We Can Play Violin

 I am one proud momma! 

We Can Play Violin...Really! Watch! 

Pia's 4!!!

 

It was all about pink, chocolate and butterflies this year for Pia's birthday.  Sophia had her first official birthday party with friends, games, crafts, and 2 exhausted parents.  Even though the kids declared my butterfly sandwiches "disgusting", I would declare it a success.  The smiles make it all worthwhile.  

 Happy Birthday Pretty Lady!

Love Him!

6 Months

7 Months

I Hate My Phone

I hate my phone.  Well, I shouldn’t say hate.  I always tell my kids that hate is a strong word and you shouldn’t use it.  But I really do hate my phone. 

Once again this morning I woke up to a slew of “Breaking News” messages, this time about my beloved city and that someone decided to ruin one of its most special days.  I won’t even begin to ask the long list of unanswerable questions.  Instead, I’ll just sit here with my coffee, tears in my eyes, and watch the sun come up thousands of miles away.  This world just sucks.

I have been meaning to write a blog post about pollution in China, the thousands upon thousands of dead, diseased pigs floating down the river here in Shanghai, and now the bird flu.  They too are all incredibly scary things and contribute to my short and long term stress around the health my family.  Oh and don’t forget our friend in North Korea.  But as long as Dennis Rodman is in charge of US/N. Korean relations, we should all be fine, right?

You see, my phone manages all communication between these world concerns and me.  It’s gotten so bad now that every time my phone lights up I race to see what has happened now.  Korea’s declared war?  Bird flu is now human to human?  Or God forbid something as tragic as these explosions in Boston or the shootings in Newtown.  To be completely honest, I am relieved when I see that the US only created 100,000 new jobs last month or that Margaret Thatcher has died (God rest her soul).  How awful is that?  

So, what’s a girl to do?  Turn off the world and go along with the ignorance is bliss camp?  I really wish I could, but this girl just isn’t made that way.  Instead, I see lots of coffee and a box of hair dye in my future.

I hate my phone.  

Yunnan

Another Chinese holiday, another adventure.  This time we decided to stay in China and venture to the southwest corner of the country to the Yunnan province.  The Yunnan province boarders Tibet, so the more west you go, the more you experience the Tibetan culture.  Given how difficult it is to get to Tibet and how far it is, we decided this would have to do for now.  And wow...what a great trip.  So different than anything we have experienced thus far in China.  

Yunnan is made up of many minority populations and their different religions.  As a result, the culture is much different than what we have experienced in the big cities.  Shangri-la (or Zhongdian prior to the government renaming it Shangri-la 10 years ago), had a population of only 50,000!  A big difference from Shanghai's 30 million!  Both Lijiang and Shangri-la (and the 5 hour drive in between) were mostly farming communities, still using mostly animals and manual labor vs. tractors and heavy farm equipment.  It was like stepping back in time 50 years.  And the landscape is so different, being in the middle of some magnificent and tall mountains.  It was beautiful and fascinating.  Even the kids thought so (or maybe that was just the lack of oxygen due to the altitude!)

Enjoy the pictures!

Click to view more pictures

   

The Power of One

The faint cries of a child, like a whisper in the dark.  Left on a doorstep to an orphanage, on the side of the road, in a back alley.  Abandoned and helpless.  Maybe the child has a birth defect, a severe medical condition, or physical deformity.  Or maybe it is a perfect child, only left by its parents for reasons we don’t understand. 

For those of us that live in China, this is a story we are all too familiar with.  And for those who live elsewhere, perhaps it is one that we have read about time after time.  Either way, it is a true story.  A story far too common in a country whose orphan population is growing exponentially year after year.  Currently publicly available estimates show that there are currently over 1 million children living in orphanages in China.  The harsh reality may be that the number is substantially higher as records are not kept on many of the orphaned children.  

Upon moving to China, I was bombarded by organizations all focused on helping these children, most of which provide foster care, food, medical care, or just plain love and attention for these lost children.  All of these organizations do incredible things and make a tremendous difference in the lives of so many. And like most of us living here, I felt a call to help, but struggled for months trying to find the organization that I fit best with.  Within minutes of meeting the Starfish Charitable Foundation (http://www.starfishtrust.org.hk), I knew I had found the right one.

The Starfish mission is simple.  To help children with medical needs receive the medical treatment they need to restore them to full health, be it physically, emotionally, or spiritually.  Starfish strives towards the goal of helping these children, not only lifting up their hands or feet again, but most importantly, we hope they can lift up their hearts and heads bravely to face tomorrow.  By using our greatest gift, God’s love, we pray they would be filled with His love and hope, completely healed and changed!

