Sophia, the Author

I wanted to write a quick note tonight because Sophie did such an amazing thing at school and I just have to show it off.

For the past 6 weeks or so the Reception classes have been working on various fairy tales and all of their learning was shaped around the stories they read and learned. First of all, I was amazed at how the teachers could mold an entire curriculum around something they let the kids choose. Math, writing, spelling, reading, computer, psychosocial, etc. They did the Three Little Pigs, Rapunzel (Soph's fav), Jack and the Beanstalk, Three Billy Goat's Gruff, The Enormous Turnip (new one for me) and the Runaway Pancake (another new one).

Anyway, the culmination was that each child come up with and write their own fairy tale. The teacher worked with each child to come up with a theme and then make a beginning, middle and end to their story. Each child wrote the story out and drew pictures that matched it.

Today was a day where parents could go to the classroom and look through the kids' learning journals. These are binders that the teachers put together of the children's art, writing, etc and it also shows how each child is meeting the goals set out for them at the beginning of the school year. It really is brilliant and it gives the parents something to take home at the end of the year that's full of their kids' accomplishments. In here was Sophie's story and she was so proud to show me.
She introduced it by saying, "Mom, guess what? I'm an author. I wrote a book."

She made the title page in computer class.
"Princess Rose was playing with Ela in the castle"   (Ela is a fairy, hence the wings :)

"Suddenly, Princess Rose saw Ela was trapped."  (Ela is in a cage. Rose is saying "help!")

"Princess Rose went to get another fairy. She freed Ela."

How great, right?? :) Proud momma over here. :)

The Month 3 Slump

Hello again!
I know it's been a while, but I've been going through some stuff and Ben was gone in GR for 12 days so I was really busy and really tired. However, I wanted to get some stuff written down because on Saturday we are leaving for Cebu in the Phillipines so I know I'll have a lot to write about when we get back.

My last post was about our trip to Moganshan so I have a lot to cover! We got back from that trip on a Sunday afternoon and on the following Wednesday Ben left for Grand Rapids for 12 days. It was really weird to have him go home while we stayed here. I was glad that he was able to see our friends and family and enjoy the many comforts of Western living, but, it was like 85 and sunny there and it was 40 and rainy here. We have had maybe 3 days of sun since we arrived on December 29 so I was in some serious need of some vitamin D.

In our expat training they warned us that month 3 tends to be the hardest on an expat. You've survived the initial arrival and are somewhat settled. Now reality sets in that your here to stay and that you have along way to go before you're done. You become homesick and the survival thing gets old and you start to think, what have we done???

Well, I was there. Big time. Ben being home, little sunshine, lots of cold, being on my own here...I was not well.

On that Thursday, the 15th, our rented furniture finally arrived so that actually helped me feel better because it gave me something to organize. I also hung some pictures and it was feeling more homey.
Here's a pic of the family room now-

On Friday Coop's school held a coffee time where the parents of the 3 boys came in and saw what they'd all been working on, what their day entails, etc. I had to take a cab there and back. This was my first time doing this by myself. I was SO freaked out that they wouldn't know how to get there, I wouldn't be able to communicate where to go...but, it was actually very smooth! It was nice to meet Shaveer's dad and Didi's mom. We had a nice chat. Afterwards was Cooper's first IEP there. They have created some lofty goals for him but they also really think he can achieve them. I've seen progress already so I look forward to the next 6 months!

Saturday was supposed to be my big TV interview with Tai Ping, my ayi. She told me that a tv crew would be coming to talk with me about having an ayi, what she can do, etc. They were to arrive at 10. Well, at 11 I called her bc I wasn't about to waste an entire Saturday waiting. See, in China, time is nothing. They'll tell you 10, and they may come at 10, but they also may come at 12, 2 or not at all. She says, oh, yes, they'd just left her place and would be there at 1130. Well, at 1210 she showed up with a photographer. That's it. He took some pics of her "playing" with the kids, her "teaching" me how to cook, me putting an apron on her (!!!), things like this. Honestly, people, all she does is clean my house. I'd love for her to teach me how to make dumplings and a really good stir fry or fried rice, but that hasn't happened yet. :)

Saturday night Cooper threw up so church was out for Sunday and, oh, did I need it. Sunday was very low for me. I was very homesick and very sad. And it was still cold and rainy...

Monday had definite highlights. I did my usual Monday thing of doing reading with Sophie's class. I love doing this and getting to know her classmates. That noon I hosted a baby shower for a Brit friend here. It's funny bc my British friends say it's such an American thing to have a shower before the baby is born. In the UK they all bombard the exhausted mother after she gets home from the hospital and give her gifts then. Poor new moms in Britain... ;)
Here are some pics of the celebration-

Anyone notice my very American diaper cake?? :)

The guest of honor, Penny-

Little Grace Isolbel did arrive on Monday the 26th of March, a few weeks early and just shy of 7 pounds. :) We had that party just in time!

