Our Adventure to Lamma Island

So one reason I enjoy living in HK is that there are several random holidays scattered around the calendar.  During this last week, we have had two of them.  Last Thursday we had Labor Day, and yesterday (Tuesday) we had Buddha's Birthday.  I'm not a follower of Buddha, but I appreciate his birthday:) Now, it is odd to me that these days are pushed to extend a weekend...I feel like that is done often where we are from in the US. But, I will not complain, and it has actually been nice to break up the week...even though I am totally confused what day it is when we are back into our normal routine.

Last Thursday we joined friends from Australia, South Africa and New Zealand to explore and hike Lamma Island...a 30 minute ferry from Hong Kong. It had been on our list to do, and we thought that even though the weather might not cooperate, we should take the chance and just do it.

Our family caught our shuttle to the MTR station at 7:30am.  We were meeting our friends on the early side so that we could hike before lunch and then take the ferry back from the opposite side of the island. Our family made it to the Central Pier, two minutes late, but well before our 9:00am departure time...and we were not the last ones to meet...miraculous:)

We enjoyed our little ferry ride to the island, then proceeded to "hike".  In this case, hiking is simply following the cement path.  We walked about 30 minutes before stopping at our first destination-the beach.  After about 10 minutes of feeling the water and exploring on the rocks, all the children decided it was worth the effort to change into their bathing suits, or togs.  Unlike our past experience with "beaches," this sand was nice and smooth, and we didn't have any fears of stepping on creatures we could not see. The kids had a blast, swimming, playing in the sand, jumping the little waves that came ashore, and checking out the rocks.  The adults enjoyed the opportunity for nature to entertain our children, as we sat back, relaxed, and soaked in the joy...so much fun! Even Sarah started to enjoy it.  At first she wasn't so sure, but that she just sat in the sand and played.

After about 45 minutes of this fun, it was back on the "road." Kids changed, we had a snack, and then on we went.  The beginning of this leg was steep uphill.  There was some whining, but little compared to what we were asking of little legs.  The view was wonderful.  And to be honest, the weather could not have been better.  The rain had let up, but it was overcast, which probably saved most of us from a mean sunburn.  Also, the children were positive influencers towards each other, which just added to the parent's enjoyment. We finally made it to the top and started our slow descent.  We checked out a cave, smelled the flowers, and made it to our lunch destination by about 12:30pm.  This seafood restaurant was right on the water, and had big enough tables for all 8 adults and Sarah to fit at one table, and all the other 14 children to sit at the other table.  Yes, adventurous, we know!

Finally, the sun came out for a bit, and after picking up popsicles, the kids were able to run around at a playground while the parents enjoyed the peace of a pavilion.  Well, almost all the parents...when you have a curious little 20-month old, there is not much resting:) Then, we took the ferry ride back to HK...passing an enormous ship filled with crates.  It was beautiful to ferry back to see the skyline that we enjoy so much.  And that was our fun random holiday.  Luckily, we were back in plenty of time to get a little HW done and make sure we knew what day it was tomorrow:)

An Easter Gift

We have been rolling along, busy with life, and trying to enjoy the warmer temps without complaining too much about the humidity.  If asked how this winter/spring has gone, I would say it was a blur...but it was defined by our time in the US, supporting our friends.  Since getting back to HK the end of February, life has not stopped.  We landed and we/I hit the ground running...family trip to Guangzhou, running a 10K, guests, trip to Shanghai...all amidst our normal craziness.  So when I was given this gift at Easter, it was exactly what I needed... what my soul longed for...one of the best gifts I could have been given...the gift of solitude.

Two women and I trekked out to the Gold Coast for two nights...Thursday evening through Saturday morning of Holy Week.  One woman was one of my first friends in HK, the other woman was a new friend...but we all shared a desire for some alone time, specifically to be with God. Of course there was lots of talking.  What was supposed to be a 90 minute trip to the hotel turned out to be a five hour evening as we rendevoued, ate dinner, shopped for some breakfast, and had dessert/coffee.  Yes, we took our time, talking the whole way there.  And when we finally arrived shortly after 10pm, the talking didn't stop...but we soaked in the opportunity, got comfortable in our room, shared what our plans were for the following  day, and turned lights out soon after midnight.

What we found the next morning was a delight for my senses.  I am a beach girl...always have been.  And since moving to HK, I've only been to one beach. SO...when we opened the curtains to find water and sand, I was thrilled.  None of us had been there before, so we weren't really sure what we were going to find.  But it was exactly what I needed...a two minute stroll down to the sand.  We had all intentionally woken up on the early side...ready to see what the day had in store for us.  I immediately walked down to find the beach almost empty.  There were a few early swimmers, a couple eager runners, and a few kids playing volleyball, but otherwise I could just focus on what God had placed in front of me.  Now, I sat on a bench under a tent in the sand for about two hours as the beach had gotten increasingly more popular.  The airport is on the other side of the inlet, so I noticed that for the first two hours, the planes were departing HK just in front of me.  Just as I was about to leave, the planes started coming in to HK.  At that moment, these planes gave me a different sense of comfort.  First, these were great big planes filled with hundreds of people.  And yet, they looked so tiny in the sky.  This reminded me how little we are compared to such a big God.  He holds these huge planes in the palm of His hand, and cares/knows about every single person on these planes.  The second comfort these planes gave me was that the next time I am on one, we will be going "home."And as much as I am enjoying Hong Kong, there is great comfort in familiarity.

