broken arms in Hong Kong

Sammy and his broken arm. About 7weeks ago we were visiting some friends, and the kids were outside playing on the playground equipment. Suddenly one of the kids come running saying Sammy has fallen and is really really hurt. When I rushed over, he was laying face down at the bottom of a slide. The first thought that went thru was had he broke his neck as he wasn't moving at all. Slowly body part by body part, we narrowed down the pain factor to his wrist. We got him inside, put some ice on it and tried to determine what we should do. He was settling down well, but we decided to take him in just to get it checked out. I was very thank-ful that the friend we were visiting has a vehicle and could drive us to the hospital. (it feels like a novelty to us know to driven somewhere) I was also very thank-ful to have her there to walk us through our first hospital visit. We got in quickly, and it was determined that he had a fracture on his arm bone (where it connects to the thumb bone at the wrist). We quickly got the finger to armpit plaster cast put on, and got back in time to watch American Idol at her house. ;). She was so kind to drive us to the ferry pier so we didn't have to do the MTR.
So every two weeks since that time we have had to travel to that same hospital to get his arm x-rayed and examined by the orthopedic dr. Travel time to the hospital is about 2 hours from door step to door step. Not really so bad, but tiring after a while. So after the first two visits he was down to a lighter cast that was from finger tips to elbow, and now he has a brace on for the last 4 weeks.
We had to go to the same hospital because our small local hospital does not have an orthopedic Dr. on site, and it was easier to go back there than transfer to a different hospital that might be slightly closer.
As Hong Kong resident we are able to access the local health care system like local residents. The initial visit to the hospital was $100HK ($13CA) and then subsequent visits are $60hk. Not too bad really. Mostly we have had a good experience with our hospital visits. The Dr.'s all speak english, and we have even had two Dr. who studied or lived in Canada! Most staff have some degree of english as well.
Sammy has been such a trooper thu it all. It has been so hard for him living on the island and everyone else going swimming on the hot days except him. I am so proud of him, but we are all looking forward to him getting it off.
He will have to have some physical therapy when the brace comes off, but thank goodness our little local hospital has a fabulous occupational therapy clinic we can go to. 5 minute walk rather than 2hr ferry/mtr trip. And the Koop children sang out 'Hallelujah!!!!!!'

the most amazing girl I know

Once upon a time a child came into this world. Never before had there been one just like this and never again would there be one exactly the same. The Great Mystery of the Universe created this one special, his very own handy work.

When she was 10 her family moved across the ocean to a crazy strange new land.

She love the new adventure. She saw a beauty in many things that the rest of us would have just passed by. She brought a joy to the journey that would not have been there with out her.

But to go on this journey she had to say good-bye to many loved ones. She had to leave many comforts and familiarities behind. She had to leave everything she had ever known for the unknown.

This was hard.

Very hard.

Most days she smiles, but often under the smile is a sadness of the good-byes and left behinds.

Tonight this dear one cried in my arms. I cried.

Tonight I asked Abba Father to hold her in the deep places where I can not.

Tonight she asked Abby Daddy to heal her heart and bring her joy.

He spoke his words of hope and peace to her in a way I never could have.
He came and held her in the places she didn't know she needed holding. He showed her the truth of in our weakness he is made strong. He painted a picture of his love for her in a way only the artist of all artist could do.

Now I ask for peace and joy for her. I ask for help in trust for me. I choose to lean not on my own understanding, and to hang suspended in him.

x-games

Today is warm out side. It says 28, but with the fog, um I mean cloud cover, um I mean pollution, it doens't feel quite that warm.

We were doing school. It was going okay. Not bad, but we were all having a really really difficult time focusing. It was almost lunch time.

I was struck by the need to go for a run. Sometimes the kids play at the beach while I run, so I suggested that maybe we should all get out a bit, and then we would be able to focus better this afternoon.

Well, suddenly the thought of swimming was brought up and a flurry of activity happened while swimming attire was found, I got my running gear on, and BB's chain was found so he could come down to the beach as well.

