Give as He gave... our first market experience

We have a beloved hymn which goes "Love as I loved, give as I gave, these are the people that I came to save..." At the risk of stretching a comparison so far the contrasts are more apparent, I'll say that the the older girls, Penelope and Polly, and I, did want to give a little of what we've been blessed with, during the Easter Week. Our recent reading of Little Men (quoted below) at bedtime also gave inspiration to use our resources in meaningful, enterprising ways--just as the boys there all had their own animals and plots to care for, to raise, to trade, and earn money with, get frun out of, and contribute to the family. And so, we signed up to be a vendor for our College's first ever Free Market where everything is given free of charge (on 1 April--no April Fool's joke!).

We had but one week to amass our collection of giveaways. Always handy people, we decided to devote most of our remaining leisure hours to the making of art and craft items. I also hunted around the house for knick-knacks that we didn't need and didn't want anymore. We would also teach others our newly acquired skill of making pom-poms.

 Penelope, Polly and I worked with a will. At times, homework seemed to take most of the girls' precious afternoons, or I would fear that perhaps their enthusiasm would peter out and leave the big kid (me!) desperately trying to pull this whole project off my myself! Pipa, on occasion, contributed ideas and helped draw a few bookmarks. Thankfully, to my great relief and joy, all the girls, especially my older two, hardly wavered in their industry and enthusiasm, and... we had a memorable evening talking to people and giving away things to appreciative passers-by, and neighbours.

Penelope was an absolute brick ("generous, helpful, and reliable"-- oxforddictionaries.com), continually engaging the interested passers-by. Polly came in a close second, while Pipa was pliable and cooperative, and didn't fuss much at all about having to 'hang around' the table for hours. Our "Little Miss Shy Princess" even talked to a few young ladies!! We're thankful that we could be a part of the free market, a part of a community, and give a tiny bit back of the countless blessings we daily receive.

                                               ~~~


                    "These are our farms," said Tommy.
                 "We each have our own patch, and raise
                  what we like in it, only have to choose
                  different things, and can't change till the
                  crop is in, and we must keep it in order
                  all summer." (Little Men: Life at Plumfield 
              with Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott, 1871)


                                               ~~~

Growing Upward and Onward!

Time truly, truly flies. Thank God for very busy, very happy lives. (That explains my midnight rambling here :) Our three girls are growing up so fast, and we're feeling that (very) slightly bit older. The girls and I are nearing the end of "The Last Battle" by C.S. Lewis, and we will soon complete the Narnian Chronicles for the second time together at bedtime. What wonderful bedtime reading!! Tonight the children, Digory, Polly, and all those who have loved and served Aslan (including Emeth the Calormene) have witnessed the end of the Narnia they know, and have seen the real Narnia upon which the old Narnia was a mere copy, and we left off at the part where they all are running as quickly as Jewel the unicorn, "upward and onward" without ever feeling tired. Penelope said she knows how to describe things in a Narnian way, and gave this example: "It is like it's all darkness and then there's this bright light which then goes away, and the darkness seems darker than ever." I could see what she meant and that's precious to me! What's also heartening is that Paulina has grown in the course of this year to be such a voracious reader who has been seen often re-reading Narnian stories and other books on the sofa, and being able to love along with me and Penelope the excellence and punch of good ol' Puddleglum's speech to the Witch in "The Silver Chair"; a speech about how even if Aslan and the sun, as she says, are all figments of their own imagination, that's surely better than anything in her 'dull' world, and they wouldn't care about living a shorter life in such a world, for their beliefs. Philippa misses out on swarths of our Narnian stories as she's the first to fall asleep each night, but she's beginning to learn about Aslan and rough story lines in the Chronicles, and to like him too, and it is our prayer that she'll soon come to know Aslan by another name in our own world. She's also learning to--for the first time--really show a greater consciousness about and interest in words. Inspired by her big sisters who create their own comics and pictures almost every day (with greatly improved spelling and artwork from several months back), Philippa is also becoming quite a prolific writer and illustrator herself. One of her most recent was a collaboration with me, on a Seussian story book for a friend. She copied some pictures surprisingly well, taped the pages together one morning while I was still in bed and we came up with the story together based on her pictures. It was great fun.

