Summer Highlights

After a canceled flight in Korea resulted in a 40+ hour journey back to China, we are finally "home". While in the states, I did a rather admirable job of stimulating Arizona's economy (you're welcome Starbucks, Kohl's, and Target). And after unpacking all 360 pounds (yes, Mike did the math) of goods, I am feeling somewhat settled back into my China life. The girls and I had a glorious five weeks of life in America and Mike joined us for three of the five. Here are some of the highlights...

Less than 24 hours after we touched down in Phoenix, we were at the salon visiting our good friend Shelly and getting Emma's hair CHOPPED. With my Starbucks in one hand and camera in the other, we bid farewell to her beautiful braid....

...and we couldn't be happier! How adorable is she in this cut? Thanks Shelly! Way to go Emma!

If you haven't read the previous blog post about Emma's remarkable hair growth and her plans for her braid, be sure to check it out.

We met our new neighbor! Payton Rae was loved and adored by all - Emma has already figured out that Payton will be four when she is able to babysit. (And she's already begun negotiations for a cell phone and her own house key as part of her babysitting repertoire.)

My baby girl celebrated her 8th birthday in patriotic style on the 4th of July. Thanks to Grandma for the festive cake(s) and thanks to Elisha and Jeff for hosting!

The girls spent lots of time with their cousins, Griffin and Lily...here they are just before the REAL fun began...

Oh YEAH!! A little slip-n-slide...props go out to Uncle Neal and Aunt Jess for joining in. What great memories for the kids (and really, for the adults too, who lived through you vicariously). Good times...

Just had to include this pic of my brother...there is also a video floating out there somewhere...like I said, good times!

Dinners out, swimming, and attacks by Wolverine and his pirate-mutant sidekick. Here is Mike valiantly defending himself against the dynamic duo.

Mike and I took a little side trip toward the end of our home leave. We headed off to San Francisco and Las Vegas to spend some time together and to visit with friends.

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Coming soon...a pic from our Vegas trip...hopefully one prior to my (four? five?) Cherry Limeades :)

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We sure miss having weekends away and nice dinners out - our China life is not so conducive to that kind of thing. It was a great time - fabulous friends, delicious food, and foreigners at every turn - gotta admit, I love NOT being a foreigner. Blending in = Bliss

Here we are as we began our journey to our China home...the girls and I were upgraded to first class for our flight from Phoenix to San Francisco. We were super excited but unfortunately not excited enough to stay awake - we slept the entire flight!

After five weeks in our home state - despite temperatures of 110 degrees - it was tough to return to China. I love America for its civilized drivers, its beautiful bathrooms, its well-lit, well air-conditioned stores, its unending restaurant choices, its limitless TV channel options, and most of all for its proximity to our family and friends. I am sincerely grateful that we are able to make trips home as part of this overseas assignment - it really makes life here better when you have a home leave to look forward to. And something else we look forward to? Visitors! My mom and sister (aka Aunt Jess) will arrive at the end of September and we are counting down the days!

And once again, I find myself at the conclusion of a blog with a photo that really doesn't have a place or a purpose but it's just so stinkin' cute...

Hair today...gone SOON

I'm not sure of the exact moment when Emma decided that she wanted to grow her hair long. But I do remember she and Mike talking about taking it a step further - grow it, cut it, and then donate it to Locks of Love. We talked about what it would mean for little girls who have lost their own hair to diseases like cancer or alopecia to receive a gift of hair from a stranger. We showed Emma the website and she really didn't need convincing, she was on board immediately. I, of course, supported the idea and was proud that she was willing to make such a sacrifice. I hadn't thought about the days far into the future when that increasingly long hair would also mean tangles and fights and tears... So, needless to say, I am counting down the days until it is cut - maybe 15 days or so? I'm even thinking that after my stop at Starbucks on the way home from the airport, we may stop and chop! (Not really...but definitely within a few days of being in AZ).