Tuesday and Wednesday were lost to more sadness and depression. I also got a really bad cold then. Ugh. Writing about it now, it makes me irritated that this happened, but I'm not really sure how I could have prevented it. I hadn't been that depressed since I lived in California and was really homesick. I'm a homebody. I like where I live, I love me peeps, my church, my Coffee Break group. I was happy. *sigh* See, keep talking like that and I'll be right back there....

Anywho, Thursday was better, at first. I was invited to a German friend's house for coffee. Elke had arrived in Shanghai back in December but was shipped around to a few different temporary houses until finally settling in Ranco Santa Fe, by us! This was her housewarming party, of sorts. Liz with Isaac and Laura with Quinten and little ole me went. We had a lovely coffee and chat that morning. However, Coop came home from school looking like he'd had a run in with a slab of cement. His whole nose, from the bridge to his upper lip, was totally scraped up. When he got out of the car I just felt sick. My poor boy. :( He kept rubbing it so I know it bugged him. Apparently he had fallen while running on the playground. I have no reason to doubt it but nothing is ever as it seems here so I still question it a bit...

Friday was day 10 of single parenting (and it was still raining!!) so I decided to treat myself to a trip to Ikea. Amazing what a bit of retail therapy can do. :) I got some decorative pillows for the sofa and chairs and other things. The taxi ride there was fine and back was actually good too! This is big for me! :) That afternoon, Coop woke up from his nap with a raging case of pink eye. Yaaaaaaayy....
Off to the clinic here in SRC where we were seen quickly and left with eye drops. Pretty impressive and only about $100 for the visit and meds. And, once we file it with insurance, even less!

Saturday morning I woke up to the sun shining in my window and, even though I was still dreadfully sick with a cold, my heaviness of heart had lifted. It's weird. There one day, gone the next. Hard to say what made it go. Well, on Friday Sophie and I were reading when she looked at me and asked me, "Mom, why does your face look like that now?" Hmmm, she had noticed not all was well with me. I guess it would have been hard to miss but I felt bad that my 4 yr old saw it too. I prayed that night for relief and the next day I was out of the pit of depression. Sooooo glad to be out of it!!

Ben came home on Sunday afternoon and it was a glorious thing. Not only did I get my husband and other half back, I got my parental partner and...3 suitcases of goodies from home!!! Seriously, it was like Christmas. 90% of it was food stuff. It's all either too expensive that I'd never buy it here or they just don't sell it here. Fruit snacks and nutrigrain bars, carnation instant breakfast and low sugar oatmeal packets, peanut butter and parmesan, nutella and hamburger helper...all such great stuff!!! Sometimes it's the little things... :)

Monday I was treated to a lunch out downtown with Liz and another friend, Sally. It was a glorious sunny day and I got to eat my own food right when it came, while it was hot, and I didn't even have to feed anyone else or chase after anyone. It was a welcome treat and one I hope we repeat every month.

The last 2 days have been busy with this Mum-to-Mum sale I volunteered for. Tuesday was setup day where the 30 people brought their things and we organized it the whole day. Today was the actual sale and it was a mad house at times! Really, I only volunteered because it gave me first dibs on the goods. :) I got somes things for both kids so it was a success for me, but I'm exhuasted! Glad for tonight to just sit and blog. :)

So, that's what I've been up to. Nothing special, just the same stuff in a different place. Good days and bad.

Coop's nose is already almost healed and it'll only just be a week tomorrow. Good thing momma is a nurse. ;) His pink eye is gone and we cut his hair last night so now he's this adorable little boy again. He's been very vocal lately and very interactive and playful. Great eye contact, very little stimming. He's making progress. In the eyes of the world he is still very delayed but I can see it, for sure.

Prayer Requests:

-that the demon in my head named depression stays away. It was awful having it here again and I wish it to stay gone so I may be the mom and wife I need to be.

-that Cooper continue to progress and surprise us.

-that we have a safe flight to Cebu and a relaxing family vacation that is fun and bonding.

-another good friend had a baby boy on Monday in Traverse City, MI. His name is Oliver and he was born 5 weeks premature. He has already suffered from 2 collapsed lungs and is now with IVs, chest tubes and many more monitors. Please pray for his complete healing and for wisdom and peace for his parents, Scott and Erin.

Thanks again for reading. It's soooo late so I neeeeeeed to get to bed now. Funny bc Ben went to go play squash from 8 to 9 but he's not back yet (it's 1045pm). Hmmm... Me thinky squash ended at the club bar upstairs. So much for exercise! ;)
God bless and we'll chat again soon!

