a couple of thoughts

I'm wanting to write a couple of thoughts down quickly before I forget them, but they will be disjointed.

Something I don't think I have recorded so far is the fact that Shamain Island is under a great deal of construction in preparation for the Asian games. This means that a lot of physical laborers are present on the street constantly, moving wheelbarrows, using jack hammers, and climbing stories of bamboo scaffolding. I find myself looking UP a lot, just in case something is falling. They wear thin plastic shoes (think Crocs, only form fitted and much thinner) to do this heavy labor. During mealtime, you will see these people squatting down on their heels, eating bowls of plain white rice. And after work, you can see them using the stones of the street to scrub their clothing out for a wash. These people are small and thin, and there are elderly women working as well as young men. They are dignified, and seem like they would be insulted if I handed them money. But it causes a pain in my chest to see an elderly woman carting a wagon full of concrete or sand, doing nothing to help. At night, some of these workers sleep on mats on the street. I don't know if they are avoiding the indoor heat, or if this is their only place to rest.

We have also seen wealthy, gorgeous models doing photoshoots every day we have been here. There are brides and grooms running around the streets, the girls holding their massive dresses up out of the construction grime. Asian models also showcase new street fashions while a flurry of photographers, makeup artists, and directors buzz around, waving fans to try to keep the sweat off of the models' faces.

During the day, between families playing badmitton (which is major here) Chinese soldiers in full dress work through military routines on the street. They practice marching, drills, and other exercises. It's not really frightening, but you are definitely aware of it. And it feels unusual to me, since this has never been a part of my world before.

Our time with our friend from Singapore was precious. It was so good to sit down and connect with a familiar, loving face during the loneliness of being far from home. He has a CRAZY sense of humor, and it was refreshing to just laugh and play a little amid the challenges of this adventure. We had dinner together twice, then the boys went on an adventure to a massive electronics store yesterday.

A few nights ago, Clara ate EEL that had been swimming in a five-gallon bucket just moments before! Those of you who know her will understand why this is a big deal. This is the child who won't eat cheese pizza if it doesn't taste just right. But she was sitting in a Cantonese/Thai restaurant, listening to live fish being smacked on concrete before being cooked, eating strips of fried eel. 'Atta girl!

The adjustment with Moses is going well. He really is a bundle of life. I keep wanting to call him "Dodger" from Dickens' _The Artful Dodger._ He is SO full of vibrance and mischief.

Two nights ago, we ate at a restaurant on the river. The tour boats here are covered in flashing, colorful lights. I don't think Moses had ever seen a boat before, let alone something so fabulous as that. He kept shouting (in Mandarin) "Look! Here comes another one!" over and over again. He also learned how to say, "WOW!"

Keeping a three-year-old busy in a hotel suite isn't the easiest job in the world. And since the cars feel free to use the sidewalks here, sometimes walking can be tough. I'm hoping we will get a chance to go to the park later today to just let him run.

Bobby was telling me this morning about a book he is reading called _Surfing the Edge of Chaos._ Apparently it talks about how it is good for an organism to be placed into an environment where new muscles have to be used, so that it will grow in new ways. That's what is happening to our family. We can feel it in so many ways.

Please pray we will have widsdom about when to discipline and when to just bond. Even though our transition has been way easier than most because he is such a happy, affectionate child, there are still situations where we need to know how to parent him well. And Moses has been through SO many changes at once. Hotels are an artificial environment, so it's hard to be consistent with a routine. Four more nights here, and we will be heading home. There is a constant sense that we are parenting within a parenthesis.

Better go. Moses just woke up. He loves to run in and POUNCE on Yo-Yo and Si-Say's beds while they are sleeping. They groan and moan about it, but you can tell they love it, too. Miss you all. 'Looking forward to seeing your faces again soon.

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About This Blog

Welcome to our family’s adoption journey. As you read, you will see us stumble and take wrong paths. You will see our hopes surge and fall. You will see the gaps in our humanity, and how our God realigns us to His purposes over and again. We think the messiness of this process is important. Sometimes walking with God isn’t a neat, linear package that can be summarized in bullet points. More often, life ebbs and flows around our plans, while God works His sovereign wonders from it all. We are learning so much through this journey. And we are super excited about our new son. If you’d like to join us, we’d love to have you along for the ride.
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