We Are Driving!!!

We have been back in Hong Kong for two weeks, and by far the biggest change has been that we have a car and are driving!! We had been back and forth for months trying to decide whether to get one or not (see previous post) and at the end of Year #2, when it was decided we were extending to a fourth year in Hong Kong, it seemed like the right thing to do.  We purchased a car from friends who were moving to Singapore in June, got our license, insurance, and built up enough nerve over the summer to come back and give this driving thing a shot.  To say that we love driving would be an understatement.  It hasn't taken long for us to get used to staying on the left and all that entails.  BUT, to say that I hate parking is also an understatement.  The following are just a few stories from these first weeks of driving that expand on these last two sentiments:)

When the kids and I arrived on a Saturday afternoon, Andy had already been in Hong Kong a week and gotten a few of the kinks out with driving.  We drove to church that Sunday and it was nothing short of "Glorious"...cutting our commute from 60-75 minutes, down to 30 minutes.  Changing our routine from catching two taxis to the bus terminus, then changing buses at a stop before the tunnel...to a leisurely drive in air-conditioning, listening to our music.  That first drive the kids were actually quiet...I think they were as nervous as we were...that has since changed:)

The following Monday was my turn.  I was to take Emma and Josh to school because the three of us were participating in some activities to welcome new families to the school.  I was a little nervous there wouldn't be parking at the school since I hadn't reserved any and I didn't know where to park otherwise, but Andy encouraged me and so we headed out.  I had my "trusty"GPS on my phone because even though I had taken numerous taxis to the kids' school in the past, its different when you are behind the wheel.  I do remember having a huge pit in my stomach, as I couldn't have been more tense, but after getting on the highway, I loosened up and things started to get more comfortable. I only hit the wipers instead of the turn signal three times that trip. We found ourselves to school in 15 minutes(saving us 45 min), AND there was easy parking at the school...hooray!!

The rest of the week were more trips to school, and my dear friend Amy driving with me to New Town Plaza!  I started to feel like I got the hang of this...THEN, I attempted a trip to New Town Plaza by myself because the girls needed school supplies.  This time I went by way of GPS and Andy's directions to a parking garage that was close by, but not connected.  We made our way...the long way...after making a few wrong turns, and not being able to make a turn because of a funeral procession...and got to a very dodgy parking garage.  This garage was so tight that I got claustrophobic very quickly and looked for the easiest spot I could find. One spot looked promising...one that I could pull straight into and not have to back in.  Mistake #1...ALWAYS back your car in the spot!

We had a lovely lunch, found our supplies, and made it back to the car, no problem.  Now I had to get the car out.  The cars are so tight that Grace, who was seated in the front passenger seat, couldn't even get out of her door.  So since she couldn't get in yet, she was in charge of helping me out...while Emma prayed in the back seat:)  Pulling out of the  spot put me into an exit lane, so after waiting for an opening (did I mention this was Saturday?) I pulled out and turned the car because there was a post almost directly behind the car.  Unfortunately I did not do a very good job and somehow got stuck between hitting the very expensive Mercedes I was parked next to and the post.  Obviously, I erred too close to the post, and realized the next day that I christened the car with a few new scratches:) After about 5 minutes of pulling forward and backward several times without making any headway, a stranger got my attention and tried to guide me out himself.  By now there were a few cars waiting for me to get out of the way.  When this still didn't help, he offered to drive the car for me...and having no dignity or pride left, I took him up on his offer...taking his car keys and phone as collateral since Emma was still in the backseat.  With two quick swift moves we were out of a jam and I was back in the car...thankful for the stranger and swearing to never visit that parking garage again!

My new scratches:)

I needed to show that I do know how to parallel park

Last weekend we decided to become adventurous and go to a beach on the Island.  We had been wanting to go, but never badly enough to venture on the hours of public transportation it would take to get there.  We knew it would take a little under an hour by car, and left about 10am.  Mistake #2...If you know you will be parking, never leave that late!  We arrived to the EXIT of the first beach with a police officer letting us know there wasn't any more parking.  We decided to go to the next exit for another beach, and after driving around, realized there wasn't any parking there either.  We finally drove another 20 minutes to a third beach and found parking...but by the time we got there, we only stayed a couple hours before we were tired and hungry and left for home.  We did get home with a sense of satisfaction that we had done it...and knew how to do it better the next time:)

Fun times at Repulse Bay

Finally, after following my friend Amy AGAIN to New Town Plaza, I left by myself to find home.  The comical thing was that I was having a difficult time following my GPS, as it kept spinning and rerouting me.  When I started going up a mountain, I knew that I needed to turn around.  As soon as I could, I pulled into a small little lot to turn around. When I got the car around and looked left, there was a rather large monkey sitting on the curb, with a baby behind.  Now I know that monkeys are not a rarity in Hong Kong, but this was the first time I had seen one in the wild.  He wasn't too keen on me rolling down my window to take a picture, so I made it fast before I was on my way.  Needless to say, you just never know what you are going to find in Hong Kong...and driving has certainly added a whole new dimension to the adventure:) We are looking forward to these next two years and what the Lord has in store for us!

