sore thumb

I wish I could say I couldn't sleep this morning because I'm starting the daunting task of labor but I think it's just the after affects of a latte I had yesterday afternoon. Caffeine really works on me for a long time. It's Sunday morning here in Beijing. For the last 2 days we've had rain and gray, cloudy skies. Looks like the same for today. For lunch yesterday, Mom and I went to a quaint (which is rare in such a hugely populated land) French bakery for lunch. There's nothing much better than a ham sandwich on a freshly baked croissant. What other sandwich requires no mayo or mustard? None that I've met. And what can top a cheese danish and freshly brewed cup of coffee to top it all off? Again, obviously nothing other than a piece of baklava and fresh coffee. So, it was a nice lunch. We get to attend our 4th service at the International Fellowship here today. I'm amazed at the openness and acceptance of the people. Every couple of days I g...

As of today we are 4 days late. That is assuming that man can accurately determine the day a baby should be born. Which, obviously, he can not. So, we wait. The thing with pregnancy is that most woman began to really anticipate that Big Day about a month before the due date and so when that day comes and goes it has been a long time of waiting. I keep trying to remember 2 things. One, when she comes our nice little family of 3 will be forever altered and two, she will come. In fact, she will come by the end of next week if not sooner - thanks to the ability to induce. So in the mean time I'm able to blog with both eyes wide open, take Madeleine swimming on a whim, have dates with Phil whenever and stay up late watching "Numbers" without worrying about my sleep debt. Not so bad when you think of it that way.

I've always thought we women should have been designed with one of those plastic timers that pop out of fully cooked turkeys so that when the baby is done and ready to be taken from our oven our timers would pop out and we'd just head to the hospital. Wouldn't that be so convenient? If it takes 9 months for a baby to be fully done my baby will be ready to come tomorrow, the 9th of June. If she does, she'll share a birthday with our dear friend John Littleton. Which would be really sweet. Phil just knew she's be born around 12am last night since that was when the opening game of the European Cup started. She wasn't ready to come out for the big game but she was very excited as she did flips from about 10pm to 12am and encouraged me to watch the first half with her papa. When that timer does pop I'll let you know.

Grandma's Kitchen makes a good biscuit and gravy plate. In fact, I've eaten breakfast there for the last 2 mornings and if it weren't so darn expensive I'd be back there this morning, too. Good coffee too and a bottomless cup to boot. Our Little-What's-Her-Name is staying put for the time being. Together we've gained a pound over the last week (thanks Grandma!) and her heart rate is normal. Every evening around 9pm she begins tumbling class which is quite entertaining although at times a bit painful. I'm realizing that there will be a few difficult adjustments when we move back to Xi'an. One being that Mom will be living in Wuhan and not with us. I like having her around in the mornings to chat with, going with me to the store and just being here. It will also be hard having Yali back in our lives full-time. We've really enjoyed being stay-at-home parents. And then there's the variety of Beijing that Xi'an lacks. But with these th...

Phil and I have absolutely the sweetest child in the whole world. You may be prone to disagree but you'd be wrong. I wish I could keep a constant record of every little amazingly wonderful thing that she does day in and day out but I can't or don't. So, here's just somethings off the top of my head from the last few days here in Beijing. When we were out the other afternoon playing she was running around one section of yard with her arms in the air yelling, "Goal! Goal! Goal". On the way home from that same play time she was singing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" at the top of her lungs. We had just gotten downstairs and outside when she suddenly said, "My wallet!". "Did you forget your wallet, Maddie?" I asked. "Yes, give me the key and I go and get it. By myself." She said. We've been letting her take her baby stroller outside on walks with us here. She LOVES it. She also loves pretending that cars are...

We are okay. Phil had left the house and was on his way to a coffee shop with a friend and M, Yali, and myself were in the apartment when the quake started. M was napping still and Yali and I were in the living room chatting. I saw the leaves of the plant on the bookcase start moving and felt the laptop on my lap move. I casually told Yali, "Look at the hanging lamp it's moving." She immediately looked terror stricken. I tried to assure her it was no big deal. I actually first thought it was probably wind but when I looked outside I knew it couldn't be wind. Then the apartment really started moving (we're on the 8th floor) and we heard crashing sounds out in the hallway (tiles falling off the ceiling). We both ran to M's room who was startled by us barging in. Yali wanted to immediately get outside but I knew we couldn't with tiles falling and I didn't know what the state of the stairwell would be like. I really didn't know where to go be...

Our Ming De Men apartment is packed and our new home awaits. Phil and I spent yesterday detail cleaning and mopping the new place. Once we finally sat down last night it was physically painful to stand back up. Madeleine has a fun day ahead. This morning she's playing with Peter and Clinton (and giving lots of kisses to Hudson - she can't get enough of him) and going to Tabitha's house after her nap (our British friends' daughter). It looks like rain. Very Alanis Morissette. The movers will be here around 11am. It's very odd to think we'll be sleeping in a new apartment tonight.

