Dear Daddy, Come Home

I intercepted this letter from Willow to her dad. Adam is in Beijing (Saturday morning--Tuesday  night) for a teaching conference. 

Dear Daddy,

 Please come home. You've been gone for three days, and I don't know why. When I go to bed at night, you tuck me in and sing songs with me. We read about the moon, and you make sure I have my favorite stuffed kitties and bunnies. But then I wake up and mom says you're at 'school'.

It seems like you've been at school for awhile! When are you coming back? I like to call your cell phone and talk with on speaker phone. I am just so crazy! I like to ask you what you're doing, and I'm usually eating eggs or watching a movie or something.

Dad, when you're not here, mom has to clean up all my messes, feed me, play with me, change my diapers, take me outside, wash my face and brush my teeth. She has to do all those things for Noah too.

Today, I got in trouble because I was being disobedient. I wouldn't go inside to eat lunch. I told mom "no" and to go away. When she told me to eat my snack of applesauce at the table, I sat on the couch instead. She didn't know right away, because she was still in the kitchen--so I decided the couch would be prettier with applesauce all over it. The carpet too. So I got in trouble two times today.

I almost got in trouble three times, but I think mom was too tired to be consistent. I put cheese all over the place. It looked good. I painted the table with ice cream. That also looked good. I'm an artist, but mom keeps destroying my work.

I met some kids outside today. One girl gave me lots of Hello Kitty stickers. I went down the slide with a little boy. We also screamed as loud as we could, and hit the road with sticks. I saw a baby and a girl and tried to get them to play with me, but it didn't work out. I got to pet some puppies. They had freakish teeth, so they made me nervous. I told them to "Get Down!" like I learned on the farm, but they didn't understand English.

Dad, tonight I didn't get to read a book before bed. Noah was screaming, so mom sang a song really fast and that was it. Huff.

Did I tell you that I only like to hold Noah if he has a clean diaper? If he has a poopy diaper, I make mom change it first. Poop is gross. Except my poop isn't gross.

Every time the phone rings, I think it's you that's calling. Every time I hear someone walk into our building, I think that it might be you. I want to set a place at the table for you too, but I guess you can eat where you are right?

Dad, don't forget to get the moon for me. I almost have that book memorized. So I can read it by myself, but really it would be better if you read it to me. Mostly, I miss you playing with me. Mom doesn't know how to be crazy and wild and she isn't as fun as you are. She is so boring.

When you get back, we're going to have a dance party.

Love you,

Willow

Willow, reading her favorite book 

One of the Reasons

That I wanted to become a teacher....

Some of my grandmother's students 

My grandmother's one-room-school-house 

Florence Rosadell Lee Bauler
One Room School House Teacher
Perfect Handwriting
Child Wrangler

Normal School--learning how to be teacher took one year. 

I'm a little fuzzy on all the details, but my grandma was a one-room-school house teacher, and that totally enthralled me as a child. I've inherited some of her old curriculum books and her stamp set that made work sheets. The stamp set looks like it was made 200 years ago, instead of just several decades ago. In any case, it seemed like such a romantic notion to be a teacher.

Being a teacher is hardly romantic, but looking at her pictures from when she taught....it's hard to think differently! Oh to wear white socks with black pumps, and pin your hair in pinwheel curls. To have tinted glasses and large wooden desks.

Science Classroom Walls

Adam's cool classroom. He has his students paint information on the wall as they learn about these principles in science class. I think there is a lot of work that goes on before and during the painting projects--so it's not like they're just slapping paint on a wall to be artistic. There is a process to learning the lessons, coming up with designs, and selecting what will be painted. So these paintings represent a lot of brain work that the students went through as they learned about all sorts of things this school year. 

Since this is the last year in this particular building, it doesn't really matter how the walls will look post-school year. It also hasn't mattered in the past because walls are repainted in the summer. Here are some pictures Adam took with his camera during the painting processes that the different middle school classes went through. It seems like all I ever hear about from students and their parents is how much everyone likes Adam's classes. He is a great teacher, and is improving all the time. He's the golden boy. 

On Being a Mom & Stuff: Part 4

Whew! I'm back. Sorry, I was off living life and got a little side tracked. On a side note, check out Willow's eyelashes which she has inherited from Adam. She now knows where her eyelashes are and points to them if you  ask,
"where are your eyelashes?"

To address some feedback I've been receiving (thank you, readers!):

• People tell me that I'm young and  I'll be able to teach again. They wonder if I really think that was my last year of teaching......The answer is, I don't know! Maybe, maybe not. I don't want you to think that I've taken some sort of defeatist attitude about this, or that I'm resigning the rest of my life to being barefoot in the kitchen. It's just that, for right now, I'm not concerning myself with returning to a career of teaching.
• People also point out that being a mom is still like being a teacher. Ok, yes and no. First of all, I don't get paid. Second of all, there are no vacations, recesses, or weekends off. In some ways it's better than being a teacher....in other ways it's so much more overwhelming. 
• Finally, the chances of me teaching again at SYIS are slim. I was very much aware of this as I was closing up my 'Last Year of Teaching in China'.

