The house seems so quiet! As I write, Hudson and Noah are taking their usual afternoon naps, but I don't have the company of my oldest two as they are at their first full day of school. Karis went to half a day of 1st grade at the Tianjin International School yesterday, and then again this morning got on the bus with Eli (in the Junior Kindergarten class) today for the first full day of school for the fall semester. I am realizing now the turmoil that most moms (I'm sure) face as they send their little ones off to school for the first time. But honestly, I'm wondering if my feelings aren't even more magnified considering how close our family has been this past year compared to our "normal" back in the States. All four kids have truly been my constant companions for the past 11 months we've been here, with the exception of leaving them with Kevin when I go to class 2 or 3 times a week during afternoon rest time and our occasional date nights out. So it feels like going from a TON of really concentrated time with them to having them gone from 7am til 4pm. Ouch! We're feeling their absence! This morning at the breakfast table after they had gone, Hudson looked around the table and exclaimed, "Only three! That's really bad!" Confused, I looked at the plate still full of muffins and fruit on the table, wondering what we might have only 3 of that was concerning him. When I asked him what there was only 3 of, he responded with, "There's only 3 of us here now! That's really bad!" When I asked him if he missed Karis and Eli already, he admitted that he did.
BUT the great news is that this is truly a completely answered prayer. We have been waiting and hoping all summer that the kids would be accepted and the scholarship would come through that would allow them to attend this amazing school. And it all happened. The day before school started--but it did happen! We literally found out Tuesday morning through an e-mail that the kids had been accepted and approved, and we took off out the door to catch a taxi to catch a train to make it to the Beijing subway to get into another taxi to eventually arrive at the international hospital there in order to get the kids annual check-ups (required by the international school). After getting everyone checked out and a clean bill of health all the way around, we made the return trip home (3 hours of travel each way, to and from Beijing).
The first photo is of the kids "hiding" so that we could get a taxi. We've noted that the taxi drivers in Beijing are particularly "cranky"--and they generally don't like having kids in their taxis. I think I've written before about having the kids hide so that they don't see all of them until they've stopped, we've gotten at least one adult in, and it's too late for them to turn us down! This time, Eli suggested that since we were in BJ, they should hide behind the nearest tree while snacking on the tortillas I'd just purchased at the nearby import store so that we could get a taxi more easily!! The kids (and Kevin and I!) were pooped and ready for bed when we got home, so we rushed them through bath time and bed time routines knowing that Karis had a big first day on Wednesday! I left for school with all 4 kids on the 3 wheeler at a little after 7am. Luckily, the school had the whole morning planned so that the parents were there at the school for meetings, filling out paperwork, and even joining their child for lunch, making the transition a really smooth one for the kids.
Karis LOVED every minute. When she walked in the door after school (Kevin met her for lunch and then biked her back home afterward) and I asked how her first day, she beamed a huge smile and responded with a super-enthusiastic "SO GREAT!" It was priceless, and went a long way in making this emotional mom get things in the right perspective, knowing that my kiddos are exactly where they are supposed to be and that they are most likely going to love every minute of being there!
This morning they started the bus route, so I walked Karis and Eli to our taxi corner (about a 10 minute walk away) where the bus comes at 7am to pick them up and then returns them there at 4pm. The bus, by the way, is HUGE! Not your "normal" school bus for sure. But reflecting on the Tianjin traffic and general driving, I'm really thankful that they are in the largest vehicle on the road, safely wearing a seatbelt (and hoping that this will help them remember what those even are, as we literally haven't used them more than once or twice during our entire 11 months of living here!) I've had a fun day with just Hud and Noah, going to the market, playing with Legos and our bunny Bo, etc., but it will take some getting used to not having the older two here every day! Again, our new "normal" is being redefined. . .
As far as updates on Karis' friend Adah, she is finishing up her first round of treatment of chemo there in Houston. The outpouring of love and offers of service has been amazing and so encouraging. The treatment has gone well so far, but we did just get word that she has developed a fever and had to start antibiotics again, which is a concern due to her severely compromised immune system. The whole family would so appreciate your continued prayers as they journey down this long and incredibly heart-wrenching road.
