playgrounds. He can climb eight flights of stairs like nobody's business. Current favorite foods are eggs, ice cream, apples, rice, noodles, butter, and a Chinese leafy green vegetable called "empty-heart". We are working on potty-training.

That's our Titus.

Broken Record

I have the same conversation about 20x per day. You can imagine my answers, here's what the nice Chinese ladies say...

Whooooaaaa...two kids? They're both yours?

Is that one a boy or girl?

Wooooww...two boys!

How old is he, three or not yet?

And is he five months?

You, by yourself take care of two kids?

Eeeee. Must be a hard life.

You cook the food, too?

You, by yourself take care of two kids and cook the food? You should hire a helper.

Hard, hard, hard life. You're intense. Are you tired?

I am tired. Of this conversation. Let's switch it up ladies! I've got to figure out a way to change the subject fast. Or maybe I should just bring along a pre-made answer sheet for all the predictable questions and just hand it out.

This sounds really negative. I am actually not that irritated, just amazed that everyone says the same thing...

Happy Little Guys

Just thought you might like to see how our boys are growing and changing. Titus will be two years old tomorrow, and Michael is about eight weeks.

Rach

Back in Changsha

Saying Goodbye

So sad. We miss our families. It's because the love between us goes deep. Very deep. Actually, it's hard to express just how much we love our families.


Traveling with 2Kiddos

Everything went awesome as we traveled Minneapolis - Chicago - Beijing - Changsha starting on Thursday. Titus & Michael were amazing troopers and it was our best family flight yet.


Team Needs Your Thoughts

This fall there's a new family on our team: Dad, Mom, 3 year-old boy, 1 year-old girl. They're new to China and have little to no Chinese language abilities. It's been rough traveling and living the transient life, moving from North Carolina ... to training in Colorado ... to more training in Beijing ... finally to Changsha. They've been sick. They're just trying to survive.

Yesterday the dad was playing basketball with Chinese students and tore his Achilles tendon. So after finally getting halfway settled here, they will be moving back to Beijing so he can get proper surgery and therapy. They hope to return to Changsha within three months. Yes, this is awful but their attitudes are remarkable.

This family needs encouragement, rest, peace and confidence in Abba. Your thoughts for them are appreciated. Also be thinking of our team as we try to cover the dad's classes which he is now unable to teach.


Thank you.

Drew & Rachel

My American Dream

If we ever must move back to the US, this is my American Dream.

I want to work or volunteer for the Hospitality Center for Chinese (HCC), an organization which serves international students from China and their families. It's located on the U of M -- St. Paul campus. They have a building with rooms for big parties, classrooms and offices. They offer friendship, lots of events and outings, English classes, language exchange, special studies, a place to hang out, free furniture, and help with living in America.

For example, through HCC, Drew met a Chinese guy who wants to get his driver's license. Drew's been teaching him how to drive.

Just recently we went to the HCC's Welcome Picnic for new and returning international students from China. There were 400 students at the picnic. Drew was the emcee for relays. Titus jumped in the kids' hopper. Probably the funnest thing was speaking Chinese with people fresh from China.

So that's my American dream. Throw my life into Chinese international students. Live down the street from the Hospitality Center, on Doswell Avenue, in this 1920s cedar-sided house that has ginkgo leaves cut out of sage green shutters. I will ride bike everywhere, since it's easy walking distance from Chinese Ch., the post office, a small grocery store, U of M campus, the MN State Fair, Como Park & Zoo and a Finnish bakery.

Maybe someday if we have enough time and money, I can complete a master's degree in education or anthropology.

Rachel