VBS

Served in multiple VBS's over the years.  This was the first year we sent the kids to a VBS at a local church.  Was actually really touched at the closing ceremony, seeing the happy faces on all the children and the amount of volunteers that made this happen.  They learned so many bible verses, so many songs and had so much fun doing it. All glory to God!

New Car

It's been almost 6 weeks since my accident... and almost a month since my car was considered totaled. And I still haven't found a replacement car yet.

Oh the toils and agony of buying a new car.  The rub of all this is... summer is when the 2018 cars come out, so I'm stuck in purgatory waiting for the new cars to roll of the conveyor belt, while I'm paying out of my own pocket for a fricken rental!!   To top it all off.... I'm actually beginning to like this rental and want to call it my own. Go figure.

Cleansing

So after hearing a random podcast where the host mentions he goes on a periodic 5 day cleansing diet, I decided to do one too!  Couple that with my upcoming NY Trip where I'll be gorging myself with anything but healthy food... I better set up my body now.

The first thing they say about cleansing is to quit caffeine.  Ohhhhhhhhhhh..... that first day was atrocious.  I was literally shaking and feeling every pore of my arms opening and closing, gasping for air.

I did some research and decided to go on a "Juice and Fruit diet."  The next several days... I continued on the juice and fruit diet.  One night... I had steamed fish and veggies.  But most other nights, they were apples, berries and juice. I threw in some raw almonds and cashews.  Oh... and bottles after bottles of Naked Juice.  ($7.99 at Lucky's.  $7.00 at Target.  $5.89 at Costco!!!)

By golly... other than the first day, the caffeine withdrawal wasn't bad at all.  The hunger pangs and grumbling were overcome with juice and water.  Got a couple of runs and swims in over the 5 day diet... and lo and behold... I lost 3 lbs, broke my addiction (or habit) of coffee, and now I've inspired a couple people around me to do the same.

WIN!!

Faith Hope Love

For Summer School... Joyce enrolled both kids into a Mandarin Summer Camp.  I didn't do any research and have no idea what this camp does.  But c'mon.... SW didn't know English but he picked it up so quickly and efficiently.  How hard can it be??

First day... I go and pick them up.  The two of them ran towards me.  And said, "Bah-B.  好悶呀。 聽唔明佢講乜."   And the more they told me... the more doubt I had that this place is good for the kids.  How do they expect non-speakers to learn? By just sitting there??  You can't absorb a new language by sitting there and listening... you need to teach!!

Monday night... I had a long discussion with Joyce.  Maybe this isn't the right fit.  This is a Mandarin Summer School.  It isn't a summer school that teaches Mandarin.  She convinced me to give it a try, at least for a week.

The second day... when I picked them up... the kids were a bit happier.  There were some games today.  I stayed after and grilled the teacher.   After talking to her... she really settled me down.  There a couple of youth in there that translated.  She specifically said they don't teach pinyin or writing because it's meaningless for them in such a short period of time.  And kids will pick it up through conversation.

The part that took it over the top... was during my conversation with the teacher... SW actually responded and chimed in.  OMG.... he understood some of it.  And he can speak it well.

Day after day... the kids come back happier and happier.  They're looking forward to Chinese School.  Today... the teacher showed me a video recording of them reciting a poem on stage... in Mandarin!!  To my untrained ears, I thought SW had the better pronunciation.  But the teacher applauded NN for having the right inflection and also the proper attitude to strive to learn.

So proud of my kids.... they'll do just fine.  It's their dad who worries too much...

Holding a grudge

Back to back weekends... hung out with dad and his sisters.  And 5% of the conversation is about how their back hurts, their leg aches and how tough it is getting old.  20% of the time is reliving and rehearing the same stories.  The other 75% is about the grudge they've been holding (and continue to hold) with our extended family.

Ohhhhh myyy goodness.............  the stories from generations past.  I hope that stopped with the previous generation.  From here on out... our grudge starts and ends on the baseball diamond, the hard wood or on the gridiron.  And nothing more.  

Prayer Meeting

The other night at Prayer Meeting, all the adults prayed for the children.  On our way home, Nui-nui told us that God told her that He wants her to be a missionary in China.  And as part of her research.. she wants me to borrow the Mulan DVD from the library so she can do some research.

Siu-wah?? He says he wants to be a Jedi Master.  Hmmm.....