Jos7's Blog

Interesting to see how reflective and thoughtful I’ve been in the past, as now my time and thoughts are so scattered! Wanted to check back here as I remembered how beautiful our Christmas days have been in the past with some sort of structure and freedom within that, and I hope this year in Ann Arbor we can try for the same though it’s so different:

Birthday cake for Jesus! But also a gift/drawing for him (love how H and A did that in the past)

Re-enacting of the birth story. Ronia will love to be a part of that. How amazing to see how you answered our prayers for her life, and comforted me over and over regarding my fears of being an older parent (Pastor Bryan’s sermon: Zechariah received good news, but doubted it, forgive my doubting heart, Lord!).

Getting outside! May not be warm, but will be so good to do something to praise you outside!

Caring for others: can we bake something and deliver to neighbors/friends in neighborhood?

Brainstorm care package for Dee.

Gifts!

Tuesday Jan 10: Adventure to Taipei! Thankful Mei better, so we headed to Maokong to take gondola. Didn’t know it was a little area with lots of tea shops on top of the mountain (passed the terrace farming) so after winding taxi ride we got off and explored a bit. Kids really wanted ice cream but didn’t like the only flavor offered: green tea! Good for BT and me. GuanYin tea too strong for both of us but we got to have our tea here. Short detours to see plants, big snail shells, and then gondola ride down. Everyone agreed worth the money to see the views of Taipei and the long ride down such a high distance. Found small shop with sweeter ice cream/chocolate and then shaved ice place with red bean and taro. Took MRT to Elephant Mountain, impromptu idea since I’d heard it was popular and we wanted to stay outside since it was so nice out. Proud everyone was able to hike up- so easy for kids, but at least I was able to do it! Again, another view of 101 and Taipei and not too crowded. Walked to 101 so BT could be there, quick dinner of packaged sushi and Taiwanese treats for him (oyster pancake, rice noodles), taxi back home. Bt said this felt like more of our type of day- very active, outside, simple food!

Monday Jan 9: Mei sick, so took it easy. BT took boys to breakfast, then out to play some football. Fun to see them from our window throwing ball on green. Then I took them to 7-11 to get our lunch (usual nori, rice and meat, fruit, and or course ice cream Haagen Daas). Nap/tv/cards, then I took boys to see DaJiuJiu at 101, DinTaiFung. Much better idea to have this than yet another big banquet, and easy for us to taxi in and out. They seem well and in good health, though missed seeing my cousins. Reminds me that I didn’t have same extended family experience as BT. Mei much better, but just had apples mainly after throwing up again mid morning.

Sunday Jan 8: Heard Pastor Chuck’s sermon on election: go back to Daniel and remember all kingdoms fall, but the one that shatters all remains, Jesus’. Really liked image of lighthouse shining vs. black hole of worry pulling everyone down. Reminded of that for our own lives, and Little Pudge. Another big lunch with AMa’s other aunt’s family – we couldn’t eat very much, but enjoyed seeing her so moved to see this aunt who took care of her early on, and apparently many others (Howie and Bobby, BT’s uncles), and her whole family: eldest brother and 4 sisters. One sister and daughters of eldest brother took kids and me to local elementary school, bball and climbing structures. Best celebration for AMa’s 70th, first time blew out a candle. Taxi back, rested in afternoon while BT and boys played bball with GuoDing and nephews, and Mei and I looked at photos and videos with AMa and A Gong. Dinner with GuoDing, ChaoDing, YiMA, wife and nephews- fun time to talk with everyone but tonkatsu probably too greasy yet again. Bye to AMa and AGong for 2 days. Mei came home and threw up, caught Holden’s bug.

Saturday Jan 7: I took Didi and Mei to see Evans family since Ge still sick- very short visit but good to see them happily settled here, with Wendy working and kids in the Christian school, Jonathan a professor at AS. Must be hard for a family of 7 to live in small apt, but they seem to enjoy life here- hope to connect them with Sophia though I see everyone is busy… Lunch at 7-11, walk to see the museum here. Took too long with the puzzle with Ge so other kids got restless, but ended up able to see turtle bone oracle carvings and each of us looked for one sculpture: Ge- bedchamber aka toilet of emperor, Di- jade knife, Mei- bird sculpture- Ma- tiger sculpture. Dinner at very nice restaurant with AMa’s aunt’s family- so much food! loved the cute man tou faces, and Taiwanese food but H couldn’t eat very much. Pineapple cakes of course. Had to go out to get air many times. Taxi home, A Ma and A Gong much later, could see they were very happy.

