Blessing

Sometimes I feel like I should only post things that are deeply profound, interesting, or exciting especially in regards to our move to China. But, to be honest even though a good portion of our time is being used in one form or another to get ready for China - we still are just living life. And my life isn't overly exciting, profound, or interesting...but I do feel like it is blessed. I am reminded of that often through my family and friends.

One person who adds to the immeasurable blessing of my life is Yoon. She is a Korean professor at MSU and a dear friend. We often meet for coffee on Saturday mornings and I look forward to that time of my week. She challenges me with her questions, motivates me in my faith, and convicts me with her generosity.

I am sure each of you have several folks in your life that bless you like Yoon blesses me. If not, I will start praying that you find one. A good friend makes life so much sweeter!

The House

All of our spare time has been consumed with getting our house ready to put on the market. It is amazing the things that I can find to paint and clean when I know people will be walking through every corner of my home! I tend to be a bit crazy about keeping a clean house anyway...so this all really is setting me over the edge. Pr@y for Bryan! :)

This week is Sam's spring break so we actually are having the kids take a "vacation" to nana's house so that we can be devoted to finishing up all the little projects that we have been meaning to do around the house. It is a kicker that we are now doing them not for us to enjoy, but for someone else. Totally backwards. It stinks.

With the kids at my parents house for three days we will be uninterrupted so much should get accomplished. We will see if we find other things to keep us busy besides painting! :)

Seven babies who need families.

I just want to start this post by saying that I don't doubt that we are suppose to move to China. It has been confirmed over and over in many ways....but today I recieved an email that brought me great grief. Sometimes I just wonder, "what if we weren't going? How would our lives be different? What would our family look like?"

For those of you in our blog world who don't know - we were in the process of adding to our family through adoption when we received the opportunity to relocate to China. We put the process on hold. It was one of the hardest decision we had to make through this whole process. All that said, yesterday I recieved an email from the Bethany social worker we had met with. There are seven babies about to be born that they can't find families for and she wondered if we would be able or willing to be a forever family for one of them. It makes me want to cry just thinking about it. Seven babies here in Michigan. Often folks think that in third world countries babies are unwanted, not here in the States. Yet, if a baby is the wrong color or might have a birth defect because a mother made some bad choices, then too bad. Families are willing to wait for two years for a white healthy girl, but need to be begged to take a boy whose mother drank and doesn't know the ethnicity of the father. I know there are good reasons, but REALLY what has our culture come too? It makes me angry at some moments and so sad at others.

So sometimes I just wonder....when will our family be able to be a part of the solution to this social injustice? When will the next member of our family, who I already love, come home? Sometimes it is just hard to wait.

A day of GREAT sorrow.

We are all very sad today. Samuel's pet fish "Watery" died this morning. The little guy has hung in there for well over a year, which I feel is pretty amazing. Samuel wasn't as impressed.

I had to tell him the news when I picked him up from school today. I began with explaining that I had very bad news. Sam started to tear up as soon as I said Watery's name. "Oh he made me so happy and now I am so sad." He cried. I hugged him as tight as a five year old will allow. Then Sam pulled away and said, "I am thinking about Watery being in heaven, but that doesn't even make me feel better." I found myself assuring him that God was taking care of Watery now. I felt a tad guilty - is it really theologically sound to tell my son that fish go to heaven? I finally decided that God is a God of comfort. So I did what it took.

To be honest Sam finally felt better when he decided that Watery dying provided a great opportunity to get a new pet...like a dog! Hmmm, we will see about that. I don't have that much compassion for my sad son - at least not today.

What can't you live without?

We have started to sort our lives into three piles...garage sale, storage, or packing for China. The analytical, indecisive side of my personality is shining bright as I sit in the middle of the three piles. Will I use a pressure cooker in China even though I haven't touched it in three years in Lansing? Amazing how I can be going back and forth between putting a sticker for $7 on something or using precious suitcase space.

All that said...I could use some help. I would love to hear what you couldn't live without. What would you pack? What book is worth the weight? What household item would you go crazy if you didn't have? What toy really is worth taking back to its motherland?

Just wondering.

