Toad catch and release.
We brought one toad home for a couple days but didn't know what to feed him.
He returned to the swamp.
Winter basketball camp!
Dad helped a couple times.
Biking. Always Biking.
Preschool/Kindergarten.
This school has exceeded our expectations. We just love it.
Somehow, it's truly a notch above typical public Chinese pre-Ks.
It was a surprise gift from God to be planted here!
We had no idea how good this place would be for our kids.
Titus' head teacher is Mrs. Xuan.
(by the way, Titus is registered for primary school -- first grade starts August 25th!)
Mike's head teacher is Mr. Chen.
My favorite of Titus' works.
The Zebra-Giraffes look gleeful! A reflection of Titus' heart, I think. Glee.
The boys have a close relationship with their Chinese tutor, Big Sister Qingzi.
Together they read books, practicing writing and recognizing Chinese characters.
A recent college grad, this winter she was promoted to be a head teacher at the boys' school!
Mountainside woods.
This rock is their spacecraft.
Sadly, sometimes we can't play outside when the air quality is so bad that it's harmful to our health.
Sometimes we have to wear masks going from place to place.
Two weekends ago we planned to go camping on the mountain.
Air quality was so bad we had to cancel our outing and remain inside, windows closed and air filter on.
Drew decided that toxic outdoor air wouldn't ruin our fun.
Indoors, he and the boys built a wooden cart together.
We set up the tent in the living room.
Our kitchen's cooking apparatus is basically a camp stove anyway, so...
That same day this shoe cabinet tipped on climber-Michael, a glass door shattering all over his body.
One elbow was a little sore, but other than that he was unscathed!
Thank God for his protection.
A rain and wind storm came through and temporarily cleared up the air pollution.
Our neighbor Miao Miao came out to ride the wooden cart too.
Since our housing complex is cut out of the hillside, we have lots of runs for exciting rides!
Titus began piano lessons with a local teacher, Mrs. Shi.
We scored a sweet deal on rental piano that sounds beautiful.
Music is a joy and a valuable skill that I want Titus and Mike to posess.
Right now Mike is all about cooking eggs for breakfast.
Right now Titus and Mike adore their dad.
Dad is their favorite playmate, their best buddy, their main dude, their hero and superstar.
They like to go on dates with him.
They like to do construction projects with him.
(Drew got the boys their own tool sets and tool boxes.)
They like to build Legos with him. Always Legos.
We are not homeschooling formally, but I am teaching the boys basic reading, writing, math.
Every day Titus comes home from school at noon, and we learn together until 2pm.
Then we go get Mike, who is just waking up from his nap at preschool.
The 12-2 timeslot alone with Titus has proved to be invaluable.
Titus has learned so much this spring!
As his teacher, it has been so rewarding for me to celebrate his progress.
At home we also learn Chinese.
This is one of our character-reconition games: name the character, use it in a sentence, eat a treat.
Upon losing his third tooth, Titus said:
"Uncle Jared told me I can put this tooth under my pillow, then the Money Fairy...err...the Tooth Fairy will come and switch the tooth for lots of money! That's you, haha, YOU put the money there!"
Mom: "What is a Fairy?"
Titus: "You know, like the Hong Kong Fairy."
Mom: "What?"
Titus: "That Fairy in Hong Kong, we have ridden on it with Ye-Ye."
The Star Ferry. Fairy. Ferry. Fairy.
The boys have a web of meaningful relationships in our community.
At school they have a classroom full of little friends.
Titus' favorite friend is a tall girl called Tian Tian.
Titus sneakily places candy into her pink Disney princess backpack.
He started doing this and she has come to expect it, now they have some kind of quota system.
Mike says his favorite friend is a girl named Hui Hui.
Auntie Peng has been doting on Titus since he was a 5 month-old baby.
Lydia and Li Ci had the idea to surprise Titus and Mike (and me...) with a gift: love birds.
They said Titus and Mike are growing up and old enough to learn how to take care of a pet.
Ok!
Now we have a pair of birds in a big cage on our sunporch.
In theory Titus and Mike change their water and food every day and clean the cage every weekend.
Here's my old friend Qiufen.
Whenever a friend comes over I typically ask him/her to read a Chinese storybook to Titus & Mike.
Grandparents.
Nothing can top the Grandparents Four.
Sometimes I grieve what Titus and Michael do not have.
Clean air, family, green lawns, baseball, a superior education, a definite social-cultural identity.
Nonetheless,
I know God is gives them an abundant, special life.
They are loved. They are secure.
They are walking the faith journey with their parents.
God is working his purpose in and through their lives right now.
counting the graces
thank you Father for
strength you have supplied this week to stick to the plan
when the AQI is good and the windows can be open
family day today, a run, a surprise for Drew, a music festival
evening walk with Drew
John 11 -- walking in daylight, the light of God's truth, I will not fall
Auntie Wang is encouraged