All right off we go. The kids quickly and happily set off looking for crabs and snails, BB is glad to be getting some attention, and I head off for my run (after stopping a young couple from snapping numerous pictures of the kids playing in the water).

Oh it was sweet. Everyone was happy, everyone was getting some much needed space and fresh air.

Then, suddenly, I remembered.

I had locked us out of the house.

oh man oh man oh man.

And not this is not the first time.

Okay, we got in before we can do it again. Feshya was showing great faith that we would not problems figuring it out.

Once we get home, I find that the ladder has been locked inside the flat that is being renovated below us on the ground floor. So we pondered and pondered and pondered and pondered.
There simply had to be a way to get in. We had even left two windows wide open. I just didn't know how in the world we would get in. (we are on the second floor).

We figure out that if I could lift Ethan up to crawl over to the neighbors balcony (second floor right beside us), he can crawl over the railing, inch along the railing to our open window, and then crawl in the window.
Simple right. We will just call this the class on strategic critical thinking.......yah and Physical Education for the hoisting and crawling and pulling.

So he does it, no problems. We were all a little freaked out that he would fall down once or twice. (I was standing on a chair and holding his feet the entire time).

Brad has nick named Ethan 'x-games' because he is always trying crazy things and seems to have an elastic body that is almost pliable.

So, after we are all inside, Ethan says how everyone needs to be thank-ful that he is x-games because otherwise we would have been locked out forever.

Thank x-games!!!

Quote of the Day

We have discovered that our dog has a bit of an obsession with bread. We new the old owners gave him bread for a treat, but......well, just read on.

As I have said there are many bakeries in town, and so it is very common to see people carrying small white or red plastic bags that are carrying fresh baking (or fish from the market....but anyways). We have learned quickly that we need to keep BB very close when we walk thru town so he isn't sniffing everyone's bags.

Yesterday as me and the kids sat at the beach having a bun, BB literally jumped and snatched a whole bun out of my hand before I even knew what was happening.

Today, I gave the kids some change to get a pineapple bun (it doesn't have pineapple in it, and doesn't even taste like pineapple....but again anyways) while I ran in to get some groceries. Suddenly Sam runs in to tell me that BB snatched Feshya's bun out of her hands.

I gave Feshya money to go and get another one, and low and behold,when she was about 3/4 thru, once again, BB snatched that freshly baked goodness right outta her hand.

This time she was not only mad, but extremely sad that this dog that she has lavished her love upon so freely would be so mean to her.

Her response just about had me rolling down the alley way.

Thru tears she says to me

"BB is the devil mom, he is the devil!!!!"


The did make their peace a few minutes later. But, I was still laughing!

Our new addition

May I please introduce you to our newest family member BB.

We have never lived in a place that allowed dogs before. When we found out that we would be living in a house with a yard here in HK, we promised Feshya that she could finally get a dog. She has pined for one for so very long.
About a month ago we heard of a couple here on the island that were moving to HK and were looking for a new home for their Golden Retriever. I had hoped that we would be in the house by then, but as we all know, that hasn't exactly work out.
So yesterday was the day that we picked him up, the picture above is taken just before we took him home.
I think it is obvious to see Feshya's pure excitement. She has literally dreamed of this day for years.

Our first days have been a bit of an adventure. The plan was to leave him outside for night, and then bring him to the new house during the day to run around. The yard is completely fenced in so it is perfect.

Well, it decided to rain all day. There is no place to tie him up with shelter where we are currently. And with it rainy, we couldn't go and spend the day at the new place in the yard. Sooooo, BB ended up spending half the day inside our current one room house! A few walks to town tired him out enough that he was pretty mellow and stayed in the corner without too much coaxing.

The house is a bit smellier (you know, that lovely wet dog smell).

But I really don't think I have the words to share the sweetness of our day. I saw my little girls heart grow, and heal. BB got more love and hugs and kisses and care than he even knew what to do with.

It was good!

