The Whirlwind of Emotions

First my apologies on how long it has taken me to post. The last month can't actually be described with words, but as everything like that in life, I guess I will go ahead and try. It has been one of the most exhausting months of our lives to date. But very good and very meaningful. After living in China for five years straight, having a baby and accumulating all the stuff you accumulate as she grows to be three years old, after making friends, developing attachments, teaching hundreds of students and receiving gifts and momentos from them, etc...then, to pack up, pick up and move back "home" to Arkansas has just been the most amazing, draining experience. The jet lag this time has been the most incredibly intense out of the dozens of times we have experienced it, at least in part because when we started home this time, we were already exhausted from all the packing, saying good-bye, etc! The last day Phoebe attended preschool itself was an incredibly meaningful and sad experience for all of us. We had all our suitcases packed, we would leave China the next day, and we went to pick her up that last day. The teacher asked us to come early to take photos and say goodbye. In fact, they had a huge event in Phoebe's honor where they sang to her, she hugged and kissed all 24 of them, and then each child presented her with a gift! It was so moving, as their love was out poured to her and her to them. But can you think of any complications that 24 new gifts might cause on the day before an international flight? And yet, these things meant a lot to Phoebe for closure's sake, and we could not just leave them. An additional bag had to be procured and packed in those last hours. As we drove away from the school on the Taylor's ebike, it dawned on Phoebe what was really happening and that she wouldn't see those people again. She really understood it. She started begging to go back and crying, and even trying to jump off the bike to go back. It took all our strength to contain her and still drive and stay safe. When we got home, it took twenty minutes to get her to go inside, because she was crying and begging to go back again. Then, inside our apartment,  she cried choking sobs like the crying you would hear at a funeral, for like an hour, about how sad she was to be leaving. Comforting her in her intense grief took all we had. We were sad to leave China, but we had to summon our maturity to focus on her, because it was harder, much harder, for her. She was born there, and this is a part of her identity that she has never been without. Her name in Chinese is Wang Li Shan. Since we have been back in the States she has told us she wants to go HOME. We say, "Ok, let's go to Granny's house now." She says "No, I don't mean Granny's house. I want to go to Wang Li Shan's house." So, there's no doubt about what that means! But in fact, being back in the States she has been able to have a ton of fun in the local public parks, the Discovery Museum in Little Rock, attending Bible class, and of course, playing with her Papa and Granny. It's good, but it's an adjustment. There's a lot more I could say, but I will stop here for now. Please pray for us in this transition. Thanks!

王丽珊 (Phoebe) giving everyone hugs and kisses

The Final Group Photo of 星星班