September 11

Just because I don't think it's good to forget . . . many are hurting today and we never know who they might be . . .

The Big #5

So . . . the bithday party is coming up. I've decided (unintentionally at first) that we have one child . . .I love to host a good party . . . so, birthday parties are gonna be a big deal around here, well, because they can be and it makes us happy. :) Birthday themes are discussed around June (giving enough time to see if its doable or not so much) and it started as a "underwater theme" moving to a "sea creature theme" to "nemo" to a "Beibei theme" to finally, an all around Olympic birthday. Rachel is so excited about "doing the olympics" with her friends! There will be torch making/relay running (no worries, tissuepaper fire!) beachball baseball with a huge blowup bat, some kind of ring toss/shotput and a barbell pinata (if all goes well...if not, we'll see).

In China's traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life.The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring.

As many of you know, we are big Olympic fans . . . and what luck for us to be moving to the host country two years before the Great Games when the gearing up and excitement was just beginning to be aroused! From day one in Changsha we were introduced on a daily basis to the FUWA. I don't know how much those of you in the States got to see of them, but here they were literally on every city block, in every store, on TV commercials and cartoons, yogurt packaging, key chains, bicycles, sunglasses . . . EVERYWHERE. So we got to know them quite well. Well, actually, Rachel got to know them quite well. We were often (until about three months ago) asking her which color was which name and what animal the yellow one or green one was. She knew them all . . . but she had a favorite . . . Beibei.

We thought this was pretty fitting for her for many reasons: Beibei is called (surprise!) Beibei -- we have called Rachel "Beibei" (From Rachel to Ra, to RaRa to Rabei to Beibei . . . apparently we are big on nicknames) since we brought her home. Beibei is a one of two Fuwa females -- Rachel, contrary to her insistence at times, is also a girl, one of two females in our family. Beibei is blue -- Rachel's favorite color. Beibei is a fish -- Rachel has been in love with fish and all sea creatures since she was one and love love loves the water. Beibei symbolizes blessing -- Rachel (our little lamb) Charis (a gracious gift) her name's meaning is very clearly "blessing" (and if yo just want to add the prosperity part...hey, who can stop ya?) And finally, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure -- our deepest, most earnest prayer for our little girl.

I don't claim to know how involved God is in our world...its something I have wrestled well with over the past two years, however I can imagine him, if not directly involved perse, recieving great joy in our finding Him seemingly at work in an somewhat insignificant, obviously un-God related part of our world. Ither way, Beibei being a "God-ordained Fuwa" :) or just a really great symbol that happens to line up amazingly well with our daughter and her personality . . . we think she's a pretty cool little fish!

So, on September 27 (the Saturday before her birthday) we will be celebrating our own Beibei and the blessing that she brings to our lives and many of yours! We remind her often of how many people joined what God was doing in making us a family . . . our deepest thanks to you all!