Naughty

A few days ago as we were walking on the island, Brad had pulled Ethan aside and was 'talking' to him. Ethan is a very happy 6yr old boy who lives in a world all his own. Most days as we walk we have to constantly call Ethan to move out of someone's way, and honestly, 9 times out of 10 he ends up cutting right in front of someone else.
As Brad was discussing this with Ethan once again, another young boy wearing his school uniform rode his bike up beside Ethan and Brad. In a wonderful Chinese/British accent he asks
"What are you doing?"
Brad replies
"Just talking to my son"
The boy quickly takes in the situation and asks
"Was he naughty?"
To which Brad chuckles and says
"yes"
the boy responds
'I am naughty sometimes too!"
and then rides off showing us his riding with no hands trick.

School friendships

A big part about us coming was that we came as a package deal. We were not just coming so Brad could go work at the school, and I would live some sort of 'expat' life with the kids, but that we come together, we will all be involved. Of course, hubby will be there the most, but our hearts all there with him.

Since he started working, the kids have been taking turns going with 'daddy' to the school. The staff is very open to this and what a blessing. They are also open to us going with Brad and doing school with the our kids there while the students are in classes, and then helping/hanging out during the afternoon.

It is not just a blessing that my kids can go with daddy to work sometimes, but the relationships I see our kids developing with the students at the school. Walking thru a group of the students with the our kids is almost like at the end of a hockey game when the two teams shake hands. Almost every student says hi and breaks out into big smiles when my kids respond back. The look for the kids to say hi way more than myself or even Brad.

Sammy is the most outgoing, and quickly earned a reputation with his big smile (which earned him many a cheek pinches). Ethan still tends to play shy, but that seems to have become and challenge with some of the girl students who love to get him to smile. Today a few of them almost fell on the floor laughing when he showed them how he can wiggle his ears and flare his nostrils. And my dear Nefeshya. She has stood back and bit, assessing this whole situation. She is not a child like Ethan, and realizes that. She also realizes some of the girls are not that much older than her. But as she opens up, I see them being drawn into her laugh and love. My heart bursts as I watch these things happen. Alman has given all of the kids Chinese names of which they are very proud and the students know them by these names.

Nefeshya - A le(prounounce the E a short e), meaning Smart Girl
Sam - Summae, meaning beautiful forest
Ethan - Efan, meaning spaghetti (he was a little offended at first but thinks it is hillarious now).

I also am excited about opportunities to build relationship with the girls. Unfortunately, Nefeshya has been sick quite a bit since coming here, so I have been home a lot with her while the boys have had chances to go with Brad. We finally took her to the Dr. yesterday and he gave us some meds for her intestines which he said were quite swollen. I know many of you have been praying for her, thank-you so much. When she hears of some one saying that they have been praying for her she always always tells me to make sure I say thank-you for her. So 'THANK-YOU!!!!'. I do hope to start going to the school more often, and am dreaming up things I can do with Nefeshya and some of the girls to start building relationships.

I knew coming into this what an important role the kids played, and I stand in amazement as I watch it begin to unfold before my eyes.

sniff sniff sneeze

Today me and kidlets hunkered down and watched wonderful things like Mary Poppins, Hellen Keller, Harriet Tubman. We are all sniffling and sneezing and few coughs here and there. We stumbled into town and back as we had no food in the house and were amazingly blessed by running into a new friend who bought our groceries for us. The kids played and had a cheap McD's icecream cone while we had a lovely conversation thru my foggy brain. It was a good day. Being sick stinks and we all agreed on this. But we loved one another and had grace and patience with one another today. Now they are asleep, mostly peacefully other than the odd sneeze or sniffle and I pray that I won't be woken to sore tummies or stuffed noses tonight.

And I can hardly wait to have my hubby home tomorrow night again!

Happy Birthday my Double digit girl

Today is my dear daughter's Birthday. Today she turn's 10. 10 it seems is very very big. She could hardly fall asleep last night as she was far to excited to FINALLY be 10. "Not all my friends are 10 already, but most of them" she informed me.






