Summer Closes

Wonder,  August just soared on through our lives.  Now I stand in the midst of the fall feasts of YHVH and look back.

I attended four beautiful, inspirational and educational births in August. I am so blessed by the families who share these transitions with me. I have also completed my expansion of Birth Rhythms to include 9 other doulas and new class offerings.  They are all busy.  My plan is working. In 3 years I can fully turn my attention to midwifery, and know that the doula services in Saskatoon are top notch!  The doulas are the true grassroots of any birth movement.  They inspire the mothers and support the midwives.

On the home front Mason was working nights for 3 weeks, shifted to days for 3 days and then admitted that he doesn't see his future at Tim Horton's....he is looking for work again and considering some post-secondary ed. Mason and Katherine are beginning Childbirth Education classes and Kat is finishing some high school before the baby comes in January. The 'bean' as we call her, is growing beautifully.  Her mamma's roundness gives her away now.  No, we don't KNOW it is a girl...but we FEEL her. 

Parker Turned 15! and is doing his grade ten 50% at Marion Graham and 50% at home.  It has been really nice to have him back for a part of each day.  The teen years fly by faster than the toddler ones I am learning. Why do they not write this in BOLD letters in every parenting book ? Hmmm?  It is really alot harder to hug a sweaty teen while they cry themselves to sleep about a wounding of the heart that they cannot fully explain to you. Not unlike a two year old without the vocabulary to explain a bladder infection; parents sometimes have to wait for the OBVIOUS signs of infection before we can be of any help.  It is excruciating, for everyone involved.  By then we know it has been festering for a while.....we can look back and say, "Oh, that's why he was acting that way for the last couple days..."

Ethan has been so fun to watch mature.  He is often mistaken as the one who isn't listening in this family....but just as soon as he fades into the background of a conversation, with everyone almost forgetting that he is even at the table, he whips out the most succinct and FUNNY comments!  Truly too many too mention lately.  Not only is he listening, he understands the implications of what he hears, the nuances do not slip by him.  I like that about him. We are going to have cool conversations as he ages.

Liam on the other hand has become the resident set of Radar Ears!  Our Information Aquisiton Specialist.Who needs Google? Need to know someone's schedule?  Ask Liam.  Can't remember where you left your keys? Liam saw them.  Who called? Liam didn't take the call but he listened in from the hallway, so he can FILL YOU IN!  Need to know which of your children is lying? Exaggerrating? Farting? ASK LIAM. This kid knows what the neighbours had for breakfast!

Matthew Laing has rejoined our family for a time...he turns 17 this month and we have been lucky enough to know him since he was 7.  Please keep him and his mother, Teresa, in your prayers, as she battles cancer and he deals with his own demons.  We love this boy deeply, and he is really going through some tough times.

Brad had the first week of August off and again has this week off.  I love having him around the house.  After 14 years we still just really like to hang out together.  No big holiday agendas. Just a few late nights....and lengthened mornings. Sigh.

We had  wanted to get away as a family, but Mason's work, Parker's school and the carehome aspect of life just did not allow it this summer.  We see that part of our lives coming to a close, the carehome I mean.  It would be good to have more privacy as the boys are older.  They need us more now than ever, and parenting in public 24/7 can be exhausting.

We spent Yom Terah, Biblical feast of Trumpets, with our good friends Kent and Lorraine Regier and their children.  It also happened to be the fifth anniversary of the death of Kent's first wife Joanne.  Though I only knew her for a short time (2 years), she will be in my heart always.  I see her in her children, as they blossom under the love of their "second mom" as they call her. I hear her in their laughter, in their funny plans, and wildly creative endeavours.  I love those kids. They are the best friends my own children have. Friends in Life and in Faith. We are grateful for the Regiers.

Transitions and negotiations seems to have been the theme of this summer.  You will have to read my other blogs to hear the birth stories of the families I served. It always amazes me how much they can mirror my own life back to me...

I continue on my new food and healthy eating endeavours along withg my mother, but I feel a deeper shift. A lightening at the same time as a deepening and it ain't all about the sassy short hair either!  I like it. Just like new jeans that feel as though you have been wearing them for years. 40 just feels right.

July Update.

Well , we finally have a little summer weather and it makes me smile. I have attended three births so far, and we had a new resident move into our home July 1st.  July also brought Mason home to stay for a little while along with the news that he and his girlfriend will be blessing our family with a grandchild in early 2011!  The ultrasound pic is on the fridge and I love to see how Kat's belly is starting to round out with the signs of life.

