Here goes...

I've been a terrible blogger lately! I have been horrible about documenting our glamorous life in East Asia, and even worse about posting pictures! I keep waiting for a better time to write or when I know the internet will be fast and I can post pictures, but alas, the time just never comes....and then when I meet up with my friend Blog again, I often don't know what to say!

However, I don't want 2011 to pass me by before I recap some Dooley highlights (and lowlights) of 2010. So, now with both boys asleep, after just taking a (very) brisk walk to Starbucks, I have my decaf Caramel Macchiato in hand, and I'm ready to start fresh (only 2 weeks late) and post (without pictures), some of the memories from this past year that will be forever etched in our minds. So, without further adieu, 2010 in review...

January:: Brett saw Auburn play in the Outback bowl...I'm sure he would have much rather been at this year's game, but maybe next time! We had a sibling weekend visiting my brother and sister-in-law in Cary, NC...We loved staying in their beautiful new house along with my sister and brother-in-law. I would say we loved seeing their life there, but we didn't, because we were snowed in the entire time! It was Harrison's first snow and couldn't have been a more perfect weekend!

February:: We found out we were pregnant, but we lost the baby in the same month, the day before I started to miscarry, we filed our first police report...for our stolen Bugaboo stroller. Not a stellar month, but we DID have a fun mini-super bowl party!

March:: A visit from Nana, Braves Spring Training games (Harrison's 1st, and he and Mommy even got on the jumbotron!), Harrison's first Easter egg hunt, my sweet Grandma Dorothy Fierer passed away at 98 years old.

April:: We hosted Brett's parents for Easter! It was my first time hosting a holiday at our home and I made my first ham! We had a sweet time together!

May:: We had a wonderful week at the beach, half to ourselves, half with our best friends, the Baileys. We took Harrison to Disney World for the first time (and Animal Kingdom), we celebrated Harrison's 2nd birthday (and my dad surprised me by showing up for his birthday party).

June:: We went to a Family Life Marriage Conference in Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area...loved it! Would highly recommend it! Another visit from Nana, Brett threw me a surprise early birthday party, I turned 30, we went to London for 2 weeks as a family to lead two teams ministering to Muslims there. It was a really sweet time for us!

July:: We returned from London, and I whisked myself off to Oxford, Mississippi for my annual "roommate reunion" with best friends from college Adele, Elizabeth, and Blair. We had a fabulous time, and thanks to monsoon-like rains, I got to spend an extra night in Memphis with other college BF and former China roommate, Bethany! We packed up our Orlando life, sold things, sold one of our cars, put our life in a POD, had lots of going away parties, cried lots of tears, packed our bags and went to Atlanta...

August:: Still more going away parties and many goodbyes to friends and families. More tears. 2 weeks there before we boarded a plane to our new locale....Excitement!

September:: Moved into our new apartment, celebrated our 6th anniversary, gave our child his 1st (out of like, 15, enemas), extremely difficult transition.

October:: Lots of traveling! Brett took a seminary class in a nearby city, KM. He also went to meetings in Xi'An. I travelled to the capital city for a mom's conference, and we travelled to a local mountain town for a team retreat with our team of 8 people. At the end of this month, we start to feel things turning a corner relationally, but still having a hard time at times. We celebrated Halloween and H went trick or treating for the first time! Found out we were PREGNANT....can't believe it!

November:: Had our first house guests, Brett's best Chinese friend (Tommy) from years ago came to stay with us for 2 nights. Also, we had 2 fun guys come and stay with us for a weekend full of parties for our staff. Thanksgiving was a very difficult morning, but we really enjoyed our afternoon!

December:: Went to Hong Kong on a visa trip and got soooo sick! Saw our baby's heartbeat for the first time (and I definitely have hilarious stories from my first 2 doctors appointments), lots of Christmas parties, a fun and sweet Christmas (our first completely by ourselves since we have been married).

I'm sure I missed a whole bunch of things, but those are a few that come to mind from our 2010. Brett and I are in the habit of naming our years, something we started back in 2007. We had named 2010 as the year of faith and trust. Well, I'm just not really sure I would have named it that if I had known all we would have to trust God for, but it sure was a year that we had to trust and have faith. It brings tears to my eyes to think of the things lost and gained in this year. But, like every year, there were so many wonderful times mixed along with the painful ones...This Fall has been so hard for us, transitioning to a place that we love under totally new circumstances, but I'm so glad we are here. It has been so great for our family.

