Thanks so much for visiting us during our journey, Steve, Heather, Ed, Joe, Emily, Hana, Zeke and Samuel!
Today was pretty quiet as far as going places and doing things. We met Leila and the Patzers for a quick trip to the Yitai Souvenir Market, made a couple of purchases and then returned to the hotel.
The highlight of the day was meeting up with the Rumbaughs and Patzers for dinner at Lucy’s Bar & Restaurant and just having a chance to visit. The Rumbaugh’s have made it through China at record speed with Joey and are flying home in the morning. We’ll be praying for them and awaiting news of Joey’s medical tests at Johns Hopkins.
We had a few hours of coming to grips with leaving China, and all that’s going on, with Sam and, while a little tough, we think it was the first of probably several episodes that Sam will have to work through. One day at a time we’ll work through whatever Sam needs to work through and not stress about it if possible. Please pray for Sam since this has to be so difficult for an 11-year old. And please pray that we handled what he’s going through properly.
Here are some newest additions to our “fix” list. One needs to learn that when walking down crowded brick sidewalks one should not run and do front flips. If a boy doesn’t maim or kill himself doing such things, he will turn his parent’s hair completely gray. Similarly, cartwheels fall into the same category, as does leaping off planters, jumping statues, etc.
When eating meals we’ve come a long way in terms of using a napkin, however, one should not wipe one’s mouth on the tablecloth if a napkin is not available, nor should one lick spilled food off the tablecloth.
And last, one does not have to win at everything to have fun. If it looks like an opponent in a game is close to winning, one does not have to flip the game over and scatter all the pieces. Further, if one loses a game, or running race down a crowded sidewalk, one does not have to pout and sulk for the next couple of hours.
Well, that’s pretty much all for now. There’s nothing scheduled, we don’t think, for tomorrow so we’ll just be hanging out and wandering (read that as walking at a comfortable pace and not running, jumping, leaping, doing front flips or cartwheels) the streets.
Blessings to all our friends and family,
Steve, Heather, Joe and Sam still hanging in there in China, and
Ed, Emily, Hana and Zeke at home, along with Grandma and Aunt Sue,
holding down the fort.