Moganshan Part 2

Ok, so I'm late posting, again. Sorry! You can blame Ben for leaving me for MICHIGAN where it's warm, no, hot, and sunny and full of our friends and family, while I sit here single parenting in China.

I digress. Is that how you spell that? Oh well.

Ok, so, when I left off I was posting about our hikes.
On Saturday the whole clan (except for 36-week pregnant Penny) went for a hike that went past the summer home of Mao. Pretty sweet, right? Actually, it was kind of a let down. I was expecting the peak of luxury and it was just ok. The building was quite large, but the inside had been turned into a kind of Mao Museum, and a sad one at that. There were basically just pics of him at that location, a few rooms with signs that read, "Oh! Mao slept here!" (Yeah, I highly doubt he really slept in that bed and sat in those chairs....) I'm so jaded. :)
Here are some of the pics of the house:
This is Sophie standing by the entrance of the compound with her new friends Floortje and Genna

Just after the entrance we must, yet again, hike some stairs to access the house.

Inside the vacation home of Mao. These were pics of other various dignitaries that had also stayed there.

Mao in the middle. It was kinda funny because in every picture of him he had his hands folded over his belly.

Where Mao slept (suuuuuuuurrrre)

Saturday afternoon the boys announced they were going on a waterfall hike. Didn't ask if it was alright, didn't ask if we women wanted a break from having 12 kids by ourselves for the past 2 days and go ourselves..... hmmm. Yeah, ok, that's off my chest. :)
So, off they went to go down 1000 steps and then back up. It was HILARIOUS when they returned. Ben VP, Ben L, Nick, and Roy all came back pouring sweat, beat red in the face, huffing and puffing. Like they were moments from a heart attack. :) "So steep!" they claimed. "So beautiful!" Ok, so then Liz (Ben L's wife), Angelique (Roy's wife) and I declared right then we were taking off in the morning and doing the hike by ourselves. They could care for the children and pack as well, right?

Saturday night we had a version of bangers and mash. We had all kinds of fried sausages (we weren't entirely sure what they were made of bc the packages were in German), mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. Sooo good! Some wine and chatting that night and then off to bed.

In the morning we had our last toast, coffee and eggs and starting packing up. Liz, Angelique and I headed out on our own 1000 step adventure. Oh, it was totally worth it. Serene, quiet, beautiful, just nature and us. No pollution, no trucks or cement. Reminded me so much of hiking in Northern Michigan.

These first few are pics Ben had taken the day before when he went with the guys...

Ben taking a picture of Ben L and Nick taking pictures. Good grief....

Ok, here are the good ones of me and the girls, Liz and Angelique, the next day. :)
Us at the start...

This house was about half way down. Meat hanging from the windows, laundry up to dry. The running water was the brook next to the house. Tiny electrical wires were going into the house so apparently they did have lights...

A little ways further down we ran into this teeny hut where an older lady was selling touristy trinkets- my favorite!!!

Yes, I bought. I'm a sucker for these places. You can barely make it out but there's a piggy bank made from a coconut- I got that for Soph and I bought a pencil cup thingy with some Chinese writing on it. My ayi says it has sayings for good luck on it. (I think it probably says "This Western sucker paid way too much for this piece of junk"- but I don't care. :)

Some odd sword statue further down

The pagoda at the top of the waterfall

Looking over the railing by the pagoda down to the pool at the base of the waterfall

Pagoda at top right (can't see it). I'm in the wooden structure that's by the pool.

Needless to say, we got back and had not even broken a sweat. Not out of breath. Maybe a bit warm but that's it. We're still not sure exactly what they were doing to get so worked up. Guess we're just in such great shape (hah!!). :)

We all finished packing up then and packed up the cars. On the way down the mountain Sophie got really carsick. The driver was racing down the turns and she had been playing Leapster- oops. She started with, "I'm hot", which turned into, "My tummy feels funny", which turned into, "I have to go pukey". Thankfully with a little breeze, a snack, stripping some clothes off, a nap and a back scratch from Momma, she was better. Whew! The rest of the ride home was uneventful- Coop was great and even took a nap in his carseat.

We got home, unpacked, realized everything smelled like we had been camping, so into the wash it all went.

It was a fun weekend of hiking and relaxing. Really nice to make some new friends and hang out with some "old" ones. Even if we did almost freeze to death that first night... :)

Oh, before I forget- I wanted to put a few pics of some signs we saw while hiking over the weekend. Needless to say, I believe much is still lost in translation...

You mean "prevent forest FIRES", right??

Don't recklessly slip, do it carefully. :)

Moganshan- Part 1

We're back! What an adventure. What fun!

So, as I said in the previous post, the kids had school off on Thursday and Friday last week so 5 other families and us decided to head out to the mountains of China and have a little getaway for 4 days. The moms went up with the kids on Thursday morning and the guys joined us after work Friday night (they got there around 930p). We rented a large old mansion that had 9 bedrooms, 3 floors, a cute wood fireplace and several rooms for hanging out.