On May 18^th, I will run the Beijing Great Wall Half Marathon.  It is something that I have wanted to do since learning about it, something I feel a need to do before we leave China to mark my time here.  As I started my training, I felt that the experience deserved to be something more than just a run on the historical landmark.  You see, Starfish is a firm believer in the Power of One – No matter who you are, you can make a difference as long as you are willing.  This was my chance to bring greater awareness to those that have changed me, these beautiful children and their stories and the volunteers that so tirelessly and diligently give their time and their love in hopes that they too can make a lasting impact.  

Starfish has just opened a Feeding Home here in Shanghai.  Our Feeding Home provides these children a nurturing environment, giving them warm clothes, nourishment, and love until they are healthy enough for their Starfish-sponsored corrective surgery.  We currently have 4 babies between 5-7 months old living there.  My goal for this race is to raise RMB 18,000 (USD$2,900) to provide for one of these beautiful children for the next year until they are fit for surgery.  The simple day-to-day necessities we all take for granted, diapers, milk powder, and any special supplies that they may need to feed properly with their condition.  

Doug and I were lucky enough to meet a very special family 4 years ago that taught us a life lesson, Sempre Avanti, Always Forward.  And that is what this is about.  To help a child leave the beginnings of their life behind them and move forward with the blessings they have been given.  Every child deserves to be hugged, rocked, and sang to.  To have a full belly, a clean diaper, and a warm place to sleep.   To have someone stare adoringly into their eyes and tell them how beautiful they are.  To feel loved.

The Power of One.

Your donation, whether big or small, will impact, transform and restore young lives forever. So please donate and make a difference today!

1. By Check
   Please make check payable to “Starfish Charitable Foundation Limited” and send it to:
   Starfish Charitable Foundation Limited
   c/o Valerie Lohse
   PO Box 1381
   Corning, NY 14845
2. By Direct Debit
   Direct debit to our account at:
   Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Hong Kong
   Beneficiary: Starfish Charitable Foundation Ltd.
   Bank Account No: 004-652-050493-838
   Swift Code: HSBCHKHHHKH
   
3. By Cash (in China)
   Contact Valerie Lohse at: hokieval@gmail.com
   186.1650.7232

We will issue official receipts for all donations.

Nouveau Rich

This is what a half a million dollars looks like.  

 

Our neighbor....a twenty-something long-haired Chinese guy who rides the clutch like you wouldn't believe when he takes the Lamborghini for a spin.  

 

No baseball in the yard, that's for sure.  Can you imagine??

 

Our kids are going to be SO jaded...

All Smiles All the Time

3 Months Old

4 Months Old

5 Months Old

South of the Equator

The Lohses headed to the southern hemisphere to escape Chinese New Year this year.  We had a fabulous time in Australia...so much so that we thought about changing our names and not coming back.  The fabulous food, scenery, pristine air, and anonymity were just what we needed before we embarked upon our third year in China.

And in case you were wondering, Eric took care of communicating with the Aussies for us.  He officially speaks 4 languages now, American, Chinese, British, and Australian.  ;O)

Click to see more pictures from our trip

Blessings

 

Carter was welcomed into the Catholic church and the Christian faith this past January.  We have been lucky, especially in China, to find a church family that welcomes us and we enjoy being a part of.  We were lucky to have Dena and Matty in town for Carter's baptism, but so missed having the other important people in Carter's Christian family here.

  

Girls Weekend

I have always wanted to go to Harbin, a second-tier city in the far northeast corner of China.  This "Ice City" is known for its Russian influence and its annual Snow and Ice Festival (one of four in the entire world) held each year.  But it is bitterly cold, with highs during the festival of less than 0 degrees Fahrenheit.  So instead of hauling the family and all of our cold gear up to Harbin, a group of us ladies decided to do a short one-night trip to check this China must-see off the list.


It was worth the trip, but was indeed close to the coldest weather I have ever been in, with the nighttime temps around -15F.  And we were lucky enough to also experience some of the worst pollution on record, with the levels on Saturday exceeding what could be even be measured. But it only takes a few good friends and a few bottles of beer to make it a memorable one.  

Kristin through a single ice block

Walking across the frozen Songhua River

The Great Wall made out of Snow

More snow sculptures

The Ladies

If Looks Could Kill

Someone takes lotion time with her little brother a bit too serious!

Siblings

Growing Like a Weed

 1 Month

2 Months

It's Picture Day!

