Engagement News!!!

A BIG BIG BIG COngratulations to CJ (little brother) and Angel who got engaged earlier this month!

I couldn't be more happy. How is it that my little brother is getting married? Does Angel know that he still needs help tying his shoes and reading what is for hot/and cold lunch (okay not really but it doesn't feel like it has been so long since I helped him with those things...)

We are GOING to be there. It will be July 30 in Florida. And Oh my are we so so so happy. 

Happy Couple - New sister - YEAH!!!

Caed already practicing for his first ring bearer gig :)

"I so got this"

p.s. check out their super cute save the date video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKpMn77opck

Pretend Restaurant for Dinosaurs and Lizards

I just love pretend. And I love that Caed is loving it more and more. Here we are setting up a restaurant for all his lizards and dinosaurs.

It grew very big, at one point there was a waiting list to get in. Part of the problem was that none of the 'guests' wanted to share tables so they all needed to be seated separately (you know how finniky dinos and lizzies are about sharing food...)

More Crafty-ness

We inherited this old buffet and I love it :) I have been wanting to put the verse Romans 12:12 up somewhere in our house for a while now. So with a few minutes on Photoshop and about 30 minutes at the print shop we have this - 

I messed up on two of them and used glue to put it on this foam board I had. After that I used double sided tape and those two look much better (no air bubble bumps). When I get time I will re-print out ($1.25 each) the other two and put them on with tape instead.

I added the Chinese as an afterthought, thought it would be nice for people coming over to be able to know what it says. 

And a big thank you to Kathleen for introducing me to the site 

www.jonesdesigncompany.com

It is super fun and one of her tutorials is this

http://jonesdesigncompany.com/things-i-like/silhouette-tutorial

So I did it and I love how it turned out. I printed them on separate pieces of 6x6 paper - not sure what I will do with them or how I will hang them up yet but I am happy about them already :)

DiDi and Caed

Caeders and his 'little brother'. Him and his mom moved in (daughter has been with us a while now) a few weeks ago. This picture is deceiving, Caed is not doing to well having a baby in the house (11 months). Didi just started to walk, and the day he took his first steps we were all so excited, Caed was JEALOUS! We are taking it as a learning opportunity, a very very slow moving one I must add. But I did get this one picture of 'brotherly love'.

Craft Time

Okay so I am done whining about having to move. I am thankful that JieJie is such a helper and she loves helping me pack and take down the stickers from C's wall. Oh today we took down the thankful tree :( A later post will come about that. 

We still have about 2 weeks until we really move. First we need to prepare some things at the new place (not to mention sign the papers). Then we need to move stuff over. In the mean time I am slowly packing things away. 

But the past few weeks I have gotten to do some crafty things I will post now:

First of all thank you to Nikki for introducing me to this super fun blog - http://countingcoconuts.blogspot.com/

I was so inspired by what this woman has set up for her son. So I got to work making more things for Caed to do at 'school'.

Erasers on pencils. He sorts them by color, takes them all off and puts them all back on. Of course he pretends they are little rocket ships flying back home...but I think it's super cute that he makes up his own alternative games to add to the activity.

Color Sorting. I got these window stickers at the dollar store in CA. I put them in a bag with a bunch of little objects and he sorts them by color.

Bean pouring/sorting. He uses this little spoon to sort out the white and red beans (or like in this pic just the red beans). I also try to get him to open the little pots or lids by himself but we are still working on that.

This I love. I got pictures of all of our immediate family. Put them on cards with their name and laminated them. We put them down to make a family tree. And talk about who goes with who. I also have each of their names laminated on cards separately so later we can play a matching/reading game. 

First time we did it he named everyone but had no comment about anyone. EXCEPT when he got to uncle Joe's picture he said, "Ooo he works on airplanes!" All excited. I think Uncle Joe may have to take Caed to se some airplanes at work when we come home :)

Moving Again

We moved into this apartment almost 1 year ago. And here we are moving out AGAIN. In the last 6 years we have moved 6 times. I really hate this part of my life. I wish so bad to be in one place, set down roots, have a home. I was just in Caed's room taking stickers off the wall and started to cry. I was so excited putting up those stickers last year thinking that we are finally in a place where we can stay for a while. But no. There are reasons for the move that I can't discuss here, and I know it will be good, but right now it just sucks. I know it is just an apartment, I know that no matter where we go we will make it feel like home, but right now I just feel like curling up, crying and being all pitiful. Most of our friends at home are buying houses, or moving out of their first houses into their second houses. Making homes, establishing life in a neighborhood, with schools, landscaping back yards...Oh man. Just one of those days I guess. I am really sad to leave this apartment we are in now, there is much I will miss. 

If you pray for us ask for contentment for me. I am having a rough and emotional day!

*And you know what else; I feel like it is another slap in the face to not being pregnant. I feel like we should have a baby/ies on the way and be planning for extra room instead of downsizing to a smaller place... Okay i am off to speak some TRUTH into myself, before this whole day goes downhill. 

