Family Reunion in Hong Kong

A crew of Addingtons are coming to Hong Kong August 3-10, to visit the city that was their home in the 60s. They're also delivering Titus back into our arms! For us, this is like a rare, highly anticipated, fantastic family reunion.

I decided to go down a few days early with Jon & Mike (Drew must stay in Changsha to work), and so my mother-in-law and sister-in-law are also flying in early to be with us! On Monday evening we'll arrive at Bethany House, set on a little island with no cars and a nice beach. We've visited before, in 2011, and actually my father-in-law's family vacationed on this island when he was a kid. 

These past two years have rushed by in a whirlwind -- happy -- but fast-paced and too often high-stress. Seldom has there been opportunity withdraw and just ... think. I'm a little run down and spinning off course with an accumulated a heap of heart-issues that need attention. With my mother-in-law and sister-in-law there, I think I'll be able to both get alone at times and find encouragement from their company.

After Hong Kong -- Dad, Mom, Grandma Bonnie, sister Jennifer, Uncle David & Aunt Betsy will stay a week with us in Changsha, August 11-16. Imagine how special this is, to actually have our family in our home! I'm going relish every single moment and take a million pictures.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

bike ride in the hot summer sun

tiny perfect newborn baby Amos

snuggling with Jon while he sings through his repertoire of songs

collection of various kinds of gifts that you distribute -- saw service, faith, pr for healing, encouragement in different people today

feeling of anticipation

Junior High

I can't even remember how long this has been going on... [a year? does anyone know? is that pathetic I can't recall?]

Junior High-ers have a class on Sunday mornings at Chinese fellowship and Drewbs and I get to trade off as teacher.

Attendance is super low and irregular, and our Chinese overseers have structured the group more like a school class. Yet, in [...however long it's been going on] we've made a few thirteen year-old friends. 

You know what we're going for here? 

1. Meet felt needs at our fellowship (just do whatever they want us to do! how they want us to do it!)

2. Let some thirteen year-old kids know that they're loved (be pals!)

3. Plant tiny seeds and trust these will grow.

The main thing I've learned in the past few months is that our relationships are way more significant than lesson content. Perhaps because our overseers structured it like a class, and we wanted to teach well, initially we gauged success based on how well the students participated and grasped the material. Forget that. Now to us, success is -- Did we chat? Did we get to know somebody better? Did we listen well? Did our friendship increase?

Ms. Zhang is our nice boss. It's an honor to work beside her.

She likes to give us all kinds of homemade Chinese snacks like spicy pickled radish.

Ok! Here's the last thing I must tell you. 

THIS WEEK vbs English camp is happening at Chinese fellowship; it's our second year [amazing that I was able to remember that huh?]. This week I teach M, T, R, F all morning. Roughly 98% of the students are from families not involved in fellowship. So again, planting tiny seeds and trusting these will grow. That's our petition! Please keep our lovely students in mind.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

pleasant early morning breezes

moment of sudden clarity

it just struck me today that I get to be a mother of three kids! wow! what a significant and joyful job I have every day long into the future

tibetan earrings

day off from teaching vbs tomorrow

teamwork at chinese fellowship, pulling off this vbs together

learning, practicing submission to overseers

first-ever homemade grape juice

visit from maggie of the butterfly home

reading a print newspaper

Threedom

Michael Isaac is three years old!

On the day before his birthday a package appeared in our stairwell.

Since Titus is not around to devour our books, Mike has taken up the job. Berenstain Bears in Chinese and Dr. Seuss in English, specifically Green Eggs & Ham and Yertle the Turtle are his favorites. We were inspired to make our own Greens, Eggs and Ham. Michael has been insistent on helping cook nearly every meal. It's kinda dangerous, cooking over an open flame, but...so is getting out of bed, you know?
The green is a local melon/gourd called 丝瓜 si gua; it's got a subtle earthy flavor and soft texture.

On Mike's birth day morn the little guys and I hiked up the mountain, with a stop at the secret swings. It was a clear, breezy day. At the crest we could see Drew's office building, so we waved to Dad! (then texted to inform him we were doing so...) Across the city, he looked out from his tower window and waved back.

As you likely know, the mother of this family is a hopeless baker, so somehow as of 2013 we are now a Store-Bought Cake Family, hehe! Now isn't life filled with classic moments? How about the one when your kid sneaks to the fridge before breakfast on the day of his birthday party and wielding a spatula, "cooks" and taste-tests his tiramisu cake until it is thoroughly mixed, upset and rearranged. (Idea certainly inspired by all the cooking he's been doing recently.) Call in the substitute white-strawberry dessert.

Mai-Mai had a lovely little supper party with a new neighbor couple and their toddler boy, two co-workers from the South Church, Auntie Wang and my good friend Xu Kai. 