Ruthie's counting

This morning Ruthie helped to make yogurt fruit smoothies for breakfast. She had a great time adding the ice cubes; counting as she threw them in the blender.

"one, two, three, five, ten, thirteen, sixteen, a-lot-teen"

I love moments like those. She is so cute and growing up so fast.

Friends all around the world

One of the best parts of our job is meeting GREAT people from all over. Today we enjoyed getting together with a couple of staff members and an alumna from our first China trip. It was great to catch up and remember out experiences together. Last time Ana (alumna from Mexico) had seen Ruthie she didn't have any hair! By the end of the afternoon Ana had invited us to visit her family in Mexico and we were trying to convince her that a trip to China would be good in her future! I often think about how blessed we are to literally have friends all around the world. Just another perk that comes with the job!

Inspired

The following quote really inspired me so I thought that I would share it with all of you.

"Those who try to keep their lives will lose them. But those who give up their lives will save them. There is a rawness and wonder to life. Pursue it. Hunt for it. Sell out to it. Don't listen to the whines of those who have settled for a second rate life and want you to do the same so they won't feel guilty. Your goal is not to live long; it's to live. JC says the options are clear. On one side there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry and safe....Or you can hear the voice of adventure - God's adventure. Instead of building a fire in your hearth, build a fire in your heart. Follow God's impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure it isn't safe, but what is?

- Max Lucado in "Grace for the Moment"

The first of many good-byes

Today seemed like a normal crazy Tuesday. I was gathering craft supplies and rushing out the door to go to "Every Tuesday" the play-group for international wives and kids I help plan every week. As always, I was running late. I walked in to a room filled with international friends baring gifts and proudly presenting a cake. I was confused wondering why someone had brought a cake...then it hit me. This is my last ET gathering. What started as a normal Tuesday afternoon became my first afternoon of good-byes. It sounds stupid even to me that I forgot that this would be the last time I would be with these ladies. Maybe I was just putting off the emotions...or maybe I really am just that forgetful.

Anyway, it was such a sweet time. They had put together bags for Sam and Ruthie filled with small toys and books for the plane ride to China and they made me a photo book of our meetings together. I loved the thoughtful gifts, but I enjoyed the conversation that followed more. Ladies pulled me aside and gave me tips for moving overseas. I was given suggestions for packing, herbal teas to help me with stress and culture shock, and understanding hugs. Of all my friends I know that they understand what I am about to face. They have already packed up their children, said good-bye to their families and homes - to come and live here in Lansing. They hugged me tight and gave me a gift far better than any other...understanding.

The icing on the cake was the questions. Many of them wondered why an American would move to China. "Most people leave everything to come to the US. You are doing the opposite. Why?" I heard those same words often during the afternoon. It was a great way to share my heart with them. May HE honor those last conversations.

Weather Wonder

One of the most frequently asked questions about where we are moving is..."What is the weather like?" To be honest we have only visited Xining during its finest months - the summer. The climate is great. It was mostly in the mid 80's during the day and due to the altitude there was no humidity. You could stand in the sun roasting and then step into the shade and literally be 20 degrees cooler. (Definitely unlike Florida in the summer where I grew up!) The winters, on the other hand are like Florida in the fact that it is sunny - very cold, but sunny. Living in Michigan for the past four years will have been good training for our move to China. Who would have thought that you could go to Tib@t and experience milder winters!

Although Xining is known for it's mild summers and cold winters, it is also known for little rain and no snow. So the first summer we went, we took no umbrella. It poured! Everyone was amazed. This winter it actually has snowed. So I guess you can't trust the weather men in China any more than you can in the US! We do plan on packing the kids snow boots!

We have read some articles suggesting that global warming is affecting the weather in Qinghai province which explains the recent changes in the weather patterns. You can click here to read the linked article about this.

Sam is preparing to go!

How does a five year old prepare to move to China?

Out of the blue today Sam asked me if his scooter could be taken apart with a screwdriver. I had no idea where the conversation was going (you would be amazed at how many things he wants to take a part with screwdrivers and other things!) I cautiously replied that I was not sure and he should ask his dad. (My go to answer when I feel like I am on shaky ground, I am ashamed to say!) My next question was - why? "Well, I don't think that it will fit in my suitcase if I don't take it apart," Sam replied.