Let's see if I can remember the short story:
A green tree and a bee,
a black mouse on a house.
A fox with a box,
Throws it high not low,
It falls into a puddle
Way down below.
Fox joins a race,
but does not win.
The winner is a Boobalace!
Boobalace to celebrate,
Got fox and mouse and bee.
They ate and ate and ate and ATE
Pizzas up on a tree!

(This book was for a 4 year old friend whose mom had invited us for a Christmas party this morning, a party which let guests make their own pizzas!)

There is so much to write about the girls but we need to rest, for more blessed work and play tomorrow, so I'll just stop here. May our experiences and memories be used of the Lord to make us more of the people He wants us to be. Praise God for so many good times and memories this year, and for helping us all on the upward way, new heights to gain every day... by His grace.

Sweet Surprise Sayings

Thought I'd put up a short post about three memorable things the girls have said yesterday and today (this is specially for Papa who is away in California on conference): 

(In descending order of ages)

Penelope: Sometimes I wish that things would always be like this. Us in this home, our kitchen, the yummy meals, our sofa, all of us like this, together. I think that for kids, the most important thing to have is their parents... (a while later, after some more thought--) ... is family.

Paulina: Mama, I had a surprise present for you! I did everything I was supposed to do when I came home from school today (brought in the lunchbox and water bottle, changed out of my uniform, washed hands...) 

Philippa: (out of the blue, approaching me as I was washing the dishes) "已 (yi3) 经 (jing1) and 椅 (yi3) 子 (zi) both have yi, same right?" (our first genuinely bilingual preschooler!) 

The girls can be really sweet and thoughtful. Sure they have their less pleasant moments and aspects but I'll just record in this busy time of life "whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable," so that we'll be reminded to "think about these [pure, true, excellent] things." (Philippians 4:8)  

Kid thoughts inspired by being in a new home in Taiwan

Pepe's three funniest pronouncements all in the space of half an hour one morning in the girls' new bedroom:

1. "How many breasts does a whale have? Two thousand?" (She quickly laughed at her own silliness when I started to explain why humans have two and pigs have several...)

2. (A response to my question about what they have observed as differences between Taiwan and Singapore) "Houses in Taiwan have only one toilet." (based on her own experience of our own cosy apartment)

3. "I like nature. It's so full of science."

Polly: I like Chinese food.
Pipa (not to be outdone): I like China food.

Pipa to Papa: I want to do something. (Papa asks what it is she wants to do) I want to do something about video. (Pipa, by the way, has grown Awfully Attached to Papa in the past two weeks)

Pipa, trying to persuade me to take one of the cabs waiting by the side of the road instead of crossing the road to wait for a bus to take us home from National Taiwan Science Education Center: How about a small one? (maybe less expensive? :)

Polly (out of the blue, and looking really puzzled): How do the languages ever exist? I don't know.

The girls can be so cute.  

The heavens declare the glory of God

The past two weeks have been a time of minor sickness among the Loy sisters, and the one is now down with a throat infection and fever is little Polly. Near the end of dinner today, when only she and I were left at the table, she got really teary-eyed and shared about how she wants so much to get well very soon, as she gets bad dreams and bad thoughts while she is sick. I could fully empathise as I was also much like her in this respect when I was young--she must have inherited this from me! I'm so thankful that we had a good longer chat about how trials in our lives are allowed by God to make us stronger, better people for Him. I then gave her a bunch of books (Brontorina, Dogs Don't do Ballet, The Lord is my Shepherd, The Tale of Rusty the Horse--all our family favourites!) and turned on some hymns for her to listen to (as my former pastor Dr Reynolds used to say--to drive out bad music, you need good music). After a while, she said she felt much better, and missed ballet for its good music and said that the hymns were like ballet music but better. Now then she said something else which prompted this post : "I can see God in nature. When I go out, I feel that God is there." This reminded me of the psalmist who wrote "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows forth His handiwork," (Psalm 19) and also Paul who wrote "...since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made..." (Romans 1:20)

Sickness and other trials can be troublesome things, but sadness can do one's heart and soul a whole lot of good. As King Solomon wrote, "Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better." (Ecclesiastes 7:3) May the Lord help Pepe, Polly and Pipa know the true joy of those who trust in Him. 