Brad, Ethan and Liam spent last weekend out in Indian Head at the grand re-opening of the Bell Barn.  Having grown up in the area Brad was excited to get out there and see it along with a number of people he hasn't seen in a long time. His sisters were also out for the occasion and a great weekend was had by all. The opening was a big success; my father in law, Stew Wass was a part of the planning committee.

 Parker is off camping and fishing up north of Laronge for 2 weeks with the Toovey's and Brad has the last week of July and the First week of August off of work.  I heard a rumour that there is free salsa dance lessons at the River Landing on Thursday nights....perhaps I can convince him.

Our house needed some reno completion as we moved our carehome upstairs and all the boys downstairs a couple months back.  We promised the girls they would not have to sleep in pirate ship  and space rooms for too long.  So now we have 2 of three of the upstairs bedroom completed.  One of them is our guest room, and back up birth suite for the midwives.

Next project is Parker's room in the basement while he is away.  *Note to self : When telling a 14 year old we can paint his room any colour he wants, remind him that black is NOT a colour. *  So black and grey it is! I am planning a little red highlighting, but i have to sneak it in.

In the midst of all the hustle this summer, my front yard is a wash.  I have lost the 3 year battle to the maple seedlings that hitch hiked in my mulch.  That and the fact that more than half my hostas and all my lily and columbines were wiped out by our wacky spring, my yard looks like a back alley.I am sure my neighbours LOVE me for this.  I had every intention of weeding today...BUT I am not in charge of the rain.

Ethan and Liam enjoyed a July staycation as one of their best friends, Jordon, came to Saskatoon to visit for two weeks.  Staying at his grandmother's house a block away, he made daily visits....It was great to have him over so often.  He is one of those friends that just fits like a glove. He could be family.

As you may have seen on Face Book, my mom and I , along with the two women in my carehome are all on a  28 day raw food cleanse.  Day 5 was terrific.  The recipes have been yummy. I can't say that I haven't had cravings for cooked food. I have. Crazy ones yesterday at the asian market when someone delivered food.  It wafted through the whole store and i would have chucked anything deep fried into my mouth in that moment..  My mom and the gals have each lost 4-5 lbs this week. Me..about 8 oz. but I have very little to lose. This is about toning, strengthing and re-focusing for me.  I have been loving the increase in daily excercise as well.

A part of my re-focusing this month and becoming a little more natural  was the decision to stop dying my hair.  Say goodbye to the red folks!  I am cutting it all off and growing it back out in the near future...I haven't seen it for 16 years.  Wonder what colour it is?  I will post photos as we go.

Mason had a biking accident this past week. Let's just say the pot-hole won. Mason ended up with a disocated shoulder & collar bone, hair-line fractures in the hand and wrist and a bruised head, ribs and ego.  He has been making the trip to visit Kat at her mother's home either by bike or roller blades.  That is about 15 km one way. Good on him for the stamina! I hope he keeps it up once he gets back to work next week.  His full time baker's postion at Tim Horton's starts on Wed.

And how do I find the time to post ?  Well , the boys and Brad are out helping my dad set up the D.J. equipment for a wedding tonight.  My cousin, Krystle Grenier will be married tommorrow. We are all looking forward to spending the day with family.

Raw Food Transition

So here we are beginning day 4. I am pleased so far withthe level of consistency I have been able to maintain. Two of the women whom I care for have also joined in and are feeling the results. It has been such a great exercise for me to talk to them about what we are eating and why. After reading and dabbling in raw foods for 4 years,I know alot more than I thought. It has been easy to answer their questions, teach them how to make the recipes using substitutes when needed, and the best part is that they are talking. We are all experiencing this lightening of emotions. It is more like a flood some times, but it is good stuff.




The smoothy was great this morning, then off I went to walk my dog.

I have a 2pm date to walk with a friend recovering from liver cancer.

So  summer is settling in. I am just home from a birth. A beautiful, empowering event. 


I have many many births to attend this summer. nine more actually before the end of August.  This will not be my new normal, it is just how it happened this year.  I then have approximately 6 weeks with no births to attend at all in September and October. Brad and I are planning to go on a family vacation in September.