The Positive and Negative Parts of Being Infertile in China

I have been thinking of writing this post for a while now. Though I think there are lots of differences going through this journey here (rather than at home in the USA) there are also many similarities, things that just come with infertility no matter where you are in life. But I won't talk about those today. 

Positive 

1. Well obviously everyone here has one child (for the most part). The one child policy was instituted in 1979, so anyone our age having kids now can only have one. There are some exceptions, but the majority of our Chinese friends only have one. And all Caed's Chinese friends are single children.

2. This means very few (local) people ask me "When are you going to have number 2?" - I am glad to avoid that question. Though when it is asked, we are honest about the answer.

3. No baby showers for Chinese people. I feel safe in admitting that baby showers can be very very hard emotionally. You want to be happy for your friends (and are happy for them) but then you are sad for yourself and then you feel guilty for feeling so selfish...

4. My Chinese friends are so encouraging about our situation. IF they are allowed to have more than one child they must be spaced at LEAST 4 years apart. For a Chinese person having two kids close together is crazy. After this last failed IVF one friend told me, "Don't worry about it, it will be much better for Caed to not have a sibling that close in age (Caed would have been 3 years 2 months)." Now while it is still hard to hear, and I don't agree, I like that they think that way :) One friend also always reminds me, "You are so young! Don't worry about it." I like her.

5. If we weren't in Asia I don't think we could have ever afforded to do the infertility treatment in the first place (though how we were able to pay is a different great story all in itself). 

Negative

1. We are away from family and close friends. It is hard to go through any trial or struggle without that close support. 

2. Since we would never do fertility treatment here in country we have to wait until we go to Thailand for another reason. This hugely limits the 'time line' of when we can do anything. For example IF we plan on pursuing anything more we won't be back there until June of this year. 

3. Abortion is so common here. There is a clinic that I pass every time I go to the market. In one of the pregnancy tests I took there was an add/coupon for an abortion. When I went in for my first ultrasound with Caed the first question they asked me was, "Do you want or not want this baby?" It is hard to want a baby so bad and constantly be surrounded by people who don't want them or are not allowed to have them. 

4. I hate when people ask me or suggest that maybe God only wants us to have one child because we live in China and it will help us be more like the locals. If you are thinking this just don't say it. It hurts. We don't know why God has had us on this path, but he knows and we trust in that. 

5. The majority of foreigners living over here (unless they also struggle with infertility) have at least 2 kids and most have more. It feels a bit lonely to be in the other category. I personally feel like if we are living overseas and Caed is already growing up in another culture where he will never really fit all the way in it would be very nice for him to have a sibling. Someone who will always be able to relate, understand what it is like, play with him in English. [Now I know I am just rambling and many of you could think of good theological opposition to all I am saying. Please know that I am just saying my feelings here. Know that I trust in the Lord. I believe he has good purposes for us, Caed included. If His will is for Caed to be our only than I trust that he has a good purpose in that. These ramblings are just that, ramblings...]

Oh and one more positive. I am convinced that we are more lifted up in prayer being here than we would be back home. In fact if we were at home I think I would be more tempted to keep our infertility private. We are lifted up in prayer not only about our infertility but for our marriage, daily lives, and so so much more. I feel like we are not doing it alone. Can't quite explain it but we feel it (most days). 

And with that I leave you with this verse I read yesterday 2 Corinthians 1:10-11, 

"On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, ¹¹ as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."

Special thanks to all of you who pray for us, in every aspect of our lives!

Oh Chinese Culture

I have been doing this workout video with the girl (11) who is staying with us. Tonight when I came out of my room ready to start she said, "Wow from your knee to your foot your legs are really pretty!" I asked her what about the tops of my legs (thighs)? She said, "Yeah that is kinda fat, what happened? Did you eat too much?" Hilarious. I am glad that I have lived here long enough that I understand that this is a normal comment. Once about a month after having Caed a male neighbor who was maybe my dad's age told me, "You still look fat even though you had your baby." (And for the record I had lost all but maybe 5lbs of baby weigh at that point). Oh well what can I do. I think my favorite is when people look at my nose and say how tall (big) it is. Or maybe when they say how they love my hairy arms...

okay thats all for now!

Yakuza and Towmater

Have you seen "Towmater's Tall Tales?"

In the last part Towmater goes to Japan and has a drift race against Yakuza (I think that is his name). (spoiler aleret)

Towmater wins. Yakuza gets turned back into a 'stock' car. 

So on CNY all kids get a hong bao  (red envelope) with ya sui qian (special money). We gave JieJie and Caed money. So the first day of the new year we took a trip into the city to let them pick out toys. Caed saw this Yakuza car in the store and fell in love with it.

The whole way home he was saying, "I can't wait for him to meet his friends! Lightning Mcqueen and Doc Hudson (he has both these cars)." 

I asked him - doesn't he want to meet Towmater (he has this car too).