That is a glimpse into the mind of Sam the man!

comment settings changed

i heard from a couple of people that they tried to post comments on our blog, but weren't able. seems that they needed a blog of their own to comment. sorry about that. i had the secrity level a little higher to keep spammers from posting comments to our blog - a newer way that spammers strike.

so...i've changed the settings. everyone should now be able to comment. :-)

enjoy! we look forward to new online converstions

bryan

ps. as you comment, please keep 2 things in mind:

1. please don't post an anonymous comment. we like knowing who is reading the blog.
2. as you post, please remember that your comments are visible to anyone on the internet. please use discretion when commenting.

The things Ruthie says.

One of the best things about being a mom is hearing all the fun things that the kids think to say. Here are a few of my most recent favorites from the mouth of Ruthie:

I need my privacy!
When I grow up and become a mouse I will eat cheese.
When I grow up to be a pig I will hate being dirty.
When I grow up to be a princess you call me CinderRoo.
I am only a princess in a dress.
I can't count in chinese. I don't go to school yet!
That ouches me.
This place is a disaster! (After walking into the locker room at the gym.)
Look, my hands are empty! I neeeed some of that!
Brother taught me that.

I am not kidding. She has said all of these things in the last week! She keeps us laughing with everything that she thinks to say. But of them all the best is what she said tonight as I was hugging her goodnight. "mommy you are my precious." It doesn't get any better!

A Little about Qinghai

One thing that Bryan and I have realized about ourselves is that we thrive on diversity. We love learning new things, getting to know different types of people, and discovering the richness that comes from adding those things to our family.

Maybe that is why we fell in love with Qinghai province. It is one of China's most diverse areas. Of the 5.2 million people who call Qinghai home, 54.5% are Han people, 20.8% are Tibetans, and the rest of the population is made up of Tu, Hui, Salar and Mongols. We are excited to learn more about the culture of the Tibetans who are Buddhist and the Muslim Hui people. Xining, the city we will live in, has one of China's largest Mosques and is near one of China's largest monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism.

Qinghai also is diverse in its natural beauty. It is famous for being the home of Qinghai Lake. It is the largest saltwater lake in China and is located on the "roof of the world" the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. The lake's elevation is roughly 10,500 ft and the surrounding area is made up of beautiful rolling grasslands, (see the photo of Ruthie) and populated by ethnic Tibetans (see the photo of Sam.)

Okay, so I am starting to sound like a tour guide...but maybe that is good. Maybe it will convince you to come visit us in our new home!

FYI: the content of the article was adapted from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qinghai

Crap juice

Today was the best day ever. Or maybe it just seemed that way because we were finally able to be outside. It actually got up to 67 degrees. We wore short sleeves, walked through Lansing's humble, but awesome zoo, played soccer in the backyard and grilled hot dogs!

Sam decided we should enjoy all of summer's pleasures by eating on the back deck. To add to the celebration we all drank juice for dinner. I gave Ruthie Cran-grape juice (something fun and new). She took one drink and asked "what is this?" I told her and she said, "Oh, I like crap juice!"

From the mouth of a two year old!

Provision

We feel blessed, thankful, and amazed.

We have been praying for HIM to provide the funds we need to buy furniture for the apartment in China. We had no idea where the money was going to come from. Did you notice the word "had". HE has amazed us again with HIS faithfulness....from an unusual source.

We had our taxes done on Saturday and due to some circumstances this year, we were not expecting a refund. When we found out that we wouldn't just be getting a refund...we were getting a refund that would cover the cost of the furniture in China...we almost wet ourselves!

We serve HIM who provides all our needs and blesses us with every possible blessing. Thank you for standing with us in prayer.