Oh my girl, you bring such life to this home. You keep us focused on the things that matter. You challenge us to see things in a new way. I love you for that! I love your heart to serve and bless others. I love your honesty about how your heart is feeling. You have been created with a strong will and I bless that as I know there will be a great purpose in that! So often I wish you would stay small, but, then I can hardly wait to see your life unfold! The choices you will make! I love you sweet heart! Happy Birthday my love!!!

Last minute check ups

The time has come to get the kids in for dentists and eye appointments and all that stuff. Yes I know, I could have been on this a few months ago, but those of you who really know me won't even bother reminding me of that. So 3 kids to the dentist, two were told
"my oh my, you have perfect teeth!!! You have been brushing them so well, and flossing too I can see". Well, they can't really see cause if they knew how often I forget to tell my kids to floss they would realize they didn't know.

Then the third. The whispering, the quiet number writing in obscure codes. The hmmmm, ahhhh, yes yes.
Then it comes. The talk with the mom. Much work, much needs fixing, much much money needs to be spent at the dentist. I mean, wow, that little itty bitty stuff of white that they put on kids teeth, must be rare or something or the amount of money it costs. Oh yah, and a tooth extraction, now doesn't that sound like fun. But the lucky little stinker won't remember a thing. It is called drugs. The legal kind. So now it is on to the specialist, and many phone calls to the insurance company, and, praying that we can get in before we go.

Yup, okay, maybe I shoulda done this a few months ago.

The life of a Local

I live in a resort town. There are some tricks a person learns to survive living in a place where everyone else comes for holidays. Our small city is placed right on a lake, and there are a few other beautiful lakes with in an hours driving distance. So summer can get a little crazy. And the beaches can get very very full. We spend a lot of time like everyone at the beach on hot summer days, but there are a few survival skills we have learned.

One thing is that we have sought out the not as well known beaches. For those days when you just don't want to be in a huge group of people this is wonderful secret.

The second is that most of the tourists spend all day out in the hot sun, then go home for supper and the evening. We go to the beach when everyone else is going home. It is perfect. The beaches are quieter, the air is cooler, and it feels so good to cool off before coming home to bed. Everyone sleeps so much better. And the amazing sunsets we have seen.
Here let me share some photo's.


























































Enjoy your summer, wherever you are.

Random thoughts during the wiating

Been a while again. Seems the cold traded in for summer, and we got blasted with a heat wave here last week. It really isn't that hot, but it is just that a few short weeks ago I had hardly thought of bringing out my summer clothes, and then suddenly it was a mad dash to find the shorts and tank tops. I have found it hard to be very motivated because of it, but the up side is it means lot of fun outside, and many trips to the beach. It is such an amazing blessing to live at the lake.



A few years ago we returned to the prairies, and although I loved being back, I will always be a mix of mountain BC girl/prairie girl. I see and love the beauty in both.




Anyways.....

Really, nothing very new here. Still packing and cleaning and packing and cleaning and.......well you guessed it, packing and cleaning. I try to stop, but I seem incapable of it. Yet I am so tired of being in a half state of packing, but not being able to just go all the way. Yet, past the point of having a clean organized house anymore. Soon Soon I know. I won't bore you anymore with my whining.

Hubby was home most of last week with some back issues. Having him home is great, but it seems to throw the whole schedule out. I was also angry at myself that I was kinda grumpy a lot and so wasn't able to enjoy him being around as much as I could have. Stupid how being grumpy just ruins everything!

Well, as you can see, this post is really not going anywhere, yet I felt the need to come and write, so here I am.

I miss painting. I think perhaps I need to go a canvas and release some of this.

My children are delightful. My girl is definitely hitting preteen stuff. I love it. She isn't so sure! Today she had a very hard day, and had a bit of a melt down as she was getting ready for bed. The boys made her a special picture and told her how much the loved her, and then they decided to all have sleep together. It amazes to see how sibling can drive each other crazy, yet they have a magic to reach out and protect each other as well. Beautiful to watch.




good night friends. May the breathe of peace be on you tonight!

Quote of the Day

"Mom, did God make me to like Romantic?"

I declare it to be spring

Now I fully realize it is totally and completely outside of my powers to declare such a thing, but I did something today that decided that in this house, we will now act as if it is spring.

