Remembering you, Missy Moo, on your birthday today. I love you loads!
May 13th, 2010
May 12th, 2010
My goodness . . . it has been a crazy week
since I last blogged. I guess that
most of you probably saw my Mom’s post on her blog a few days back that she
flew all the way to China to surprise me and Tanner. How cool is that?
We haven’t seen her since Christmas time! I had absolutely NO IDEA that she was coming . . . it was a
total surprise. We went with our
host here in China, Rob, to supposedly pick up some suitcases of donations for
the foster home and much to my surprise my Mom came walking through the
airport! We were able to spend
Mother’s day together, and even though her card was in the mail on its way to
America, we still had a wonderful time together.
Not only did we receive an awesome surprise
in having my Mom visit, but we were also able to welcome some family friends to
China and do a bit of in-country travel before heading to Nanjing, China to
watch them welcome their new daughter through the miracle of adoption. My Mom has lots of photos posted on her
blog of that amazing moment in which an orphan became a daughter! Woah . . . I still get a little teary-eyed
just thinking about it. Other than
Shaoey’s adoption, this was the only adoption I have watched take place. As I watched the nannies hand our
friends their precious daughter, I was once again overwhelmed and overjoyed to
know that I too have been adopted into a heavenly family.
It was a whirlwind trip around China, but
Tanner and I are back in Beijing now and will head down to Maria’s Big House of
Hope in Luoyang on Friday, May 14th. My Mom left this morning to head back to America and get
ready for the big Cinderella event that Show Hope is hosting. Please check out www.showhope.org for more information! It is going to be a spectacular event
on Friday, May 14th and Tanner and I are bummed we are going to miss
out. We taught pre-school this
morning and had an absolute blast!
I have posted some photos for you all to see what kind of pre-school day
we had today. We started class off
by all dressing up and doing a scavenger hunt! We had a blast. Then, we had snack and lesson time and
learned about animals J After coloring for a
bit, we then decided to make kitty cat masks which was hilarious. All the kids were running around with
their masks scaring Tanner and I and making cat noises. To be honest . . . I left pre-school
this morning feeling really special to have spent those few hours laughing with
those kiddos. And, I have to brag
on my husband. I have always said
that he is better teaching kids than I am. He just really has the ability to get on a kid’s level and
teach them in a way that is fun and beneficial. He has been a total hit with all the pre-school kiddos! All of the kids know his name now, and
so we will be walking down the hall and hear “Tanner Laoshi” which means
“Teacher Tanner.” Some of the kids
even call him “big brother” and when they see me without him their first
question is always, “Where is Tanner?”
He has been doing a bit of gymnastics with the kids because that is his
background. No, no, no . . . we
haven’t been doing flips or anything like that but just simple stretches and
such on the floor in the pre-school.
The kids LOVE getting the exercise and they pay great attention to
Tan. Honestly, I am really
thankful for how hard Tanner has worked and how much effort he has put into
this pre-school time. Some might
see it as a small thing, just four or five kids in a pre-school with a wife who
knows little about teaching, but I believe he is really making a difference
even by just laughing with these kids and affirming them in their talents and
gifts. Wow . . . I just have to
say that I am one tremendously blessed woman J
Like I said earlier, we head to Maria’s Big
House of Hope on Friday and I think there are quite a few projects for us to be
working on there especially as it relates to setting up the preschool there for
the kiddos! We will continue to
post photos J Thanks once again for
all your thoughts and prayers.
May 5th, 2010
Do any of you remember the T.V. Show,
“Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?”
Well . . . Tanner and I are beginning to relate with Miss Carmen herself
as we jump from place to place around the globe! But I don’t think we mind at all . . . actually we love
it! As of right now . . . Tanner
and I are sitting in Beijing, CHINA!
We arrived here on Monday, May 3rd and we will be here until
June 10th. We feel
privileged to be in this place to spend the next few weeks together loving on
the precious children at Maria’s Big House of Hope. We are currently in Beijing, teaching pre-school to a
handful of the kids here at Hope Home. In addition to Maria’s Big House of Hope, our friends and
Show Hope partners, Rob and Joyce, also oversee Hope Home. They have about 70 children who live
here at Hope Home, most of whom have surgically correctable special
needs, such as cleft lip and cleft palate, clubbed feet, congenital heart
disease, etc. We will be here, in
Beijing, until the weekend and then we will travel down to Maria’s Big House of
Hope to spend the rest of our time teaching the pre-schoolers there.