Emma is excited for a new look and is, at the moment, pressing for getting her ears pierced as part of the "new and improved" Emma. Most days, she does her own hair which means she pulls it back in a low ponytail...it will be quite a change to have a chin-length style but we're ready! Enjoy the pictures...will post her new look in about a month!

"Hmmmm....I wonder how much my hair has grown since the first day of school?"

"This photo was taken last August on my first day of second grade."

"Look at me now!"

"Is this your reaction too??!! I KNOW! It's CRAZY!"

"And speaking of CRAZY - this is my hair after my mom spent THREE hours unbraiding it after our trip to Thailand!"

(Doesn't really go with this blog but I've been looking for an excuse to share this one! Funny huh?)

Life in China..One Year Later

It doesn't seem like that long ago that I was reflecting on my first 100 days in China. Now here I am, reflecting on a year's worth of experiences - the joys, the opportunities, the challenges - that have come with expat life. Those of you who know me well, know that I am rather...well...unadventurous. I shy away from the unknown...hesitate to make changes...gravitate toward the safe and familiar. At my core, I am still that person but in many ways I have become someone different. After all, I LIVE IN CHINA!

I have categorized some of my experiences based on proximity...some come with travel but that is only a small part of our adventure. My day to day life is definitely not filled with over-the-top excitement (although if you follow my blog you know that haircuts and produce shopping can induce teeth-clenching, heart-pounding, and prayer-muttering).

For your review and mine, here are some standout items on my list; my life in China...one year later.

Travel Stuff

In the past year I have...

...been to Dandong, China, where we were a stone's throw from North Korea and where we experienced the Great Wall for the first time.

...played tourist in Beijing visiting the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and Tiananmen Square.

...celebrated Thanksgiving in Shanghai with our expat friends - our family away from family.

...froze in Harbin when we visited the Ice and Snow Festival that so many of us have seen on those forwarded emails or the National Geographic Channel.

...received a hard dose of reality (and history) in Siem Reap, Cambodia where we visited local villages and the temples of Angkor Wat.

...lived like a rock star in Phuket, Thailand - lounging on sandy white beaches, snorkeling in crystal blue water, and touring sea caves by way of kayak.

...trained for and walked a half-marathon ON the Great Wall of China!

Day to Day Life Stuff

In the past year I have...

...learned to enjoy cooking and baking (when someone else preps and cleans, of course).

...served as secretary of the first ever Parent-School Partnership group (think PTO) at our International School.

...played with babies at a local orphanage - some of God's most beautiful handiwork, they are seemingly forgotten treasures.

...learned to speak basic Chinese - "basic" doesn't sound all that impressive but seriously - I NEVER thought I'd have need NOR desire to learn Chinese so "basic" is pretty darn awesome.

...read more than 20 adult books (and by "adult" I mean above a 5th grade level - NOT x-rated!)

...made what I hope are lifelong friends with people from all over the world.

..."played" soccer for the first time on the Moms and Teachers' team - I say "played" in quotes because I mostly run around and try to look like I know what I am doing.

...developed a coffee habit - it's a long, COLD winter! (Don't worry Starbucks! I'm comin' home for my Iced Venti Nonfat Chai! Nothing can take your place!)

What are my plans in the coming year? Hmmm...it will be busy! My mom and sister will visit in the fall - yippee! And we are thinking of spending Thanksgiving in Hong Kong and Chinese New Year in Japan. Mike has committed to doing the Great Wall Half Marathon with me in May 2011. It will be the grand finale of this grand adventure.

Thank you for following our blog in the past year and being a part of this chapter in our lives. There is more to come!

**Check our website periodically for monthly updates and...COMING SOON - a photo slideshow of our first year!

The ABCs of the GWM

*Disclaimer: These are the ABCs of the GWM (Great Wall (1/2) Marathon) according to ME and in no way reflect the experiences, attitudes, or opinions of all participants. Read on...