I was saying goodbye to my first classroom, to seeing my colleagues (who happen to be my friends) everyday, to eating lunch at a structured time, to writing morning work on the whiteboard. There were many things I was more than happy to say goodbye to, but there were also sweet moments that made it hard to close that chapter of life. I miss quiet morning work time, I miss reading units and 8-year-olds' poetry. I miss finding the occasional hilarious sentence while grading. I miss how sweet third graders were, and how our little community was so comfortable. I miss watching them read voraciously, and their thoughtfulness. I miss being surprised by how intelligent they are at the most unexpected moments. I have so many memories, however faded they are, of laughing at their silliness. The things they said and did filled my work with so much entertainment.

So there was this sadness of leaving that part of life behind. And like I said before, looking at yearbooks struck a chord in my heart. I didn't want to be just a picture in a yearbook that no one remembered. I realized that there were teachers in our school's history that I had never heard about before (which is rare) and that sort of scared me. If we had made so many sacrifices to be here, I wanted people to know about it by golly.

We think if we do something 'wonderful', we should be remembered for it. But the truth is, even if it is as 'wonderful' as living and working in China, in 50 years---who will know about it? In 100 years, will anyone know our names or our story? Recently, I've heard stories of the work foreigners have done in this country 80 or 100 years ago. It's amazing stuff. Even in the barest details, it sounds adventurous, courageous, bold, and speaks of tremendous obedience. They were smart, they were brave, and they worked for YEARS without packages from their homeland or skype or email or facebook or blogs. They had to learn the language on their own and fight extra hard for anything to be accomplished. Yet, who knows of them? Sometimes, the areas that they impacted did not see long-term benefits. So it seems....futile.

Compared to my life, they were extraordinary individuals doing indescribable work for the Lord. How can I expect to be more than them? To be remembered better than they?

It's really quite selfish.

Letting go of your right to 'make a difference in the world' to have a 'legacy' is yet another form of surrender. Yet, I still hope that I live on in the hearts of my former students, and that they will be able to remember my name in their old age. I know that the chances of them remembering anything I taught them are slim. I mean, what do you remember from third grade?

So it saddened me that my legacy really was insignificant in a global, long-term way. It's humbling to think of your life like that. It's really just a speck. Even the great things we do are filthy rags. Where is the encouragement in this? Where is the hope?

All I can say is that teaching was never about me. Coming to China was never about me. It has to be about the Lord, or else it means nothing at all. My legacy is nothing without Him---I mean, apart from Him, I am nothing! If the students remember anything, I hope it has something to do with God's light in me. 

I often wonder about those students. Some are still in Shenyang (or other cities in China), but others have moved on to places like Myanmar, Holland, Morocco, and Taiwan. They, at least, have impacted me.

Anyway, my point is that our legacies mean nothing apart from God. However, we are called to follow Him in obedience and worship Him despite of our circumstances. In a way, it's the moment that counts. How are you living your life, at this very moment? That is your legacy. 

I had wondered, what was the point of teaching for only two years? Where is the impact in that? Where is the legacy? He revealed to me that although it might have seemed short lived, at that time it was what He wanted me to do. And it was good. Now, I'm on to the next thing He wants me to do. And that's good too. 

Seize every moment for God's glory. This is the most we can ever hope to achieve and in so doing, becomes the greatest legacy we could ever hope for. 

On Being a Mom & Stuff: Part 3

Checking out the hedge to see if any stray cats are hiding away. 

I've been stewing around part three. I have a couple of ideas swarming each other and trying to get to the forefront. Which, in my mind, just leads to a lot of confusion, and I keep yelling at my brain, "What are you trying to say?!" It never quite gets through. I think I could blame this on mom-brain. Or maybe  that I save all my serious thinking until the middle of the night.

Coming off the ideas in Part 1 and Part 2, my words for this next segment would be disobedience and mercy. I had struggled with anger and rebellion, not wanting to do what I felt I should do. I had struggled with surrendering my desires, plans, and identities to Christ. (not going to lie, still struggle with these things). And then my anger, my disobedience, my selfishness, and my idolatry caught up with me.

Like I sort of mentioned before, work started to get really hard. For lots of little reasons, and lots of big ones too. It was hard to get out of bed--not just because of the intense fatigue via pregnancy--but because I dreaded going to work. I dreaded opening my email box to the plethora of notes complaining about one petty issue after the other. I don't think people were trying to beat me down, but that's what was happening. My assistant was having health issues and so couldn't always be at work. Even when she was, she couldn't do much on her feet. I felt like I was doing a job-and-a-half to compensate. And then there was Treasure Island which is another full time job.

It was an exhausting season, and really, I have no idea how I got through that. I would like to share more specific stories, but this is probably not the time or place to that. Maybe in the future I'll be able to do that.

Without getting into all the grimy details....

I can sum it up for you: God removed the joy. 

Where was the joy? Where had it disappeared to?

Why, it was right around the corner, my dear friend.

It was where it always was; at the very center of His will. 

I felt His discipline in my life.