I consider it my second home . . . or perhaps it should be my third home now
that we have spent a significant amount of time in N. Ireland. Oh . . . I don’t know . . . I guess since I haven’t been back to my
“home” in Nashville for about 8 months now, China feels even more inviting and
home-like because it is familiar and holds a lot of precious memories. I can so easily remember my first time
visiting Robin and Joyce Hill in the summer of 2006. Our entire family travelled here for about three weeks as a
sort of vacation together. It was
so nice to be here . . . loving on others together as a family. And, of course our precious Maria Sue
was with us that summer. My family
returned to China the following summer; however, I was unable to come because I
was working. So, I hold many
precious memories of my sweet little sister, who would have been turning seven
in only one weeks time, here at this building of hope. And all these wonderful memories only
encourage me to make more fun memories while Tanner and I are here. We have been given a treasure in these
6 weeks here in China. I truly
feel as if we have been invited into something very special . . . a time to
know and understand our Father on a level different than we did before we
came. I hope I don’t miss it! I hope I can keep my eyes open and take
in every memory, every laugh, every giggle, every hug and even every tear.
opportunity of teaching pre-school to the older kids here at Hope Home. We had three kids, ages 3-5
and we learned about colors. It
was so fun to just hang out with these very special kiddos. I know our Father has a very unique purpose
and plan for EACH one of their lives.
I am always overcome by the true joy each one of these kids has . . . it
just oozes out from their smiles!
I want to have that kind of joy . . . contagious joy J
my blog while we are here in China!
Please me gracious with me when there are no blogs . . . sometimes words
are not enough . . . especially for the month of May. Thank you for your continued support and prayers.
January 20th, 2010
So, we have had quite the adventure since I
last updated my blog . . . we went to the Highlands of Scotland. Can you even believe it? Tanner and I, along with our friend
Shelley, decided to take a wee hop over the sea and visit another friend from
Bible College who was back home in Scotland for Christmas Break. He is from Aberdeen . . . so we spent an
entire day flying from Belfast to Glasgow, taking a train from Glasgow to
Dundee, riding a bus from Dundee to Aberdeen and then finally riding in our
buddy’s car back to his house from the Aberdeen Train Station. Pretty crazy day of travelling, but we
were warmly welcomed with open arms when we arrived at Andy’s house. His mother had cooked an amazing dinner
meal and we sat around the table and enjoyed the tasty food as well as
wonderful conversation. It was a
blessing to be in a home . . . and to sit on a couch by a cozy fireplace.
On
our second day in Scotland we journeyed up into the mountains as Tanner and
Andy were determined to find some slopes for snowboarding. For many Europeans, Scotland isn’t
usually seen as the top destination for those desiring to ski and
snowboard. However, Scotland
received a massive snowfall a few days before our arrival, making the slopes
the best they have been in 30 years!
So, what were a few twenty-somethings looking for a Scottish adventure
to do? That’s right . . . head up
the mountain.
So, we drove about two hours north, spent At
the night at a lovely hostel, and woke up early the next morning to make the
most of our day on the mountain.
We skied at a place called Glenshee and it was a blast! And, believe it or not . . . yours
truly even put a pair of skis on and rocked out the bunny slopes! Shelley and I came quite close to
canning the whole skiing idea . . . hot chocolate in the café sounded quite
nice to me. However, Tanner and
Andy were great encouragers and thus we found ourselves on the slopes. I truly had so much fun and am thankful
I had the opportunity to make such a unique memory with Tanner and our friends
from Bible College.
one point, while I was skiing down the mountain, I took a moment to stop and
just take in the scenery around me.
