You have to be NINE

So, Claire turns nine in December and she is having her first-ever birthday party with friends!  I probably shouldn't be putting that in writing.

Her birthday is December 26th, and for obvious reasons (in our minds) we have always celebrated with family at the mountain house or in Georgia with grandparents. This year, Claire put her foot down. She's been thinking about this a long time and knew exactly what to do (obviously her parents did not).

We made sure we set a date before everyone started leaving HK for Bali (standard Christmas destination).

Then, we set about making Olaf cupcakes. After that, sugar cookies, followed by a movie on the sofa.   Four hours of nothing but six cute little nine year old girls. Sheer delight for this girl's first birthday party with friends. And, it was truly friends only; the boys were out, Jeff was at work, and Taylor was floating around as a helper.

Because I'm pretty sure I shouldn't put other kids' (other than mine) pictures on my blog, I thought this would be a good after party picture. We picked up all of these sunglasses for the girls at the party - this way they can pack a little memory for Bali.

a dozen years

The best way for our sweet tween to celebrate her 12th birthday -  baptism.

I think baptism Sundays are one of the many reasons we love Island ECC. Those being baptized invite friends and family and cheer as each and every baptism takes place. It's beautiful.

The youth have two Sundays per year dedicated to baptisms, while the adults of the church have six per year (baptizing 10 or so people at all three services on those particular Sundays).

The one thing (prior to Taylor's baptism) I FAILED to notice in this church's baptisms was the presence of gifts and flowers. So, as the service was due to begin and I saw a sweet friend with flowers in her hand, so I asked, "Oh, who are the flowers for?" She looked at me with a quizzical smile and said, "For Taylor."  I wanted to yank those right out of her hand and claim them for my own!
As is normal for my relationship with my kids, I was apologizing.

And, as you see in the photo, other people brought more than flowers (not her lame mother, of course). We just brought the entertainment (Claire).

I'm on a roll

The fourth post in one day!

We're still in November 2014, I think.

At this point, we have only been in HK fifteen months and the kids, especially Forrest and Ellis, act as if they were born here. They have embraced everything good in this place, and it's a prayer answered beyond my expectations (as are all prayers, I believe). I remember telling the kids (while we were still living in NC) that we wouldn't want to be where God didn't want us, even if we thought we wanted to be there. I also remember telling them we could easily stay right where we were and be happy and content, but there would be so much we would miss. Of course, at the time, I was trying to convince myself of this, as well.

Recently, someone asked, "Why do you think they have embraced the move?" I could only answer this: "Only as much as Jeff and I BOTH embrace this and find joy in this, can the kids find the capacity to do the same." This doesn't mean they will be happy if we are, but I find the likelihood much higher.  Our physical home is where we are together, and I think it's the same for every family, no matter where that physical home started.

Running to Stop the Traffik
This is probably the beginning of the big league for Forrest.  He began working with this organization when his school needed a first aid person for the 24 Hour Race for "Running to Stop the Traffik," an organization run by students all under 24 years old. This picture is from a fund raiser that Forrest had to attend, and asked Jeff and me to go along. At the end of the night, I told him I thought he did a great job introducing me to people and talking with all the different people at the event. Then, he sighed, and said, "Small talk is REALLY hard."

I would probably butcher the details of the organization and all that it entails, so I'll stop with that.

Scouts is a different animal in HK, but I think it's because the boys had such a special bond with their Greensboro troop. With that said, they still have cool opportunities, all of which are safer than RUGBY!

Ryze 2014

When he called to say he needed to go to the hospital, I'm pretty sure I said, "You know, you are the only one with a job here; I don't even have the correct visa to have a job!" I know - incredibly compassionate. 

I wasn't at Ryze when this accident happened, but I wasn't surprised. The man loves to have fun and push the limits.  He's there providing "example" for our children.

I'm thinking no one in the trampoline park was trying to hit the bag on the ceiling, except Jeff.

I know he doesn't regret that he missed his half-marathon and adventure race because of it. Of course he's not trying to hurt himself; he's just trying to live. And, this is why I the luckiest girl in the world.

Halloween 2014

I have a horrible memory, so this is going to be tough - this backing up and trying to write about events. It's also a bit tough because I tend to write these while listening to TED talks or online interviews (at the moment I'm listening to Brene Brown's interview with Krista Tippet). Thankfully, pictures in iphoto are organized chronologically.

I think the funniest part of the upcoming posts (October to April) will be the cutS and colorS of my hair! So, it's probably appropriate that this catch-up begins with Halloween. Okay, I can't remember much about this night, except that the girls went to the clubhouse because they were offering food AND Halloween candy (those are different according to my sister - and she's always right - because candy is not really food, it's flavorful plastic and we LOVE it).

Claire had a few different looks for Halloween - the Korean, the Indian, and the Vampire. I'm wondering if Hong Kong has given her an identity crisis. 

We belong to each other

I told myself I would write this blog (for me) to keep a running log of life - love and laughter - in Hong Kong, and it soon became clear it was not about Hong Kong, but just a place of remembrance for our family. I'm pretty sure most of the "views" on the site are mine, as it should be.

Six months has passed and I've written nothing, and I have had plenty of time to write, but I just didn't; I know I will regret that I have forgotten some wonderful moments. So, I begin again.

I decided the photo above was a great place to start. It's a wonderful memory for me because it's a memory of a sweet friend who has already left HK, my first encounter of loss in this very transient community.  Kim's family came to HK the month that we came in 2013. We met at the kids' school, and we soon found she had not just moved from Atlanta, but she had grown up about ten miles from me, and her parents still live there. What???? I'm 8,500 miles from Georgia!

She only stayed sixteen months. Her sweet and gentle spirit is almost too good to be true, but it is true.  She never spoke ill of anyone, she was incredibly talented and equally humble, and she loved and cared about people in a way that could only come from a higher love. And, our short, close-distance, friendship taught me a very important lesson - thankfully, early on in our time in HK; I will always jump in and embrace a gift from God, instead of guarding against the hurt that comes when the gift is not so accessible. The joy is always greater.

Mother Teresa once said, "The problem with the world is that we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

Revolving Door

This week has been a series of children coming and going.

Taylor had four days with the sixth grade in Beijing for a cultural experience, with the biggest cultural experience being the pollution index.  The second would be the experience of spending the night with peers. She's almost 12 and this was her first overnight trip (other than the grandparents) without Jeff and me. I wasn't really planning on it being such a dramatic first experience. Beijing? Really?

Claire also had her first overnight (other than grandparents), and she was really nervous. So, the day before she left, she looked over at me and said,
"Mom, I really, I mean really, love you.  But, I wish I could love you without missing you." She's only gone for two nights in the New Territories, a part of Hong Kong that is just too far by bus for me to enjoy.

This is the letter she left for Taylor (the girls share a bedroom).  I think the "heart planet" is a nice touch. 

As typical of Ellis, he just seemed to disappear without me getting a picture.

As all the children did, he packed himself (I try not to think too much about that). I did hand over his passport and HK ID that he is required to have to get into China, but that's because those documents stay in our hands whenever possible.  I drove him to the school where he boarded a bus for a five hour drive into China to Qing Yau, where he will stay for five days. His back pack was terribly light for five days. Then, I drove away and realized I didn't take one photo!

Forrest is home all week enjoying the solitude, I believe.