It wasn't like He was smacking me on the head with a cane and saying, "repent! repent or be chastised, sinner!"

It was more like He was saying, "I made you for a purpose: to worship and obey me. Now, get over here and worship and obey me. This is where you will be safe, and where you will find rest. This is where joy is and fulfillment. This is where you are a whole person. Ok, beloved, you can stay over there and get smacked around like a wet noodle. Or you can run over to me and I'll take care of everything. Your choice."

So eventually, I got tired of being a punching bag and realized that God was right.

He disciplined me out of love. He wanted me for Himself. He wanted to restore our relationship and to be reconciled with each other. He wanted us to be together, not separated by anger and bitterness. He wanted my obedience, not my selfish whining.

Thankfully, I'm not one for doing things the hard way. Because of His generous mercy, He brought me back. This is when I finally came to terms with what was changing. "I don't know why this is happening now, but I'm good with it, ok God?" I wish I could say that the year magically got better after that acceptance and surrender.

But, not necessarily. I mean, He gave me strength to get through it. He probably protected me from even worse things happening. But yeah, it was a tough year. And on the last afternoon of my last day of teaching at that school.....I thought.....it is good.

It is good to be finished.
Thank you for letting me finish.

I saved some documents that I thought I might use in the future (which I haven't) on my flash drive. Grabbed my book bag. Walked out the door. Got in the van. Went home.

There was no fanfare. No goodbye party. No group hug. No accolades. No best wishes card. No songs of adulation. It was over. And it was good.

I struggled a little with this. Although there was relief and peace at being finished, I thought that it was the most anti-climatic ending of my life. Usually when you close a major chapter in your life, you expect a big bang or something. At least some fireworks or something. Some tears? Some pats on the back?

Nope. Nada.

And I had to be fine with that. After all the fighting with myself, the fighting to survive the year, the fighting with God....I thought that surely there would be some resounding trumpets from heaven that announced I had done the right thing, that I had done a good job at it, and that I was moving on just as I should.

Like I said. There weren't any trumpets around.

Just one more reminder of how we have to die to ourselves. Teaching was never about me. It was just something that God had me do for a few years, and that was good, but now it was over, and that was good too.

When I write about this, I still remember how I yearned for a legacy. I don't think I wish for that anymore, but I still can taste its flavor so poignantly. Perhaps it is the last step of surrendering a false identity: the desire for a legacy.

 My students that year had been obsessed with looking at old year books. Every time we went up to the library, they would pull out the old year books and look over every page meticulously. They would stare at the faces of children who were long gone, kids that they never met, and wonder who they were. They would point at places or events they could identify. They would laugh at head-shots of teachers that were still there after a decade of working in China.

I could see it so clearly in the students as they poured over the yearbooks, because I saw in myself too.

Who will remember me when I'm gone?
What difference have I made here?
What is the mark that I will leave on this place?
On these precious children?
On my colleagues?

Will I be just a picture in a yearbook?
Does it even matter?

until next time........just think about it.

Running away, towards freedom and deep ditches and such. 

Investment

Last week, there were several graduations going on at our school. For the first time, SYIS held graduation ceremonies for kindergarten, 5th grade, and 8th grade. There was also a fancy graduation banquet and ceremony for the 12th grade class. Anyone was invited to the ceremony, but you had to be a high school teacher or principal, or especially invited to attend the banquet. Adam and I had the honor of both being invited to the banquet. We were very excited and felt privileged to be included. However, since we were each invited by different students, we would be sitting separately. Still, this goes down as a 'date' in my book. We scheduled a sitter, got dressed up, and ate a nice meal without our 10 month baby squawking for more finger food from our plates. Here's some pictures I stole from the kind friend who babysat Willow. I'm sure the girls had a great time, and we were so thankful for the great care Willow received. When I returned home, the house was clean and Willow had been bathed! Wow! Such service. 

Play time with dear friends! 

This picture makes me laugh!

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We were told three summers ago at our training, that the longer we stayed in China (i.e. the more time we invested in our students) the more rewards we would experience. More time = greater bonds.

I think it continues something like: greater bonds = greater influence.

Although I can't claim that my influence has reached levels of 'greatness', I am starting to understand how time is an investment. The greater the investment, the greater the reward. Our students are Third Culture Kids. Friends come and go all the time; so there's something to be said about sticking around. We want to stick around for them. But at some point, change becomes inevitable. Like graduating from high school. 

It's a big deal in America--it's some sort of thresh hold that students feel deep down inside. I'm going to suggest that it's an even bigger deal in an international community. These kids are affected in every possible way by their TCK experience. Graduating from high school is so much more than an academic accomplishment. It means leaving 'home'--the place you've been living that isn't your home country. It means re-entering a culture that isn't truly 'yours' anymore. It means leaving what has finally become familiar, and returning to what now seems foreign. Perhaps it means leaving your family thousands of miles behind. Perhaps it means joining the military for obligatory service. It means accomplishment; survival; completion. Maybe it means studying for more tests, hoping to get accepted into universities that use languages you haven't studied fully in years. It means packing and goodbyes. These kids have so many extra responsibilities and expectations placed upon them, yet they continue to thrive and flourish. That's one of many reasons why they are so amazing, and why we love being a part of their lives. 

