New T-shirt!!

I have to say that today has been one of my favorite days so far.   Please don't think this move has been a bed of roses every day.  There have been some difficult transitions (language barrier, transportation, techno music and food are my top 4!), but we're adjusting as a family and many wonderful changes have happened as a result of this move.  One being that my husband is home every night.  We all eat together each night (actually, we eat every meal together now!).  We sit around the table as a family and talk about what we're thankful for, what has been everyone's favorite part of the day, and what has been frustrating to us that day.  That may seem fairly simple, but if you're anything like our family, at times we make life get just a bit too distracting and forget to do the "eating thing" together as a family.  It's been interesting to hear everyone's highs and lows in these last 3 weeks.  One of the things we've been most thankful for has turned into being our biggest thorn in our side- our apartment.  The noise level has been almost unbearable at times.  The construction noises we're  getting used to, but the incredibly loud "techno" music from down the street at night makes us feel like we're living in a nightclub.  We're hoping that it's due to the holiday- if not, hmmmmmm.....

One of the first things on my thankful list at dinner tonight was meeting a young lady who came with the cleaning ladies this morning (yes, I have cleaning ladies...see post "Bye Bye Hotel" for more on that!).  She goes to the university here in town and does speak some english!  She even said, "Ni Hao" (means "hello" in chinese) to Audrey An!  We really enjoyed talking with her and making the connection that the cleaning gals are sisters.  Anyway...I just had to grin inside thinking of the connections being made and relationships being built.

We're living in an area that overlooks one of the many lakes in the city, and we walked around almost the entire lake this afternoon!  We had an amazing time enjoying the awesome weather, trying out new foods, and I had the best time taking pictures.  I just love people watching.  It's so fascinating to me!  David and I feel like we're getting such a better grasp on the area in which we live. It was kinda cool to come across an area of town coming in from a different direction and say, "Oh! I recognize this place!"

I've also come to the conclusion today that I'm getting a new t-shirt made that says, "Yes, she's my daughter, Yes, she's chinese. Yes, I'm sure."  The back side will say, "Yes, the blondie is mine, too!"  If I could have a dollar for all the strange looks we get walking down the street, I'd be a millionaire (and we've only been here 3 weeks!).  I just crack up looking at the faces of these sweet people as they are trying to process why I'm holding hands with two little girls who look nothing alike.  If some of them get brave enough, they ask, "Children?? (or something in their language!)"  I politely smile and say, "yes!"  They try to convince me she's not chinese : )

Enjoy the pics...

We crashed a wedding on our walk.  I even asked played charades to ask if I could take their picture : )

The reception on the street...

David took this one outside our window early this morning.  I was still trying to recover from the techno music from the night before!

Party Princess and a Melt Down

Sunday was AA's birthday, and she couldn't wait to be the first one in the family to celebrate in our new country!  We had a fun day together, and she seemed to be genuinely happy about her special day although we didn't do much of anything extraordinary.  David had his first flight with his new company that day and even left before the rooster's started crowing.  The girls and I did our first taxi ride from the apartment to a meeting in the morning (thank goodness for business cards that have both languages on them that I can show to the driver!), walked to a new place for lunch, and hung out there for awhile.  Thankfully, they had some bakery items so I was able to purchase something for her "cake".  I let her pick, and from all the items on display she chose a cutely (is that a word?) decorated gingerbread cookie?!?!  Personally, I would have gone for the big, honkin' chocolate cake, but....whatever.  It made her happy!  We walked another 25 minutes to get home (if we hadn't stopped for lunch our trip home would have taken at least 45-50 minutes) ten waited for Daddy-o to get home.  Please don't take for granted that most of you reading this can hop in your car and drive to Kroger or Target and get whatever you need, AND if you forget something, you can hop right back into and drive back...probably very fast.  We ordered pizza for dinner, and I think it was probably the 6th or 7th time we've had pizza in two weeks.  So glad it doesn't take much for little ones to feel special because I wasn't feelin' the creative juices flowing.  AA was thrilled to skype the family.  It was still the night of the 25th for them, but AA's birthday here so they sang "Happy Birthday!" and she was a happy camper.

party pic!