The history of why Moganshan is even there is quite interesting. Back around 1900 several really wealthy families decided they wanted a place to vacation in the summer that was close to Shanghai but didn't have the unbearable heat to deal with. So they headed west for 2 hours, went up, up, up and built a small community of huge mansions out of stone in the mountainside.

Getting there was, at times, scary because you are driving up this super narrow, one-lane road in the mountain that literally takes 90-degree turns and you only have a little mirror to look into so you can see if anyone is barreling towards you from the other direction. Now, I know I've already explained the psychotic driving here so now imagine that same driving on a narrow, winding, steep road. *gulp* A few kids vomited from motion sickness, a few adults almost did. Cooper was really struggling- I think he was car sick because he was gulping air and screaming. It was super fun (note sarcasm). BUT, that part only last about 15 minutes and was near the end- THANK GOODNESS. For the most part, the drive was highway smooth and took right about 2 hours.

Oh yeah, the drive. Confused maybe?? Yes, I know in my last post I said my friend Liz and I were taking the train halfway then having a car bring us the rest of the way but we backed out (at the request of our husbands) and rented a car and driver for the day. It was SO much easier- picked us up at our place, drove us there door to door. The driver even spoke english and was telling us the history of the countryside we drove through. So, even though it was more money, it was money well spent!!

Sophie "reading" to Mia and Isaac-

Pics of the countryside-

All 3 vans got there by around 1 so we threw our stuff in our repective rooms and headed to lunch. Oh, one thing that was never mentioned on the lodge's website was that we had to climb 84 steps to get from the parking lot to the house. We had brought almost all our food plus beer, wine, games, etc. And, the day we arrived it was pouring snow/rain. Yeah, that was super fun unloading after the super fun windy, scary car ride... :) Anywho, so we go to this lodge called The Lodge (mm-hmm) and walked in with our motly crew. 6 adult women, 12 children all between the ages of 2 and 5. HAHAHAHAHAHAAA!! I bet we scared the dickens out of the owner. :) Needless to say this sleepy little place was not prepared for such a gathering and it took us over an hour to get our lunches of spaggetti, grilled cheese and hamburgers. But, I think the kids were so thrilled to have so many playmates that they all did quite well...

I finally got a good pic of what it's like for the poor blond-haired children who come to China. This dude was fascinated with Cooper- I had to give him a good "booyow" (Chinese for "don't want"). ;)

After lunch we headed back up to the house and settled in to unpack and let the kids play. There was a significant problem with the house, however. No heat! The other issue was that the bed linens were damp and freezing. Turns out we were the first visitors to stay there since Chinese New Year. They had just turned the heat on that morning and hadn't pulled back the linens to let them air out. It was a real disapointment!!

Needless to say that first night was quite miserable. Sophie and I slept huddled together and Coop had an entire duvet in his little tent with him. The next morning it was slightly warmer- 12c in the house (that's 53 degrees). Sooo cold... during breakfast Cooper was freaking out and wouldn't eat and I couldn't figure out the problem. Suddenly I saw his left hand- he had burned two fingers on the cast iron wood fireplace. One was already blistering. Of couse he had not cried when it happened- only now. My poor baby. :( We got it bandaged up and he was doing better.

Here is a pic from out the front door of where we stayed-

Inside the house-

Our bedroom- I had the drapes shut to try and trap heat in. So cold!!!

The glorious tv room that gave all parents a break, one movie per day. :)

View from the terrace-

View of the front of the house at the top of the 84 steps- terrace to the left.

Coop hanging out on the terrace-

We hiked with the kids for an hour and a half the first day, repeated lunch at The Lodge (took over an hour and a half to get fed! Long story about the owner bailing the chef out of jail bc he went to buy more food and forgot his wallet, blah blah blah). Coop actually slept quite well for nap, some more play time, dinner was chicken fried rice, then off to bed- slightly warmer that night... :) The guys came up after work- got there around 930. Of course by then it was decently warm and they tried to say we had made it all up. :)

Here are some pics of the hikes we did Friday and Saturday-

This was a consistent theme- steps!!!

Looking down onto someone's property. Crazy that someone lives here!!!

Mia, Sophie, Lily, Floortje, Genna, Harry and Anabelle

Halfway up to the tippy top- a random shack where someone lived. We heard cats meowing like crazy- hopefully they weren't dinner! Ha!!

Almost to the top- a gorgeous, huge, perfectly manicured mansion. In the middle of nowhere.

This is the sweetest boy you will ever meet. He was such a trooper all weekend!

Ok, end of the first part. I have so much more to show so I'll throw that on tomorrow.
Good night!