Pipa says the silliest things...

Pity I can't remember most of them and the days get so busy. Here's one I think the big sisters and I would like to remember in years to come.

Pipa (close to bedtime; emphatically): I'm not a teenager. I am a teenager rabbit! Okay?"
Pipa (about her pet spider, on two consecutive days in mid August 2013): I think my spider is a little bit dead.... / I think my spider is still dead.
Pipa: Mama shi4 da4 ren2, xu1 yao4 da4 de3; mei4 mei3 shi4 xiao3 ren2...."

Poor Philly picks up all this non age-appropriate vocabulary from watching with enthusiasm videos that her sisters watch; videos such as "Ice Age 3", "Kungfu Panda" and "Mulan"

Now Polly also continues to say rather amusing things. For instance, some of her complaints are still of the following variety: "Mama, Philippa is not acting like a mummy..." (role play-- or "setting up show" as they call it-- gone slightly bad again :)

Fun(ny) Factory

Pepe, Polly and Pipa sure know how to have fun, and Pipa's getting very, very funny these days as well, often cracking her sisters up. Why "factory"? Well, as mentioned, they're all good at churning out fun and often funny things, and it recently struck me that Pepe and Polly are like art and craft machines in a factory, with the speed at which they can manufacture art and craft gift items--and good ones too! Whenever I need something decorated, all I need to do is to pass out the relevant paper/s to them and they'll deliver, usually within minutes. What a blessing!

Pipa: (after edging half her body off our bed towards Polly's mattress right beside) Help me... (and after I pull her down to the comfort of Polly's bed, to the amusement of her sisters) Thanks guys.

Pipa: (a story told while bathing) One morning, che che (big sister) and mei mei (little sister) went to a dark, dark cave. A big dragon lived on a house. Mummy and Daddy said, "It's scary!" The end.

Some things they have been doing and saying... and these recent photos also tell much about the girls these days!

 
Pepe was so pleased as she reported how she managed to calm both her sisters down and mediate an escalating situation at bathtime by speaking to them and removing a toy in question. She said that her experiences in school had helped her to speak very firmly to them :)
Polly: Here's a good one (for the umpteenth time)--Raccoon play flute...    
Polly's also showing a lot more interest in reading and writing, and spent all the time at the playground today working on her penguin comic. Pepe also praised her for her improved handwriting today!
Pipa: (responding emphatically to mama's "ladybird") No. It's not a bird. It's a ladyBUG.
Pipa (holding a 'book' at bathtime): I am your mama. I read you a story about a brother and sister. They go to swim. They splash. They go to fish. They saw a tightrope. They go home.
Pipa: ni3 shi4 lan3 duo3 chong2 ma1? (in Chinese: "are you a lazy worm?" to which I respond in the negative) Wo3 shi4. ("I am.") [Penelope and I had a good laugh. Chances are Pipa didn't know the meaning of "lazy worm" in Chinese]
Pipa (on the way to the swimming pool, very pleased with her swimsuit): I have flowers on my swimming pool costume. :)