By the time I walked back up to the room, I had only been bitten by no-see-ems about three times, but the beach was crowded.  After all, it was Good Friday and a public holiday, so I wasn't surprised.  For the rest of the day, I simply enjoyed the quiet and the space I had been given.  It gave me time to pray, to think, to reflect, to read and to listen.  Whether I was inside or outside, I made every moment count...realizing in the midst of it all that I cannot wait so long to do this again!!!

My friends and I reconvened at 6pm, ready to go out to dinner.  We all had thoroughly enjoyed our time, and each of us shared some things we thought about or what we learned.  Of course, we talked most of the evening into the night until we were too tired to talk anymore. And then the next morning we had a leisurely time getting ourselves ready to face our individual realities again.  I know that it was a sacrifice for my family to go without me.  And I am grateful that they love me so much to support me in this time.  But I also know that I am a better wife and mother when I can find these margins in my life...time to reflect, reset, renew, refresh. For years, my husband and I would plan out our "days away,"being sure to take turns a couple times a year for this kind of intentional solitude.  And then all of a sudden, it stopped being a priority...things got in the way.  I am so glad that we were reminded how crucial it is to have this time...time set apart to just be.  It is such a gift:)
PS My husband has his day away in May!

Weekend in Shanghai

My husband and I really try to make a concerted effort to find time alone.  And at least once a year, if not more, we try to get away altogether.  Obviously, this can be challenging with five kiddos.  But God has provided wonderful and supportive friends and family who have helped us in this endeavor.  Last weekend, we were able to give some kid-free time to our dear Aussie friends by watching their four kids...and this weekend it was our turn, as we switched!

We were able to see the kids off to school, then caught a taxi to catch our flight.  I could not believe how relaxing and enjoyable the airport was! We were through in no time, and decided to eat an early lunch.  As we sat at the restaurant I took a deep breath and took it all in.  We were early enough that there were no crowds, and... I looked forward to eating my lunch in peace, conversing with my husband, not worried about anyone else.

Well, they were a bit late bringing us our food, so we were in more of a hurry than we would have liked getting to the gate.  Not stressed, though, since we were not carting around five other people and at least five other pieces of luggage.  No...the stressful part came when we made it to the gate-just in time-only to find out that the gate had been CHANGED! All I could think about as I was sprinting through the airport, looking like one of those crazy people I feel bad for, was we were NOT missing this plane.  Luckily, we got to the gate and they hadn't even started boarding.  I was a sweaty mess...but we were on our way!

One of the reasons we chose Shanghai is because Andy has been traveling there for more than a decade...and loves this city.  He would always come back with great stories and pictures, so when we had the opportunity for me to go with him, he was so excited to share it with me. When we arrived at the hotel, we quickly checked in, then took the 5-10 minute walk to his office so he could check and see that he could get into the office Monday (holiday for China)and so I could meet some co-workers. It was such a beautiful walk, and I immediately took note of green grass and gorgeous flowers.  HK has some flowers...especially out where we live...but I just wanted to soak in the grass...ahhhh.

After our quick trip to the office, we were back at the hotel, changed, and out to eat.  We had taken the recommendation of a friend to go to a restaurant called Lost Heaven.  They make Chinese Yunnan food.  It was amazing!!!!  We ordered too much food, but enjoyed every single dish...thank you, Carly Spiers!!!!

   Then it was off to the The Shanghai World Financial Center. When this opened in 2007 it was the second tallest building in the world, and the tallest in China...standing at 492 meters or 1,614 feet.  Yes, it is tall!!! But, the crazy thing is that it sits across the street from the Jin Mao Tower, which is an 88-story building which at the time was the fifth tallest building...and then on the other side is the Shanghai Tower, which is scheduled to be completed the end of this year.  It will be the second tallest building in the world at over 2,000 meters high and 121 stories high.  Anyway, you get the picture.  Any one of these structures would have taken my breath away...but all three are on the same block!!!