I love that they always hold hands, and I love that AA was wearing her Party Princess hat all the way home.  It totally didn't bother her that people were staring at her...love that about her!  She does her own thing.

Today, I was on the verge of a melt down- a small one.  It would have been my 2nd one since we got here.  Hey, I'm thinking that's not too bad  : )  My cleaning gals had just left (still such a foreign concept for me!!), and I was able to take a deep breathe.  It's just kinda really odd for me to have people here cleaning up after me!  I feel this compulsive need to help them, but I've been told not to though and let them "do their thing".  I did do the "team" approach on her first time with me and helped her make the beds....just can't help it!  She came back for something- I don't even know for what because she got sidetracked "helping" me cook lunch.  Oh my, the frustration began to set in as I was NOT understanding what she was trying to tell me.  Bless her heart, she just smiles and then starts speaking very slowly and makes me repeat what she saying.  Okay, so I'm kinda learning to repeat what she's saying, but I have no clue WHAT I'm saying.  She just smiles at me like I've got it.  Wow, I never really learned how to cook while understanding english, and now I'm trying to learn it in another language?  LOL!!!  Apparently, I was even using the "wrong" size rice bowls, too.  I think she felt sorry for me when she opened the fridge (and basically saw nothing!).  She left and came back with 3 tomatoes and some green onions, and "other" things.  I was just happy that I actually was cooking rice for AA's lunch, but I think she couldn't imagine that anyone wanted to eat plain rice (which AA does like).  After she finished concocting some lunch for us she set it on the table and told us to sit down.  I was telling the girls to sit down and say thank you because she had gone to a lot of trouble. She insisted that we pour it on our rice, and AA was making "yucky" faces.  I was kicking AA under the table (if you know what I mean!).  I decided to try it and it was good.   THEN...Abigail and I spotted something.  Something that looked rather "wormish".  Needless to say, the melt down began...

So back to Audrey An.  My little semi melt down made me think and cherish Audrey An's transition into our family.  I am just having such a better appreciation for my sweet and resilient daughter!  I can't imagine what life was like for you beginning 18 months ago!  What I'm experiencing is such a small glimmer of your transition into your new world.  I have a husband and two daughters who can understand me.  You had no one and nothing familiar to you!   I have so much to learn from you.  You have lived in 3 countries in 18 months and are now being exposed to your 3rd language.  YOU, my child, are one amazing little cookie... I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

Okay, David will be home in a few hours.  Dinner....what to do, what to do!

What a GREAT Day!

Our unique, Bamboo/Palm-like Christmas tree!

Two very appreciative and precious daughters...it's was so thrilling to see them excited about having their stockings from back home and just as satisfying to see them thrilled with simple and very minimal gifts.  What a blessing!

They both were pretty pumped with lipstick and lollipops!

Gotta love me some technology!  We skyped with my parents and my grandmother this morning.  We sang them our special song- the one I posted yesterday!

That's one good lookin' Santa and two cute li'l elves : )

We then read and watched a movie about the reason for the season.  David and I just teared up at different moments.  My special Christmas request was that it be a special and meaningful day for my entire family.  I knew it would be very different as we'd be 4 of a very small population who would be thankful.  It was refreshing to not be in an atmosphere that wasn't so commercialized, and we were able to really appreciate and focus of the Gift.  As we watched about the Son I saw things in a different light.  I really tried to put myself in the mother's shoes, and I was also touched thinking about the father- what an amazing man he must have been, too!   What an incredible bond He was able to give the mother and father.   I related in such a special way knowing that my family had been moved to a foreign land and had hope in the gift as well.

After our wonderful morning together we took a taxi to the downtown area which we had not ventured to yet.  WOW...so interesting.  There's a street for everything- literally.  There's "purse" street.  There's "clothing" street.  There's "lace and ribbon" street, etc.  By this time we were all starving and let's just say turkey and dressing was not on anyone's menu, but we found such a cool little place!