Here is our group from Dalian - lookin' good and ready to go! (I am kneeling in front wearing a blue hat)

A is for Adventure and Accomplishment

Coincidentally, I reached the one-year mark of living in China (adventurous!) while participating in a half-marathon held on the Great Wall in Beijing (accomplishment!). If you would have proposed either of these events - moving or marathoning - a few years ago, I would have laughed my boisterous laugh from my comfy cozy "white bread world". But now here I am, living a new and different kind of life that has afforded me opportunities beyond anything I could have imagined. Truly Amazing - another "A" word!

I left on Friday morning with several friends and headed to Beijing. We did some eating and some shopping but turned in early so we could catch the 3:30 am bus pick-up for our 2-hour ride out to the Wall. The 13.1 mile course involved an uphill paved road section, steps and more steps on the actual wall, a loooong walk along a road with traffic buzzing by and a rocky, hilly, tour through a local village. All along the course we were greeted by people from the village - they were smiling and waving and most likely thinking, "Fung le waiguoren!" (Translation: Crazy foreigners!). A few friends and I walked the course in about 4 hours. We enjoyed our surroundings, each others' company, and the challenge of the event overall. An adventure, an accomplishment, an amazing journey...

Warning: The following section involves a rather personal and possibly offensive topic...proceed to the "C" section if you'd prefer to read topics tasteful and enlightening in nature.

B is for Bowels and Bathrooms

Let's begin here...in the bathrooms at race headquarters...of course they are what we affectionately call "squatty potties". No surprises there. However, I had not experienced the short door squatty which added a whole new level of anxiety. You'll note the slight step up and the fact that the door goes all the way to the ground. So how does one know if a toilet is occupied? One looks OVER the door. Now, my hat is off and I bow (or squat, if you will) to anyone who can relax enough to...take care of business...while squatting AND trying to ignore the eyes peering over the door. I just couldn't do it!

I spent the next 12 or so miles trying to forget that, although I was unable to, I needed to...take care of business. Without going into much detail...it was a crappy experience. Why was I worried for only 12 miles? Well, that was because around mile 12, I was beginning to walk like a 90-year-old woman and it had nothing to do with my tired legs or aching back. I was forced to stop and ask a local where I could find a toilet. I will leave you with this: The restroom pictured above? FIVE STAR compared to where I ended up!

Let's change the subject shall we? B is also for Bloomin' Onion at the Outback. YUM!

C is for Commitment and Companionship

I believe that the most significant piece of my entire GWM experience (which began in January) has very little to do with physical endurance but rather strength of character. I joke that my workout group has the most well-toned jabber jaws in all the land but the jokes all stem from love and deep admiration. While the Great Wall is awesome and the pictures are a treasure, it is the memory of friendship that makes this event extra special. In training we encouraged each other and grew as friends while trudging through snow, slopping through rain, huffing up countless steps so that in the end we would be strong and prepared for race day (and so we wouldn't keel over in a heap from exertion). I cherish each woman who helped me train, gave me advice, made me climb that dreaded hill, and especially those that waited for me along the course while I...well, you know...finally took care of business. We were committed to the training and to each other...companions, comrades, confidants.

Next year's Great Wall Marathon will be held on May 21st and a there is already a group forming to go back next year. The weather will be beautiful, the shopping will be fruitful, and the bathrooms? Well...what can I say...make the trip anyway! You won't regret it :)

Here are a few other pictures...

It's hard to see, but there are people all along this section of the Wall. There were a couple of bottlenecks where we caught our breath and took some pictures.

A sweet old man that to me, looks like "old China" - nothing modern or worldly about him.

So many children watched us pass - waving, sometimes hugging - she was shy but so cute!

Me vs. THE WALL

It all started in January. I had literally been back in China mere minutes and was riding home from the airport when I got the text asking if I would like to train for the Great Wall Half-Marathon (GWM). You know how it is in January...it's a new year, you're all about the goal-setting, making changes, challenging yourself... It's so easy to bite off more than you can chew, wouldn't you agree? But a half-marathon? About 10 years (and 25 pounds) ago my sister suggested we train for a (full) marathon - I was apprehensive but she was persuasive so she, Mike, and I trained and did it. For the record, I loathed every minute of it but it is one of those things that 'wows' people - 1) because the percentage of people who have run a marathon is pretty low and 2) because I don't look like the runner-type. I would be the first to admit wholeheartedly that in fact, I am NOT the runner-type.