Snow covered mountains are breathtakingly beautiful! I really enjoy snow . . . it makes the
cold worth it! Recently, I have
been enamoured with God’s unbelievable creativity. Snow . . . what a neat invention! And while I know certain snowfalls can cause danger and
inconveniences, the white-capped Scottish Highlands invited me into a wonderful
moment of worship as I recognized God’s splendour and magnificence expressed
through creation. I really can’t
wait to see heaven . . . I wonder what true colours will look like realizing
that the colours we now see are but a shadow of reality!
We returned home from Scotland a little
less than a week ago. We were
truly blessed by Andy’s family as they allowed us to stay in their house, use
their warm showers, and even eat their food. One thing I have learned in a very tangible way while living
in a foreign country is the beauty of the ministry of hospitality. Kerry Hasenbalg, the wife of our
Executive Director at Show Hope, first introduced me to this idea. She sent me some serving platters and
hostess sets for one of my bridal showers prior to my wedding. The note attached to the gift simply
stated, “Emily, may you and Tanner always enjoy the ministry of
hospitality.” That idea stuck with
me, and as Tanner and I have been living abroad, hospitably has been lavished
upon us and has taken very visible forms.
Perhaps hospitality is a lost art and much-needed ministry in our
American culture. We are quite
individually minded, and while this isn’t always a bad thing, perhaps we tend
to focus on our own need while we let the needs of those around us go unseen. There is such beauty in an open
house. And while the kitchen,
shower and bed are nice it is perhaps the open hearts that are the most
encouraging. Last week, Tanner and
I were welcomed into a home just as family would be at Christmas time. I felt entirely favoured as I laid my
head to sleep, realizing I was in the middle of Scotland, having just enjoyed a
culinary masterpiece of a home cooked meal and was inspired by fellowship with
brothers and sisters in Christ.
And might I add, the Scottish accent is wonderfully endearing! The ministry of hospitality . . .
Tanner and I certainly endeavour to create a warm and inviting home. It is our prayer that we never become
so caught up in our little sphere that we forget the souls perhaps living next
door that simply need to be invited in for a cup of hot tea and a good chat.
And so, while we returned from Scotland
grateful and with full hearts, we have also been devastated by the news of
Haiti’s earthquake. Twelve years
ago I visited Haiti on a mission trip.
My Mom and I travelled together and we were both completely shocked by
the immense suffering we witnessed.
It was on this trip that God completely broke me and burdened me for the
plight of orphans. I was eleven at
the time of the trip and I was befriending many children my age who had no
Mother or Father to tuck them in at night, to protect them and provide for
their every need. As an eleven
year old, I could not imagine having to find my own food, protect myself from
criminals and perhaps even raise younger siblings. And now the country is more desperate than it has ever
been. The news coverage is
heartbreaking . . . Come Lord Jesus, Come! I am praying for peace, I am praying for miraculous rescues
and healing to take place. I am
praying for wisdom for the many humanitarian workers on the ground attempting
to coordinate relief efforts. I am
praying for those who still have loved ones unaccounted for. I am praying for the many Haitian
orphans and for those taking care of them. The need is so great and I feel quite useless. Yet, I will never underestimate the
power of prayer, the power of communicating and pleading with the One who is
able to do infinitely more!
Friends
. . . there will be a day when this world will fade away. May we be men and women who choose to
spend our time knowing God and investing in the lives of others. When Maria passed away, the pastor from
the church I attended while in college encouraged me with these words, “In
light of tragedy, only two things really matter: heaven is real and
relationships are the only things that matter this side of eternity.” It is my prayer that we will become so
enamoured and inspired by the hope of heaven that we can’t help but be men and
women who recklessly love others . . . pointing them to the source of such
love.
January 9th, 2010
I hope this blog finds all you doing well
and enjoying this New Year! I am
writing you from a very cold and snowy Northern Ireland. But, I have to admit that the snow
makes the cold worth it. Just this
morning, I looked out our window to see tiny flakes of shimmering white falling
from the sky, and once again was reminded of God’s absolute creativity. What a beautiful way to be reminded
that we serve a magnificent God.