 We sat outside at the Rock Billy Cafe on this very very narrow "patio" (it was more like a window!), but then moved inside since it was rather chilly today.

Sharing a sweet moment with his youngest!

Singing Christmas carols with Audrey An.

We've never had rice spring rolls, spicy beef and noodles, rice with veggies and cashews for Christmas dinner before!  The girls opted for something a bit more western....ham and cheese sandwich with fries.  We had moon pies and oreos for dessert when we got back home...woo hoo!

asian fingers...

Kinda reminded my  of the Old Navy manequins!

Okay, so which rice do I buy?  I thought there were only TWO kinds of rice- white and brown!

Where's Waldo?

The ONLY thing I would have changed about today is going to the Big C (and the loud music that's blaring from outside....hope that's not a regular thing or David's 4am departures are going to come even earlier!).  We kinda had to though.  David has his first flight tomorrow and needed an iron for his uniform, etc.  Oh, and food.  We were told not to go on the weekend, and we didn't obey!  The Big C is like a Wal-Mart- well, kind of : )

Now...off to plan a birthday party for tomorrow.  Should be interesting to try to find some kind of cake or something "festive"!   I better deliver 'cause my sweet little Xiaoli is anticipating SOMETHING.   Hmmmm...

Merry Christmas Eve!

Check out our new ride!

2010 has been anything but “normal”. Well, on second thought it has been normal for us- a lot of changes seem to happen in our lives on a fairly regular basis! So, enjoy our song as we share from our latest adventure!

On the 1^st day of Christmas my true love gave to me

A year in a foreign country!

On the 2^nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me

2 bowls of pho and a year in a foreign country!

On the 3^rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me

3 flight attendants, 2 bowls of pho, and a year in a foreign country!

On the 4^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me

4 airplanes, 3 flight attendants, 2 bowls of pho, and a year in a foreign country!

On the 5^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me

5 hours of sleep!! 4 airplanes, 3 flight attendants, 2 bowls of pho, and a year in a foreign country!

On the 6^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me

6 tummy aches, 5 hours of sleep!! 4 airplanes, 3 flight attendants, 2 bowls of pho, and a year in a foreign country!

On the 7^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me

7 roosters crowing, 6 tummy aches, 5 hours of sleep!! 4 airplanes, 3 flight attendants, 2 bowls of pho, and a year in a foreign country!

On the 8^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me

8 chopsticks, 7 roosters crowing, 6 tummy aches, 5 hours of sleep!! 4 airplanes, 3 flight attendants, 2 bowls of pho, and a year in a foreign country!

On the 9^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me

9 motor bikes, 8 chopsticks, 7 roosters crowing, 6 tummy aches, 5 hours of sleep!! 4 airplanes, 3 flight attendants, 2 bowls of pho, and a year in a foreign country!

On the 10^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me

10 bad hair days, 9 motor bikes, 8 chopsticks, 7 roosters crowing, 6 tummy aches, 5 hours of sleep!! 4 airplanes, 3 flight attendants, 2 bowls of pho, and a year in a foreign country!

On the 11^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me

11 taxi cabs, 10 bad hair days, 9 motor bikes, 8 chopsticks, 7 roosters crowing, 6 tummy aches, 5 hours of sleep!! 4 airplanes, 3 flight attendants, 2 bowls of pho, and a year in a foreign country!

On the 12^th day of Christmas my true love gave to me

12 hour time change, 11 taxi cabs, 10 bad hair days, 9 motor bikes, 8 chopsticks, 7 roosters crowing, 6 tummy aches, 5 hours of sleep!! 4 airplanes, 3 flight attendants, 2 bowls of pho, and a year in a foreign country!

