Thanksgiving Trip Part 5

It is about time to end this little series, though there is so much more to say about our trip. After the TCC team left we spent the next 2.5 days hanging out with John and Melissa and celebrating Thanksgiving again with some of their American friends that live in their city.

Tobin says goodbye to Uncle Travis.


Pure cuteness. Some friends adopted two boys from Ethiopia, just a few months apart.

Tobin was right in the mix, enjoying friends.

The Thanksgiving spread (round 2)

Pork roast, creamed spinach, green bean casserole.


rolls, sweet potato casserole




I made these oreo truffles (aka oreo cream balls). Actually David really helped me do this, the white chocolate thickened up and was not too easy to work with. They are supposed to look a lot prettier, but they were de.lic.ious.



The kids table. These kids became great friends.


Sweet sisters. Bread lovers.


Sophia shows off her turkey, and our new little friend hams it up! Precious.


Silas created this train and the girls hopped on.



Watching a Thanksgiving video.


family time at night right before bed.



Sad goodbyes.


Melissa. Love this girl. Champion of my heart. We stayed up with them until after 1 a.m. every night. We talked about everything under the sun: life overseas these past seven years, struggles we have encountered, sin tendencies, parenting, parenting, parenting, trials, sickness, death of loved ones, family matters back home, future, theology, community). These times were so refreshing for our souls.
The L family opened their home to us, made us take their room with Tobin, gave our girls their extra bedroom, and they slept on a mattress in the living room. All ten of us in their house for 6 days, and it was incredibly fun, and joy filled. Melissa is an incredible example to me of a natural and genuine host, she serves with joy, always with a smile (not to mention she is a great cook). I was deeply convicted by this and her tenderness with her children. We talked of our parenting struggles, and I completely saw God's grace displayed in her way with her children throughout the week. She works hard at homeschooling and balancing so many things on her plate. She is someone I can bare my soul to, she sees the ugliness and speaks truth in love, gives encouraging words, and points me to the goodness of my God.
Thanks Melissa and John for taking care of us so well and loving on us. We love you guys, can't wait to see you again...whenever that may be!

Thanksgiving Trip Part 4: Retreat

I cannot blog in detail the tremendous ways that TCC loves on their people overseas, but I will say this: I have never heard of or seen a group love on their people the way TCC does (and I know a ton of ex-pats). I mean, whoever put their plan together over the years (Travis?), to really care for the SOULS of their people, it has been an amazing blessing, and has helped keep us where we are. The marriage retreat is one huge example of that.

We had been prepped a few months before hand that this would take place and we got our reading assignment, a book I highly recommend: Marriage Matters..., it is long, but we weren't required to read it all, just a few sections.
Holly had emailed and gotten our children's schedules, food preferences, habits, etc. It was very well-planned.
It started one evening, we got dinner on the way to a really nice hotel (understatement) and settled in for the first session. We were there two nights, with 3-4 other couples participating, five sessions, and lots of junk food, laughter, and some serious talk about our marriages and how the gospel plays out in them.

The L family and our family shared an apartment at the hotel so we had time there to chat well into the night (TCC provided this luxury as well).


The view from the 43rd floor!

We woke up to snow flurries! This was unbelievable. It snowed all day long. None of it stuck, but still we kept saying how it looked like we were in a snow globe. I just smiled all day because God answered Sophia's crazy prayer for snow. We saw the forecast before we left, mid-40s most of the week, no chance. I tried to tell her that it probably would not snow. And she asked anyway. Put my faith to shame.

I was so sorry that we missed being with them the day it snowed. But Tim and Holly, who had kid duty along with Jessica the first night, brought us a video of the kids in the snow. Sophia was eating it as it fell, and giggling! It was so cute. Later when we saw her the next day she said all wide-eyed: 'Did you know it SNOWED!?' 'God answered my prayers, just like he did for a baby brother!' she rambled on in excitement, and I was so thankful to God for those simple things that bring such joy, like snow, and the faith of a little girl who asked for it.


Tobin went with us on the retreat and he did pretty well. I am still nursing him (almost 8 months, yeah!) He is looking pretty cold in the picture, it was chilly even with the heat on in the hotel.