We set up our trampoline!

We did it all on our own without my hubby's big muscles to help. It was a challenge, and there were a few injuries along the way, but we were a determined bunch. Me and my 6 helpers.
With 'Go mommy go' chanting, I had to come through. The thought of waiting for Daddy to get home seemed impossible.
The ground may still be squishy and a bit muddy, but when you can go outside without a jacket, and some with shorts, you just gotta get that trampoline up. (It was only +10, but one little boy of mine was really determined to show me just how warm it was)

Besides, as a homeschooling mother, buy this time of year, I am getting a little desperate for activities that happen outside! They need to be outside. Trust me, it is better for everyone that spring is finally, almost, kinda here.

Let's just hope we don't get another freak snow storm again this weekend!

Sat. thru Sammy's eyes

We were out and about all day Sat. Here is the day thru Sammy's eyes of the Camera. And some from Brad at the end.


































Well, Blogger is putting my photo's in some crazy order, but that will have to do, because I don't know how to fix it.

Have a great monday!!

The choice of success

It is that time in my year where I have to hand in portfolio's of my kids schooling. I am technically not seen as a 'homeschooler' by the government, but my children are distant learners. Many 'real' homeschoolers would turn their noses at me and tell me I am not really a homeschooler either because I have chosen to be accountable to a local school. But, I think we all gotta do what we gotta do, and this is my gotta do. And one look at my kitchen walls, and well, lets just say it isn't covered in maps and the alphabet because we like the educational look!
Anyways.........
as I was saying, I am trying to get my portfolio handed in, and I am just a little late. Anyways, it is always a time where I see all that we have done......and all that we haven't done. I see all their success' and I see all my failures! I love it and hate it. Learning is so unique in all of my kids, it is an amazing journey that I get to watch and guide!

I have also been having an interesting time with my art. A few days ago I was feeling so proud and happy and exciting about what I was doing and wanting to learn, and then one day, I hated it all! I mean, I took it all down because I couldn't even look at it. Then today, I did a few tweeks, and suddenly I am loving it again.
I just read a story about an artist who once was painting out doors and threw all of his supplies into the bush he was trying to paint. But, very next early morning he was up collecting all of his supplies from the death he had sentenced them to. I laughed, I would do that. Okay, maybe I wouldn't, but I sure would think about doing it!!

Being seen

After my last post I have been thinking a lot about people and more specifically people's stories.

It is a powerful thing to share your story with people. We had some friends over last weekend and as everyone was just sitting around talking, someone started to share part of their story. From there, others began to open up and share a part of their lives that had some of the same elements. It was beautiful to see people hearts be opened to one another. For people to be seen and to see others.
Then yesterday, I was at another friends house, and we began to share our 'battle stories' and how we got through those times. Everyone was laughing as we remembered. We all recounted how we got through the long waits, the disappointments, but also the miracles we had seen and experienced.
And again, I noticed a beautiful thing happen. We all felt encouraged to continue in our journey. There was a strength that was breathed into each one of us as we simply shared our stories.












When I got home, I thought of history, and how many of the old festivals were really remembrances. Remembering the miracles, remembering to be thank-ful, remembering just to celebrate, and sometimes remembering the heartache. They would retell the stories of old,
passing on from one generation to the next.
I remembering being in China, and I would watch a group of women in my apartment complex. Every afternoon they would sit together. In winter they would move with the sun, and in summer they would move with the shade.


I would sit in my window sill and wonder what they talked about, wishing I could join in (even if I didn't knit). Often they would invite me to sit with them, but with my 5 words of mandarin, the conversation never got very far. But, over the months as I watched this daily ritual, I thought of the power of telling our tales. Sharing our moments of greatness, and weakness.
It is a wondrous thing how we were created, isn't it!


This last picture I found, and had to add it, just to remember part of my own journey. This was in Shanghai. I had taken the kids out for an afternoon in the park. And they are super cute if I do say so myself!! Aww, those were great days!

