For 3 weeks we traveled from our city in Asia, to Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand and back. It felt like we are on the Amazing Race T.V. show for families. The kids are great travelers and enjoyed riding on our suitcases as we ran to catch flights, trains and boats to our destinations. Many on-lookers were chuckling as we ran by.
Our main goal was to have a retreat with others we work with. We were encouraged and reconnected with some friends that we have not seen for five years now. We celebrated and worshiped together, while the kids had childcare. It was a nice to have a little break to hear a message with full attention.
Our health check-ups went great and to our surprise Noah didn’t cry when he got his immunizations. Alleyah had a good experience at the dentist and her bad tooth from her fall is fine to leave alone until it is ready to fall out. Thank goodness for baby teeth!
We had five days of relaxation in the sun during the Chinese New Year. Many Asians were there to greet the kids with cameras and asked them for photos, I guess they will not get away from the paparazzi in Asia. The kids both learned how to swim. Noah still needs a little work, but Alleyah is flipping under water and almost grew mermaid fins. On our way home she started to fuss about her ear and we found out she had swimmer’s ear. Our poor little girl had three flights of pressure to endure to get home. She still has a temperature, but is doing much better now. Morgan came home with tonsillitis and Noah has a cold. Nevertheless, everyone was happy to be “home.” Noah said, “It’s nice be home, mama.” That’s music to my ears, as a mother that just moved her family across the world 5 months ago. It blesses me that they feel at home.
School starts next week for Alleyah and the week after for Morgan and I. We have a few things to prepare before the schedule returns to normal. We hope to start to reconnect with local friends and hear about their New Year, and spend time with them before the school year starts again.
We already look forward to this school year and are excited to learn a lot more language. We will have a few visitors to help teach and work in our city and we also are excited to host them and see the work move forward.
Thanks to everyone who has been thinking about us, and thanks for notes of encouragements too.