Summer...Finally

So my homeschool reports are in!  The boys had a productive year and we are only going to continue on with a touch of math over the summer.  We just wrapped up swimming lessons and the homeschool baseball team.


Parker is thrilled to be finished grade 9 and plans to take a few classes at the highschool next year, while returning to homeschooling . Mason has moved back to SK , is looking for an apartment and is working full time at Tim Horton's.  

Brad's parents are coming to visit us July first.  We don't get to see them much.  Really looking forward to the visit. Going to take the boys out to Pike Lake to swim for the day. We are taking our 2 weeks holidays at the end of summer.

I skipped the garden planting this year, because I will be going to too many births to be worrying about watering and weeding.  Glad I have good friends with an overflowing green house.  I am eager to pay for tomatoes that taste sooooo good.

Mom and I are going on a bit of an adventure in July.  A 28 day Raw Food Feast!!!!  So looking forward to it as I gear up for some big changes as I approach my 40th birthday this summer......

Brad on the other hand has a whole summer of students to juggle at work.  I hear about it everyday!  Oh the joys of training new staff.  he says he likes it.

Airun Gem, we love you.

I was really praying that 2010 would have less tears than 2009.  So far we are not off to a good start.

 On February 12, 2010 we lost our first grandchild.  Little Airun Gem was born into my hands many months too early.  Mason and Kathryn were just wrapping their minds around become parents and planning a spring wedding when the 17 week ultrasound showed that this little one would not be joining us after all.  Two days later he made his arrival just past midnight.

Having miscarried three babies myself, I am no stranger to this heart pain, but I was totally unprepared for  the complete love I felt for my grandchild as I gently washed off his little body and handed him to his parents. 
There was something there in those heavy moments that were a gift.  I wanted to be sure that they could honour his life, touch him, kiss him and call him their own.  I wanted them to be able to attach a face to the emptiness and pain they felt.  To be able to grieve, and to heal.

Most women who lose their babies this early never get this opportunity.  Mason and Kathryn plan to bury Airun at Woodlawn Cemetary.  There is a free plot there for pre-born babes.  All of my children, Brad and I and even the great-grandparents are grieving this in their own way.  As you think of them we thank you for your prayers.

You win some...

Facebook Brad-Lisa Wass: "So in an attempt to quiet the fart and other bodily function jokes at my table this morning I turned on the radio...The very first thing my sons hear is an invitaion to the Healthy Boobie Gala Dinner! So much for changing the subject, they were rolling on the floor laughing The look on my face they say was priceless."

Life with boys

So today I signed up for bass guitar lessons, so that I can play along with the boys...this mom was feeling left out of the jam sessions!  Really, it would also do me some good to be able to read music and keep up with these guys.  It is difficult to encourage practice when I am not sure if they are doing it right.  I commited to two months and then I will see.....

Parker did great in his first wrestling meet over the weekend, winning one of his matches; the only rookie to win in his category!  He is loving the team!

Ethan and Liam spent a night at Grandma and Grandpa Tomchuk's house this past weekend while Brad and I attended Federated Co-OP's Annual Awards Banquet, and came home with Giant stuffed animals.  They have been dressing these things up all week  and dragging them out to friends' homes.  I got such a laugh out of it because they have never played dress-up with dolls or any other kind of toy before , but they were just so tickled to dress up the tiger and bear as a snowboarder and a rock star!

A bit early...but I plan on resting tonight!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Morning musings

So usually I am so busy just getting things 'done' that the mornings fly by. Well this morning we did a Matthew Ch 14 bible study, followed by me asking the boys to draw a picture of what we read...Well, these boys certainly do not have a lack of creativity!

I was thinking of a straight forward picture of the feeding of the 5000 or of John the Baptist's beheading. Actually I was sure that I would get two pictues of the beheading because it has the whole gore factor that the boys love...but what I got was two stick man comic books! One for each story, with all the story embellishments we expect from a hollywood film...King Herod's PArty, was actually his surprise birthday party, Herodias was a break-dancer who through in a "hat" dance for good measure. John's head was served up on one of those room service trolleys in one version and he was actually underneath (not decapitated)and ready to scare Herod...LOL! In the other there is a long depiction of the skeleton of death walking through the beheading process with John...Hmmm

The feeding of the 5000 is drawn gang style with 'J-man' and his 12 "homies" rounding up the bread and fishes. The last frame has The 'J-man' walking away while the others gather up the 12 baskets of leftover food and he is saying to himself, " You can't touch this!" And yes he is wearing MC hammer pants!