At the banquet 

This woman in the picture with me is a mom of one of the graduating seniors. She is a sweet woman, and has helped out with Little Women and Treasure Island. She is super sweet, but we've never had a conversation in English. She wanted to have our picture taken together. Touching, since we are 'friends' without ever having any clear communication. I love her kids too, they are so great! 

Wish I could post the pictures and videos that I took during the evening. Alas...I cannot! So, mere words will have to do. During the banquet, I got to sit next to a dear student/mentee/friend and her family. I first met her during the fall of 2009 when she auditioned for The Secret Garden. She landed the role of Mary Lennox--the main part--and worked really hard. She also participated in Treasure Island and we started a mentoring relationship in 2010. She has matured so much in three school years, and I loved seeing her perform as Marmee in Little Women. I can't express how honored I felt to be invited to the banquet, to be sitting with her and her family, and to witness her graduation. Lots of emotions were welling up in me--I was very proud of her accomplishments, as I reflected upon the events of the past few years. I hope and pray for her future, and plan on keeping in touch. I will stalk her facebook. ;) Through mentoring, drama, and even student council (through Adam), I've enjoyed getting to know this sweet student and can't imagine my city without her in it. Marmee, if you are reading this, I can't begin to explain how much I will miss you! I'm definitely planning on seeing you again--and Willow has volunteered to be your future flower girl.

Adam, who lead student council, was invited by the boy who was the student council president this year. They also played basketball together (both as player/coach, and just pick-up games that athletic people put together). This boy was also in Treasure Island, so I was able to get to know him a little--he's fantastic. Adam learned how to say, "Thank you for inviting me" in Korean so that he could thank this student and his family. I thought that was thoughtful of Adam!

This is the first year, among three, that I have felt so torn about the graduates who will be leaving. These students were sophomores when we arrived. They were babies. Now they're grown up and leaving. And most likely, I'll never see many of them again. That's the nature of this international community. When people leave, it's usually for good. It's usually for another foreign destination. There are no class reunions. And, even if there were, it's not like I would be attending them in any likelihood. So it is with bittersweet feelings that I wish these twelve gifted graduates goodbye.

During the dinner, the father of each graduate stood up and spoke blessings and truth into their child's life. Many were in English, but several were in Korean. Although I couldn't understand the Korean words, I could hear the love in the fathers' voices, their sorrow, and their pride. It brings tears to my eyes almost a week later just remembering their voices. Some dads read words that they had carefully written out. Others spoke from their heart. Some stumbled in English, while others were eloquent. They spoke of why they loved their child, why they were proud of them, what they hoped for them, what they prayed for them. Many warned them of challenges, but pointed them to the Redeemer. Knowing most of the graduating class--it was so beautiful to hear their dads speak to them. I've watched them come through particularly difficult times, personal conflict, culture shock, and all sorts of troubles. I've also watched them grow as students and believers. I've observed that they are intelligent, unique, and silly--and I enjoyed hearing their dads praise them. I know it's probably different from family to family, but generally Koreans do not practice words of affirmation between father and children. I'm sure these kids will cherish and remember these words for as long as they live.

The first father who spoke read a poem to his daughter called The Father's Hands. I had to concentrate very hard on NOT bawling. Some tears might have escaped. The poem was about how he used to rock her at night, read her books, dry her tears...but how he is relinquishing her to the care of her Heavenly Father. He acknowledged that he couldn't fix everything for her anymore, but that there was One who could. It reminded me that many of the families of these graduates will be separated once the coming school year starts. Separated by borders and oceans. The parents have to trust with extra intensity that the Father will protect their precious kids, as their teenagers forge ahead towards becoming what the Father created them for.

The last speech also got to me. The young man's father spoke in Korean, so I desperately wish that I had had a translator. The father, who we shared a table with during dinner, was stoic. Sitting in his fine suit, he looked the picture of Korean honor and pride. But he couldn't even get one word out about his son before he was choked up. The son also fought back tears, as his father's hand was on his shoulder. Adam had someone translating for him, and he said the dad was saying something along the lines of, "I'm sorry I wasn't always there for you". The love each father tried to condense into a three minute speech was emotionally overwhelming for me! I can't imagine what the parents and students were going through--and I don't want to think about Willow graduating in eighteen years.

After dinner, Adam and I were able to get some great pictures with these students. I am so sad that I can't share them with you! They were dressed up and looked super sophisticated--all grown up. Then they changed into their graduation garb, and we were transferred into another room that was set up for the ceremony.

