Friday, March 28, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
HAPPY EASTER!
HE IS RISEN!
Here we are, 21 of us now, visiting at my sister's. Kai Wei wasn't too happy that it would be a 4 hour drive to Grandma and Grandpa's, but he did seem excited to meet the family. Two grandparents, 3 aunts, one uncle, 7 cousins, one second cousin and various friends later he is still going strong. It is amazing at how he will interact and tell stories in his newly acquired English and Chinese! Tomorrow he will meet the rest of us and experience his first holiday as a member of an extended family. Hopefully we'll get some pictures posted soon of meeting Grandma and Grandpa, dying Easter eggs and playing Guitar Hero! It is fun to watch him experience new things.
This time of year is all about new things. New life, new growth, new birth. Life from death. He Is Risen INDEED!
Here we are, 21 of us now, visiting at my sister's. Kai Wei wasn't too happy that it would be a 4 hour drive to Grandma and Grandpa's, but he did seem excited to meet the family. Two grandparents, 3 aunts, one uncle, 7 cousins, one second cousin and various friends later he is still going strong. It is amazing at how he will interact and tell stories in his newly acquired English and Chinese! Tomorrow he will meet the rest of us and experience his first holiday as a member of an extended family. Hopefully we'll get some pictures posted soon of meeting Grandma and Grandpa, dying Easter eggs and playing Guitar Hero! It is fun to watch him experience new things.
This time of year is all about new things. New life, new growth, new birth. Life from death. He Is Risen INDEED!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
One Month!
Yesterday marked Kai Wei's first month home. I've been musing over the miracle of adoption. How did this little boy from a world away, who still doesn't speak my language, become so dear to me so quickly? From the moment we accepted our referral, I wouldn't have traded him for anyone in the world. I was surprised by my almost automatic feeling that he was family; by my loyalty and love for him. But I wasn't sure what it would be like when he came home.
When he did finally come home, I was filled with wonder. Wonder that he was actually here. Wonder that he was ours- finally a part of our family forever. Wonder that it was so easy to love him. I wasn't expecting the whole process of becoming a family to be so easy. I didn't expect it to feel natural to say "my brother" when I was talking about Kai Wei. But it did. That sense of family that I was filled with when we received his referral remained, and as we got to know him, and got to see what a treasure he is, my love for him as an individual, not just because he is part of our family, has grown too.
Treasure. I think it's a wonderful word to describe him. In Chinese, the word for baby, bao bao, also means treasure. Kai Wei likes to pat us all on the head, and say "ke ai bao bao" or "gui bao bao" (cute baby, good baby). So of course, we pat him on the head and call him a cute baby in return. And I can't help but think it's true- he is a cute treasure.
There are times though, when I realize how far we still have to go until he is completely part of the family. Because part of being family is having a history together. Knowing each other inside and out. And that is what we're still working on. Sometimes when I see Jonathan and Daniel so casually sitting together, looking at something, leaning over each other, I ache for the time when Kai Wei will be included in that. So far, I think it has been easiset for him to bond with the older children in the family. He's not as sure how to relate to the younger 2 and they aren't as sure how to relate to him. Rebecca and Tim and I are used to little brothers- it has been easy for us to add one more and continue relating to a little brother in ways we have become accustomed to. But for Jonathan and Daniel, this is something completely new, and I think that they still don't quite feel like brothers, even though they know they are. I'm sure that will come in time. I just wish I saw more of it now. I'm sure as they play together and fish together and ride bikes together and tease each other, and whine about cleaning their room together, and yes, even fight together and get into mischief together, they will begin to feel like brothers and act like brothers. Maybe I shouldn't be too anxious for that. An 8 year old, a 10 year old, and a 12 year old boy. We're all in trouble if the 3 of them start planning things together.
Arm wrestling with Mommy
Some photos from the boys game night I took Jonathan and Kai Wei to on Friday
Kai Wei LOVED this game, he kept giggling while he played it. I enjoyed playing him because I finally was evenly matched with an opponent who seemed as uncooridnated as I always feel when I play. :)
Little John and Robin Hood . . . or something like that
I realized I haven't posted any pictures of Tim and Kai Wei together, so here is Tim helping Kai try on his sword. Tim is great with Kai Wei and Kai Wei adores his strong "da ge ge"
Every little boy's dream
When he did finally come home, I was filled with wonder. Wonder that he was actually here. Wonder that he was ours- finally a part of our family forever. Wonder that it was so easy to love him. I wasn't expecting the whole process of becoming a family to be so easy. I didn't expect it to feel natural to say "my brother" when I was talking about Kai Wei. But it did. That sense of family that I was filled with when we received his referral remained, and as we got to know him, and got to see what a treasure he is, my love for him as an individual, not just because he is part of our family, has grown too.