But...as my group of expat friends began contemplating this challenge, we discovered that there were a number of us who would only do it if we walked, not ran, the 13.1 miles...and the race was set for May so there was still plenty of time to train... For me personally I thought it may serve as the boost I needed to get in shape, lose some weight, blah, blah, blah...and it would add to my (short) list of accomplishments...AND I would get a girls weekend in Beijing complete with shopping and a meal at The Outback (this is a BIG deal, trust me). So, I have completed the registration, sent my money off, booked hotel and travel, and yes, I have even been training to walk/climb 13.1 miles along the Great Wall.

It has been COLD here. During the long below-freezing stretch of winter, a friend and I would run up and down the stairs in our condo - about seven floors of smooth, evenly laid out steps. This was a mere "step" in the right direction because what we will face in the GWM is over 2,000 rocky, uneven steps. As temperatures have warmed somewhat, we have taken our training to a hill behind our neighborhood. It has just over 2,000 steps that are more like those we'll see race day. Our 4 mile hike over the hill has evolved into 8 miles and even as far as 12.5 miles as we finish the hill and continue our walk down the beach. We joke that if nothing else, our jaws are in stellar condition - not much else to do when you're walking for four straight hours - one foot in front of the other and lots of chatting!

As for the Wall itself, it offers a variety of challenges - the first few miles of the trek will be a steep incline uphill to get to the actual Wall then steps and more steps and walking along the wall itself. The final leg of the race is through a village where the locals will be out cheering for us and we have to watch out for chickens possibly darting out in our path. The race information obviously encourages serious hydration - however in the same paragraph, the bathrooms are referred to as "primitive". Can't imagine having to use a squatter when my legs are jell-o...the girls and I have made a pact to get off the path and make cover for each other if necessary. I, however, may require cover AND a helping hand to get out of squat position! We will achieve (right word?) a new level of intimacy...

As I write this, my stomach is feeling fluttery...we are only 10 days out from race day. Coincidentally, race day, May 15th, will mark one year from when we left the states. And if you're wondering how the fitness/weight loss piece of this journey has gone for me...(insert big sigh here)...I sure wish I had about 30 fewer pounds to hall up the Wall, but it just didn't happen for me. I have no excuse for where I am other than food is my friend (with chocolate, bread, and pasta being my bestest friends - bestest for my taste buds and mood but definitely not friends to my thighs and butt). I just realized that I mentioned dining at The Outback post-race as a major incentive...ugh, I'm hopeless!

Here is the link to the GWM if you want to know more - www.great-wall-marathon.com. A few prayers sent my way would be gratefully accepted. The post-race-post will have pictures that I have taken but here is just a sample...

Our First Visitors!

Well China, ready or not, two more Fendricks have landed! Mike's parents arrived today and after they recover a bit from the wear and tear of travel, we are looking forward to showing them around a bit. All the things that seem (mostly) normal to us is all new to them - a driver, local shopping, restaurants, etc. On the way to the airport today it was like I was seeing things with new eyes - noticing things that I wouldn't normally notice and wondering what a visitor might think. This may or may not be a good thing because it may result in me being hypersensitive to things that I had previously grown accustomed to. It seemed that I was more aware of the driver's tendency to be 'all gas or all break'...I was more aware of the strange smells that come and go...I was more aware of the extremely bleak living conditions and the extremely bad driving. I guess time will tell if showing them around will mean I have to reintegrate myself to China life.

The girls have been so excited and did not leave Ma-maw's side until I made them go to bed. All I know is that they asked if they could brush their teeth twice because Ma-maw brought toothpaste that will "whiten teeth in 3 days!" (Erin said that after that, you don't have to brush your teeth anymore...) They also joined in on Ma-maw's four-step face cleaning regimen...once before dinner and once after...and they learned to say "Oh taaa!" when they see or hear something fancy or snooty. Ma-maw and I already concluded that they will need "Ma-maw detox" when she goes home in a couple of weeks!