During the ceremony, three of the seniors gave speeches. They were amazing! So witty, polished, and God-honoring. I literally swelled with pride. Not because I had anything to do with their upbringing, or accomplishments, or spiritual growth--but because of what I saw shining through them. I pray that they stay firmly rooted in the coming years and will not waiver. One of the boys who spoke, is in my opinion, one of the most  under-rated students at our school. I mean this in the best possible way. He is absolutely amazing. He is a great brother to his younger sister, a hard worker, very smart and creative, and a great servant leader. His Walk is inspiring, and his heart is tender towards the Truth. I've loved directing him for three years. He was our 'flexible' actor. We knew we could put him in any role, when casting, and he would excel at it. He is so talented and has a bright future. I hope that people at his university, and well after that, will recognize his creative genius and kind heart. I hope that he finds venues to express the gifts he's been blessed with, and that he will find friends with similar interests and passions who will push him closer to the Creator.  I could go on and on about this kid. He's that great. I will miss him in the drama department. He always brought us up a notch with his willingness to help with whatever needed to be done, and his commitment to character work. He was a great listener, an advocate, and a positive influence. So sad to see this student go, but so hopeful for what he will do next.

Notice the size of this bouquet. It was so enormous! It took up a whole sit on it's own. It must have had a diameter of three feet, at least! 

The hotel lobby where the ceremony and banquet were held. Another ritzy hotel in our great city! 

I should have taken a picture from the entrance looking at the stair case. It was quite impressive. When we entered, I couldn't help saying, 'wow'. 

I guess, out of all the classes at SYIS (besides the third graders that I taught), I knew this class the best. I can't imagine our school without them, or how I will manage drama in their absence (75% of this class participated in drama). It seems like all the fun and talent is leaving with them.

Congratulations to the class of 2012! If you are reading this, slim chance though it may be, I'm so proud of you and wish you the very best. Praying for you as you transition into college and whatever is next for you.

~julie

p.s. on a side note: it's really strange to me that my brother, Tommy, also graduated from highschool this year. To put him in the same age bracket as these kids just boggles my mind. How are you so old, Tommy? And how are these kids so young? Ah! 

Layers of the Earth

Once in a while, I like to look at the statistics for this blog. I think it's interesting to see how many people are viewing my blog, where they're from, how they found it, etc. What stands out as the most interesting, however, is the number of people that visit this blog because of the Layers of the Earth projects that I posted pictures of over a year ago. There's just a few pictures of some student work that Adam's science class worked on. No explanation. No tutorials. No DIY.

Yet, this is the hottest topic on this blog! So weird! This week, 60 people viewed that post.

The next most popular post is another group of pictures I took of some biome flip books my students worked on last year. They were nothing fancy to look at, and are not extremely creative either. It was just a way for the students to synthesize their knowledge at the end of a very long unit.

I know I am vain (isn't that the whole reason I check my stats?), so it just rubs my narcissism the wrong way when out of all the 'interesting' posts and 'great' pictures that I put forth are out-shined month after month by layers of the earth projects and biome flip books! What tripe and nonsense!

Actually, I'm not that mad about it. Not as mad as tripe. It fascinates me that the average person who reads my blog and is not friend or family, is always someone looking up ideas for a science project. These are either desperate teachers, or uninspired students. I don't know. Take that, Layers-of-the-Earth-stalkers!

~julie

Advent...and a little Adventure

I can hardly believe that it is already December and the count down to Christmas has begun. In about two weeks, we'll be sitting on a plane headed toward America (and jet lag) to celebrate with family. I'm really excited about this chance we get to spend Christmas and New Year (plus some) with our family and friends. Willow doesn't know what we're doing or where we're going---but she's along for the ride.

Today, Willow and I went on a little shopping excursion. I had a two goals, both of which were met successfully, so I am happy. Plus, Willow managed to be extremely happy for the two hours that we were gone. She fell asleep on the taxi ride home, and I enjoyed her little cuddles. I look forward to the time when I don't have to hold her while we shop and worry about whether she needs to be changed or fed--to the times when she will (maybe) enjoy shopping with me. If you are ever feeling low or that your baby is just too much work, you should go shopping in China. Literally, the whole world stops for you, talks with you, admires and kisses your baby, and tells you every compliment about how pretty, beautiful, good looking, cute, and adorable your baby is. I haven't been shopping with Willow in a while, and I was quickly reminded about how much I had to keep STOPPING so that people could admire her. At some point, you have to walk away--almost rudely--or else it will never stop. Man, Willow is good for business. Every little shop we stopped at, people crowded in to see Willow. They would just come and stare at us, or surround us in hoards. They hug her, kiss her, touch her head...she actually likes it. She smiles and giggles and plays "shy". It's a little ridiculous. I imagine that as she gets older she might resent it a little, but as of right now, she just smiles and sticks her tongue happily.

People here always want to know three things:

1. How old is your baby?

2. Is your baby a boy or girl? (no matter if she's wearing all pink and bows...they still need clarification here)
3. What country is your baby from? (which is usually followed by, why doesn't she look white?)

The last few times I've been out, I've noticed a few things that have made me wish I had a camera along, because they're just so unusual. I wanted to write about them before I forget.

On Monday, I saw a small truck with a flat bed, piled high with second rate desks and couches. There were a few men standing in the back of the truck, holding onto the pile so they wouldn't fall off. Though, one guy was just sitting on a couch with his legs crossed, calmly smoking his cigarette. It just looked so comical, dangerous, and oh-so-Chinese.