If you haven't figured out yet, David was given the opportunity to take a leave of absence from his current airline and take a new flying job overseas. He accepted the position on November 10, and we packed our 9 suitcases and 4 backpacks then boarded a flight on December 10. To put it in airline terms...it was a “quick turn”! It was bitter sweet to leave family and friends (especially for Abigail), but we are so excited about the opportunity that has been given to us. It's truly a once in lifetime chance, and we're going to take advantage of it! The girls are adjusting quite well, and we're thankful for their courage and adaptability. I guess we'll all have some stories to tell!

Merry Christmas 2010

David, Christa, Abigail & Audrey An

Prov. 16:9

David got his new wings tonight...congrats!

Bye Bye Hotel & Hello New Home!

Oh, how I'll miss you, breakfast, but I'm excited to be moving into our new place!  The taxi (aka movers!) will be here in about an hour to take us...woo hoo!  I better figure out my new address : )
Pho (top left, and yes, those are jalepenos...David's lovin' that!), rice, noodles clementines and dragon fruit is what we've enjoyed the past 12 days in the hotel.  Fooey, I guess I'll have to learn how to make this!  


Okay, so it's been about 5 hours since I posted the breakfast plate.  Now the girls and I are getting settled in the new place while David is shopping for me!  Oh, how I would love to hop in my car and drive to Target and get everything I need (cleaning supplies, hangers, FOOD, washcloths, etc.  Apparently they don't believe in washcloths in this country.  They didn't have them at the hotel either!).  It's been QUITE interesting communicating with our new friends in the building.  Mrs. Bach is my new best friend...I think. I saw her each time I came to view the apartment.  I've been told now that she'll be my cleaning lady 3 times a week.  Before you gasp like I did given that I'd never spend money on someone coming to clean my house, most all apartments here are "serviced" (new term for me).  It's just part of the rental agreement.  I really think that's crazy given that I'd MUCH rather have a cook than a maid!!!!  I guess I should have tried to negotiate that : )  She's really quite delightful. She hugged me when I got out of the taxi, and she keeps picking up the girls and giggling while she says something in- umm, not english! Another gal from the real estate group (who mind you speaks very broken english) came over to deliver towels (that's another story!), and I asked her what Mrs. Bach was saying about my girls.  She said that "She (Abigail) so lovely. So white". LOL!!  I'm assuming she meant "fair skinned".  She is trying really hard to teach me the language in like....5 minutes!  I'm trying to understand what she's saying, but honestly, I just don't have a clue and playing "Guesstures" this afternoon is not working either!  We just smile and laugh at each other...a lot. Oh, this is going to be interesting...

On the other hand, David should be arriving at any moment.  I think he might be surprised that I've already set up house!  Let's just say my propeller has been if high gear since we got here.  Well, I guess it really shouldn't take one too much time when we only arrived with 9 suitcases and 5 backpacks.


Off to find food...

Just Makes Me Smile

Just a few things that have made me smile the past 12 days:

*Boarding a plane and beginning this new adventure as a family of four!

*Audrey An lost her first tooth

*Abigail meeting some girls her age on Sunday

*Seeing a goat on a leash
*Canoe man

*Waking up to a rooster crowing each morning

*Buying lunch for 30,000VND

*Meeting new friends

*Having Julie keep my girls while I went apartment hunting

*Having Crissy go with me apartment hunting

*“Experiencing” the traffic

*Being thankful that our computer decided to not to completely “fry”...again

*Experiencing a different culture...new sights, new sounds, new smells, new everything!

*Listening to the girls perform their Christmas program for us in the hotel room

*Knowing my hubby is a happy man and doing what he loves

*Just LOVE knowing the fact that as family we're going to grow closer and experience things in a different way than back in the states
*Audrey An calling the goat a reindeer

*Watching my girls be creative with their time

*Seeing a “Ferrari” sticker on someone's motor bike

*Internet

*Rejoicing with David in his great test grade

*Eating Oreos

*Skype

*Vaccum packed laundry

*Signing a lease

*Ladies with high heels riding their motor bike...some even side saddle

*Fellowshipping on Sunday with like-minded people

*Reading

*Sunsets

*Hotel housekeeper pointing to David's picture and saying “You husband handsome” : )