For now, we are so happy they are here. In May it will be our year anniversary with China as our home. Even with all its oddities (that's a nice way to put it, don't ya think?), we really feel at home here and are so happy to share this amazing adventure with people we love. Sooo...who's next??

One Phrase + Two Days = Changed Ways

It first resonated with me when I heard it in a sermon. Every Sunday we get together with several other families in our area for church. We listen to the weekly message via podcast and the pastor is Todd Cook from Sagebrush Community Church in New Mexico. He is a gifted speaker and his words are powerful, God-inspired, and often hit you with a force that reaches your heart by nailing you right between the eyes - you know those kind of messages?

A couple of weeks ago he was speaking about the persecution of Christians around the world - a monumental crisis even today... This is what he said, "You don't have to go to church, you get to go to church." It resonated with me then - I felt its meaning, I understood it...I get to go to church with freedom and without fear of persecution - even in China.

The 'don't have to but get to' phrase has reached a new depth of awareness as I reflect on my time in Cambodia. We spent just two days there last week - one day visiting the people - the human element, and one day visiting ancient temples like Angkor Wat. I plan to blog more later from the tourist perspective, but for now I want to share how the experience touched me...

We took a rickety boat down a brown river and were witnesses to a way of life that cannot be captured adequately in mere words; likewise pictures cannot sufficiently reach the place where your heart physically aches... Many of the poor live either along the river in houses built on stilts or in the adjoining lake in what is known as a floating village. It is in the brown water that you will find people bathing, fishing, scavenging for recyclables, playing, washing dishes - here is what I learned...

Local people bathing or maybe searching along the bottom for items that can be recycled

You don't have to take a shower, you get to take a shower - a hot clean one and recycling is something you do to help the environment, not to earn your days wages...

Fishermen along the river

You don't have to go to work, you get to go to work - most likely where it is clean and air-conditioned and you collect a regular paycheck...

A woman washing her dishes in the filthy water.

You don't have to do the dishes, you get to do the dishes - in hot, clean, soapy water...

The local school which was overflowing with kids - our guide told us they learn just very basic reading, writing, and math because they will grow up and stay in the village.

You don't have to go to school, you get to go to school - where there is enough space and books for everyone, where you can run and play at recess, where your dreams for your future are limitless...

Every year the river floods and the people in the village move to the hills where they will live until flood season is over (a few months) and then they return to fix or rebuild their homes.

You don't have to pay a mortgage, you get to pay a mortgage - on a home that is clean, safe, and filled with more stuff than you could ever use...

This is the floating produce market - fish and a few fruits and vegetables make up their diet.

You don't have to go grocery shopping, you get to go grocery shopping - you can stop at the ATM after work and pick up everything you need for dinner in 15 minutes...

For me, the more I saw the more overwhelmed I felt with guilt, sadness, helplessness, hopelessness...Why was I lucky enough to be born where I was born? At that time, at that place, to those parents? Isn't that what it comes down to on a very simplistic level? I can't feel guilty about that, it's out of my control. So I must daily recall that supreme blessing and make the most of what I have. I also have to remind myself that they don't know anything else, any other way of life. While this is true, it's still gut-wrenching when I know what else is out there for those children. I know what the future could hold if they were given the right opportunity.

Emma and Erin are too young to 'get it'...if you asked them, the best thing about Cambodia was the ice cream, or riding in a Tuk-Tuk, or leaving Cambodia...I understand, and I know that they will often be reminded by their parents of their many blessings - they don't have to brush their teeth, they get to brush their teeth...they don't have to go outside and ride bikes, they get to go outside and ride bikes...it's my new mantra. After seeing all the vacation pictures of myself, my own personal mantra is: "I don't have to exercise, I get to exercise..." Hmmm...nope, doesn't make it sound any more fun...