And I have coined 2011 as the year of Growth. Not sure I'll like how this one ends either, but it seemed obvious as our family will literally grow...I am finally coming to grips with the fact that I'm pregnant (only 15 weeks in!) I'm thrilled, and I know it will be hard to add to our family and then continue living in a foreign country, but after waiting nearly a year and a half, I'm ready! I hope my heart will grow in other ways, and that I will grow as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend. I have no resolutions, but I do hope that this coming December I can look back and see obvious growth in myself and in my family (other than the obvious growth in my belly).

Happy (Late) New Year! Auld Lang Syne!

Still in shock...

that after:

16 months

1 miscarriage

13 cycles of charting my temp

3 cycles of medication

countless ovulation tests

miserable bloodwork

1 heartbreaking ultrasound

lots of tears

lots of prayers

and many, many negative pregnancy tests...

that we're expecting another baby!!!

There is so much to write and maybe there will be 100 more posts on the pain of our time of loss and infertility. There were so many times that the most-well meaning person said the most hurtful thing, or that people didn't know what to say to me on the subject. There were so many times that I wondered if God would really give us another child (and some of y'all are rolling your eyes...I have done that before until I went through what seemed like an eternity of waiting). There were the comments that started when Harrison turned 2 about how we needed to have another one quick to either straighten up his attitude or because "those families" who waited a long time in between kids were just selfish.

But those posts can wait because, for now, I rejoice! I cannot believe that our prayers (and the prayers of countless others) have been answered! I had prayed fervently that we would be pregnant before October 22, which would have been my due date with the baby we lost back in February. And you may recall that I posted something about it. It turns out, I was actually pregnant at the time but it was too early to know! We found out our news on Halloween! Without posting too many details, it was a very unlikely month for us to get pregnant, but the Lord was so sweet and gave us the desire of our hearts!

Little one is due sometime in the beginning of July. I have already had a couple different due dates, but the very first one was July 12. We are so very thrilled to be able to come back to the states for the summer and deliver the baby in Atlanta! I have been dreaming nightly of Chick-Fil-A, cheese dip from my favorite Mexican restaurant and the countless lunch places I can't wait to dine upon our arrival!

As of my last ultrasound a few days ago, the baby is the size of a "small bug" says my chinese doctor. Hilarious. Pre-natal care will definitely be an adventure over here, but I couldn't be more thankful. I never dreamed I would have to wait this long for another child, especially since Harrison came within, like, 5 seconds of us thinking we might want to start a family. I know our journey is short compared to other dear friends close to my heart, but it felt so very long to me, and I am thankful and relieved to be able to share the news with all of you blogging friends!

Prayers for pregnancy in a foreign country with a toddler-in-tow would be much appreciated...It is not easy, especially when said toddler is not napping every day, when I am carrying 30+ pounds of him up and down 4 flights of stairs multiple times daily,and when the food is really hard to get down. I was not sick a lick with Harrison, so even though I feel okay most of the time, the sickness is new for me, but I really wouldn't have it any other way (and again, some of you are calling me crazy right now)!

We praise God from whom all blessings flow!

"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord." --1 Samuel 1:27-28

Our First Date...

***

Was 8 years ago today, and it was HERE in East Asia! Now, it's debatable as to when we actually had our first date if you ask me or Brett or the 20 other people who watched our relationship under a microscope while we were here, but today 8 years ago was the first time he came to visit me with the intention of taking me (and only me) out.

He picked me up at my apartment wearing an afro wig~he had me at hello!

And sweet Brett had a tape of Christmas music that he asked each taxi driver to play when we were in the cabs. He also had a small gift for me during each taxi ride. We ate pizza, went ice skating, and went to a lounge on the top floor of a nice hotel in town and just talked and talked! It was such a fun time, and I often think or our time of dating here in China with such fond memories. He led me on scavenger hunts, we travelled together, we danced on tables together, sang karaoke, and the list continues! We had so much fun, and are still having fun today! I am so thankful that God brought me here back in 2002 to not only fall in love with a new culture, but to fall in love with Brett as well. It has been quite an adventure since that first date, and I have loved living life with him!