*Hearing about some of the places we're going to visit

*Seeing hundreds of people sit on teeny tiny stools on the side of the road eating their lunch

*People giggling at us when they are trying to speak to us in english and it's not quite working

*Us giggling at each other when we're trying to communicate with the locals and it's not quite working

*Seeing flower bikers line the streets

*Forks

*Student choir of visually impaired perform at Christmas party

*Kids playing

*Friends from SS class taking over

*Locals trying to figure out why I'm holding hands with 2 girls who don't look alike

*7 weddings in the hotel the past 5 days

*Breakfast in the hotel

*Free delivery....everywhere for everything

*Emails from friends and family

*Chocolate Cafe

*Seeing hundreds of eggs being transported on a motor bike...in bags-not cartons

*Smiles from strangers
*Bottled water

*Weird looks from strangers

*Local man asking me for directions...LOL!

*Simple ways of life

*Benadryl
*Peter Pan peanut butter

* “Coca”---from a can

*Asking AA if she wanted congee for breakfast and she asked, “What is that?” (how things of changed in 18 months!)

*my new Merrell shoes....they've saved my feet and back & worth every penny

*thinking about how my girls are going to be happy when they see their stockings hanging in our new “home”

*thinking about how grateful I am for 2^nd chances...or we wouldn't be here

Signed, Sealed, Delivered....well, kinda!

Okay, so who woulda thunk it...we just signed a lease agreement in a foreign country for this next year.  THAT was an experience!   I went last Friday to look for a place while David was in class then we all four went on Saturday.  We saw some interesting places!  The most memorable was a house.  Let's just say before we got out of the car I told David, "This is not an option, k?!"  He agreed.  We went and looked just to be polite.  Afterall, he drove us all the way there and "there" was...a bit toooooo remote from civilization for me us!  We drove down narrow alley ways- like lots of them!  We twisted and turned, honked every 5 seconds for either a motor biker, dog, rooster or something to get out of the way until we got to this huge red gate- a locked gate. I must say it was a totally different word "behind the gate".   It was quiet, peaceful, simple- loved that!  There were four small homes with beautiful gardens, gazeebo, and swing.  You literally couldn't hear a thing while we waited for Mr. Ahn to get the key and let us inside the home.  All that said if that had been back in the states where things were somewhat familiar, THAT would have been the place we would have chosen.  BUT....in this case, too many dark, back alleys with nobody that spoke english and nobody tall and blonde....I'm thinkin' maybe not the best choice for a newbie.

So....I took David and the girls back to a couple of places I thought would be possibilities.  He liked, I liked, both girls liked...we slept on it.  We negotiated yesterday.  We signed the deal today and will move in on the 23rd.  Merry Christmas to us!  This place is NOT the typical apartment here at all!   I can't believe we found such a nice place.  We feel very blessed.  Most places don't have ovens and dryers.  The two gentlemen who took us apartment hunting have been great.  They speak english- one better than the other.  It's been a bit of a challenge to communicate our needs, but overall it's been an interesting experience.  David's company reviewed the contract just to make sure we knew what we were signing (yes, it was in both languages!). 

If you'd ask me one year ago today I'd be living where we are, I would have never guessed it.  It's not shocking to me or David, but I don't think I would have ever guessed where.  It's been such a great first week.  I feel like I've already lived so much life and have experienced so much...and I have!

back to apartment living!

 bad picture but in front of Abigail is a huge window that overlooks a lake...the realtor is standing in between the kitchen and the dining area...up those stairs is kinda a loft.  That will be our school/playroom!

Looks like a fairly normal kitchen, right??  Well, it's pretty "not normal" to have an oven!  Man, I thought I would be off the hook for cooking for awhile : )  Also, pretty rare to find a place with a dryer.  Well, we found one, and it's in the kitchen.