Now for Six months of WInter....

Well, I never did get back to my China postings, but I do have a hand written journal full of memories. Other than the usual lame excuse that life just got too busy to post when we returned, the truth is avoided posting. The last half of our trip was very difficult. LIam broke his arm, work and living conditions turned out to be very diffrent than what we had been led to believe they would be, and home sickness came inwaves through the whole camp. We still learned so much and appreciate the experience, but I just can't go beyond that for an explanation for now...

We are settled back into our home educating routine as the winter settles in , and I am looking forward to a quiet few months with Ethna and Liam at home. Mason has moved out on his own at the age of 17, and is finding himself and his path...PArker decided to try out Highschool this year, and so enrolled in Grade nine at MArion Graham Colliegiate. He is making a good transition, made some new friends and joined the wrestling team. It is good to see him choose something to get involved in again. PArker had taken a break from all things sports after quitting his competitive Gymnastics training last year...

So this year I am back down to two chidlren homeschooling, but the last time I was here there were toddlers ripping around under my feet. A very different dynamic, but we are enjoying eachother and I am enjoying the opportunity to really focus on what the boys love... art, guitar and drumming is the flavour of this year, lessons and practice. I love having music in the house. I sooo miss Mason just sitting at the piano and belting out his latest inventions...


Brad is now in his busiest time of year at work...60 hour weeks! And he will be travelling again next week. Good thing he loves his job :) Itis a good thing that I did not take on any birth clients for this month, just my prenatal classes to teach.


We have closed down all but one of the beds in our care-home. Our last residient plans tomove back out on her ownin February. I am so proud of her and all the women who have come through my home over the past 12 years. I am feeling called to finally make the shift and commitment over to the birthing field. It feels so weird to see what began as an interest, and hobby even to become a full time endeavor. It has been quite intimidating to make the jump; to embrace that yes, this is a way I can help others and feed my family! Wow, I have been able to embrace that birth support services are worthy of a good wage. I have been blessed at every step ofthe way, and look forward to continuing...


In the new year I have plans to lease an office and studio space for Birth Rhythms. I am hoping to be in the same building as the midwives. For now my energy is focused on raising up more great doulas for Saskatoon. My current class has 12 amazing women in it. I love them all and I can see how they will each bring somethng special toour birth community.


Well, off to make teas and rouse the boys. The sun is about to showitself, so we had better get on with the day.

BAck in Canada and so many stories to tell...

While our adventure continued our access to internet and the time to type became severely restricted. However I did journal every day, and will be posting now that we are home for those who are still interested in our trip.. There were some surprises for sure!!

As the jet lag dissipates I will get on the next few entries.

Love,
Lisa

Let the teaching begin!

Tuesday morning in Zhu Zhou found me wanting for more sleep and a whole lot of air conditioning! We walked to the #4 King's Mountain Middle School at 10 a.m. to meet withthe administration, teachers and voluteers who would be working with us this week, as well as the co-ordinators for the camp here, Joyce Geh. She is a Chinese spit fire with elegance! The school is home 6 days a week to 2000 grade 7,8,&9 students. During the summer there are also extra Sunday classes!!

After the formalities, the college student volunteers held a welcoming party for us- filled with great ice-breakers and fun for the children and adults alike. The afternoon was spent exploring the city bus route and wandering the largest mall in the city, more for the six wonderful floors of a/c than the shopping. Everything here was extremely high end. Very different from the tourist markets in Beijing. An average t-shirt here cost about 80 dollars Cnd. and neither our credit nor bank cards worked here. Cash only. Glad I bought my souvenirs elsewhere.

Wednesday

We were invited to the 'offcial welcoming ceremonies' of the school. There were banners everywhere. Flower presentations to all the teachers, speaches and the singing of our national anthem all done outside with all the students. This was really a big deal. Even our hotel had a bright red banner hung out in front welcoming it's Canadian visitors. The speeches were heart warming, but not even close to the smiles on these children. We are such a curiousity to them, and at the same time they are so excited to have a chance to practice speaking English. The Canadian children can scarcly walk 10 feet without being stoped for a question.

