November Musings

Don't you love November? I do! (I may have said the same thing about October). Life is not perfect, but we looking for the beauty and blessings each day. There is a fun little trail next to our house with a vista of our village. Among things I am thankful for, being able to live in the busy, most- vertical- city-in- the- world AND access nature is high on the list.

 We took time as a family to build an "ebenezer" by writing on stones things we are thankful for and that God has done for us. The kids also wrote on turkey feathers, because that's just fun.

 

 A friend once explained to me that as kids get older that it gets “easier” but also more “complicated”. I think I am starting to understand what she meant. Entering into this school- aged season in life has brought many joys, but also complexities. Not only complexities in the logistical sense (who has early release today? whose library books are due today? Whose supposed to bring show and tell? etc) but more so on the emotional level.

One thing that has really helped recently is getting to know and understand my kids better. A friend loaned me the book “Nurture by Nature” which explains Myers Briggs personality types for kids. I totally geek out on this stuff. (My family knows I got on a  kick for *years* where I couldn’t stop talking about birth order. So watch out if I corner you and open my mouth about Myers Briggs)

Josiah and Annette are at a great age to explore this.  I found it so helpful to put a name to a lot of the traits that I see displayed in both of them. Josiah is a very clear- cut ENFP (extrovert, intuitive, feeling, perceiving) while Annette I think is a ISFJ (introvert, sensing, feeling, judging) although I’ll need a few more years to be confident of her type. “Nurture by Nature” has a chapter on each personality type and every word, I mean every word, of the ENFP dripped of Josiah. It was so helpful and validating to understand the way God made him and in turn how to best parent him.

Now this little darling still remains in many ways a mystery to us. Some moments we get this look . . 

 

 . . .and other moments we get this one. I’m going to do my best for now not to analyze that but just to give lots of tickles and cuddles through the exhausting simplicity of toddlerhood.

 

 And just because who knows when I'll blog next, I thought I'd share year 2 of the Christmas jammies. They are a little snugger this year but bringing lots of joy. We are ready to launch into the advent season. Happy Holidays to you!!

I should really be using Annabelle's short nap today to write a paper for my class or cross some items off my to- do list. But I wanted to grab this moment to remember and enjoy some recent moments. My little nephew had a near- death chocking encounter last week and my whole family has been reminded of what a gift and joy ordinary days hold. 

The weather is *slowly* cooling off so we're about done swimming now. We picked up this car and the slide for free!1 

Annabelle's latest thing is dolls and dress up

Josiah played in his first Rugby tournament. He got several "tackles" (they play touch still at this age) we were so proud of him

 Annette started piano lessons and is a very serious student. We are thankful for her amazing teacher Miss Lauren.

Fall Fabulousness

 I can hardly handle the cuteness of Annabelle these days! She has so much personality and is really tons of fun. She is talking more and more now and her favorite expressions are "wow!" and "yay!" She is definitely her mother's daughter!

 Can you guess who inspired our pumpkin grin this year?

Today we had our annual costume party at Mom's Group. Here is Annette with her main squeeze Max.

Happy Fall Ya'll!!

The Umbrella Revolution

It's funny that after my last post on how we hadn't gone down to the protests, that this weekend we decided to take a trip to go check them out. Traffic is a nightmare on Hong Kong island due to many street closures so we parked in Kowloon, crossed by ferry and hoofed it all over the island. Our outing was definitely sweetened with the incentive of checking out a new California style Mexican joint, yum!

There were not 50,000 protestors on the street as there had been previously, but still hundreds of tents were set up and there was a lot to look at

We were so impressed by how organized everything was. There were garbage and recycling centers, cell phone charging centers and even a little library and people offering free math tutoring services!

Josiah added his blessing for HK to the wall

We were so glad that we went out. Not only was it an enjoyable, beautiful evening but we got to experience a piece of history. We had some good talks with the kids about democracy, how governments view people and which systems align with how God views people. We even discussed appropriate and inppropriate forms of protests and when it is important to take a stand. Hopefully they don't start exercising these practices with bedtime and vegetable protests anytime soon!

It's October!!

Hello October!! This is one of my favorite months in Hong Kong!! Lots of sunny days and still warm enough to swim, but it no longer feels like we live in a sauna. There has been a cooler breeze in the mornings which is absolutely glorious. This post is going to be a smattering of random photos to fill in the gaps from the last couple weeks. The biggest event was our friends the Sauders visiting from Cambodia. We absolutely LOVED seeing them and traipsing around Hong Kong with them.  We had so much fun that I barely have a photo from our whole time together (what happened?)

I started back in school for the first time in a decade. So far I am loving my first graduate class and the chance to sweep some cobwebs off my mom- brain. This is my office while Annabelle takes her afternoon nap

Here is Annabelle's signature eyebrow look

On special nights before bed daddy gives the kids a geography lesson on the big map in their room. They love it (of course kids love most things that delay bedtime)

 We've been doing some fall baking (with the air conditioning on). This pie turned out so delish

 Hong Kong had a crazy historic week of protests. Can you find us? Just kidding we weren't there, but we sure heard a lot about it

 I found Annabelle doing this

Flashback to 2010- here is Josiah doing the exact same thing!!!

And his happened. 

 The boys have been having fun planning what to build with this pallet

 We daily watch the progress on this house being built behind us

 Anybody have  a caption for this face?

 This is what happens after you've been friends with someone for 8 years, you start rubbing off on each other

 Our kids fight a lot. Like way too much. But every once in a while a moment like this spontaneously happens and we're reminded that we all love each other. Thank you Jesus for those moments!