We look forward to seeing how HE answers our need of selling the house!

placemark for google earth

it seems that i can't post a file on the blog for download...or at least i can't figure out how. so if you use google earth and would like the actual placemark of the photo posted below, just email me. i'll be happy to send it to you.

if anyone knows how to post files on the blog for download, please let me know and i'll adjust this post. ;-)

university via google earth

here's one photo where you see a little bit of the university. check out the image below. you can see markers showing the front lawn of the university, the english center, and possibly where we will be living.

hope this gives you a little insight into where we will be living.

xining on a map

we thought you might like to see where xining is on the map. click here to view a map in google maps.

for those of you who have google earth (a really cool program from google that lets you view satellite images), you can actually see satellite images of the university campus and what may be our future apartment complex. i'm working to figure out how to post the link/coordinates so that everyone can see it. look for the post soon.

if you want to download and try google earth, you can get the program here.

Sam the Man

Today when I dropped Sam off at school I had a divine moment of realization.

I was kneeling by the table saying good morning to his buddies when the conversation started.

"We are going to beat up bad guys today," Sam's friend Kalif began. Sam and his other buddy Terry jumped right in. Being the mother I am, I quickly jumped in too. "Oh, we shouldn't beat people up," I told them. "We beat up bad guys," Terry explained with a tone that implied that the conversation was finished. Being the mother that I am...I was not done. "Oh, even if they are bad guys we shouldn't beat them up." Kalif quickly replied, "But bad guys sometimes have guns." "Then we should call the police," I responded. "Maybe you could pretend to be the police." Then in a way that only a child can say to his parents, Sam said, "Mmmmoooommm." I was shocked as I heard Sam's desperate tone to get me to stop. Then one of the boys let one rip. "It wasn't me," Kalif said. "Not me," said Sam.

As I heard Sam not claiming the foul smell on the heels of a conversation about beating up bad guys, it hit me. SAM WILL BE A MAN. I guess I just didn't think about my son turning into one. But he will.

A secret confession. I thought about stopping the teacher on my way out and asking her to move Sam's seat. I didn't.

A friend

Just two weeks ago at a conference I received an amazing confirmation and renewed calling to China. HE spoke to my heart so clearly answering one of my deepest fears about going to China - Will I have a friend there? I know it sounds silly, unspiritual, and selfish, but loneliness scares me. For an extrovert, living in a city where no one will understand me (outside of my spouse) is what nightmares are made from. Deep down I wonder if I will be able to handle it.

I walked into the conference not knowing that the theme was friendship. I must admit I rolled my eyes when I discovered the topic. But, as I sat in the auditorium with 8,000 of my closest girlfriends, HE spoke deep into my soul.

"Tammy, I will be your friend."
"Tammy, sometimes you need to leave things behind and trust ME."
"Tammy, pray and believe big things."

Today as I sat drinking coffee with a dear friend and co-worker sharing what I had learned at the conference - peace and sadness washed over me. Krista was excited and amazed with me over what I had learned. It was such a sweet time of fellowship between two friends. I was sad that moments like those with Krista would be ending in a few months. But she said it for me, "What a great reminder that HE will be your friend in Xining."

It is exactly what I need to hold on to. HE will be my friend. Yes, I will be leaving behind people I love, but I am believing HE is going to do big things in my life because I am willing.

WHAT?

So, what will we be doing in Qinghai?

To be honest we will be doing a lot of what we do here at MSU. A big difference will be that instead of hanging out with international students from all over the world...we will be international students hanging out with Chinese students!

Bryan and I will both be students studying Mandarin at Qinghai Normal University. It is a school specifically to train teachers. The university actually has a good English department so the Chinese students we have been hanging out with the past two summers have been fluent in English (which makes it a lot easier)! The program we will be a part of actually looks kinda like a tutoring program. We are able to learn Chinese at our own pace and are assigned to a teacher with any other foreign student at our level. (This university actually has other westerners that are there to learn Chinese.) We have been told that on average it takes seven years for someone to learn Mandarin.

For Samuel...he will be enrolled in an international school in the city. We were able to visit the school and meet the principal this past summer. There is a community of foreigners (from the UK, Korea, the US and more) who have pooled resources together to form a school for their kids. We were very impressed with the school. He will learn in English in the mornings and Chinese in the afternoons. Sound familiar? It should! That is what his pre-school was like this past year.