We went by the apartment yesterday with my parents and I LOVE the colors. I really, really do. Every room looks amazing and although Phil had no idea what I meant when I said, "It's so inviting!", he likes it, too. I can't wait to get to live in there. Which actually, I can wait because we still have a whole lot to do as far as packing and getting what we need for the new place. This week will be very busy. Yesterday, was extremely full with going from market to market looking for what we needed. We ended up splitting up and Phil and Dad found exactly what they were looking for and Mom, Madeleine, and I found what we wanted. So, the day ended in success and with the purchase of a new head and foot board for our bedroom. A lovely, simple pine. I'm happy.

Every two weeks or so I wake up around 3am wide awake. This started a couple months ago. If baby girl is also awake I lay there and feel every twist and kick. If it's like today, she's asleep but my mind starts thinking and thinking and thinking. Today's thoughts were on paint. Did we pick the right shades? Will we like it day after day? Will it be soothing or too loud? Silly, I know. Madeleine is growing up. And although I've heard it said of others I didn't realize I would also someday be thinking, "She's growing up too fast." Yesterday she came to where I was studying to tell me "goodbye" before she went outside to play. She gave me a quick hug and a wave goodbye. I was watching her walk away and couldn't believe she's my daughter. She turned and saw me watching her, walked back to me and gave me a kiss. She must have sensed the need I had to hold her again. I have a friend who recently had her second child. Anna, he...

Well, as I believe I've said before, it's always obvious in blogland when Madeleine's waking up early because I never blog. And such has been the case over the last couple of weeks. Today is Sunday and since my husband told me to stay home and rest that's what I'm doing. M and P are at fellowship. The new news is that we're moving! Yes, we're moving within Xi'an to a brand spankin' new apartment. We're excited about having a place with lots of natural light and beautiful grounds. We're on the 8th floor which is why we get so much natural light but also means we have to look down to see all that greenery. It's a great apartment though and we're very happy with it. Of course, we haven't lived there yet so who knows what we might run into. That's something you just have to keep in mind when living in this lovely land. I can't think of any big thing we've done here that didn't have a few unexpected twists and ...

I'm in love. I love Malaysia. Well, I love Penang but I think I'd probably love all of Malaysia if I had the chance. It helps of course that some of our favorite people in the whole world where in Penang the same time we were and that those same people were able to show us all the best places to eat and go to. It was very hot. That's the only negative thing I can think of and even that wasn't all that horrible. In fact, when we stepped off the plane in Kuala Lumpur, I couldn't stop talking about how great it felt. So, when we went to the airport to head back to Xi'an Madeleine kept saying, "Feels so nice, feels so nice." She obviously thought that's what you say in tropical airports. The best story from the trip comes from our visit to the Eco Zoo. This zoo is special in that each section of the zoo puts you inside the "cages" of the animals. Unfortunately, for Madeleine I had given her a cookie right as we walked in the monkey s...

Phil's on the train back to Beijing. Last weekend the 2 of us went while Yali stayed home with Madeleine. Our goal was to find an apartment for our stay there this summer but we were unsuccessful. So, off Phil goes to try again. We're a bit better equipped this time knowing our housing budget and so something should work out today. He's got a full day of apartment looking, negotiating, and then making a deposit. I wish I could be there. We've spent all week looking at places online and I won't get to see any of them but the one he ultimately chooses. Poor me. Mom flew up yesterday morning. She'll hang out with us until Tuesday morning. It makes it so nice having her around. Madeleine is happy to have her here, too (even without Gramps :-) ). Mom thinks she's just the sweetest little girl - and although, she's right, I'm always glad when Madeleine is sweet to people. That's been a characteristic of hers lately. She says things like, ...

I'm listening to the Indigo Girls and about to make an apple pie. I have no idea why but these two things are making me feel so content. It's amazing that 2 ladies who do not know the Father as who He is can make such beautiful music. Yet, they do. I wonder how it makes the Father feel to hear them sing and play. The apple pie is something I've been wanting to make for about a week now. I love pies. Is there a person who doesn't? Madeleine has a play date this afternoon with her good friend who's leaving in the morning for Thailand. She'll be gone about a week so Yali felt like they needed to get together today. Yali is so great. She's even staying a bit later this afternoon so they have plenty of time together. So, this gives me the extra time to make a pie - if I stop blogging. To pie making!

