This beautiful young lady (left) is celebrating a birthday today...
Wishing my wife all the best today and in her new year!
(note: I couldn't find a photo of Christa where she wasn't hugging someone in the family. That says something about her I think.)
I don't know how many people get to share their life with their true love AND their best friend but I do. It's amazing! As the story goes, about 8 1/2 years ago, our eyes met across an empty dining hall in a cabin in a remote area of the Rocky Mountains.
It was love at first sight.
I didn't talk to her for two weeks. But I really wanted to. Our first conversation, which continues to this day, started while staring at a wall-sized map of the world. We talked about the places we most wanted to go and see in the wide world.
China was at the top of our list.
That night China wasn't even mentioned I don't think, but very soon it became the focus of all our attention and our drive to GO OUT.
If I had to summarize these beautiful 7 years of marriage with one word it would be: movement. It's not a frilly word, but that makes it no less elegant. Operatic music has movements. History has movements. Dance is defined by movements. The passage of time is marked in various stages of movement.
At the beginning we started out on opposite coasts, but quickly migrated towards one another. We have moved cross-continent and across continents. We have moved from being a solitary couple to being parents of two. We have moved from house to apartment to house and back again (about 7 times in our seven years). We have been immersed in movements of faith: from dreams to ideals, from doubt to belief, from frustration to perseverance, from conception to fruition, from desert to oasis. In all these movements we have grown (in both minuscule and major ways) in our love for God and each other. And through it all our sense of humor has remained intact.
I don't think it is very possible to adequately describe one's marriage to another person or couple. Each one is unique because each person in this world is unique. To say that I couldn't imagine my life (these last 8 1/2 years) without Christa would be quite an understatement. It's like saying I can't imagine my life without myself--we're ONE flesh and you just can't divide that. Only death does that kind of parting.
But what I can say is that I would NOT trade these seven years for any other offers. They have been the richest in my life. Even in the more difficult movements of life, I know I have a person to rely on, to rest in, to cherish, and to be cherished by.
So why would there be any 'itch'?
OK, here are the answers to the Christa quiz I posted a few days ago... If you haven't taken the quiz yet, and would like to, go to this post and download it before reviewing the answers below. Everyone is on the honor system and must grade your own quiz. No cheating! So far (other than my astounding 20 for 20 score) the high score is 15 out of 20.
Without further adieu, here are the answers, with a brief explanation (where necessary):
You'll have to let us know how you fared...
Birthday festivities went pretty well I think (?), but you'll have to ask Christa for the real scoop. Christa came to the realization this year that we are now at that age where our children are more excited by our birthdays than we are. (This will not always be the case, of course.) We also came to the conclusion that if our children are relatively content on our birthdays, then we will be content as well. So quite a few agenda items were chosen with the kids in mind (i.e. eating dinner at KFC). Anyway, here's the schedule of events (with a few pictures thrown in):
Overall, a pretty fun day. Thanks for all the e-mails and comments! She appreciated it.
Today this lovely young lady turns 33 years old! Can you believe it?
For my birthday this year, we got some quality time at a retreat center with good friends from the States... (It was an awesome, mini-vacation.)
For her birthday, Christa gets...Xining (sigh). We have
friends here, too; don't get me wrong. It's just hard to compete with
one's own home culture, family, friends, etc.
I have a few ideas (tricks) still up my sleeve though...
But in the meantime, for my lovely wife on her birthday, I give a haiku (syllable-count, 5/7/5) or a few:
The flutter started
in the moment I saw you
from across the room* * *
Seems too wonderful
how we, like an old couple
sit with hands entwined* * *
On your day of birth
the twine clasping my ankle
tightened so sweetly* * *
My wife the realist
conjures a smile from my lips
while creasing her brow* * *
Hard to imagine
my world could even exist
without you in it* * *
In the space between
where words fail to express life
love blooms, un-described.
Happy Birthday, Christa! You are my delight--every day (and year) with you is a beautiful adventure...
Love always,
Todd
p.s. feel free to leave b-day wishes in the comments, folks. We LOVE getting comments. Aye, we do.
I decided to interview my wife at 11:00 o'clock at night as she was trying to fall asleep. She may not allow this post to go uncensored, so you'd better read it fast. For keystroke brevity, I am T and she is C. It's very simple really:
T: What is the best thing that has happened to you this week?
C: This week just started!
T: OK, what was the best thing that happened to you last week?
C: We started class with our new teacher who is a really, really good teacher. And Sarah liked school! And I got to talk to Deena for a long time...
T: What was the funniest thing the girls have done recently?
C: Funniest?
T: Yeah, or cutest?
C: I like hearing them play together when they don't know that we are listening to them. That and they both think they are professional ballerinas. (Ha-ha)
T: If you could wave a magic wand and change something about Xining (to go into effect tomorrow) what would it be?
C: That's a big question. Do I think spiritual, physical, or material? What are you getting at?
T: I don't know. I was just trying to think of an interesting question.
C: I can think of lots of things. That tomorrow would be summer. No one would smoke cigarettes anymore. People would care about the environment here.
T: Let me rephrase the question. What one self-gratifying thing would you change about Xining (i.e. not spiritual)?
C: I don't know. That they would have a Red Robin here (laughing). With real beef! Not tainted with mutton.
T: If you could listen to any song from the 80s right now, what would you listen to?
C: That's hard, too. Because I'm about ready to go to sleep.
T: 99 Luftballoons?