Jin Mao Tower from SWFC

The Peal Tower from SWFC after Jin Mao went dark

Shanghai Tower,  Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai World Financial Center

We closed down SWFC and got the last picture taken.  The next morning was leisurely...with a nice breakfast and then off to the Yu Gardens...a beautiful area of weeping willow trees and old structures from the Ming Dynasty that have been restored.  This area was beautiful, and right in the middle of Shanghai! Then we decided to walk to the Urban Planning Museum.  We did take the "scenic" route, but didn't mind since there was no whining involved:) The Urban Planning Museum is in a beautiful area located near the Shanghai Museum and the People's Court.  We really enjoyed reading about the history of Shanghai from a development standpoint, and had a great time checking out the HUGE model of the city...pretty remarkable.

Met a local who shared some calligraphy with us

Yu Fashion...markets leading up to Gardens

Yu Gardens

A little old with a little new...Shanghai Tower overlooks everything!

Model to scale of Shanghai

Haven't seen this in a long time!

That night we had planned to go out with one of Andy's associates, his wife and his brother, who was visiting from Ireland.  They were on their second expat assignment to Shanghai and we really enjoyed hearing about their experiences and comparing notes.  We started with drinks in the Jin Mao Tower at a bar called Cloud 9...I think we were on the 88th floor?  What a view!!!  We were there for sunset and it was gorgeous.  Then it was off the the other side of the river to the House of Roosevelt...yes, we still love Western food. There, a we were joined by Dutch neighbors, who were relatively new to Shanghai.  We also had a spectacular view of the Shanghai skyline.  Unfortunately, as Andy was suggesting I get the picture, some of the lights went out...at 10 o'clock...this was NOT like HK:)

sunset from Cloud 9

Cloud 9 after sunset

Our view from Roosevelt's

Just missed all the skyline lights!

Our fun crowd:)

Finally, after great company, a great meal, and incredible view...it was time to go back to the hotel.  Especially since I was getting picked up at 5:30am.  And even though I could have stayed longer, I am always ready to get home and see our kids.  One way I know I have changed since this adventure has started is that traveling alone, even in and out of China, doesn't make me anxious.  I had an easy time getting through all the hoops.  I flew through the HK airport, and I was back home by lunchtime...where everyone was still alive:) and having a very good time (thank you, Savy's!!)

A couple things this trip taught me 1.) It is still necessary and fun to go away with my husband 2.) I would like to go back to Shanghai - so much more to see!

Andy's Birthday

Today is my dear husband's birthday.  We celebrated when his parents were here a week ago, we celebrated today with an awesome meal and his second birthday cake, and we are headed on a kid-free weekend to Shanghai on Friday. I have known him for the last 24 of his birthdays, and every year he gets a low-key celebration from me.  Part of the reason I haven't made a big deal is he hasn't liked his birthday.  When he was in elementary school he got sick at school, and he has equated being the center of attention with vomiting in the classroom.  The other reason is that we have five kids...and you only have so much capacity.  The funny thing is that I have always loved my birthday... and he knows it.  He has always made such a big deal of it and makes sure the kids know its an important day, too.

So, even though I don't make a public spectacle of myself in celebrating his birth (a fb announcement doesn't really count), I do love him deeply and think he is an amazing husband and father.  For my purposes of documentation, I wanted to give a few reasons why I feel the way I do:

1) He loves Jesus deeply and does his best to follow Him wherever He leads.

This couldn't be more true in the last two years since we started this adventure.  Even though it wasn't easy, and people thought we were crazy, he faced the doubters, the criticism with steadfast faith. He committed us to praying and solely wanted to come to Hong Kong if that is where we felt the Lord leading our family.  He keeps us focused on the Lord and leads our family with integrity.

2) He's devoted to his wife.

He is the most loyal person that I know, and even when things get hard, he is most often the one who initiates conversation with me so we can get through the hard stuff.  He surprises me with gifts and speaks highly of me in front of our children.  He is not perfect...but he knows that and strives to become a better husband by surrounding himself with strong mentors, reading books, and staying in the Word.

3) He adores his children.

Even though they can be a bit overwhelming, he takes it in stride and seeks to find ways to initiate time and conversation with them.  He has been instrumental in their spiritual growth and development, being the example that they need to look towards.  His work ethic is second to none, but his motivation for this has been his desire to be a witness to his fellow associates and to provide for his family.  His children think he is strong, yet compassionate...and they know he loves them deeply.

I am incredibly blessed to have Andrew Paul Puffenberger as my husband.  We have done a lot of changing since I knew in my heart, over twenty years ago, that we would share our lives together.  But through it all, He has lead us well, pointing us to the Lord with courage and wisdom and strength.  Thank you, Andy, for being you...and for taking me along in this life...love you!

A recent pic of us with some photo bombers:)

One of my favorites with Andy and our crew

A few weeks ago we were blessed with a visit from Andy's parents.  Paul and Linda took a cruise up from Singapore, finishing up their Asian tour with a visit with us in HK.  We had a wonderful time with them, sharing our favorite things, introducing them to friends, touring school, and just enjoying being with them.  The time went too fast, but we were able to sneak in an early birthday celebration for Andy