Wednesday night we went to the revolving restaurant at the top of the hotel. It was a buffet of anything off the menu you wanted. It was delicious! I ordered japanese beef teppanyaki, and lots of Indian food, the chef was actually Indian from Delhi, we ordered palak paneer which was not on the menu and it was great! All of the food was tasty tasty and we had GREAT conversation!
Earlier in the day we had played the newlywed game, David and I were the undefeated champions going in (only played once at Julie's birthday party our first time Stateside, 2008, but champions nonetheless), but we lost it fair and square. Actually we were tied with two other couples and then we had to throw skittles in our spouses mouth from about 7 feet away for the tie breaker. Anyway, the questions from the game, which were AWESOME and quite difficult, led us into many more conversations....
Here are a few examples (Travis made these up):

The husbands had to answer:
When it comes to romance, which Star Wars character do you most resemble:
a. wise Yoda
b. Resourceful Han Solo
c. powerful Chewbacca
d. sensitive Luke Skywalker

The wives had to answer:

Which Beijing tourist spot most reminds you of your last marital conflict:
a. The Great Wall
b. Ming Tombs
c. Forbidden city
d. Tienanmen Square.

Yes, yes. We had fun and lots of laughs.


John and Melissa. Completely Kindred spirits to us. Time with them was some of the best times we have had since being overseas, so encouraging. More on them in a later post. Just note here: they are precious to us.


Tim and Holly. We spoke of them before. They were amazing, traveling so far and bringing their son too! Champs. They always encourage us, but what really impressed us was their tenderness towards one another and how solid their marriage is, it was no show, it is for real. We learned a lot from them.



Travis and invisible Julie (how we missed her!). We were trying to come up with some of her answers for the game...(you need to answer these Jules)


Here we are, it was cold up there!


The spread of food. yum!


A chef making Naan (Indian bread).


They took Tobin for a stroll around the hugantic hotel.


And he really enjoyed looking at himself in the mirror.

The Marriage retreat was a real highlight for us, and we were so thankful for the chance to participate. Thank you TCC for making that happen and for all the ways you serve us and so many others!

Thanksgiving Trip North Part 3

TCC brought us this stinkin' huge suitcase filled with goodies from the U.S. I was shocked at its size. It was like Christmas! They blessed us so much...



A princess backpack, what is not to love?




And a wand! More magic. There was too much goodness to name it all (okay, a few: chocolate chips, good coffee, candy canes, silly putty, dress up stuff, and on and on). They also hauled some pretty hefty Christmas gifts from my family too! Thank you TCC for loving on us in this way as well.

Because the team was leaving on Thursday, we celebrated Thanksgiving with them on Monday, which left Tuesday-Thursday as our marriage retreat time.

Melissa and team outdid themselves with the spread: grilled chicken, sweet potatoes, bread, green bean casserole, and much more!
We also celebrated Ezekiel's birthday, which was loads of fun.



The kid's table.


Delicious chocolate sheet cake with yummy frosting.


I am so glad Ezekiel got to experience the Chinese flower candle that sings forever and ever.


Holly and Ezekiel. We LOVE this family! What Ezekiel does not remember is that his parents brought him to our house in our little town when he was just a year old. Yes, these folks have been loving on us that long!


Happy Bday EZ!



Did I mention this city is on the ocean? We had never seen the ocean from China. It was fun to be right on the coast. This city amazed us in so many ways.

More snippets before we left for the marriage retreat:

Silas and Bella, He is two months older.


Tim loving on all the kids.


The girls slept on a trundle bed. During the day this was a favorite spot to play!


Bella's other favorite spot: with Miss Jessica.

Thanksgiving Trip North Part 2

Early in the week we went to a REALLY nice restaurant, Hard Rock Cafe style, but maybe better. It was the kid-friendliest place we have ever been to in China.
The TCC team loved on us in so many ways, but I was so impressed by the way they loved on our children. Of course they had planned to watch the kids for our retreat, but way before that, someone always was holding Tobin or playing with the others (7 kids in all, including Ezekiel from TCC)


The play area was awesome. This restaurant also had a bouncy seat and baby crib, if needed.


Big kids got real competitive at foosball.



The L family has no shortage of toys and Sophia and Bella loved everything, but mostly they loved that they had new friends. When asked what her favorite thing was from the trip Sophia said: 'playing with Ezra'.