Earlier this week Mai-Mai had a blast at preschool orientation. He's very comfortable in the school environment, having played there nearly every day for the past two years when we pick-up Titus. Chinese preschool consists of much choreographed aerobics and action songs. Titus required about three semesters to start moving. Mike, our bodily-kinethestic intelligence guy, was already grooving with enthusiasm. And he did not need Mama, "Mom, is you going to go now?" In the afternoon, "Is I going back to xiao ban now?" "I is three! Now I can go to xiao ban!"

Finally, Mike has charmed our regular fruit-seller. She boasts that she's his favorite aunt and always puts free grapes, pears or dragon-eyes in his bicycle basket.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

morning hikes in the woods; Jonathon determined, strong and keeping up

blue plates

hopping children

new neighbors who are nice, honest, relational people; anticipating good friendship

how Xu Kai is so gifted at relating to anyone

clean and tired, camping on cushions on the floor beside clean and tired husband, watching a movie on a Friday night

Drew's relentless efforts to keep this marriage unified

opportunity to bring back American supplements, vitamins for friends here with a specific felt need -- something they perceive as a great value

discovery that si gua, eggs and ground pork is a delicious combination

time on the weekends

From my left, and my right, yo get out of my way!

Drew rigged up his cell phone on the handlebars of his bike and shot this video of his morning commute to work. It really gives you a feel for biking in Changsha, doesn't it? Dodging, crossing, jockeying, merging, finding your place in the flow of commuter cars, electric bikes and buses.

Click here because I made you a map of Drew's route!

Then click here because you want more local Changsha music by our buddy Noah, of The Offshore Accounts.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

a couple that has demonstrated faith and trust though their baby in utero is in serious risk

Austrian girl staying in Changsha for the summer made her way to our fellowship group, and she was so joyful to be there

being able to reactivate my original phone number

reconnecting with several friends today, now that my phone's up and running again

sensing that you are constant

one of my best friends is pregnant!!!  honored that she would confide in me very early on when it's still a secret

Mike was fantastic at preschool orientation and meet-you-teacher -- he is so eager to begin preschool

green plants in the living room

And what do we have to report from Shanghai?

via

So much. Too much.
I'll try to condense our stories. Are you with me!?

Hospitals resemble mass transit stations at rush hour more than a medical care facilities. I could not have kept my head above water without the eager guidance of Butterfly Home partners who live in Shanghai -- Camille, Paulina and Yiwen. They made everything happen. Camille and her husband Nick, a Taiwanese couple, opened their lovely home to us for an entire week. They arranged our transportation, cooked our meals, helped with the boys, gave me an old cell phone when mine got swiped. (true story - my wallet containing a small amount of cash and phone got nabbed, which is why I have no camera photos.)

Those volunteers saved us. They did everything.
Thank you, thank you.


Now, on to the results of this investigation -- recall that our Shanghai-objective was to answer these questions: Why is Jonathon not eating well and regurgitating, and what can be done?

Answers.

• Not due to an functional or structural problem with his esophagus. That's all normal.
• Nor due to neurological damage. His brain is beautiful. The recovery demonstrated in Jonathon's MRI images left our expert pediatric neurologist astonished.
• Allergy to milk and eggs. (and we had been feeding him tons! poor kid!)
• Jonathon missed a critical period of eating development at age 8 -12 months during which he was ill and unable learn techniques and develop muscle skills for normal eating/swallowing. It's hard to learn now. But he's going to get it because...

Jonathon had an fun assessment with an American speech-language pathologist at Olivia's Place. She taught me several techniques that will help Jonathon. The great news is our therapy relationship will continue. Drew & I need support! Eating is going markedly better already, and now without milk and eggs, vomiting has ceased entirely.

Yes!
Relief.
for Jonathon and for us.

...


Remember I was pouting and feeling homesick for Minnesota and thought Shanghai was the last place I wanted to be?

Shanghai, with all it's Western delights, did not even feel like China.
Let me qualify that. Our hosts' affluent neighborhood didn't feel like the China I know -- with a Western grocery store, sports bar & grill, Cold Stone Creamery, a big clean house with butter in the refrigerator and a minivan to drive around in.

Michael and I blissfully ate our way through three boxes of Cheerios.
Somehow, sharing classic American breakfast with my son, that yellow cereal box smiling at us...
not one but two visits to Cold Stone...
a bathroom vanity and toilet that looked just like the ones I grew up with...

It was comforting and lessened my homesickness.

We rested and played.
There were two days in which we had mostly nothing to do. I couldn't call anybody because my phone had been stolen. There were no errands, no cleaning, no cooking, nothing. I played with my kids.

...


Sunday afternoon we joined Shanghai Community Fellowship.
Miraculously, Michael was content to stay in the preschool class without me (Jon is always willing).

Just me... when you're a mom of three littles and you finally get alone, you feel strangely off-balance, like missing an extremity, or like you've forgotten something, and unfettered...