In our taxi today, my first driver was a very friendly older man. I like it when the drivers are like him. Very nice and easy to talk with and they like Willow too. This guy thought Willow was funny because her little foot was near his gear shifter and he thought it was so cute. Some Chinese men really love babies, although most could care less about a stranger's kid. When we got out of the taxi, two old men (who were strangers to each other as well) came right up to me so that they could look at Willow. Very surprisingly they started telling me that she wasn't dressed warm enough. I say this is surprising because usually it's the women who tell me this, not men. I think this is the first time (although I know not the last) that Chinese gentlemen were giving me parenting advice on clothing Willow properly. We quickly got out of that situation and headed towards the shopping area.

Oh, back to my original story. When I was still in the taxi, I noticed that the taxi in front of me had an ornamental bird in the cab! What?! Who puts their pet bird in their taxi? So strange. First time I've ever seen anything like that. I was glad that I wasn't in that cab with the bird and all its germs being fluttered around. My taxi driver also thought it was bizarre and we had a good laugh.

Then, we were stopped at an intersection on quite a busy road. There were cars everywhere---it's a 8 lane road, which means there's probably 12 lanes of cars squished together. A cop who had been working at the light started walking towards us--everyone's eyes were glued on him. He was like a magnet--I don't see many interactions with police here, so I found myself staring with curiosity. It was interesting for two reasons: he walked up to the car next to me because it was an illegal taxi and asked for their license. I felt a little bad for that driver. The second interesting thing was that my driver quickly grabbed his seat belt and stretched it over his chest to make it look like he was buckled up. I've never seen that before! I didn't even know that wearing seat belts was a law here, since no one does. I reached for mine too, just in case--but the cop was walking away so the driver said I didn't need to pretend. haha.

Later, we ended up at Starbucks because one of Adam's student had given us a bag of coffee beans, but they needed to be ground. While I was there, I noticed that they have some special Christmas drinks being featured. I was so excited, because although it's not the holiday drinks that you might see in America, they actually sounded good! Toffee Mocha, Black Cherry Mocha, and Cranberry White Chocolate Mocha. I love white chocolate mochas--those are MY drink. But they don't make them in Shenyang. When I saw that they were selling a variation of it, I just had to try it out. They were also have a deal--buy a grande size for the price of a tall. So, I grande-d it up and drank to my hearts content. The only weird thing was the chunks of cranberries they sprinkled on top of the whipped cream...that was a little unsettling. However, I kept thinking to myself, "this is heaven in a cup". There was Christmas music, and a huge Christmas tree set up outside (like three stories tall), and Willow was playing with her toy next to me. It was a nice little respite from carrying her in the bjorn. That baby carrier is amazing, however, Willow is getting too heavy for my back. I think we need a stroller.

The weekend of Thanksgiving, I had a White Christmas party. A bunch of my friends (and some of their own daughters) came over and we ate dessert and watched "White Christmas". That's a random little fact that I want to remember someday. Willow wasn't exactly cranky, but she didn't want to watch the movie...

Last Friday, Adam had his middle school science fair. It was quite the undertaking and I was really impressed with all the work that he put into it. I think that it was quite a success, considering that it was an all day/evening event and it's the first time he's done it. This was all his idea, and he really brought it to fruition. Each middle school student chose a project, conducted experiments, and presented their findings/research on tri-fold boards (which they had to construct themselves because they don't sell the pre-made ones here). Throughout the day, students were judged by other teachers and almost all the elementary and high school students visited the activity room where their boards were displayed. The middle school students looked so cute. Everyone had to dress up "professionally". There were little middle school boys wearing sports jackets with elbow patches....oh my word! The whole activity room was set up with dozens of displays, and there was a constant buzz of activity. After school was dismissed, the middle school students stayed for pizza and games and waited for their parents to come in the evening. What a fun idea!

I was at school on Friday to finish casting "Little Women", so I was able to see all of Adam's hard work. He had to do so much between organizing the students' projects and helping them know what was required/guiding them through their processes; ordering buses for parents and students; arranging games, activities, movies, and supper for the students; orchestrating rubrics/judging; and scheduling other classes to come visit the science fair. Lots of work on top of being a teacher, a graduate student, and a family guy.

Well, "Little Women" is finally cast. I can't go into detail on here about casting, but I'll just say that it was the hardest year of all. It took many times longer than past years to cast students, and we even had to have last minute call backs on Friday. We deliberated, we chose, we cut, we posted....and now we hope that we made the best possible decisions. It was infinitely harder this year because we only had 15-ish parts to give out...but over twice that many students showed up.....more students showed up for this year's auditions that the last two years combined! We had our first read-through already, and I'm excited to be working with this group of kids. I think it's going to be a stellar show. I'm excited about costuming.... :) I'm going to buy some petticoats, bustles, and hoops while in America! Also maybe some wigs and bonnets.....

Long post...thanks for reading. Here's a picture so that this post is not only text. Willow is a high-tech baby, doing what she does...skype.

~julie

Is that REAL?