One reason we are trying to leave the end of July is so that we have a few weeks to settle in before school starts for all of us at the end of August.

So that is what we will be up to. We have answered the "where" and "what" questions of this next phase in our journey. Now we are waiting to see how HE answers the "how" question!

US Travels before China

We are trying to be ready to head to China the end of July (or maybe the beginning of Aug). Of course that time line might vary based on when our house sells, and how our fund development is going. If you would pray for those things, we would appreciate it greatly!

One important thing that we hope to accomplish before July is visiting as many friends and family as possible. So we thought we would post our travel plans. If you would like us to visit you or your church please send us an email.

March 25 - April 8 | Florida/Georgia/Alabama

May 12 - May 19 | Cedar Campus in the UP Michigan

June 6 - June 21 | Madison, Wisconsin (orientation for LINK)

June 24 - June 30 | Bethlehem Family Camp, Florida

July | back in Michigan to complete packing

Some of these dates might vary a bit and we can add in visits so please let us know if we are going to be in your area. Thanks.

As you can see it will be a crazy few months. We appreciate you thinking of the kids and praying for them to handle the travel and change well.

Just to make you smile.

Their smiles make me smile. I thought you might enjoy them too!

A determined Ruthie

Determined is a great way to describe Ruthie. (At times I have been known to call her stubborn, but my mom quickly reminds me that I was the same!) She has been displaying her determination in her new quest for a baby sister or brother. She has decided that the power to get a new baby is in praying.

For two weeks she has been praying every night for a baby. "God please put a baby in my mommy's tummy. I will be a good big sister!" "God help us find a baby with no family. I will be a good big sister!"

It all seemed innocent until Saturday.

We were packing our bag in the locker room after enjoying a swim, when a family with a tiny baby walked in. "Hey," Ruthie yelled. "How did God give them a baby? I still don't got one!" I smiled sweetly at the young mother and ushered the kids out QUICKLY before Ruthie decided to grab the baby and run!

Our one sorrow in moving to China is that Ruthie's prayers may go unanswered for awhile. As a family we feel very passionate about adopting which we put on hold in order to study in China. We are believing that God will satisfy this desire in our hearts somehow, sometime. Right now we just are not sure how. At times I feel as impatient and determined to make it happen as Ruthie. We would appreciate you joining our family in seeking God's heart in this matter. He has placed a desire in our lives to move to China as well as to adopt. May we trust Him with both.

Our new home in China

This week we have been finalizing details surrounding our new home in China. We are very thankful to the American couple who is helping us. They have been students at the university for two years and are returning to the States in July. Perfect timing for us to take over the lease on their apartment that is just on the edge of campus.

Several folks have been asking us about the living conditions where we will be headed. As you can see we will be very comfortable. Here are photos of the living room, and kitchen. I also thought you would enjoy the photo of the small bathroom. There is a second bathroom that has a western toilet. So no worries. If you come to visit you won't have to squat the whole time!

Winter Fun!

We have two creative children who have become even more creative as the winter months drag on. Ruthie's toddler bed has been turned into a airplane that travels from their buddy Alyssa's house, to Nana's house, to China. The living room has been transformed into a zoo. The stuffed animals all carefully separated according to what they like to eat. But the latest adventure is one of the best of all.

The bathroom was deemed the "Williams Water Park"! A large tote was filled with warm water and bubbles - "the hot tub". A second tote was filled with cold water and ice cubes. The shower was the sprinklers and you could ride in a small tote through the waterfall. As I sat and watched them I thought two things: 1. Praise God for tile floors, and 2. so this is what kids in Michigan do for fun in the winter!

a home in China

We feel very blessed to have a great lead on an apartment for our family when we move to China. An American family we had met last summer emailed us that they are preparing to come back to the States and wondered if we would want to take over their lease on their apartment. We were amazed. As we had walked around campus last summer their apartment complex was the one we said, "if we ever move here we would want to live here."

It gets better! They have also offered to sell us their furniture and dishes etc. It will make the whole transition much easier to have a home to move directly into.

It seems that things keep falling into place which confirms to us that we are being led to move to China. Thanks for praying for us and our big move!