And he said, 

"No they will not play together because I don't want Towmater to beat him again."

Xiao Peng You Men (little friends)

One quick cute Caed story before the pics.

This will make more sense if you have seen "Little Einsteins" but there is this character names Annie who sings. She pulls her microphone out from behind her back and sings songs. The kids in the show have a rocket ship that they make go faster and slower by singing or clapping etc.  Anyway Caed and Sean were playing pretend the other day. They were on a rocket ship (big surprise) and all the sudden Caed goes, 

"I am going to pull a michraphone out of my bottom to make us go faster - like Annie!"

It was hilarious.

These twins asked to take a picture with C at the park on Chu Yi. 

So Big!

And what trip to the park isn't complete without buying a hot dog on a stick? Blowing on it to make it cooler.

We went for a walk near the river with this little girl and her neighbors. 

"I am two!"

Hello Rabbit

Celebrated Chinese New Year on Tuesday night. 

With awesome nian fan (the new years meal). Since I can't cook that great of Chinese food and we have a Chinese girl staying with us we went out to dinner. Restaurants all have set menus that night. See that whole deep-fried sweet and sour fish? It was yummy! And yes they fry the whole thing - skin, fins, head, eyes tail (I think it was gutted though...)

Look at this big firework Mommy!

(not as dangerous as it looks)

Caed was ecstatic about fireworks. He has been talking about it for the last week. He would wake up and say, "On Chun Jie when it gets dark we are going to go to the circle (in our apratment complex) and light fire works!" He could hardly eat that night b/c he was so excited about what would happen once it got dark.

Sparklers make me happy. 

Oh what fun!

Big Sister

Sean's old teacher's daughter has been staying with us for a few weeks now over the vacation (1 month off for Chinese New Year). We have loved having here. 

Caed has especially loved having someone who is ready to play with him all the time.

Reading.

Playing on the computer

Dancing.

Does Your Toddler Skype?

Ours sure does. We are giving him a few more months before we think he will be able to call people on his own via skype (okay not really).

But he does have days when he will talk on skype (mostly to Nana and Grandma) for a long time. Lately he tells me, "Go away Mommy I want to talk by myself." Like he has some big secrets to discuss. Here he is showing someone Towmaters. 

Talking on skype in his room. I am so thankful for skype by the way. Not sure I could handle being so far away if we weren't able to talk to our parents this way. 

I borrowed a book from a friend that has a development activity per week from birth to age 5. It is so much fun. One of the things we did this week was to trace Caeds body on this paper and then get out a bunch of his clothes and 'dress' the fake Caed. Afterwards he of course asked me to draw a potty behind him so he could go pee. 

Another thing in the book was water activity. We have done this lots before. Caed loves 'washing' dishes. Today though he was making coffee for daddy, adding sugar and milk (all just bubble water). He learned the word 'barista' today too. 

A happy barista.

Rabbit Ears + Christmas Parties = LOTS OF FUN

I cant believe it has taken me this long to get a blog up about the Christmas party we attended at Sean's school in December. We had lots of stuff going on then - but here it goes...

The day after we got back from Thailand (Dec 22nd) we were invited to a Christmas party at Sean's school. All 7 foreign students were invited. We thought it would just be dinner (what they normally do) but boy were we in for a surprise. 

The college students who study English as their major hosted the party. 

There was...

one super cute toddler ready to be the center of attention...

a rock band...

paparazzi 

(okay not really but Caed has never had more pictures of him taken in such a short amount of time - and thats saying a lot since he is a blond/blue eyed kid in China). Check out his 'peace' sign.

Rabbit ears, santa hats, glow lights - and way too many lolly-pops given to my little boy. 

musical chairs, tomato eating contest, fruit salad (made with mayonnaise), sunflower seeds, oranges...

And my personal favorite - singing. 

All the foreigners were asked to 'perform' something for the students (separately).

Since the blessed day when we had a positive pregnancy test back in 2007 we had been praying for a child that would fit well into the culture and lifestyle we are in over here (we were in China back then too). We know that growing up here is so much different from being in your home country. Caed has exceeded anything that we could have imagined in this area. He is so outgoing, loves people, loves making people laugh/smile/feel happy (most of the time). 

I digress... We had been telling C that he should get up and sing his Chinese song that he knows (Liang Zhi Lao Hu). We weren't certain he would do it, but when he got up there he pulled the microphone from Sean and said, "No Daddy I'll do it myself."

And so it began - he sand the whole song....3x. The crowd went wild! (About 100 students, teachers and administrators). I think in one picture I counted 17 cameras/phones taking his picture. When he was done Caed walked back to me with a HUGE smile and said, "That was so much fun Mommy - I want to do it again!!!" And he did later on. The head administrator later told us that Caed was the star of the party :)

The encore. 

Oh and there was also a magic show, a pop quiz, a nunchuck (sp?) demonstration, a food tasting, and gifts. Seriously best Chinese-thrown party we have ever been to!