Sick days

Our house has been on the defensive against a nasty bug for the last few weeks. It didn't strike us all at once, but has made a slow progress from one person to another. Mostly it hasn't been too bad. It seems to be flu like, but we have mostly not had the typical really disgusting parts of having the flu (you know, big bowls in every room for 'just in case you don't make it yuckiness).
So today, my only goal was to get out of the house and do something. That is it, just get out. Well, needless to say it is noon, and the prospects are not looking good.
On the homeschooling front we are doing Canadian history and reading some amazing books together. Right now we are reading a book called "Jeremy's war 1812". It is a true story about a boys life as batboy for General Isaac Brook ( a batboy was the go to person). We try to read a chapter a day, but today they begged me to read 'Just one more mom ppplleeeaasseee!!!'. So, it was a the perfect thing to do with half of us being sick. We all crawled under my duvet (it is the only blanket the kids want when they are sick) on the couch and read together for 2 hours. I couldn't believe it. Sometimes they colored while they listened, but mostly we just snuggled together and went on a adventure of how the French, British and Americans fought for Upper Canada. It turned out to be a great morning.

Holding it all loosely

As I have said before, we have lived out our lives with the thought of moving overseas for a few years now. We casually throw around comments like 'you can go to camp if we still live here', 'No we are not going to buy that in case we go soon' etc etc. Most of the time this is part of our normal conversation, and a big part of our decision making.
There are times when I realize how strange it is to be raising my kids this way. How really not normal it is. But then there are times when I see how hard it is for my kids.

We were at the store a few weeks back and all my kids wanted to spend their allowance on the biggest cutest softest stuffies ever. So casually I said that there would be a good chance that these stuffies would be too big to take along when we move to Hong Kong.
Like I said, this is a normal part of conversation for us. But that day, it was different.
Two of my kids skipped off picking a small one they new would fit in the coveted "2 suitcase quota'. But one of my precious little ones stopped. In the business of Superstore I almost missed it and was about to tell him he needed to hurry up. As I looked at his face I saw the questions. In that moment, he felt the strangeness. He knew how hard the giving up would be, how difficult to pick of all his belongings, what was going to come with him.
In that moment I uttered a desperate breathe prayer, for him, for us all.

But I trust the journey. I choose to trust the journey. I trust that hands that hold it all.

I also think of all of those who have and are doing this. It has been a wonderful thing for us to know so many families living overseas. I remember the first time we went and found online forums of moms who lived overseas. Suddenly I felt like I was apart of a special club. It always helps to not feel alone.

"To me they were Mom"

Today was Feshya's Valentines party. She wanted to bring cookies. So yesterday we got out her Fairy Cookbook and she choose the cute little marshmallow fudge cutouts. Well, they didn't exactly work to cut out, but they were yummy and the perfect shade of pink for any 9 yr girl's world. Being the fabulous mom that I am (please see the humor there) I had to find a way to make it work. There needed to be some redeeming.
The day had started with making Valentine's to hand out. We got out all our supplies with ideas of the fabulous/better than any bought valentine's we were going to make. That was the plan, yet our sad little papers were not turning out as we had imagined. So, I looked at her and said "I bet they have some really cute one's at the store with the sparkle's already on them.......????!!!!". Off we went, and found the cutest Littlest Pet Shop ones that really did have sparkles on them (score one for momma).
And now the cookies. I couldn't possibly just go and buy something. So I put on my Super Mom Cape and thought, What to do with this fudge. I had to make this work. I saw visions of getting a 'My mom is the best and makes all the best things, and don't you wish your mom was like mine' award.
So after sending her off to school this morning, and then spending the morning in the kitchen, I flew off in my Super Mommy Mobile (otherwise known as the really stinky dirty green van out in my driveway).
After many giggles, hugs and kisses upon delivery I knew I had done good. Really good.

But, I had to ask.

"So, were the cookies the best at the party?" Yes I do see the grasping for a compliment I was doing there, just so you know.
And she said the magic words

"To me they were mom!"

That is what she said. I smiled and leaned over and kissed her forehead, and she smiled at me knowingly.

This is the moment that makes it all worth while.