About a week ago, our school had it's annual International Day. Many different countries are celebrated with food and exhibits--parents, students, teachers...and even a baby named Willow enjoyed the event. There's a fun flag ceremony that initiates the day, but we missed that part of the festivities. We arrived just when the food was being served in the market place. Lunch is always a little chaotic on International Day...imagine over 400 people (probably) in a room smaller than a basketball court, getting food from a dozen different tables at basically the same time. The whistle is blown every few minutes to signal the rotation of tables...it was always hard as an elementary teacher to help heard the little ones around and makes sure that they ate enough healthy food (instead of just desserts) or didn't over eat/under eat. It was a little easier this year because I only had to keep my eye on Willow, who was taking a nap in her bjorn. However, I didn't get to eat very much because I was almost constantly surrounded by kids and parents who wanted to see Willow, touch her hands, talk to her, and take pictures with her....

A rare moment when I got actually eat.
It was probably soon after this picture was taken that a parent came up to me (someone I didn't recognize) and asked me if I was carrying a stuffed animal around (notice Willow's hat?). Yes...because I frequently like the feeling of strapping a stuffed animal to my body and carrying it around crowded places. I thought the question was funny---especially when she realized that the stuffed animal was actually a sleeping baby.

One of the presenters was sick, so was unable to make the event last minute. Our great national staff put together an impromptu presentation about Chinese dancing. Of course, Adam had to get in on the fun. Willow hated watching Adam dance. At first I thought she was laughing...but then I realized between her looks of horror/anxiety, and the lack of giggle sounds that she was just yelling at him in frustration. The Chinese ladies around me thought it was hysterical, and were trying to get Willow to calm down, "It's ok baby, don't be scared!" It was commical!

~julie

School is Out!

...for me!

mini laundry....it's so darling...

A box is sitting on Willow's bedroom floor, filled with her summery outfits--cute little garments that are sized 0-3 months. Little bits of lace, embroidery, and crocheted details. Frills and ribbons, rick-rack and ruffles. Little girls clothes are the sweetest. It's so sad to pack these outfits away. I've been dreading the job--and although she has plenty of cute clothes that fit her right now, it's a little sad packing away her clothes. She'll never wear them again--that's a good thing--but she's growing up so fast! Some babies seem to take a longer time to jump sizes in onsies and diapers, but for whatever reason Willow has been growing a lot lately. She's probably past fifteen pounds now, and my back can attest to the butterball effect. Her double chin keeps growing, and now it's practically touching her rib cage! I'm so happy she's growing up, developing and learning so normally--but looking at her little outfits, I'm reminded that she used to be just a seven and a half pound little person (with a lot more hair on her head)! I can hardly believe that she used to wear these tiny little clothes and that they used to be BIG on her! Now she's wearing 6 month clothing and I can't believe it!

The first three and a half months have just flown by. I'm so excited for the stage that she is in right now (sleeping longer at night, etc.), she's not a newborn anymore and that's a good thing. There are so many joys attached to having a three month old. She's sleeping well, eating well, playing well. She laughs and smiles and recognizes her mom and dad....but I just can't get over how fast she's growing. Soon she'll be six months old...and then that's just half way to hitting the one year mark! I'm dedicated to cherishing all the moments, the good and the challenging. I should say "challenging" because there really aren't any 'bad' moments yet. We've been so blessed, and except for this little cold she's had the past few days, she's had great health. I'm so thankful for the little, chubby person she is. I love watching her personality broaden with each week that passes. She's always been a mover, but now she's just spastic. She wants to twist and arch and scrunch and scoot as much as possible. It doesn't matter if she's sitting in your lap or the bouncy chair, or lying on the floor--she's trying to get places. I'm just hoping that it's a bit longer before she starts that mobile stage....oof....Not ready for that yet!

Adam just found out that he has a paper due for his graduate studies...today. I'm a little stressed out for him as he searches for sources and starts writing his paragraphs. I'm also really relieved that I don't have to be writing a paper right now. I love being a student, I love assignments and tedious homework...but I think I need a break from academics and I'm enjoying every minute of it! No planning, no preparing, no grading, no homework, no researching....yes! I didn't think that I would enjoy it this much, but I do! Who knows, maybe someday I will be a student again, but for right now, I'm enjoying a fairly academic-free existence. Adam, however, is very diligent about his homework. I'm proud with how well he seems to be keeping up with all his responsibilities--and he rarely seems stressed about how much he works.

It seems like a lot of my friends in America that have kids are taking pictures of their children with pumpkins. That seems the thing to do, in light of Fall festivities. But, no pumpkins here. If Willow would wake up from her nap before the sun goes down, I wanted to take her out for my Chinese version of this photo trend. Guess which vegetable she'll be posing with....it's not pumpkin.