Tanner and I had a wonderful Christmas
season. While we were sad to be
away from home and our families on Christmas Day, we were able to celebrate
Christmas in our own unique way this year. As many of you know, we are currently living on campus at
Belfast Bible College, a small school in Northern Ireland. We didn’t have much room in our house
for a tree, so we improvised and made a “Paper Tree.” I know that is a bit of an oxymoron, but we were simply
trying to maximize our space and watch the budget. I have included a photo just to show you how stunningly
beautiful our tree was! On
Christmas day, we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast together, read the Christmas
story, opened our gifts and then went on a walk. Now, I have to admit that going on walks and being active on
Christmas day isn’t really how I grew up celebrating! I am a “snuggle by the fire and eat some more food” kind of
girl . . . but I embraced the athletic Richards side of the family that I
married into and went on a pleasantly slow saunter with my husband on Christmas
Day! We walked to a park nearby,
and it really was quite beautiful as we had a white Christmas here in Northern
Ireland.
A few days after Christmas, my Mom, Dad and
two younger sisters arrived in Dublin.
Wow . . . it truly was such a blessing to spend a little over a week
with the here in Europe. Family is
such a blessing, and Tanner and I were so excited to see our family when they
arrived on the 28th of December. We spent the first few days of our trip here in Northern
Ireland, and then we headed to London for New Years Eve. Tanner and I were in downtown London on
New Years Eve! How cool is
that? We heard Big Ben strike at
Midnight and watched the 8 minute long fireworks show over the river. We were able to visit the Tower of
London and Westminster Abbey.
Stevey and Shaoey thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Royal Family’s crowned
jewels! Pretty cool. Mom and I ventured to Harrods just for
fun, and it was absolute madness.
In the UK, there are tons of big sales during the week following
Christmas . . . so you can imagine how crazy Harrods was on New Years Day! I felt like all of London was crammed
in this store trying to snag a good deal . . . which is hard to do in Harrods
because everything is quite expensive.
From London, we headed to Paris via the
Eurostar train . . . the train that takes you underneath the English Channel
via a tunnel. Stevey and I played
Cinderella puppets for most of the ride while Tanner and Shaoey battled each
other on the Nintendo DS. France
was amazing as well! It was cold,
but we had a wonderful time venturing around on the subway, trying to find our
way to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre Dame. We also saw the Grand Opera House, which is where the
Phantom of the Opera is set.
Stevey Joy wanted to know if she could quite her ballet class and come
take lessons at the Grand Opera House. How cute is that? I don’t doubt that she will someday steal the hearts of
thousands with her beautiful dancing!
She is quite graceful. And
Shaoey, she hung on every word during our tour of the Louvre. She is so into history! She absolutely loved getting background
information on all the paintings and statues. I am confidant that she too will change the lives of
thousands with her amazing intelligence and deep compassion for others. I have the most amazing sisters in the
WORLD!
And my parents . . . they are absolute
jewels. Their guidance and care
has blessed me, and I will forever be inspired by their cheerful generosity and
loving-kindness. We shared many
encouraging conversations together, conversations that further motivated Tanner
and I on this journey together . . . the journey that currently has us half-way
around the world. Sometimes, I
wish I could return home just for a few hours simply to experience the comforts
of home. However, I am completely
certain that God wanted us in Northern Ireland for this season. Tanner and I have both experienced
growth . . . academically, spiritually, emotionally and relationally. I am thankful that God knew what we
needed this year. And, I am
grateful for our families who have supported our decision to spend this year
abroad. While it was certainly sad
to see my family go because I absolutely adore them and had a blast travelling
Europe with them, Tanner and I left encouraged and energized for the next
semester of school.
Thank you for your continued prayers for Tanner
and me. This wonderful Christmas celebration
and time with my family came on the heels of a rather sad few days for me. This holiday season was quite difficult
in light of Maria not being with us.
And, as I reminisced on my own journey of grief, I couldn’t help but
think of my many friends who watched their first Christmas season come and go
without a certain loved one around the tree. While I really don’t understand God’s ways most of the time,
I am so thankful that He gave us a gift, the gift of Emmanual, God with us,
over 2,000 years ago. And now, no
matter how dark and slippery the journey gets, we believe in a God who saw it
fit to dwell among his people and ultimately die so as to save us into eternal
relationship with him. That is the
good news I choose to cling to as 2010 begins to unfold.