Treasure. I think it's a wonderful word to describe him. In Chinese, the word for baby, bao bao, also means treasure. Kai Wei likes to pat us all on the head, and say "ke ai bao bao" or "gui bao bao" (cute baby, good baby). So of course, we pat him on the head and call him a cute baby in return. And I can't help but think it's true- he is a cute treasure.
There are times though, when I realize how far we still have to go until he is completely part of the family. Because part of being family is having a history together. Knowing each other inside and out. And that is what we're still working on. Sometimes when I see Jonathan and Daniel so casually sitting together, looking at something, leaning over each other, I ache for the time when Kai Wei will be included in that. So far, I think it has been easiset for him to bond with the older children in the family. He's not as sure how to relate to the younger 2 and they aren't as sure how to relate to him. Rebecca and Tim and I are used to little brothers- it has been easy for us to add one more and continue relating to a little brother in ways we have become accustomed to. But for Jonathan and Daniel, this is something completely new, and I think that they still don't quite feel like brothers, even though they know they are. I'm sure that will come in time. I just wish I saw more of it now. I'm sure as they play together and fish together and ride bikes together and tease each other, and whine about cleaning their room together, and yes, even fight together and get into mischief together, they will begin to feel like brothers and act like brothers. Maybe I shouldn't be too anxious for that. An 8 year old, a 10 year old, and a 12 year old boy. We're all in trouble if the 3 of them start planning things together.
Arm wrestling with Mommy
Some photos from the boys game night I took Jonathan and Kai Wei to on Friday
Kai Wei LOVED this game, he kept giggling while he played it. I enjoyed playing him because I finally was evenly matched with an opponent who seemed as uncooridnated as I always feel when I play. :)
Little John and Robin Hood . . . or something like that
I realized I haven't posted any pictures of Tim and Kai Wei together, so here is Tim helping Kai try on his sword. Tim is great with Kai Wei and Kai Wei adores his strong "da ge ge"
Every little boy's dream
Monday, March 10, 2008
When the lights go out
This weekend a friend of mine from college came to visit. We seem prone to international cooking adventures. Like the time I visited her in Philly and we went into a cooking boutique store and I bought cannoli tubes on the spur of the moment and made cannoli that evening. Or last winter when she got snowed in at our house and randomly had hot dried red peppers from her family's garden that summer in her car, as well as some packaged Indian food and we made an Indian flat bread and a really tasty chicken dish that I can't remember where I found the recipe for.
So, I figured that this time well Deborah was here we would make dumplings since I still had wrappers in the freezer and we would try out the recipe for green onion pancakes I've been wanting to try. We started chopping and mixing, with Jonathan and Daniel helping out. Another friend came by and helped to, so before long we had 50 dumplings all ready to be boiled and a bowl of dough resting before we fried it.
My Dad came in just then, carrying our computer that has been at the repair shop. He set it on the table, wiped it's screen, and the lights went out. And stayed out. We lit a few candles and hoped it would come back on, but it didn't. We decided to start a game, so we all sat around the table, lit by 4 candles and played "werewolf". (for those of you who haven't played werewolf, I'm told it's somewhat like mafia, which I haven't played, or a more complicated version of wink murder, which I have played). Kai Wei didn't quite understand the rules despite my *ahem* marvellous explanation in Chinese, but he did enjoy accusing people of being the "bu hao ren" (literally "not good person" and my attempt at describing werewolves, but since he kept calling them that, I'm assuming it is probably about the Chinese equivalent of "bad guy").
Meanwhile, the lights stayed out and it got darker, and later, and we got hungrier and we had 50 dumplings just waiting to be cooked. So, we did what any hungry family would do- pulled out the camping gear. My Dad went in search of his backpacking stove, and briefly set the tile floor on fire when some of the gas spilled out. Of course, that got everyone's attention andall the little boys came as close as we would let them, Kai Wei shouting "bar-b-que!" (He learned that word in Taiwan- I wonder why?)
Bar-b-que!
So, we cooked our dumplings in a tiny pot over the camp stove on the floor. Kai Wei and Daniel kept watch and warned me every time the water boiled so I could add more cold water in.