C: No. (After a long pause.) Cyndi Lauper's Girl Just Wanna Have Fun.
T: Can I ask why?
C: Because I'm a girl and I wanna have fun and I'm not having any fun right now.
T: Oh, you don't want me to put that down.
T: What do you love most about your husband?
C: That's a hard question. I just love everything about you. I love who you are. I love how you think about life. That's really kind of a hard question.
T: Why?
C: Because you make me say one thing. I can't think of just one thing. You're putting me in a box.
T: You're almost 33 years old now. What would you like to accomplish in your 33rd year?
C: I'd like to do more than survive. I'd like to accomplish enjoying. If that was a wish question, I would be fluent in Chinese in my 33rd year.
T: If you could go into the show Lost at the beginning of season 3 (because we've only seen the first two seasons) knowing what you know, what would you do or try to do on the island?
T: (After a really long pause) Fall asleep?
C: No. I'd probably want to collect a lot of information from everyone on the show because a lot of people know things. If it doesn't produce a way off the island, it might make some more discoveries about the island.
T: So you wouldn't try to save Jack and the other captives?
C: People are going to try to do that and there's not going to be anything there. They're not going to find them. [I'd collect information] Cause wouldn't that be so boring to be living on the island with nothing to do. You have to do something.
T: If you could only take one book to the island (and it can't be the Bible) what book would you take?
C: You keep giving me all these one questions?
T: Two books. I'm not going to give you five.
C: How about a really good book on Island survival?
T: You sound like Dwight! (From The Office.)
C: Hey, that's not fair. Why? Is that what he said?
T: Yeah, something like that.
C: Gosh, what story would I want to hear over and over. Why what would you say?
T: Lord of the Rings would be one of them.
C: Yeah, but that's...
T: That's one book! Tolkien never called it a trilogy.
C: Then that's what I want.
T: What's your other book? You wanted two. The Harry Potter books?
C: Hey, I was going to say that, but you said I could only get two. Can I take that?
T: (Deliberating in my head for a while.) Ummm, I guess.
C: I don't know...big huge book of world history because I like history.
T: Good choice.
T: Thanks for the interview. Is there anything else you want to tell the readers?
C: Do they know that it's late at night and that I'm tired? (She talks too fast for me to keep up with.)
C: Hey, don't embarrass me.
T: I'm not!
C: If I don't like it, it's going to be another disappearing post.
T: You'll love it. Goodnight.
C: (Silence.)
After the second set of tests, Christa's condition is still a mystery. In some ways this is a GOOD thing because most of the more serious health issues have been ruled out through process of elimination. In other ways this is somewhat disturbing to not have an answer (or solution) for the problem. Christa has one last test today at the hospital in Hong Kong. If it reveals something the doctors will likely be able to prescribe medicine. If it doesn't reveal anything then Christa will likely be "out of the woods" in terms of being at a serious health risk.
She still feels uncomfortable, but she told me that in the past she has had similar experiences with illnesses that the doctor's couldn't diagnose or explain. At this point, Christa would just like to return home. The doctor also told her that this might (or might not) be related to her appendix (perhaps acute appendicitis) but that until there were other more obvious symptoms it would not be wise to pursue taking out her appendix.
Thanks for continuing to lift us up. The best-case-scenario at this time would be if Christa was back here in Xining by tomorrow (Sunday) and that the current symptoms would go away on their own. I'll post again once the tests results are in today...
I haven't heard anything today about Christa. My assumption is that she is waiting to get some "results" or new information before she calls again. Or she might not be able to call me right now depending on her current accommodation situation? I am sure I will speak to her sometime today, but the waiting game continues...
This week feels infinitely longer than the month that we spent apart this past summer. I don't think it's because I have the kids this time either (although that's probably part of it.) I think it's mostly just the indefinite nature of this separation and the health circumstances surrounding it. Not so fun.
The girls seem tired. (This is probably because I've had a hard time getting them to bed at their precise bed time this week...) And Sarah got tagged last night by a mosquito/mosquitoes. It's not pretty. Red welts up and down her arms and on her face. It's so sad. And I can't even find the culprit or culprits who did this to her. (Tonight she will be covered in bug spray. Don't worry.) What's really strange about this is that Xining (supposedly) didn't have any mosquitoes until recent years. That's what we were told before we came here. Thank you, global warming, for bringing these most-hated of all insects to our part of the world! We owe you one...
Anyway, if I'm blogging from Hong Kong (or not blogging from Hong Kong) next week, don't be surprised. This waiting stuff is getting old (and I'm already an old pro at it.)
This will be quick.
The tests today didn't reveal much about Christa's pain she's been experiencing. Still no diagnosis. (Christa said she felt like the quality of healthcare was good though.) Tomorrow (Thursday) she will be having more tests done. The pain / discomfort has remained constant even though she has nearly finished her antibiotics. Please continue to pray for this situation--for some discovery and resolution (healing) and continue to pray for the girls (especially Anna) who are starting to miss their mommy at times.
Some good news: our electricity here in Xining has remained constant the past two days. There was no outage in our complex although some of our neighbors nearby were not so providentially fortunate. This has been a very pleasant change of events. It feels a bit like the Passover to me (although I realize that is a bit melodramatic.)
Some more good news: the girls have not been subjected to their father's cooking much this week thanks to the generosity of my teammates and friends. We have had "family" in our proximity even if they aren't technically related by blood.
Thanks again for interceding on our behalf. I will keep posting as we learn more.