Other recent memorable quips (mostly over the December holidays):
Pepe: (responding to mama praising her for something) If I was perfect then you wouldn't say "Well done" because I couldn't do it wrongly right?
Polly: (on a new recipe booklet) We will try the recipes in this book, and if they are not too disgusting, then we will know that this is a *real* recipe book.
(on the newly installed toilet bowl; very slowly and meaningfully) Today my challenge is this: to use the big toilet bowl (She thought it was going to be bigger! :) 
(while playing with Pepe): First we must fire up the engine in the cannon...
(while having lunch with Nai Nai): Wo3 yao3 chi1 yu2 qiu2
(continuing on Pepe's game of acronyms): Do you know what FJ stands for? Flying Jicken. (Great thing about Polly is that she's able laugh along with us on the funny things she says)
(trying to persuade Pipa she's got a fair deal on a plain non-pictorial sticker she was given): It says "DORA". It's just the same as the picture...
Pipa: (enthusiastically copying Pepe's "sure, why not?") Sure, not.
I turn! (her "my turn")
I a meimei cheche
I choose Bible story...Che che choose Bible story... Everybody choose Bible story.
I want use potty. (Mama: "I want TO...") Pipa: I want 2 3 4 5. (this recalls her earlier wayward counting of Chinese numbers "yi, er, san, si, wu, liu, qi, Pa qu4 you2 yong3" the final words meaning "(Pi)pa goes swimming")
Pipa's earliest similes: Itchy like a monkey (used some time after reading a book about a monkey who had chicken pox); (and after seeing some pigeons and happening to need to relieve her bladder) I want 'shee shee' like a pigeon

Quick Update on our Toddler at Home

Some Recent Pipa Utterances: Ku Ku Panda! Pa Mei Mei watch Ku Ku Panda! (That's "Kungfu Panda") Di-no-saur train! (Polly's very good at exciting Pipa to say this most enthusiastically) Pa Mei Mei 'pi gu', Pepe Che Che 'pi gu', Po-ey (Polly) Che Che 'pi gu'('pi gu' is the Chinese term for the posterior) Pa Mei Mei like dog shoe; where Pa Mei Mei dog shoe? (Ball) hiding! (interesting attribution of hiding motive to almost all things not obviously seen or covered over, or just a plain lack of vocabulary!) Pa Mei Mei scared '...' Pa Mei Mei draw draw Pee-Boo! 'Boom' head Learn Chinee (Chinese) ah? Pa mei mei 'kan shu' (looking at/reading a book) Mama read! Polly Che Che help! Hold hands Pa Mei Mei try... (exerting her independent spirit) Pipa's also getting quite good at reporting about Pepe: (animatedly running up to us in a voice and expression seeking redress) Pepe Che Che ........ (no need to elaborate on the ever-increasing frequency of "no" as she officially enters the "Terrible Twos"! :) Pipa's favourite songs which she abridges as she attempts to sing them: "Mei Mei Bei Zhe Yang Wa Wa" and "Ba Lo Buo" A few of Pipa's favourite book series: Marc Brown's "Arthur"; the Berenstain Bears, "Tao Shu" (by Peach Blossom Media--a most excellent series) Pipa's favourite stuffed toys: Xiong Mao (panda) and Baby Lion (from Taiwan's Eslite Store's Science Shop) Pipa's favourite fruits: mango, watermelon and dragonfruit

Hello Holidays!

By God's grace we have survived semester 1--of Pepe's Primary One year, and of Polly's Kindergarten One year. Now I am taking a few minutes off furious packing for a Taiwan holiday for Papa, myself and Pipa. The big sisters are really looking forward to staying over at Grandma and Grandpa's for 6 days. This will be the first time that we are traveling without Pepe and Polly. Feels a little strange, and we'll be sure to miss them, but I figure this will be good too... for mama to experience some healthy temporary separation, and for Pepe and Polly to have a great time with their grandparents. This morning Pepe surprised me at breakfast when she suddenly remarked that she would let Pipa take her panda stuffed toy with her to Taiwan so that she wouldn't feel so scared in unfamiliar surroundings. Then Polly without any prompting, during her breakfast later (when Pepe was already in school), began to talk about how she would let Pipa take Clydie (her stuffed toy horse) along for her holiday, and also make a toy box for her because the hotel wouldn't have any toys and she didn't want Pipa to get too bored. Aw... At bedtime just now, Pepe declared that tomorrow evening would be packing evening. I hope to be mostly done in about an hour's time. Till we get back from Taiwan...