March Off, March Forth (Fourth)

March's schedule is packed to the gunwales! There's a little tradition on Chinese Neighbors, for this writer to take a month's pause, focus on her immediate surroundings, and clear her head. 

I'm taking March off.

I can't march off without mentioning March Fourth, because three men are turning 25.

Marky Sparky

Stevarino

Ceph Dog

Bring out the oldies

when we were all still legally dependents

and we stayed up late

sometimes making music

always eating kettle corn from a gigantic metal mixing bowl

strategizing how to get a girlfriend

committing stupid errors like

climbing a mountain in the dark

splitting somebody's head open after falling off a rock face

finally resorting to tamer diversions such as

ping pong and nerts

it's been nice growing up with you

2004 on the beach

2004 half naked on the beach

2004 with brother's girlfriend on the beach

We admire you, Marky Sparky, Stevarino, and Ceph Dog. Can't think of many other men who we hold in such high regard. Let us be the first to wish you a happy birthday!

And to everyone else, we'll meet you back here on April 1st. No fooling!

Too Big

Um, Michael, your mama's rainboots are too big for you.

(Though I can see why you like them: red, grey, flowery, awesome.)

Drew is actually too big for our kitchen.

(Which makes it all the more selfless that he, and he alone, does the dishes every single day.)

Three boys are still not too big to fit on their mom's lap all at the same time.

(Made possible by three mini butts and a mother with an especially lengthy femur. Love. Love. Love.)

Affection

Ok. Take these guys, draw a BIIIIG heart around their faces, then smother 'em with kisses. 

...

...

...

Yeah, that’ll work.

This is what you do when you really miss a couple somebodies. You want to give them monster snuggley hugs but they are exactly 7,882 miles out of reach. 
You stare at the picture of the last time you saw them in person -- 1 year 6 months & 13 days ago --- and make all kinds of mushy heart and kiss edits. 
It actually does make you feel a little better, and hopefully, they feel cherished too. 


Cuz you are, you guys. 

Little Boys, Engaged in This Community

Typical afternoon.

Drew is out. Weekdays he's at his study lab. Today's Saturday, he's at a group for faith-seekers.

I'm planted on the couch drinking deeply of 1 quiet hour with my Father & his word ...then emails and now writing this for you (hope you like it?)

Mike is napping in his tent. Jon is napping in his crib.

Titus is sitting on our bed reading books and talking to himself in Chinese.

This means OUR PLAN IS WORKING.

The plan:

Put the kids in Chinese preschool.

Why:

So they can speak Chinese.

So they can make friends.

So they can be socially normal little boys, engaged in this community.

So they can keep up in Chinese elementary, middle and high school.

So they can still have friends as they grow up.

So they can be socially normal young men, still engaged in this community.

(and --nice bi-product --I don't have to homeschool them, whew!)

Do Note:

We've never heard of any expat kid completing even Chinese elementary school, but we're shooting for it. Titus has no idea that he's a pioneer.

There's no ESL equivalent -- CSL? -- Chinese as Second Language. There's no Title 1, special ed or remedial courses. You just have to keep up or fail.

In urban China, it's pretty impossible for kids to have friends unless they are in school. After preschool, kids make friends with their classmates. And that's it.

P.E. class with Mr. Qu.

Celebrating Titus' 3rd birthday in September.

The fall show. Can you find 艾泰德 (Titus)?

January open house. Parents witnessed a morning in the life of a preschooler.

And Titus wasn't participating. Ugh.

Milk break. Milk packets are heated in a bucket of hot water, then milk is squirted into tin cups.

Mrs. Zeng leads the students in one of their many little songs with actions.

Titus is back by the piano, wearing a navy and red coat.

Titus' head teacher, Mrs. Zeng, is absolutely brilliant with the children. She's endlessly patient about communicating with Drew and me.

Titus is very happy to go to school. He's not doing awesome (you saw that participation issue up there) but he's fine (kind, polite, has friends, eats his lunch, obeys his teacher).

All in all, stellar experience, but not sure if we can hack it in 1st grade...and through the next 14 years.

Here goes! Gulp.