Drew reveals all in exclusive interview with Chinese Neighbors

Today Drew is in Delhi, then to Dubai, and finally California next week. The boys and I will meet him in Minnesota on June 12th, for his brother's wedding celebrations.

Drew's job is one of the difficulties I listed -- contributing to The Hardest Year.

Tough on us, because he's away from home often. Tougher on him, because of the pressure.

However, if you consider for thirty seconds all the many means of making a living on this globe and where we fall on that disparate spectrum, Drew's work is a breeze and our home life is idyllic.

Please remind me not to be such a silly whiner.

Besides that sobering reality, many gifts of God have come through Drew's employment at Anker/Oceanwing. 

• Provision for all our expenses
• Work visa so we can live in China (not to be taken for granted!)
• Challenging projects for Drew through which his management and career skills have expanded
• Drew's also learned to cope with a greater stress load and just carry on, happy
• Been fragrance and light to co-workers, including to the executives
• Mutual support between the small handful of other like-minded co-workers
• Partnering with a co-worker and university teachers to host a forum for like-minded college students about to enter the workforce
• Supporting a co-worker through potential abortion of a baby and marriage difficulties
• As husband and wife, learning to stick together, united in purpose, serving one another, even if we are less often physically together
• And a growing appreciation for each other, more skillful in communicating, treasuring quality time
• Figuring out how to rest in God when we are tired, stressed, perplexed, separated, disappointed with circumstances
• Learning to receive with gladness God's wisdom in where he has placed us for now
• I can sympathize with other wives/mothers who have husbands in similar demanding business positions -- making our friendships deeper, exchanging wisdom and encouragement -- this has been significant

Drew's team -- one of his teams -- made their quarterly quota... so, cake.

Hey! What do you say we go find Drew at his office!

If we were biking as Drew typically does, this would be our route, over the bridge.
It takes him about 30 minutes one way.

But we are in a taxi.
Through the sub-river tunnel we need about 20-45 minutes depending on traffic.

The office is in the far greenish tower, 25th floor.

Oh hey, we found him!

Speaking with college students about life - work - faith.

It's gonna be ok Titus, we'll see Daddy again in just a couple weeks.

counting the graces

thank you Father for

thrilled and rejoicing that brother Paul found a most excellent wife, she is my friend and now my sister too

sweet goodbyes and sweeter reunions with husband

teaching moments (hours, days) with my boys, this usually means going through unpleasant conflict, but it's gonna be fruitful 

kids splashing naked in the mountain stream, below the well, on the first very hot day of summer

though you slay me, yet I will praise you, though you take from me, yet I will bless your name, though you ruin me yet I will worship

colorful supper: yellow corn, red pepper, two kinds of greens, purple potato leaves

Drew & Titus shared a father-son weekend trip to rural Western Hunan

meanwhile, Mike and I shared a mother-son weekend including the longest mountain hike we've ever done

sitting with Mike on the round boulder, he said his favorite moment of the day was sitting on that rock eating steamed buns with Mom

bedtime talk with boys about living Father's way

helping them build their lego cars, they won't ask me to help them build lego cars forever!