mommas day

Its so nice to have a break, and be spoiled for a day! I slept in, was greeted with homemade cards, played outside with the fam, went out to a nice lunch, had some quiet-mom-time, and my sweet husband made dinner! I hope you had a great day too!! Happy Mother's Day!!

Hiking around a big park - Shui Mo Gou (水磨沟）and across a rickety bridge.

Sipping a strawberry smoothie with my baby girl.

mom's can change the world....

Mom's are amazing, and they have the best opportunity to impact the world as they nurture & pour their love & life into the children entrusted to their care! I distinctly remember when I was 15 years old - an older woman that I deeply respected, shared with me how she was so thankful to be a mom, and to raise her kids to reflect the character and call on their lives. That was a revolutionary idea to me. I had never heard anyone so focused on the task of motherhood. Now I understand her heart, and I am inspired each day to serve & shepherd the little ones in my life - and be a mom that makes an eternal impact on this world. When you imagine all the moments and hours that are poured into these little lives, it challenges me to assess my heart - and rise to the challenge to be a mom/wife/daughter/woman that lays down her life for those she loves. My three little girls will know me better than most people on this earth, and they are my most precious disciples. I love seeing the amazing ways they have been uniquely knit together - and how their personalities and hearts will be used to make a change on this planet. I absolutely love being their momma, and I love my mom's.

Here are some ways MOM'S* can leave a lasting impact: building security, identity, compassion & empathy, selflessness, tenderness, modeling a nurturing heart, a servant-heart, responsibility, dependence on God & hearing His voice, strength & sensitivity, being adventurous, playful, creative, energetic, fruitful, productive, kind, inspiring, devoted, prayerful, gentle, exemplary, a good listener, able to smile at challenges, insightful & wise, instilling value, setting boundaries, speaking with kind words & attitudes, problem-solving, giving unending love & grace, being available: teaching, cherishing, encouraging, listening, comforting, forgiving, showing patience, & giving the best hugs & cuddles.
*Everyone can impact the world, not just momma's!

goodbye PECK.

Rest in peace little Peck.
He was only one week old, but he was loved. The girls cried when we had to "take him outside" and "let him go" this past week. He was still so small, weak and not flourishing. Poor daddy had to do the deed and put him out of his misery. We tried all we could to help him survive....but he just wasn't a healthy chick. It was a teary goodbye, but a great opportunity to talk about life & death. On the other hand - Silly is doing great. He's feisty and alert, and full of gumption! Now he's just a little lonely.

simple conversations at the playground

Across the street from where we live, there is another apartment building that has a *great playground area for the kiddos. With the warmer weather, its been fun to get out more and make new friends. One reason this playground is so great - is that it has *swings!! Swings seem hard to come by in this country. Granted, the seats are heavy metal - and you have to really watch the munchkins, but what can beat swinging high in the sky above tiled concrete? :) The girls love our daily outings. They are learning to cross the street carefully, take turns with other kids, understand more Chinese, and smile/interact with neighbors. And I am enjoying my simple conversations with the kids that crowd around to ask me insurmountable probing questions.

Where do you come from? (Mei Guo = 美国 = America)
Are these your kids? All THREE of them?
How old are you? Do you live here?
Do you rent or own your apartment?
How much is your rent? (this is a typical one!)
Do you want more kids? Don't you want a BOY?
Can I have one of your kids? (I think this is a joke, but everyone asks)
Are you afraid that someone will take one of your kids? (I wasn't, before that question)

And my favorite conversation from yesterday:

little Chinese boy: Is that one a boy or girl?
me: She's a girl. <smile & pause> Are you a boy or girl? <my attempt at a joke>
little Chinese boy: Boy.
<awkward pause>
me: (laughing) I was just joking. I know you are a boy!
little Chinese boy: he begins to laugh, then says: Look at that fat boy. He is very fat!

a girl and her chick

Having pets is so fun. Yards might be even better tho.

Visa rollercoaster

In the last three weeks, we've thought through every possible Visa option for us to remain here in our home & launch our Ice Cream business! Visa rules have changed heaps this year - so our plans have had to F-L-E-X with them. Our passports are currently at the Police Station being processed for a 2 month extension! We are hopeful that we can finish all our business paperwork and switch to long-term Visa's within this time. If not, our options shrink drastically. These "uncertainties" have become part of our normal lives, so we go with the flow. We hope the rumors are true - that all this will "go back to normal" by Fall. Until then....we continue to be diligent with our business establishment and application process! Its taken four months thus far, and we'd love to be selling Ice Cream this summer! .....we shall see.....

el pollo loco??

This might have been a mistake - but we are up for the challenge. Today as we were walking out of the park - we saw a box of baby chicks for sale. Yup, we gave in to the moment and bought 2 chicks to take home (1 kuai each = 14 cents). The girls were ecstatic and intent on their every move. Here is the box that we rescued them from. There must have been 150 little buddies crammed into this tiny cardboard home....

We made a happy home for them, complete with a heat lamp, water dish, corn millet and newspaper nest. We aren't sure how long they will get to stay - but for now the girls are enthralled with their "peeps" and watching them from above.

Asia was talking to them, comforting them - and being very attentive to their needs. I think this will be a great experience for the girls - as they learn about life, responsibility, and selflessness.

This is SILLY chick. Named 'Silly' because he likes to jump in the water dish to get a drink. This was cause for much laughter and hilariousness. Silly has a dark patch of fuzz on his head to distinguish himself from....PECK.
Here is PECK is all his glory. I think he was posing for this picture. Peck is pure yellow fuzz - and a bit more reserved than Silly. Peck got his name because he was "pecking for his food" which seems quite fitting.
We will see how long this lasts. Tonight they were acting up and being a bit rambunctious.
I will keep you posted.

Happy Labor Day (weekend)

May 1st is Labor Day across China (but we are still celebrating on the 3rd). Some people celebrate all week long, as it has been called a "golden week" to encourage people to travel during this week off. Many people take this time to visit family, museums, parks and relax with friends.

Most "laborers" get the day off work (unless they work in retail, food or tourism) on May 1st. The streets are crowded and full of life & color. All the parks officially open for the Spring/Summer seasons, and the crowds are out in full force. And yes, we decided to brave the masses - making a visit to a favorite park.

With three little girls - we can tend to be one of the "main attractions." We are constantly followed by a crowd with cameras, cell phones - all wanting pictures of the white kids. We may know a smidgen of what celebrities feel like when followed by the Paparazzi. Today - Asia was amazing when dealing with the crowds: she was determined to have a better attitude, and just ignore all the attention. I was so proud of her choices today, as she really abhors the crowds and lack of personal space.

We found some open space to run, explore and blow bubbles in the breeze, away from the majority of the crowds. We ate a yummy lunch of Polo and Kebabs - and rode on the Carousel & Bumper boats.

We also met a few locals with their precious kids while exploring the park....and the girls couldn't leave without trying the cotton candy. Happy Labor Day!