Saying Goodbye to my Home

I just left my parent's home for the last time.  They are downsizing and the house is for sale.  This fact didn't hit me until I was on our way there, so while we were visiting I really tried to soak in all the memories.  It was also my last time with my parents and sister for maybe a year...yes, a little emotional:)

As I was running this morning, reminiscing about all that this house is to me, I realized just how much living I ended up doing on 3809 Pamay Drive.  I didn't really expect to make a lot of memories there.  I moved there in May of my junior year in high school.  While I was very excited to move in (I had been living with a friend for two months until the rest of my family moved north), the move in general was temporary in my mind.  Just a simple stepping stone on the way to college.  I gladly took the smallest bedroom and counted down the months to graduation.

But then life happened.  My future husband and I took senior prom pictures and graduation pics in the back yard and we had fun raking the leaves.  It became my safe haven during breaks in college. When I went running this morning I ran the same route I used during summer training. I enjoyed it so much more today than I ever did during those summer runs...the trees are taller and the neighbors are older...but the road is still wide and flat, for the most part.  I ran past a summer job I spent being a nanny for two little kids, and took in the scents of boxwood trees and honey suckle that I used to do so many years ago. I remember telling my parents when Andy and I were expecting our first baby, sitting in the family room.  We watched them open up their respective Christmas gifts that were bibs with "grandma" and "grandpa" on them.  I loved how fast my mom understood what was going on...my dad was a little slower:) Since then we have been able to bring five of their grandchildren to that house...and they all have their own memories.

Yep, so many experiences to recall and enjoy and share with one another. I'm grateful for that home and all the life that was lived there.  But I'm even more grateful for the people that I share these memories with and experiencing life with them.

My Mountain-top Experience

We have had a wonderful time in the U.S. It has been filled with family, friends, shopping and eating at restaurants. I have skipped through Target and have eaten as many juicy cheeseburgers as I can. Meeting with friends and family can be tricky...kind of like a puzzle.  Who can meet when, and then should it be with or without kids, and therefore, should I get a sitter.  Of course, we also have plenty of doctor and dentist appointments, and we try to squeeze in a little time for just our family, or do I dare say it, a date night.

Last weekend was one of those gifts that I treasured from the start, knowing how rare these opportunities happen.  I was able to fly to Colorado Springs, by myself, and meet two dear friends who I lived life with during those early married years through the baby and young children phase. In fact, Jodi has been my mentor/friend since college days...almost 20 years ago.  Jen came along just before I gave birth to my oldest.  We cemented our friendship by doing ministry together, being in a couples small group, bible study and spur of the moment dinners and play dates. It was such a fun season of life.  And then life brought change and distance.  Jen and her family moved back to the Northwest to be closer to family eight years ago, and shortly after that  the Lord led Jodi and her family to Colorado. But this weekend proved to me, yet again, that when Christ is your bond, distance and time cannot touch a friendship. We spent hours upon hours just talking and catching up. Enjoying the beautiful Colorado weather on Jodi's patio...no bugs or humidity...it was glorious!

Jodi even surprised Jen and I with a surprise visit from our long time mentor and friend.  This woman has seen us through much of those previous years, and I even get the privilege of still meeting with her when I am in town.  She and Jodi concocted a plan to surprise Jen and I, and she and her husband walked in the house, just as I was describing something from dinner my husband and I just had at her house the previous Monday.  To say that I was surprised would be a definite understatement, as I probably took out some of Nancy's hearing with my screams.  But what an incredible gift for the four of us to be together again.  It was clearly one of those "mountain-top experiences" where you want to pitch your tent and stay for awhile. We treasured this time, and then also had the wonderful opportunity to have dinner with a handful of Jodi's newer friends from Colorado.  And then, before we knew it, it was over and life's responsibilities beckoned.  We all went on our way, holding on tight to our memories and the hope that if it could happen once, it could happen again.