After the ceremonies we had a tour of the grounds and then SURPRISE!!! We were told on our lunchbreak that we would be teaching all afternoon to classes of 50-60 students each! This is when I began to realize that my preconceptions about the level of English speaking of these children have were way off. Actually, we all saw that they are very book smart, but almost completely lack oral skills - a rude awakening. After 4 years of taking English classes for 50 minutes 6 days/wk; Students were paralized if we asked for more than their basic personal information. So we played games, sang simple songs and drew pictures of words I wrote on the board. Not my best day of teaching, but the kids had fun. The Canadian kids were paired up with the teachers for the teaching, and that part was great fun. Mason and I did 2 classes together, and he was both funny and a great help. I taught the Chinese students the phrase 'very cool' by pointing at him, and his new ski-ing goggles that he wears everywhere! All the children are instant celebretities, and after the teaching was over they spent 45 minutes, signing autographs and handing out their email addies!

Let's Play Catch Up

Last Monday we went on a tour of the village of Hutong and then travelled to the City of Zho Zhou. As usual Eric as a virtual treasure of information. We had a short tutorial about marriage customs on the bus ride to Hutong. The majority of marriages are still arranged somewhat, with the parents introducing children to acceptable matches. However, the children do have a say init, and the customs are evolving round the importance of love in a marriage plan. The divorce rate here is very low. Another evolving tradition is that of the bride price. Traditionally the groom was to provide the bride's family with 3 gifts. In the 1980's it was a bicycle, a good watch, and a sewing machine. in the 1990's the gifts became a T.V., a refrigerator , and gold jeweller y. Today the expected gifts are: gold jeellry, a car, and an apartment! This is why the Chinese are marrying older, and only the very wealthy can afford a bride!!! This has happened in part to aid in the competion factor. There are 10 million more men than women in China due to the one child only laws and parents choosing fetal viability according to the sex. ( tears) This has created a number of interesting social ramifications, including a whole new single working class of men. The extravagant gifts expected by the groom, really narrow the playing field of available suitors. In return the future mother-in-law gives the girl 10,001 yuen. 10,000 is the number of heaven here so 10,001 is a symbol of her being perfect for their son; that she is sent from heaven.

We arrived in Hutong during a welcome rain shower and enjoyed a wonderful rickshaw tour of what I can ony describe as old China. Everything is very compact. The streets are only 2-3 metres wide compared to our normal 8 meter roads. The street widths do widen here and there according to the wealth of the homes that share the drive. The rain was the perfect acompaniment to this morning rickshaw ride. Many women, children and old men poked their heads out to see us as we progressed in our caravan of 8 rickshaws. The drivers were jovial, with never ending smiles, lots of joking between one another. This must be a good way to pass the time with heavy loads. They had us draped with water proof curtains while the rain fell. I felt like royalty :)

My mind wandered to how it would have felt to be in a horse-drawn covered carriage. The sound of horses hooves on cobble stone replaced the constant whirring of the bicylce tires on the pavement. Our tour paused in front of what looked at a quaint home. It had four stars above the door and it as explained that this was in fact the most expensive home in Hutong. Once inside the courtyard, the beauty of the home enveloped you. Everything had been maintained in old-style furnishings and finishings. The Feng Shui of the home was said to be perfect, which I do not know how to judge, but it certainly was appealing to the eye and all the other senses! The 1500sq. ft home is over 400 years old and it is currently valued at 1 billion Cnd dollars!

After this, we were transported to an upper class family home for a traditional lunch with the family who lies there currently. This as wonderful! Again- homecooked always tastes better than restaurant food. The children were enthralled by the family alter to their anscestors, complete with offerings of fruit, money and very large, well-fed crickets. They sang loudly throughout our whole meal.

After Lunch we walked to a fine porceline workshop and museum. Ethan and Liam each received a lesson at the potter's wheel bythe pottery master who is employed by the government. Liam made a bowl and ethan a candle stick. It is not unlike an artist in residence situation, where they have a new artist come in every three years. There were staions flled with young men and women shapng and finishing the pottery, as well as a room for a sculptor.

Our afternoon ended with tearful goodbyes to our wonderful guide Eric. He would not be taking the trip with us to Zhu Zhou. It was to be a quick 2 hour plane ride to our destination, but the lovely light rain we had enjoyed for most of the day, had morphed into the ligtening storm of the summer and the entire Beijing airport was shut down for 6 hours. We arrived weary eyed at 3 a.m. instead of 8 p.m. One of the books I read about China before coming said that the # one thing to take with you to China is PATIENCE. I am glad I have a suitcase full. The delays in the airport were a sign about how the rest of this week was to unfold...but that is another story.