It seems like the minute the leaves change color here, they start to fall to the ground. Fortunately, there are lots of trees in our apartment complex that have turned to yellows and reds. I feel like a lot of the trees in Shenyang just stay green all winter long. Fall feels different in Shenyang for lots of reasons. If I were in America now, I bet I'd be drinking hot cider, going to the apple orchard, raking leaves, and smelling bonfire smoke. Maybe there'd be harvest parties or tricker-treaters. There'd be lots of holiday decorations out for Halloween and Thanksgiving, and people would be getting ready to raid the stores for Christmas gifts. I feel like Fall in Shenyang is much simpler--and it would just pass by if you didn't take the time to notice it. It's just a different flavor here and I'm learning to appreciate how Autumn is celebrated on this side of the world. Different kinds of veggies are set out on the curb to dry, people are airing their winter blankets and coats, the sweet potatoes smell great from the street food vendors, and there were a lot of moon cakes being sold during the Festival time.

So, the days are just slipping by. I feel like every week flies past, which is strange because they used to go by so slowly. They felt heavy. I like being a mom! Every day is full and nonstop, but having just one baby is a little easier than taking care of a couple handful of kids. I'm trying to work on "Little Women" every day too. It was hard the last two years because I felt like I was trying to do two full time jobs simultaneously. I thought it was going to be so much easier this year because I wouldn't be teaching anymore. Today, it struck me...I'm still trying to do two full time jobs simultaneously. Whoops. :)

Can I just say, I'm really excited about the costume possibilities for "Little Women".

This week I read a book called, "The Help" and loved it! Thanks to my mother-in-law for sending it for my birthday! I think I read the whole thing in three days, which is quite a feat with Willow around. Too bad I don't live near a great library, because I think reading might become one of my hobbies again. Willow and I have also been fighting off colds for the past few days. She has been sleeping a little more during the day because of her cold...and not sleeping as well at night because of her stuffy nose. Every day is different around here. I can pretty much count on Willow acting differently every day when it comes to her sleep patterns.

Everything is going well around here. And if I haven't said it enough already--I'm loving the fact that I get to stay home with Willow. This is the first time in my life since I entered kindergarten that I haven't had to be in school. Yay!

~julie

Middle School Spring Adventure

The time has finally come when I was roped into writing a blog post. It's not that I am opposed to blogs, its just more of a Julie thing than me. Anyways, onto the pictures. This year the Middle School took a trip south to Qingdoa 青岛 and the area around the city. We were able to visit Confucius temple, climbed Taishan mountain, saw Eric Liddel's memorial, and looked through an old German bunker from the 20th century. It was a very good trip.

The following are some pictures from Confucius temple.

This is a stone slab with some of Confucius sayings inscribed on it.

This is the teaching area - Confucius would sit in the middle and his students would sit around the outside and listen to the lesson.

This is the main temple at the park. It is ironic that Confucius never wanted to be worshiped or idolized, he only wanted his teachings to be heard. Yet people still offer prayer and incense to him. In this picture you can see people burning incense to Confucius.

There are 11 dragon pillars on the front side of the main building. Apparently there are only 35 or so in the whole country, and 30 of them are here at Confucius temple.

The day after we visited Confucius temple we were able to climb Taishan mountain. This is the 3rd largest mountain in China - about 6,666 steps up. The mountains in China often have steps going up the entire path, which is kind of a bummer cuz stairs get really old to climb over and over again. After this day whenever we climbed stairs some of the students would always refer to "Taishan".

I took a picture of this guy shortly after we started climbing. He was carrying this load up as were some other people. There was a midway point on the climb with some resturants and things, but all the way up there were little shops selling all sorts of things. Most people would take the cable car up and supply their shops that way, but not this guy. He took his supplies up on his back the whole way up. When I got to the top I was able to look back and see him coming.

This is a picture from the midpoint area of the mountain. It was a little bit of a bummer having to look up and see how much farther we had to go.

This is a picture from the top, you can see in the distance some of the stairs we had to climb on the way up. Needless to say it was a long hike up.

Cable car on the way down.

These are some pictures of the kite museum we went to. They only let us take pictures of the entrance way.

This guy is one of the kite makers, he builds them all by hand. He let us come into his shop and take pictures of him working as well as some of the kites he made. He was excited to see us there and he showed us his photo album. He had been to quite a few places; DC, San Fransisco, Vegas, Paris, even London.

We also went to Eric Liddell's memorial. We were able to see the internment camp wear he was held by the Japanese. (Now its a Chinese Middle School except for a small building with some information as well as propaganda.)

Thursday we went to an old German bunker. The Germans invaded Qingdao around 1890 after the death of 2 German missionaries. They stayed in the city until the Japanese took over in the 1920's. After the Germans defeat in WWI they pulled out of the city and the Japanese occupied it until their defeat in WWII. The Chinese military used the bunker until the mid 80's when they turned it over to their historical society.

The main torrent of the bunker. Obviously the cannon has been removed the it still rotates.

Some picture of the city from the top of the hill.

This is the oldest castle in the city.

Some pictures of a Protestant Church in Qingdao - the church was built in 1909 and is still used for service today.

Finally some pictures of our very small hotel room.

Over all the trip was a great experience. We had some discipline problems after the 2nd day, actually had to send 4 boys home for leaving their rooms after curfew. Needless to say no one will do that again any time soon. But its always a lot of fun to spend time with the kids and get out of the classroom. You get to see the kids in a different way and they see you not always being a teacher.