Thinking about Adoption

I have been dreaming about adopting children for...15 years? When I was a kid I asked my parents to bring another sibling into our family. Now I envision bringing children into my & Drew's family.

Why? Compassion for orphans. Compulsion to obey the Word. Giving Life where the thief had come to steal, kill and destroy.

And because we've personally experienced the miracle of being adopted into Abba's Family.



I was captivated by this PBS documentary following the adoption of eight year-old Sui Yong of Guangzhou, China, into the Sardowsky family of Long Island, New York. Yes, I was especially interested because the Sardowskys are similar to what I imagine the Addingtons becoming: Two biological older sons, and two younger Chinese daughters.

Drew & I have no idea what good plans Abba has for us. Definitely have no clue how we could afford it. And consider the potential for an identity crisis: "I'm ethnically Chinese, born in China, abandoned at age two, adopted by foreigners living in China, raised in China but in an American home, my first language was Chinese but now it's English, I have American citizenship but I've only visited America...I can't tell you if I'm American, Chinese, both or neither..."



Anyway, if you're curious about adopting from China, this one-hour documentary is fascinating. (Especially recommending it to Wai-gong and Wai-po.)

Notes: From the perspective of a Cross-cultural Studies major / Chinese-culture sympathizer, there are some cultural oversights which annoyed me.

1. Sui Yong is eight years old and speaks no English. Her new mother knows like two Chinese words (and pronounces them incorrectly by the way). How would you feel if you're eight, and your new, strange-looking mother shows up and she can't speak your language? And she's taking you to her country where they also don't speak your language? Terrifying! Why didn't the family make an effort to learn more Chinese, and meet Sui Yong part way? My Guess: Ugly Americans...think everyone should learn English. I understand that Sui Yong needed to learn English fast, and they didn't want to give her any crutches. But they could have eased the transition by at least learning "I love you" "Hungry?" "Thirsty?" "Toilet?"

2. It seems that Sui Yong's new mother has no understanding of a major characteristic of Chinese culture: a strong in-group vs. out-group mentality. Case in point: At the hotel, Mom can't understand "I'm an American, and you're Chinese -- Why does this matter?" If only Mom knew, for Chinese, there are two kinds of people in this world: WE Chinese and THOSE waiguoren, literally, outside-country people. Sui Yong probably thinks she might as well be adopted by a pack of wolves. Her mother is an alien, an outsider; they share nothing.


Watch the video.
http://www.pbs.org/pov/woainimommy/watch.php

Facts about adoption.
http://www.pbs.org/pov/woainimommy/adoption_fact_sheet.php



Also welcoming your reactions to this post in the 'reader responses' section.

- Rachel

Fact-Finding in Wuhan

This Tuesday I will be heading up to a city called Wuhan for a fact finding trip at Wuhan University. Part of our family's long term plan for living and working in China is to get a master's degree from a Chinese university. Not only will this take our language ability to the next level, but it will also (hopefully) provide a stable and legitimate way to live here for years to come. The process for enrollment is --like many things in China--not too clear, so I am excited and optimistic to talk with the people in charge of admissions and get the inside scoop.

Changsha is near to Wuhan. See in the Southeast, Changsha is the capital of Hunan province, in blue. Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, in pink. Hunan means "south of the lake" and Hubei means "north of the lake". You guessed it; there is a lake on the border of these two provinces.

Wuhan University.


These three will be alone for the next two days, as I leave the house on Monday morning at 7am, and return Tuesday night at 11pm.

- Drew

Dad Is Big

Blue Period

If you're not familiar with this term "The Blue Period", it refers to a phase when Picasso's palette was turning out cool blue paintings. The subjects were usually dejected figures -- prostitutes, beggars, addicts. These images came in response to the suicide of a close friend.

This blog is also in a Blue Period. Unlike Picasso, I'm not depressed. I just think blue is calming. Although like Picasso, I would like to call attention to the downtrodden.

- Rachel

Home

Here is a little tour of our home. I always think it is nice to see where people live. It's a window into their life--an expression of their values. Take a peek.

- Drew

Party On Freshies

We want our students to know that they are welcome at our apartment. It helps to throw a class party to get them in the door. For this freshman class, all the students came except for one. I confiscated his cell phone the class before the party...texting during my class...is this why he didn't show? I must be a mean teacher. Fearsome!

This semester I (Rach) am teaching two classes, about 50 students total, four in-class hours total per week. On one campus. All freshman.

Drew is teaching eight classes, about 215 students total, 16 in-class hours total per week. On two campuses. Freshman & graduates.

Two Things Money Can't Buy

While cooking gumbo for a crowd,
Nita Vincent
(my college roommate's/good friend's mother-in-law)
told me:

"There are two things money can't buy;
the love of a good woman
and a baby's smile."

In Recognition

Having demonstrated a high level of competency and consistent excellence in practice, we publish this post in recognition of Titus' potty using abilities.

That is, Sweet! We only have one kid in diapers now.

Eviction Notice

Mold,

This is a Notice of Eviction.

In this humidity, I could understand when you began to creep up the corners of the walls and covered the sink caulk like black paint. You made our closets your home -- on leather belts, shirts and pants. You inhabited the kitchen -- dusting yourself over burners, pots and pans. I see that you had no problem making yourself comfortable on window screens and even glass window panes.

But now you've had the audacity to slather your filth over my baby's clothes. You have become a most unwanted guest, and I consider you the vilest of enemies. Although you may have won the battle for the baby clothes, you haven't won the war. Bleach is on the way.



Cockroaches,

This is a Notice of Eviction.

Maybe you couldn't help yourself when we left out a few dirty dishes overnight. You climbed up the pipes, to the fourth floor, and entered our home through the sink drain. Taking up permanent residence in our water dispenser, you raided our kitchen by night. Then we used our own Raid on your clan. After it became clear that the water dispenser was an impenetrable fortress, we removed your little stronghold and got a new water dispenser.

Now I see that you've sent an expedition to chart new territory in our bathroom, climbing the shower curtain while I'm shampooing my hair. Get out of my apartment! Ahhhhhh!

your truest foe,

Rachel

Playin

Tuesday (Saturday) Morning

This semester we are busy. Tuesday is the one day that we have almost nothing going on, so it is our de facto Saturday. On this Tuesday (Saturday) morning, we are eating popcorn for breakfast at 8am, watching a penguin movie.

Below are the activities fixed on the calendar every week. Note that some of Drew's times include transit or lunch. My opinion is that work and an active lifestyle are good. But I also believe that we should be available to those around us. I hope we are not too busy.


Monday

Drew teaching/office hours, evening D-group 7am-9:30pm
Rach to veggie market, 1-3pm Chinese class, girls over for supper

Tuesday

team supper meeting 5:30-7pm
team meeting for planning & making requests known 8-9pm

Wednesday

Drew Chinese class 8-10am, teaching/office hours 1-6:30pm
Rach teaching 10am-12pm

Thursday

Drew teaching 7am-12:30pm
Rach teaching 4-6pm; to Walmart every other week

Friday

Drew teaching 7am-6:30pm
host English corner 7-9pm

Saturday

host English corner 8-11am
Drew special English service @Chinese mtg place 1:30-5pm

Sunday

Chinese mtg place 9-11:30am
foreign fellowship 4-6pm