Good Medicine

Good Medicine

Today we visited the Forbidden City and Tianamen Square. I wept on the bus before we even got there today, just listening to Eric give the history and acounts of the uprisings and deaths that have occurred there. I am just so emotionally open on this trip.

The children are all weary of the long walks and the heat, and today we got one extra stress factor added in; crowds. I am told it was a normal Sunday in the park crowd, but we are talking about hundreds of thousands of people in the square and visiting the historic city. We all got a taste of feeling boxed in and even anxious by the sheer number, the noise and the speed at which the crowd was moving. There was no where to stop and catch your breath, it was keep going or get crushed at some points. Poor Liam, being the smallest in our group, was simply overwhelmed. First came the headache then the tears. Ethan followed suit 20 minutes later with dizziness and a nose bleed. Parker had stomach cramps within minutes after that. They were all fine once we got through the Square and into the larger courts of the Forbidden City where the crowds thinned to about half. Still an astounding number. I can honestly say I have never been in a crowd that size before. What great lesson for all of us on the precious SPACIOUSNESS that we enjoy in Saskatchewan. A hard pill to swallow at the time, but the kids agree with me.

All of that aside, it was worth the visit. Eric gave us so much information and historical trivia that I started video taping some of it. The Forbidden Palace was truly unique. As Logan, one of the other children on the tour, said as we passed through the gates, "Woah, Canada ain't got nothing on this place!" If you haven't seen the movie the Last Emperor, go watch it. Much of the Forbidden City is in the film. My favourite part of the tour was definitely the Imperial Garden. After visiting so many dead sites, this one had been carefully restored to some of its previous grandeur. It was lush, green, cultivated beauty. Rows upon rows of 400+year old trees, rock gardens, water gardens, and a multitude of flowering trees and bushes. Take away the crowd, add in an emperor and one empress and you have tranquility. I would have liked to stay in that portion of the city for several hours, but the schedule did not permit it. If you ever go, leave time for that.You will need the rest by that point in the day anyway. Bring a snack and relax a while.

Our afternoon was spent at the Chinese Association of Herbal Medicine. Eric surprised us with this lecture, and free visit by a Chinese Naturopathic Doctor. The topic was an introduction to the culture of Chinese medicine and a great overview of how they value preventative, non-invasive health care through out the centuries and throughout the whole country still. There was alot of information on balancing kidney and liver function, as well as an overview of how a diagnosis is made. The mini appointments went well. Each person on the tour received a 5-8 minute interview with the doctors and some recommendations on things they could do to enhance their health. I thought this might just be a big push to get you to by things , but really only a few of us were given herbal remedy recommendations, and the feed back I heard from everyone, myself included, was that they were right on with their diagnosis each time. There was also a mini-massage and acupressre demonstration for those who wanted to pay the $3. Good call Eric! I loved this! Again, I have SOOO much to learn.

Tomorrow we head out to Hutong for a village tour and to spend an afternoon with a local family. in the evening we travel to Zhou Zho. We will not arrive here until very late, so you probably won't get a posting tomorrow.

Our week in Beijing has come to an end, but we have three weeks ahead of us! What a gift.

Worship in China Continued...

The architecture at the temple of Heaven and Earth also had several interesting features. The original structures were built in 1420, but were destroyed and then rebuilt in 1896. The original roof had three tiers; the only roof like it in all China. Each layer and it's colour was symbolic of some part of the relationship between the god of heaven and earth, the emperor and the people of China.The top tier represented the god, and was blue like the skies. The second tier was to represent the emperor as the earthly son of the god and the colour yellow was used. Yellow was reserved only for imperial families. The third tier was for the common people and was the colour green.in the outer court there is also an intriguing circular platform. it was used for prayer ceremonies that symbolized bring the emperor the closest to god of all the people. There is a raised 1meter mound in the middle of the circle which is about 30m wide. When you stand on this mound and speak in any direction your voice echoes back to you from all sides. There is a similar feature on the inner court where you can stand anywhere on the outskirts of the 200m wide court and speak quietly, but you will be heard on the opposite side of the court easily. Makes it hard to keep secrets for sure!