If I waited 2 more days it would be a month since I blogged. But since everyone is out of the house, I've finished cleaning, and I can't imagine sitting down to study, I'd like to blog. Thailand. Where to begin...if you've been there I assume that you love it. If you haven't been there then you should make an effort to get there. My viewpoint is skewed as I never went to Thailand before living here. So, if you're coming from New Zealand it might not be all that wonderful. But after a full year here I couldn't wait to get to Thailand and once I was there I couldn't imagine coming back home. I have a friend who loves living here. She really loves it. I don't. In fact it's hard for me to imagine loving it. I love places that have trees and shrubs that aren't covered in dust. I love places that have cute little downtowns where you can buy used books, drink a latte, and then walk to the park. I love places that have fall festivals and ...

Tomorrow morning at the very crack of dawn we're heading to the airport. We've had snow for a week now and so it might take a bit longer than expected to make it to Thailand with flight delays and such. But Lord willin' and the creek don't rise we'll be there by Saturday night. I don't imagine I'll do much or any blogging while in the land of sun and smiles. We'll be back home on February 12. At this point I don't want to even imagine coming back home but probably by that point I'll be ready. It's good to leave and it's good to return. Wherever you are, enjoy your winter. I know I'll be enjoying mine.

We are about to lose some really wonderful neighbors. They're moving back to Holland. We've known for a couple months but it hit me again last night. Madeleine kept wanting to pr*y for them. She kept saying "Pr*y" and then saying each persons name in the family. It made me sad. I don't know how many cups of sugar, eggs, milk, peanut butter and garlic have been borrowed from our house to theirs and theirs to ours but it's a lot. They also have our spare key. Once M is in bed we've used their baby monitor to be in their house and and hang out while she sleeps soundly in ours. We're really going to miss them. Madeleine's first word was "bye". It was so fitting since it started when we were moving from the States to here. I realized again today that our lives have more goodbyes than I want. The wonderful thing about this lifestyle is that you end up having friends all over the world and it's great for vacationing. The bad thin...

Ol' 2007 is out the door and fresh spankin new 2008 is on her way in. It's been a great year for me. - I started learning one of the hardest languages on the planet (maybe even in the solar system) - Mystery baby #2 was successfully created - Madeleine turned 2 - Phil and I both turned 30 - I got a great haircut that I still like - My parents lived here and then decided to move here - I made some great friends - Oh, and I'm sure there's much more... Today we have class, NY Eve, but no class tomorrow. January 1st is a national holiday here. Yali has both days off for family reasons and because it's a holiday. Phil gets to play Nanny today while I start a new semester. I have 2 new teachers this semester and I'm looking forward to the change. It should be interesting today since I haven't reviewed or studied for over a week now. Speaking of which, I should crack open the book for a bit before I head out. Happy New Year!

Yesterday was a great day. The brunch was a highlight of the day with so many delicious dishes. I'm enjoying some of the leftovers this morning. Madeleine really enjoyed the day and her gifts. We got her a doll house, Sylvanian series. Miriam (Phil's sister) had Sylvanian stuff growing up and so we thought it would be fun to start M's collection. So far she has the house, a dalmatian family, and a kitchen set. She loves it. I was afraid it might be too old for her but she really likes it. She was the life of the party with our friends. She kept everyone entertained with being silly and showing off her Chinese. Whenever she'd get a reaction out of folks she'd say or do the same thing over and over. It's been fun for our friends to see her personality develop since last year when we arrived here. As I type, a beautiful white bread maker is sitting to my left on the desk, my big present from Phil. I was too tired last night to get it set up (it's al...

Yep, he's coming very soon so you better be good, because he is definitely watching you. Kinda like living in this country. Last night the Tompkins came over for supper. I can't believe how much M likes Clinton (their 4 year old). Yesterday morning she didn't want to go to fellowship, "No, fellowship!" she said. "Clinton will be there, Madeleine," I said. Big smile. "Clinton? Okay." We had roast and veggies for supper. The other day at Market I saw this beautiful cut of beef. I thought, "Now how can Phil not love roast made with this?" Phil doesn't like roast, not mine, not my Mom's, not his Mom's, no ones. So, I have this on going goal to fix the most amazing roast that he will love and will change his mind about roast. But, it hasn't happened yet. He eats them but he thinks, "It's just roast". Last night's was very good. Clinton, who is an extremely picky eater, said, "This meat h...

It's felt like a long week for some reason. This is the last day of this semester so I'm sad to know that Annie won't be my teacher next time. She's been so great. Last blog was all about a lifeless object but that brings us much joy. This one will be about a very much alive little girl that brings us unbelievable joy. I can't even explain how much fun Madeleine is right now. She doesn't use the words, "I" or "I'm" she only says "My". So we hear these sentences like, "My tall!", "My Strong!", "My Helping", "My crying". Which is just too cute. The other day Phil thought he heard her say, "I" and it made him sad. If she's still doing it in college we'll start worrying but right now we love it. Our pollution in Xi'an is unbelievably bad, especially in the winter because of the coal used for heating. So, we have many days where we can't see the sky because of...