Friday Jan 6:Tour of gym, made up games with tennis balls, cones, relays.  Lunch with ChaoDing, Yi Ma, GuoDing at dim sum buffet.Met A Ma’s brother and daughter/ hard to believe hadn’t seen them in 36 years. ChaoDing’s wife stopped by briefly- they are all still the same. Kids got restless, went to 7th floor arcade where they found some coins to play. Impromptu visit to the Taipei Zoo: koalas sleeping and eating eucalyptus leaves, cutest show ever by Yuan Yuan who was so chubby he flopped over a couple of times when losing his balance trying to eat the leaves (mother TuanTuan sleeping inside), reptiles, penguin and antelope statues, hippos a bit sad, black bear pacing, interesting after watching National Geographic with African animals in wild. Dinner at AS cafeteria- been noodles too greasy, Holden throwing up all night. Baba sandwiched in between the boys now sleeping.

Thurs, Jan 5: first breakfast at western cafeteria AS: cocoa chex cereal! Baba’s talk, our adventure at Taipei 101. Taxi rides only $10, fast like a video game. Elevators even faster 36 sec to get to 91st floor. Damper and Taiwan’s little figures of these. Postcards just like Dumpling Days, Outside viewing area. Food court- indeed a McDonald’s, kids picked bibimbop, Guava juice, $4 Haagen Daaz single tiramisu scoop, I picked soy ice cream with green beans on top. Eslite: books unique to their personality: Andrew Clemens, Zuoluoli, Dr. Bear, and gun/animal erasers. Dinner with Ting Fan- Cantonese duck, cards for kids. Baba sensing how he might get more involved with Taiwan science, Ting Fan’s closeness with his daughter.

Wed. Jan 4: Left Hsinchu after walk with Baba to MeiYuan. Comfortable ride from ChaoDing and YiMa. Taiwanese love Kejia food- we enjoyed pork belly, soft tofu, vegetables, hainan chicken, sea bass, beancurd and pork, not the octopus smell. Golf course: this is how other half lives. Toured Taipei by car- saw BedeLu, where Ama’s mom lived, hung out at AS until dinnertime: Chaoding’s old office building. Modern malls with dining: beef and seafood hotpots, best part for kids- sweet macaroon/fruit at tend.

Tues Jan 3: Hsinchu adventure: took free bus to Cheng Huang Miao. No one liked expensive mall where couldn’t buy anything. Zhongzi ok but Baba and parents liked their gong wan and bawan, Walked around streets to find bus back- enough to realize Bill’s parents wouldn’t ever feel comfortable living there again. Baba and I walked to our favorite dinner place, 711 to bring food back for tired people. Kids and Agong playing cards.

Monday, Jan 2: special lunch party with AGong’s students and classmate at Socrates Cafe. Kids had yummy guava drink. A Gong so happy to be center, kids restless so we took them to ping pong area where boys and Baba threw football while Mei and I threw pingpong into net, played our house game from the Y bball lines. Dinner at 711, simple yogurt and sushi rolls

Sunday Jan 1: AGong and A Ma to DongYuan where kids got eaten by mosquitoes so we took them back. Lunch with Sophia and family at KeJia restaurant- mochi and pork belly good, rest too many veggies but one fern Baba and I really liked. Then cab driver got lost going to fish farm, bur finally made it- fun catching little fish and H caught crayfish. Interesting to see how people have fun, adults catching stocked fish and having it cooked right there. Good to reconnect with Sophia and husband: after seeing western ways of education, really want to incorporate it into their kids’ and go to US if have chances. Dinner back at xiaolong bao place, but much simpler. Ice cream at McDonald’s.

Sat Dec 31: AMa and Agong met with Sally’s mother while we had lunch with ChenZhengZhong and family. Same restaurant as one where BC almost choked the first time! Clean chicken soup, fried rice, fun to meet his wife and daughters. Dinner at Jiaozi Wang, not as good as dumpling place, but getting our fill of dumplings!

Friday Dec 30: walk to Dong Yuan- A Ma emotional when women said, where did you go? You didn’t tell us you were leaving! She looks like A Gong’s daughter. Lunch at campus- jiaozi and guotie, soy milk, squat toilets. Dinner at xiaolong bao place- no lines, great food! Walk to fruit market with A Ma: Guavas, dates, Taiwan oranges, Asian pears.

Thurs Dec 29: Baba had to give his talk! Met VP, AGong’s former student, then saw Baba give his “Ted Talk” and more questions asked afterward than to any other speaker. Lots of dynamic presence and data. Lunch at Socrates Cafe, back for nap while Wan Laoshi showed AGong and AMa her school Fancy dinner at buffet- we at some Korean style sushi and ice cream, AGong’s former colleagues. He was so happy.

Wed Dec 28: Arrived Taoyuan evening after disappointing United flight entertainment wise for kids (none!) and food wise but at least safe. Wan Laoshi and family picked us up and whisked us to Taiwanese Thai food- really good sushi and small dishes.