I want to learn more about the Chinese history and culture with each passing day. The little I knew is proving to be completely inadequate, and everything I learned thus far intrigues me even more. I think I have pulled on a really long string this time! I will start by reading up on every place I have visited once I get home.

Now that was the worship lesson from the past. I also observed what I think is the worship lesson of the present- The Silk Market! Here too we had an inner and outer court. Once inside it was very difficult to get out, as everyone serving in this temple is there to fill not your desire to be close to God, but your desire for things that make you feel like one. The sacrifices here are only $$$ and time. Your $$$ and Your time to be sure, but all sacrificed to the god of I-WANT.

Everything in the Temple of Heaven was about being close to god, and praying for good harvests for the people of the country. Lavish gifts and burnt offerings were presented to god by the people and the emperor. Everything about the silk market was about providing for yourself with the least possible sacrifice, getting a good deal and boasting about it all later. Every advertisement was meant to uphold the materialistic ideals of the North American economy. There in the middle of a huge market full of CHINESE people and a few tourists, all the posters had photos of blonde women and their children. I could go on, but I think you get the picture. Tragic.

Chinese forms of worship

Yesterday we went to the Temple of Heaven and Earth. It was an amazing tour really. I enjoyed so many different aspects of the history and the architecture. First of all it is important to note that it was never used as a temple in the Chinese sense of temples. It was used only for special ceremonies including the current Emperor of China, and his desire to worship the un-named god of heaven and earth. There were so many cross-overs between the ceremonies and the biblical festivals of Passover, First Fruits , Yom Kippur and Sukkot. Way too many to write about today, but I will revisit the topic in the next few weeks, as I get a better understanding of it all. The lay out also closely resembled the Mishkan and then the temple of Solomon in different areas. The inner court, the inner most room, the altar, lavers, incense table and table of bread, and of course lots of gold.

In modern times this site is used as a recreational park. People gather here just like they do in the bessourough park at home. Main differnce is that they majority of people you will see inthis park are seniors. The age of retirement inBeijing is 55 for men and 50 for women. So they are spending all their free time socializing in the parks around this Temple. The main activities you see them engaging in are, Tai Chi, Calligraphy, playing instruments, ballroom dancing, belly dancing, ribbon dancing, playing all sorts of musical instruments,hacky sac and Chinese chess. Did I mention these are the seniors???

I took so many pictures and some great video, but we are blocked from uploading them here due to the civil unrest occuring in other parts of the country right now.

We are just heading out to the Forbidden City so I will have too fill you in on the rest of it later!

The Great Wall of China and other feats of humanity...

Let me tell you about our private tour guide here. His name is Eric Kim. He is Chinese minority from the Manchurian line. He is educated and has worked for a long time as an accountant here in Beijing. However his passion is to learn to speak english. He is completely self taught and has the best accent by far of all the english speakers we have met here. He started working as a tour guide to get more practice speaking english. Now after three years of doing it part time, he makes enough money to quit being an accountant! He loves to ask questions about the meanings of words and english slang. He is great with the children on the trip; very attentive and enthusiastic about everything we do. This morning's ice-breaker on the bus was a full explanation of the Chinese Zodiac and then he went through everyone's birthdays and told us what kind of animal we are. Yes, we are just a bunch of animals on this trip. He has a great sense of humour, we are blessed to have him.

This morning brought with it a small surprise. Eric picked up on how much we all loved the pearl market yesterday, and arranged a private class in a jade factory today before heading off to the great wall. Eric told us, "The Chinese are good at making fake stuff. I take you to learn about good jade before we go to the markets in a couple days. You do not want to buy plastic that look like jade." He is a gem!

Jade carvings were a common thing to find in Chinese homes as decoration for the last 3000 years. There is a belief that this precious stone is good for the health and keeps away bad spirits. It was not until the trade routes really opened up that jade become used in jewelry, furniture and other art work as we see it today. Yet as early as 3000 B.C. jade was known in China as 'yu', the 'royal gem'. In the long history of the art and culture of the enormous Chinese empire, jade has always had a very special significance, roughly comparable with that of gold and diamonds in the West. Jade was used not only for the finest objects and cult figures, but also in grave furnishings for high-ranking members of the imperial family. Today, too, this gem is regarded as a symbol of the good, the beautiful and the precious. It embodies the virtues of wisdom, justice, compassion, modesty and courage, yet it also symbolises the female-erotic. This is one versatile stone!