We had to call and order out some Chinese food since 50 dumplings and 5 green onion pancakes is not really enough food for 10 people.
Searching the phonebook by candlelight
My Dad hooked up the generator and gave us some electric light to cook by. While the dumplings were cooking Deborah and Michael got the green onion pancakes ready to cook and then Jonathan and Deborah fried them up.
We switched the generator from the light to the microwave once the food was cooked since by the time our take-out order made it home our food was cold. We finally had our feast complete around 8 o'clock. Even Kai Wei agreed that the dumplings were delicious (and he didn't even add pepper! He did however, object to the very American version of Lo Mein from the local Chinese restaurant).
So, I figured that this time well Deborah was here we would make dumplings since I still had wrappers in the freezer and we would try out the recipe for green onion pancakes I've been wanting to try. We started chopping and mixing, with Jonathan and Daniel helping out. Another friend came by and helped to, so before long we had 50 dumplings all ready to be boiled and a bowl of dough resting before we fried it.
My Dad came in just then, carrying our computer that has been at the repair shop. He set it on the table, wiped it's screen, and the lights went out. And stayed out. We lit a few candles and hoped it would come back on, but it didn't. We decided to start a game, so we all sat around the table, lit by 4 candles and played "werewolf". (for those of you who haven't played werewolf, I'm told it's somewhat like mafia, which I haven't played, or a more complicated version of wink murder, which I have played). Kai Wei didn't quite understand the rules despite my *ahem* marvellous explanation in Chinese, but he did enjoy accusing people of being the "bu hao ren" (literally "not good person" and my attempt at describing werewolves, but since he kept calling them that, I'm assuming it is probably about the Chinese equivalent of "bad guy").
Meanwhile, the lights stayed out and it got darker, and later, and we got hungrier and we had 50 dumplings just waiting to be cooked. So, we did what any hungry family would do- pulled out the camping gear. My Dad went in search of his backpacking stove, and briefly set the tile floor on fire when some of the gas spilled out. Of course, that got everyone's attention andall the little boys came as close as we would let them, Kai Wei shouting "bar-b-que!" (He learned that word in Taiwan- I wonder why?)
Bar-b-que!
So, we cooked our dumplings in a tiny pot over the camp stove on the floor. Kai Wei and Daniel kept watch and warned me every time the water boiled so I could add more cold water in.
We had to call and order out some Chinese food since 50 dumplings and 5 green onion pancakes is not really enough food for 10 people.
Searching the phonebook by candlelight
My Dad hooked up the generator and gave us some electric light to cook by. While the dumplings were cooking Deborah and Michael got the green onion pancakes ready to cook and then Jonathan and Deborah fried them up.
We switched the generator from the light to the microwave once the food was cooked since by the time our take-out order made it home our food was cold. We finally had our feast complete around 8 o'clock. Even Kai Wei agreed that the dumplings were delicious (and he didn't even add pepper! He did however, object to the very American version of Lo Mein from the local Chinese restaurant).
Friday, March 07, 2008
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Speaking Chinglish
I came to the realization the other day that I am at a point in my life I will probably never be at again. I speak 3 languages daily, at least during the week (English and Chinese at home, English and Spanish at work). Wow. Who ever would have guessed that.
Kai Wei is quickly learning some English words and phrases, though of course, most of what he hears still sounds like gibberish to him, as evidenced by his "prayers". We always pray aloud at dinner, but say grace on our own for other meals. They must have said grace at Jonah House, because even on his first full day home, Kai Wei asked "dao gao?" (pray?) before eating lunch and I explained he could pray by himself. Anyway, now when he says "grace" before lunch, he closes his eyes and says "gahbluhjhus Kai Wei heijehjhfsnfklh" or something to that effect. (I decided he must always add his name since for the first few days our prayers went something like this, "Dear God, thank you for this nice meal, and thank you that Kai Wei is finally home . . . ")
Kai Wei's favorite English phrase is "brush your teeth!" He picked up the ice scraper for the car the other day and pretended to brush his teeth with it, saying "brush your teeth" with a big grin. His first complicated English sentence though was, "I want some green tea please". Yup, definitely from Taiwan. I've lived with my other brothers for 17, 12, and 8 years respectively and I don't think I've EVER heard them say that phrase in English (or any other language for that matter) but Kai is home for 2 weeks, and he's already learned how to ask for green tea in English.