We're Going to the Zoo

Every week, one of the 5 Year 1 classes puts on a mini-show about what they have been learning.  The class that week performs in front all of the other Year 1 classes and their parents.  I love this concept, as it is teaching these kids an important life skill.  Not only are they having to prepare and practice something, but they are developing a sense of confidence speaking and performing in front of their peers, something many adults can't do.

Eric's class is Year 1E, so his class is the last in the rotation.  They had just come back from a field trip from the Shanghai Zoo and have been studying animals, their habitats, and what they need to live and be happy (thus the theme of the play).  I have to say, I was so impressed with what they were able to do.  When you watch, remember that these are 5-6 year olds. 

Enjoy! 

Back to Basics

I am home a lot more these days, trying to get Carter into a schedule and giving him a bit more solid sleep than what he gets in the car, stroller, at gymnastics, swimming lessons…well, you get the picture.  I have started eating lunch with my ayi a bit more and working on my Chinese language skills with some small talk.  Like most small talk, it starts with talk about the weather, the weekend activities, the kids, etc.  This past Thursday, I was busy getting ready for Thanksgiving.  We got talking and we got on the subject of our upcoming move (just within Shanghai…our landlord is kicking us out.)  I told her we had decided to stay in the building, just moving down 5 floors.  She asked what happened to the other place I had told her about and I told her it was too expensive.  Then she asked the dreaded question…how much was our rent going to be.  You see, I have successfully avoided this question a few times before.  But this time, here I was sitting across the table from her, sharing a meal.  There was no avoiding it.  So, I bit my lip and uttered the words, RMB 50k/month.  Yes, it is an obnoxious amount of money and luckily we don’t pay the monthly bill.  Doug and I always joke that this is the most expensive place we will ever live in.  Our apartment is on the market for something like $10 million USD.  

It is crazy.  And embarrassing. 

She then goes on to tell me about her apartment.  She pays RMB 700/month.  She has no heat, no hot water, and she has pans all over her apartment (which is the size of our living room) to catch the water coming in from the ceiling.  I ask her why her landlord doesn’t fix it.  She says he doesn’t have to.  She says that she has tried to move to a better place, but everything better is around RMB2,000/month, two thirds of her monthly salary.  So, she stays.  Not because she wants to, but because it is the best she can afford.  She explains that is why she showers here; it is just incredibly cold at her apartment.

I continue to listen and stare down at my lunch, thinking about what our life would be like if that was how we lived.  And honestly, I can’t.  

A few hours later, walking to school with a $10 pumpkin pie in tow for Sophia’s class to try, I can’t stop thinking about my earlier conversation.  I pass people on the corners with little signs, advertising their skills, hoping for a day’s work.  Tucked away behind the storefronts are tiny apartments with their windows  open, laundry drying on the electric poles outside.  A shiny black hummer pulls up beside me, stops in the middle of the road and a presumably wealthy Chinese man jumps out and walks into a local restaurant.  The hummer just sits there waiting, traffic piling up behind it.  

The disparity of wealth in this country is astounding.  Perhaps it isn’t more than other countries, but it is so much more obvious here.  On every block, there are million dollar apartments surrounded by ones that might not make it through the winter.  There are people carrying $5000 handbags walking next to those carrying the fake $5 version.  There are electric scooters showing more duck tape than paint sitting at the stop light next to a bright orange Lamborghini.  

This is the thing I struggle with the most living here.  For me, right or wrong, it translates into guilt, something  that I carry around every day knowing what I have and what so many do not.  And it’s especially hard with those whose lives are intertwined so closely with ours.  And what is more insane is that we live a modest life compared to many of the Chinese here.  I struggle with how I can help, how I can make a difference.  But the sheer number of people here and the extreme inequality makes it feel impossible. 

This Thanksgiving, my list of what I am thankful for is different than most past years.  Yes, I am thankful for my family and friends, my children and loving husband.  But this year I feel especially grateful for having my basic needs in life met.  I am thankful that my children are warm when they fall asleep.  I am thankful that my house is dry and that I don’t have to wake up in the morning wondering if the buckets overflowed with water last night while I slept.  I am thankful that my family has food on the table every night and never even flirts with true hunger. 

And oddly enough, I am thankful for my feelings of guilt, as they are my daily reminder of how much I have and how much others don’t.  And hopefully that feeling keeps me grounded and doesn’t let me fall into feeling complacent.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy Halloween from China!

All Dressed Up

 This pretty much sums up our night....

Hopefully one day soon happy Sophia will be back to join us.