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