This is standing right in front of our new "home" looking down the street (lake is on the left).  Don't ya just feel you're right there with us...HA!  We're so grateful for this place.  It's waaaaay better than we both thought we'd find!  HE is good to us!

Where we'll park the motor bike...


and by the way...my blog is driving me crazy.  If anyone knows how to upload the pics without leaving the "borders" off, let me know!!!! Probably nobody has noticed, but it bugs me!

So apparently this is an asian thing because this happened to us in China last year.  Send out your clothes for laundry (well, some of them...I've done it the old fashioned way in the tub this week and they're still not dry!) and they come back to you vacuumed wrapped!

Doesn't he looked relaxed???  He's got a huge test tomorrow, and he's alseep at 7:30pm!  Next time allow a weeeeee bit more time between checkride, flight overseas and beginning of training.  The jet lag and stress of it all is a killer.  I know you'll do great.  you always do!  

A Day in the Life (for this week at least!)

When we arrived we were sweating and have had our flip flops on up until today.  Today we had to break out the jackets and closed toe shoes.  It was pretty chilly and very windy this morning until lunch time.  It's supposed to be back in the 70's tomorrow...we'll see.  My new friend, Tonya, and I ventured out with the two peep-squeeks while David was in class.  She found a new route to walk in order to get to the GO (General Offices) without having to check you blood pressure when you arrived due scooters zooming by you!  AA liked it MUCH better (as did I!).

This is kinda what our days look like for now... about 7am (depending how many hours we've been up already!) we go down for breakfast (which consists of rice, noodles, pho, bread (french baguette), dragon fruit (yummy!), orange juice (which tastes like Tang), and hot tea.  The girls like the yogurt and fried eggs when they have it.  We come back to the room so David can study for about an hour before leaving for the GO.  The girls start school (ahemmmm...notice THE GIRLS start school.  I'm officially not on the clock YET- hee hee!).  We do that for a couple of hours (yes, I'll answer some questions... but not many when it comes to 4th grade math.  Jennifer, I REALLY need the answer keys!!!).  I'm more into AA's math..."How many pennies did you color brown?"!!!!!).  Then Tonya and I venture out for a few hours, have lunch, try to avoid the scooter madness, and smile back when all the locals look at me like I've kidnapped one of their children .  I guess I was thinking it was going to be more like in China when everyone wanted to take pics of Abigail and touch her hair- not so (at least so far).  I get more looks at me (and I'm sure it has nothing to do that I'm 5'10", blonde and happens to have one daughter who is asian!).  David gets finished with class around 5 then we we're off to find dinner.  Don't forget we have no car here so we're hailing a cab or walking at least 1/2 mile for food...yeah. Alas, we're back at the hotel, and we sit around with toothpicks in our eyes trying to stay awake until AT LEAST 8pm....then we take some sleep aids, then....we wake up a couple of hours later and try to go back to sleep : )

Tomorrow I'm going to start hunting for our apartment....yeah!  Hotel living is not the greatest for a family of four- although we have done it before a few years ago.  That round was for 3 months, and we only had one child.  I love it when you are "prepared" for the new task!

Here's the G.O.

I have a feeling this will be the local hang out.  It's a coffee shop on the main floor of the building where the GO is.  We run into all the pilots and wives here each day!

We met pilot boy for lunch today.

Lunch cost about 37,000 dong...that's about $1.50 USD (and that's with a coke, too!)...David couldn't even it all.  If you don't eat at the "western" type places, it's super duper cheap (and I'm not sure my tummy is quite ready for super duper cheap if you know what I mean).

Not quite a Chili's or Pappasito's, but it's cozy, right!?

We see HUNDREDS of these bikers a day....beautiful flowers here!

Chilly willy this morning!  I'm trying to find the pharmacy...ummm, note to self: take a picture on iphone of what you need and show to nice lady behind counter  : )

Yeh, I think that will keep the rain out.

then...next door you'll have this!

If you're Abigail and have a lot of time in your hands, this is what you come up with...isn't that awesome!!!!   I love the details!

 Audrey An's creative genius at work, too!