Thanksgiving Trip North Part 1

11.19.2011

We were all SO excited to be going to visit our friends in NE China! Earlier in the week Sophia prayed for snow. Doubtful, we told her, but she prayed on...every day she would ask, how many days until we go to YT? And she told everyone she knew that we were going on a trip.

Not only were we visiting some of our best friends that we had not seen in two years, but we also were going to meet up with a team from TCC-- we were also getting to see friends from the other side of the ocean!

It took us 3 flights and about 14 hours door to door, but we made it and were SO blessed for what became one of many late nights with the L family and other friends.


Our first flight in our city was delayed about an hour due to the dense fog. These men were having fun playing peek-a-boo with our girls. Most of our travels take us to Thailand, we had not traveled within China with our three kids ever, I forgot the fuss that would be made over our children. But the kids did great!


Sophia eating a snack and waiting. Waiting. Our local airport has an outdoor part to it upstairs so the girls and I went out there and ran around a bit, even though it was a little chilly.


I am supposed to be napping


In the provincial capital the girls got to ride on the cart. We packed on big suitcase for our family for the week and then another suitcase for gifts to be taken back to America. I knew we would be hauling things home, so the empty one came in handy.


Mid-day and weary. KFC in the provincial capital.


Tobin's meal. I really could not bring myself to spend 3 USD a jar for baby food, so I froze some homemade in jars the night before. It worked great. Pears and rice cereal. Thawed just in time.



We didn't really mind passing Tobin around, helped us out a little bit. And he was game. The girls love making friends on airplanes too.


I missed the picture, but this man to David's right started asking the men behind him where some place was on a map of China. I found this quite funny because they went back and forth a bit and then said the name of a pretty famous province.


The Shanghai airport was amazing. We enjoyed both Subway and Starbucks and complimented the kids on how well they had done without complaining! Then Sophia decided to walk the wrong way on the moving sidewalk to which I sternly rebuked her and a little mayhem ensued. But still they did wonderful, and who doesn't want to try walking the wrong way on a conveyer belt every once in a while?

And then we arrived, around 10:30 p.m. Wow. The team was at the hotel. John picked us up from the airport and Melissa was still up making really good bread. Bella was completely knocked out by the time we got in the van (from previous experience: do not put a very sleepy child on their feet and expect them to stand), she barely woke to get in bed.
We stayed up chatting with Melissa and John and getting settled in and ready for what turned out to be a fabulous week!

The next morning was Sunday, so a group was coming over, plus the team. It was GREAT to reconnect, and this moment was priceless: watching Uncle Travis meet his nephew for the first time:


Man, we miss this guy and his wife (my sis) and family. These reunions are so precious! We couldn't hog him because he was the team leader and marriage retreat teacher, but we had some good chats that make us anxious for our next visit home to continue to learn from his family!



The ladies (except I am not sure where Dana is? maybe taking the pic). L-R: Holly, me, Melissa, and Jessica.
Jessica made quite the impression on Bella, and we were very thankful, because we had no idea how leaving her for two nights was going to go. Bella loved her some Jessica.

Conversations of late

Bella:
One day I wore a belt, I haven't needed to do this in a while, so Bella was not used to it. She said:
"momma, are you wearing Daddy's belt?" When I told David this he laughed, thinking it funny that she even knew what a belt was considering she struggles knowing her basic animals (we are working on that).

Today as I changed her diaper (yes, we know she needs to be out of diapers), Bella said: 'momma, will you get it off? I am scared...my poo poo stinks." then she went back in the other room to Ayi and said: 'wode poo poo mei you hen chou', 'my poo poo is not very stinky'.

Sophia:
At lunch she started to pray in Chinese then switched to English and prayed: 'Jesus, please help Ayi trust you more and more' (I then told Ayi what she said).

Once a week I usually read a chapter of 'A Child's history of the world'. This week's chapter was on Helen of Troy. I asked her questions at the end, like, what was the Trojan war about? etc. I told her, yes, it was over Helen, and I recapped the story and said: 'Because she was the most beautiful woman in world.' And Sophia looked at me with all sincerity and said: 'even more beautiful than me?' I just looked at her and smiled. Of course we tell her she is cute, pretty, whatever, not too often but enough. But daily she gets it from the locals around us, humility will be our next emphasis!