I find the way he combines English and Chinese fascinating. He learned the word "dog" his first day home, and switched very quickly from using the Chinese "gou" to the umm, in his mind English, term "daw-guh", which is what he continues to refer to the dog as. He also adds particles to English words. For instance, in Chinese wo means "I" wo de means "mine". Now that he knows the word "me" he just tacks the "de" on the end and tells us that something is "me-de" The modifier "hen" means very in Chinese, and today I heard him using it to modify an adjective in English. I wish I remember what exactly he said. Probably "hen good"
He speaks less Chinese to us now then he did at first, though he will still sometimes tell us LONG sagas of things that have just happened, and if it weren't for context, pantomime and a word here or there we would have no idea what he was talking about. As it is, usually we can make a pretty good guess. It's worse when he starts his "zai Taiwan" stories. I love when he tells us about when he was in Taiwan, but unless it's pretty straight forward (like last night when we watched Spiderman 3 and he told us, "Zai Taiwan wo kan spiderman 1, 2 3!" (In Taiwan I watched Spiderman 1 2 and 3). When he starts telling stories about French people and playing basketball however, I must admit I am completely lost.
Sometimes though, he remembers that we don't really speak Chinese, and he'll slow down for us. I was driving him to basketball practice the other night and he had a travel mug of green tea in the back seat. He decided to tell me something very important. "Annie!" "Yes?" "Jintian" (pause as I say, yes, today) wo (another long pause, I say ok, you) he (once again pause while I acknowledge and translate "drank") and then he ended in English "3 cup tea!" No wonder the kid is non-stop energy. Apparently he's been chugging caffeinated green tea.
Note to self- check to see if anyone else has already made him a cup of tea before putting the water on to boil.
Kai Wei is quickly learning some English words and phrases, though of course, most of what he hears still sounds like gibberish to him, as evidenced by his "prayers". We always pray aloud at dinner, but say grace on our own for other meals. They must have said grace at Jonah House, because even on his first full day home, Kai Wei asked "dao gao?" (pray?) before eating lunch and I explained he could pray by himself. Anyway, now when he says "grace" before lunch, he closes his eyes and says "gahbluhjhus Kai Wei heijehjhfsnfklh" or something to that effect. (I decided he must always add his name since for the first few days our prayers went something like this, "Dear God, thank you for this nice meal, and thank you that Kai Wei is finally home . . . ")
Kai Wei's favorite English phrase is "brush your teeth!" He picked up the ice scraper for the car the other day and pretended to brush his teeth with it, saying "brush your teeth" with a big grin. His first complicated English sentence though was, "I want some green tea please". Yup, definitely from Taiwan. I've lived with my other brothers for 17, 12, and 8 years respectively and I don't think I've EVER heard them say that phrase in English (or any other language for that matter) but Kai is home for 2 weeks, and he's already learned how to ask for green tea in English.
I find the way he combines English and Chinese fascinating. He learned the word "dog" his first day home, and switched very quickly from using the Chinese "gou" to the umm, in his mind English, term "daw-guh", which is what he continues to refer to the dog as. He also adds particles to English words. For instance, in Chinese wo means "I" wo de means "mine". Now that he knows the word "me" he just tacks the "de" on the end and tells us that something is "me-de" The modifier "hen" means very in Chinese, and today I heard him using it to modify an adjective in English. I wish I remember what exactly he said. Probably "hen good"
He speaks less Chinese to us now then he did at first, though he will still sometimes tell us LONG sagas of things that have just happened, and if it weren't for context, pantomime and a word here or there we would have no idea what he was talking about. As it is, usually we can make a pretty good guess. It's worse when he starts his "zai Taiwan" stories. I love when he tells us about when he was in Taiwan, but unless it's pretty straight forward (like last night when we watched Spiderman 3 and he told us, "Zai Taiwan wo kan spiderman 1, 2 3!" (In Taiwan I watched Spiderman 1 2 and 3). When he starts telling stories about French people and playing basketball however, I must admit I am completely lost.
Sometimes though, he remembers that we don't really speak Chinese, and he'll slow down for us. I was driving him to basketball practice the other night and he had a travel mug of green tea in the back seat. He decided to tell me something very important. "Annie!" "Yes?" "Jintian" (pause as I say, yes, today) wo (another long pause, I say ok, you) he (once again pause while I acknowledge and translate "drank") and then he ended in English "3 cup tea!" No wonder the kid is non-stop energy. Apparently he's been chugging caffeinated green tea.
Note to self- check to see if anyone else has already made him a cup of tea before putting the water on to boil.
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