Just me... I entered into the big group, a congregation singing in one accord. My heart swelled up with joy. Moved by the unified expression of adoration. Moved by the presence of the King.

It occurred to me that is the first time in 2? 3? years that I've been in a large gathering in my heart language, English. The Spirit poured water on my dry and shriveled little soul. It was refreshment that I've so much been in need of, and I realize that God had a multiple purposes for our trip to Shanghai.

Yep, he loves us.

...

Been home for four days now and it's so good to be back!
!!!Drew!!!

counting the graces

thank you Father for

all of the above

and I'd specifically like to mention that while the thief did get my wallet and phone, he missed our passports and an enormous sum of cash for medical expenses which was in an envelope right next to my wallet

Drenched, Japanese Pop-Rock

Things are going OK in Shanghai but let's just put Shanghai aside for a moment.

Last Saturday we had an awesome day together -- Drew, Jonathon, Mike & me.

*This was all made possible by Drew now being HOME on Saturdays!

The morning was clear and sunny, not too hot, so we had to hike up the mountain. Passing through our neighborhood Yang Cong and her son Rui Rui (previously featured on this blog) caught up and decided to hike with us! On the mountain it started to mist and then drizzle a bit so our friends scurried back, but not us! We were determined to reach the peak and descend the on the other side. It poured, ya'll. Drenched we were, and happy. Jonathon was on my back bouncing in the carrier and singing! singing! in the rain, marvelous fun. There were other (regretful) hikers... with umbrellas, or hunkered under rooftops waiting it out. Down the incline, suddenly! Out of the mist appeared a group of friends who frequent our Tuesday night discussion at Mama's Cafe. They were on a sort of "outreach outing"-- we all laughed about running into each other in torrential rain on the mountain slope.

I just have to say. We thought of Titus while this was happening. He would have DESPISED the experience. Lucky ya missed this one bud. ;)

Eventually we made it home, completely soaked. But we conquered that soppy mountain.

After we dried off at home (and it stopped raining) we decided to walk 30 minutes down to Mama's Cafe for drinks and desserts. On the way there we bumped into some of our favoritest buddies, who pretty seldom visit the area, so that was a happy surprise. Mama's Cafe was crowded because a Japanese "band" was playing starting in a hour! Definitely, spontaneously, wanted to catch that. So we had a leisurely supper a couple shops down at Drew's classmate's dumpling restaurant. Then back to Mama's Cafe for the show. Please note that that electric guitarist is dressed as a sailor and the ukulele player girl is actually Korean. I really can't explain how merry I felt sitting in a room of Japanese foreign exchange students, listening to them clap and sing along with live Japanese pop-rock, word-for-word, while girl-in-Kimono served orange juice. (She was actually Chinese though.)

Why is Japan so cool!?!!

counting the graces

thank you Father for

soft clean guest bed

darling mature polite 10 & 11 year-old girls to stay with

sandwich for breakfast, Mike's first taste of American cheese

hospitality unparalleled: kind, generous, thoughtful hosts who have a comfy home, a cook, a driver, time to help

Jonathon's big genuine smile

Mike sleeping on my chest

long conversation with Drew on the phone

pictures of Titus smiling and exploring on the other side of the world

Titus is having the time of his life in Minnesota

He made it! Ani said the trip went great.

Titus descended the escalator to the baggaage claim and broke into a run when he saw all his relatives lined up waiting for hugs! 

Titus is staying at Waigong & Waipo's hobby-farm house now. Basically he's having the time of his life exploring and delighting in all kinds of first experiences unique to rural midwest USA. 

Saying goodbye to our son was joyful. Titus is richly blessed to have many grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends in his life who shower love on him. 

Envy is a new emotion that I've never felt towards my son before. I'm homesick. My parents. My brothers and sisters. Green grass, blue skies, clean air. All the traditions, games, family togetherness, familiarity, foods, way of life where I grew up. It seems impossibly far away from where I am in this cheap motel in a dirty corner of Shanghai.

Yep, I'm in Shanghai. Exhausted in Shanghai. Yesterday Michael, Jonathon and I made the seven-hour train ride. Drew's back in Changsha working. We're here to visit a hospital and see if we can figure out why Jonathon is regurgitating and swallowing only liquids. Pray for me. I wish I was home -- if not my parents' home in Hutchinson, MN, at least mine & my husband's home in Changsha.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

Mom Louise's stories and findings in Sweden -- your plans and grace shown through generations

caught in the rain on top of the mountain! in the downpour, running into our friends who were on an intentional outing

perfect smooth and happy trip for Titus and Ani 

bunch of people who love Titus picking him up at the airport, going out for breakfast as a big group

grandparents and grandchild together

bench seat open for us on the train to Shanghai -- so the boys could nap and have a table to color/play cars on

friendly aunties and uncles to play, talk, share snacks, help with luggage

 driver picked us up so we didn't have to navigate the subway late at night

opportunity to get help for Jonathon