A Day in the Life of Annette

6:30- After a good night's sleep I usually wake up smiling in Mom and Dad's bed (where I end up by the morning)

7:00- Dad goes to work and Mom reads us a story, we both want to see the pictures

7:00- 9:30- Play time followed by my morning nap


9:30 11:30-We walk to the store, the park or a friend's house. Today Josiah made sure I wasn't lonely on the ride!

11:30- 1:30- Beauty sleep. On a good day Josiah and I nap at the same time

1:30- 5:30- Some afternoons we go to Daddy's school, go swimming or walk to the beach. I love the sand on my toes. Usually I squeeze in a short cat nap.


5:00- 6:00- I help Mommy cook dinner, if only I could get some of that yumminess in my mouth

6:00- 8:00- Bath and time to show off my new tricks. I can (almost) sit up on my own now!

8:00- I brush my non- existent teeth and get kisses, cuddles, and lullabies. Night, night
Check out my brother's life when he was my age here

Wordless Wednesday- Scrub-a-Dub

Playing Together

Josiah is very eager to play with (actually wrestle) Annette. She is a pretty good sport and rewards Josiah with big smiles, while I'm sure many kids would run for cover! This week we discovered that Josiah and Annette can swing together. This playground is in our estate and we've been going every day because they both love it!


Yesterday I popped my head out from the kitchen to find that Josiah had given Annette a "few" toys to play with. As you can see they were up to her head!

Back to School Reflections

I get nostalgic this time of year for new lunch boxes, neatly printed name tags, and boxes of freshly sharpened Crayolas. Jason is now back in the swing of school now so I decided to do a little reflecting myself about the upcoming year.

I got inspired to write a mission statement here. My hope is that I will look at this often and use it as a compass to keep me on track:
My mission is. . .

To create an inviting and peaceful home for my family and all that enter, that is conducive to living simply, loving deeply, and laughing abundantly.

To esteem and respect Jason through my thoughts, words and actions.

To cheerfully and patiently shepherd my children and teach them to develop Christ- like character.

To seek daily to hear God’s voice and live a life that is above all, pleasing to Him.

My goals are (I love goals, but can get a little crazy. I tried to keep this realistic) . . .

1. Rise at 5:30 M- F to exercise (run or pilates)

2. Run the Standard Charter 10K

3. Read the Bible daily (while the kids are napping) and pray for our family and the poor

4. Memorize one Bible passage a month based on themes of Faith and Love

5. Read one book a month (topics include nutrition, parenting, ministry to the poor)

6. Invite a friend, neighbor, or co- worker over for dinner once a week

7. Learn more about Montessori methods and spend 30 minutes each day doing a meaningful activity with Josiah

8. Intentionally maintain the relationships with our refugee friends and look for way to bless them

9. Maintain consistent communication with friends and family (via email, skype, mail, phone, blog)

10. Look for one way each day to express love to Jason

What are your goals for this year?

Check it out

When we were in California Terilee (my sister- in- law) took some precious pics of Annette, along with some family photos. If anyone needs a central coast photographer she is awesome!
To check them out go to her blog here or view them all in the proofing gallery by entering our email address, password is paine

I love the rain . . .

. . . when I'm cozy on the upper deck of a bus



I love the way the water on the window blurred the colors of this bus

Come on in . . .

I just realized that I haven't posted pictures of our new place. We are feeling settled and really enjoying life here. It was a little tricky getting everything to fit. Josiah's bed was such a tight squeeze that Jason took out the saw (with a wild gleam in his eye) and cut off part of the leg. I got overwhelmed at a few points and just got rid of items that I couldn't make room for (bye bye crock pot). We had fun painting the kids' rooms, but didn't include a picture of ours, because it is just a bed.

The entrance to Monte Vista
This is what our living room looks like without toys strewn everywhere. Do you like my domestic helper?


Big kitchen by HK standards, but no oven ):





Here is the Monte Vista play room, which is a life saver on rainy days

Little Boy, Big City

Sometimes I am really struck by how different Josiah's childhood is from my own. I have to wonder, how is our choice to live in Hong Kong shaping him?
Will he grow up to . . .
love cement?
fear germs ?
like small spaces?
hate small spaces?
desire a fast- past life?
value other cultures?
be bilingual?
have exotic taste buds?
be time- oriented?
respect rules?
be materialistic?
value education?
have a heart for the lost?


Josiah is like a video camera always switched "on" recording everything I do and say. Occasionally the camera switches to "play" as he shows me what he's been recording. Lately I've been convicted of my need to model more love and grace to the people around us. I can't know what long- term effects this environment will have on Josiah, but I can choose to show him how to love even in frustrating moment (ie- being cut off while getting on the train). Living around lots of people provides lots of chances to love.

Hong Kong is obviously having a big effect on Annette's fashion sense.

I'm Seriously in Love

Potty Time

Well, we're trying here! I think awareness is *slowly* coming as Josiah gets used to using the potty. The score is pee- 1 poo- 2. I'm not keeping score of the uh- ohs. I made him a sticker chart which he is really excited about and after he has success we do the potty dance (there will be no video of this, sorry). He has books about the potty, Elmo's Potty time, and this morning we even decorated his potty chair together. At home he is naked a lot these days or in his Thomas underwear.
I am finding it hard to be consistent since I am too chicken to take him out without a diaper. Don't think I could handle that (or the gazes from others ) on the train, bus, mall etc. So we go back and forth.
I must be a gluten for laundry because I also switched Annette over to cloth diapers this week. For now we are just taking it one day at a time and keeping the washer running.
If you have any advice please leave a comment!

Josiah so excited about his underwear he put on several pairs at once!