Nice to see you, United States of America

Hi there!


We arrived in Minnesota on November 12th.

First we saw Stephen, Drew's brother, during our layover in Chicago.

We spent a week+ in St. Paul, MN with a whole bunch of family and some friends. Titus and Mike love the snow! We were thrilled when Drew's brother Paul with Norwegian girlfriend Silje announced their engagement!

This past weekend we flew to North Carolina to visit former foster son Jonathon and his family. Jonathon is thriving and cherished. That is a separate blog entry.

Next we flew to St. Louis where relatives picked us up and drove us to a YMCA family camp in the Ozarks for a week-long gigantic family reunion. It is beautiful here by lake and forest. Titus and Mike have discovered the fun of cousins.

After this we we will visit friends in Arkansas and Iowa, then settle down in Hutchinson, MN for a couple weeks at my parents' home.

Christmas will be in St. Paul with the Addingtons, my folks joining as well.

Drew and I will make an excursion to Chicago to see where brother Stephen lives and works.

January 10th we return to Changsha.

*****

During our time in the US Drew continues to work full-time for his employer based in Changsha. Drew is working some daytime and nighttime hours, to share hours with the Changsha office for meetings. It makes our routine a little bizarre and Drew's sleep a bit disrupted but it's going ok.

So far I am missing the routine of home, quiet alone time, and fresh leafy greens at every meal.

I am appreciating face-to-face talks with family and friends, pure air, clean natural environment, snowy white winter, seeing my sons delight in new experiences and forming bonds with family each day.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

oak leaves and acorns on the trail

sun streaming through the windows and bluest sky reflecting blue off the lake

many aunts, uncles, cousins who are faithful, funny, interesting, smart, gifted, engaging, warm

happy boys with cousins

hard-working Drew

Live Show @Flyleaf Cafe

As a last hurrah in Changsha (for now), we played a live show!
Noah, Drew, yours truly. 20-song set list, mostly from Noah's album.





Tomorrow we jet-set for the USA. Here we come folks!

counting the graces

thank you Father for

thoughtful neighbors who invite us over for supper on our last day so we don't have to deal with cooking & leftovers

finishing worship collection today

Naomi's friendship, she's brightened my life
S family's warmth

Lanzi sending along Hunan specialties and words of appreciation

sense of understanding shared with YMX, the unexpected encouragement she brought to us

Drew hauling heavy stuff upstairs

boys truly enjoying their last two days of school

provision of carseats

Jonathon is living life to the full, first because of Butterfly Home

Jonathon is living life to the fullest with his warmhearted family in North Carolina. Two understanding and affectionate parents, two role-model older brothers, a nurturing older sister who has knit her heart to Jonathon's, and a similar-aged Chinese sister with whom to share a Butterfly Home heritage. It is a beautiful, restored, abundant life for Jonathon. 

We've bought our tickets to visit Mike & Ellen and family during our upcoming trip to the US! What a miraculous gift Jonathon is to many! Through him two families are woven together.

Jonathon would not be with us today if not for the care of Butterfly Home. 

He would have passed away, very alone in the understaffed government orphanage. We don't like to think about or write that, but it is reality. Butterfly Home has given life -- life to the full -- to many children like Jonathon. 

Butterfly Home is currently in serious need of financial support.

Our children need your help -- to provide clothing, food, diapers, medical care, nurses and loving Mamas. Can you please help keep Butterfly Home in operation?

Learn more about Butterfly Home and offer life-saving support to our kids HERE.

Please, please join us in caring for our wonderful children.

Please help us communicate the need by sharing the Butterfly story & campaign page with your friends.

Thank you.

So very grateful for your help!

guessing the photog was Jonathon's sister and baking pal. love it!

counting the graces

thank you Father for

enthusiasm and donations coming in for our Butterfly kids

the team's hard work and each person's skill set in preparing the fundraising campaign

figuring out returns on taobao

after a late night working Drew was able to sleep for an extra hour

discovering Mike sleeping in a Santa cap

shots for T&M -- a hard experience, a growing experience

we are freed from worry

23 Small Monkeys in White Suits (also known as Tae Kwon Do)

Something new this fall! 

Tae Kwon Do, or transliterated from Korean into Chinese, tai quan dao 跆拳道. 

I wasn't planning to register them, but Titus & Mike insisted they'd like to get in on the punching, kicking and grunting. It makes our Monday nights crazy, but I'm glad they tried it. All the kids are so darn cute in their oversized, rolled up robes. Class is HILARIOUS to watch -- little guys bouncing around wildly, tripping over their pants, losing their belts, sparring like small hyperactive Asian warriors, and the instructor pseudo-tough, patrolling the ranks and whacking --kaBAAM!-- kids who get out of line with his very loud, cushy paddle. 

MMA. Miniature Martial Arts. 

Titus helped to lead the warm-up stretches.

Dun-da-da-daaa!!!

They are so stinkin' cute! It was worth doing just to see them in these outfits.

Pretty soon they're gonna exchange these white loose robes for a black spandex singlet, as newbies in the Hutchinson, MN, USA Youth Wrestling Club -- I think? Right Wai-gong?

counting the graces

thank you Father for

WZM though troubled, staying faithful and carrying on

tears, sometimes you just need to cry to release the stress

warm bright autumn sunshine, dry grass, cool air, sweaters

Mrs. Zeng cancelled English class this afternoon, allowing me to accomplish other urgent tasks

morning mountain jogging-hiking

good talks with friends on Sunday afternoon

 carrying-hugs on the way to school in the mornings

a restful place -- absorbed in the Word

creative, cool letter from Mom