***In the above picture, shadows may look larger (or smaller) than they appear!

Some Christmas Eve Dancin'

Christmas Card

We had so much fun taking pictures for our Christmas card this year! We knew that this guy would not sit still for long, though. Check him out....this is how he helps me get taxis!

A friend graciously took some great pictures for us in a park.

But, what I really wanted was for us all to sit in a sanlunche (sawn loon chuh-- "three wheeled vehicle"). This is how I get around a lot here, and I thought it would be so cute for our Christmas card. We found one with a window open in the back and got some great shots. We paid the driver about 75 cents to sit in it for 5 minutes and get some photos. (That is also about how much we would pay a driver of these to cart us a short distance around town).

We landed on this shot (I think). I so love Christmas card time of year and I'm SAD that it's hard/expensive/takes so long to mail things over here! I miss getting Christmas cards from all our sweet friends!

Merry Christmas!!

Hong Kong

The type of visa we are on here is a tourist visa....meaning we have to leave the country every 120 days to get a stamp on our passport showing we left the country before returning. Our time here was up....we had to leave. So, last week, we, the three amigos, decided to venture to Hong Kong for a visa run.

Now, before you go and check your maps, yes, Hong Kong is in China. It was under European rule for 99 years until 1997. China considers it China now, but for whatever reason it counts as leaving the country for our visas. I know, weird. However, since it's only a little over a 2 hour flight, we decided that it would be a great and easy trip. Also, it's an incredible city and we both had not been there in years. We were so excited for blue skies, great weather, good shopping, yummy food, and taking Harrison to go see Santa.

Well, guess what we did instead??

We threw up....the whole time....all 3 of us.

Sad, sad, sad!!! We managed to at least hit Toys R Us and one little market for some shopping before it hit Hare Bear. We were standing at a bus stop, and little H leaned into me. I just put my arm around him and was enjoying him leaning on my leg. And then my pants were soaked. Sad. Next, it hit the Brettster....and finally, yours truly. Poor us. We came home empty-handed, with empty stomachs, and with barely any pictures.

But, we are so glad to be home and on the mend.

Meeting the neighbors

A few weeks after we arrived here, I met my neighbor in the stairwell. He lives directly above us, and we struck up a conversation. His English was incredible and he told me that he had a 3 year old daughter and he would love to have her play with Harrison sometime. Thrilled at the option to have a local friend for Harrison, I told him that would be great. We exchanged numbers. He told me at the end of our meeting that he would (again) like for his daughter to be around me and my son because she is afraid of foreigners and he wants her to get over her fear.

Months go by...

Last weekend, Wu Gang (said neighbor) calls and asks if now would be a good time for the kids to play together (it is very cultural to not plan even 5 minutes in advance). I apologize to him saying that Harrison is sick and now would not be a good time, but soon I would like for them to play. He explains to me that his daughter does not live with him all the time (also a very common occurrence here. He is not divorced, but he and his wife live in separate places so he can work in the city and she lives further out.) I apologize again and say now is not a good time.

5 minutes later...a knock on the door.

Me: "oh hello, Wu Gang! Oh, is this your wife? Oh, and is this your daughter? hi little friend! you are so cute!"

Little girl: Crying hysterically

Neighbor: gives us a present, meets Brett. Small talk. We discover the little tyke's English name is Mia

Brett & Lauren: "Hi Mia! Would you like to meet Harrison?? You're so cute! And so tall!" Smiling very big, trying to be inviting

Mia: Standing outside the door, crying hysterically.

Meanwhile, we have 2 guys staying in our home, they are coming in and out...she cries even harder as they pass by her.

Neighbor: "Well, we wanted her to at least meet you all so next time we can play. She is very scared of foreigners."

Me: "Why is she scared of foreigners?"

Neighbor: "Because her baby-sitter told her that foreigners eat children."

Oh....Okay.... Yeah, I don't think she'll be back.

Especially after I flashed my teeth at her about 42 times.