The factory presentation was wonderful. The workrooms had glass walls so that visitors could watch the craftsmen work. The guide took us through all the stages of design carving and polishing, described the many different kinds of jade and the ways these varieties are used and prepared. Then we were brought into a hall that made me feel like I was in a Lara Croft movie, and had just hit the jackpot. I have never seen so many riches in one place. From oversized life-like statues of warriors to the smallest and most intricate of tea pots, necklace and animal miniatures. Everyone of them carved from a single piece of Jade! A rainbow of colours, sorted by quality. Breathe taking craftsmenship. We walked around for over an hour in awe. I found something beautiful for a turtle-loving friend and a little something for my family. Mason bought a small dragon carving and each of the other boys now wear a simple but stunning piece of jade around their necks.

Next stop, The Great Wall of China!

There are 4 sections of the wall open to the public in Beijing. We went to the Badaling section of the wall, with a summit of 888 metres. Back packs loaded with snacks and lots of water we started out in hopes of making it to the top. This was definitley the cardio section of the trip!!

Climbing 888 metres in 32 degree weather, on a 60-75 degree incline of ramps and stairs of varing sizes the whole way. Can you feel the burn yet? Most of us made it to the top! The Chinese say if you do then you are a super-hero! Eric the guide says Mason broke a new record; sprinting to the top and back down again in just 1 hour and 35 minutes! Mason filmed most of his journey on the wall, we will post a snippet when we get access here. The rest of us took 2.5 + hours to make the journey. It was a more leisurley pace for sure, why rush the wall?

For me, the climb could be compared to weaving a tapestry. Our group spead out and established our preferred speeds of ascent, but our paths crossed over and over again as some stopped for a break, to tell a joke, to take in the view, to catch their breathe, to take a photo, or be in one with the onslaught of Chinese who begged us to pose with our children and theirs. At times we would walk a ways together, sharing as new friends do. These were special times, feeling a sense of awe together as we took this historical walk, and at the same time learning about each other's hearts. At other times I would find myself alone and the heat would begin to press down on me, it was then that every step became a kind of prayer and meditation. As I prayed I felt lighter, my breath slowed and I could go further than I thought I would. As I approached the top I felt myself becoming weepy - no surprise to those who know me! You see just as I was about to get all vain and proud about my accomplishment, a man with fused hips using crutches reached the summit behind us. Now there was more dertermination then I had needed to reach for; I had not accomplished anything to be called a feat, but he had!

As I looked about I was struck both by awe at the sheer willpower of humanity. WOW - we are a tenacious bunch. That wall is an amazing thing - standing there was not like what you see in the photos - it was so much more. Yet I also felt despair at the thought of how any lives we are willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of gain. (more tears)

At the top small groups were bursting into what sounded like very patriotic songs - they were joyous! Gwen and I were inspired by the view and starting singing our own version of a 'Sound of Music' Medly. The hills were alive! We even sang Doe-a-Deer while hopping down the stairs like little Van-Trappe Singers! LOL! It was good to laugh out loud. The trip down was almost as demanding as the trip up, but we all made it without sickness or injury.

Our day ended with another great meal, a much needed rain shower, and a trip to the food market to buy fruit and water for the Sabbath. The boys and I then shared some prayer time at sunset before getting ready for bed.

I am feeling so grateful for all of this. My spirit has been stirred.

Lisa

The Summer Palace

Our Second day took us into the past, with a visit to these huge Imperial gardens. Think Beauty and Longevity and you will have a good idea of the main themes of this palace. We walked the longest corridor in the world, at 728 m long and inside it on the arches sit 14,000 unique portraits and scenes! Such and artistic feat, truly inspiring. You can feel the stories of each painting as you walk under them, and look out at the lake, and mountainous hills in the background. There are many temples filled with gold Buddas and many Chinese came in the pray and leave offerings at the alters - mostly peaches and money. It was a good lesson for the boys. Speaking of lessons we also went to a class on how to tell if your pearls are good quality. very interesting, and now the boys are all looking for a good buy! Lunch was shared with friends and some local wood snails, that Ethan, Liam and Sky dug up. Liam bartered for a set of 10 chopsticks and did well! We are off to the Great Wall today. Sorry we have no pitures for you - there is a problem with the way the net is set up here - we are working on it.