Things are not how they used to be...

If you grew up with me, then you'll probably identify with this.... remember 30 mile bike rides "just for fun" or skiing out in the back fields without a clear view of the way home, sometimes for many hours into the night? Or runs that went on for miles just because we could? Or, later in life.... training for marathons, joining the swim team, going on 18 day backpacking trips or 5 weeks hiking and canoeing "excursions?" What about swimming across the lake or exploring unchartered terrain in the wilds of northern Asia...

I'm remembering all those things fondly, today as nurse my very sore feet, tailbone and lower back, remembering for some reason that though I felt tired (yes, very tired at times) I was never close to tears because I couldn't sit down before. Times have changed! Yesterday we went for a long but doable walk/hike aroud the island with a beach picnic destination (my idea), and I thought many times I wouldn't be able to make it. Two days ago we walked through Hong Kong Island (city) for the afternoon and I almost cried when we finally sat down in a starbucks and a kindly man offered me a seat at his table in a no-seat coffee shop. It seems that overnight I have gone from "able to be active" to "very sore, hormonal and emotional every time I'm uncomfortable". What happened? Is being 51/2 pregnant really an excuse?

So, I've been thinking about the times when I told my old friends "lets go for a walk/run/ski/swim/hike" and became very impatient if they weren't so excited for long outings with lots of excursion. I TOTALLY understand now what it's like to be on the other end. I'm glad Dave has had a place to run a beautiful 10k every day around the island, hike up and down to town for meals and excurions, swim and explore... I'm so glad because I know what it's like to do and ENJOY those things, but right now, it's hard to get out of a chair. And I'm only 22 weeks!! What is it going to be like in say, 3 months??? Oh my... I hope I don't get too much bigger!!

But, no complaining anymore, I really am enjoying this time away from the fridgid northern city... and it's completely quiet here save the crashing of the ocean or the call of a couple birds (or the cry of babies in this wonderful family friendly retreat center!) Did I mention that I'm we're getting very accustomed to family vacations with young children? :) fun stuff up ahead! This is how I'm spending my day today:)

Chun Jie Kuai Le 2009 (Happy New Year!)

Sitting on the top of a mountainous island isn't a bad way to spend the new year holiday at all. In fact, it's lovely, just lovely. We've been on Cheng Chao Island for the past couple of days, with an excursion into Hong Kong Island to enjoy the new year's festivities. Our retreat center is on the top of a mountain on the island with no transportation but walking so I've been getting a work out every day! But it is SO nice to be in a quiet place to celebrate the new year!

21 weeks

Today I feel like I went from "I'm feeling a little thick around the waist" to "holy cow I'm prego." 21 weeks now and growing strong. We'll know (hopefully) January 30th if we are having a boy or girl. My mother has been overwhelmed by all the sales lately on baby clothes and has seen fit to clothe my baby and my sister-in-law's baby until they are 6 months old already! Lisa and Jordan just found out they are having a girl:) I was sure they were having a boy and I was having a girl so right now I'm at 50%. Just watch, I'll be having a boy and all those girl baby clothes I've been collecting from our community will have to go to Keturah or someone else:)

We are heading to Hong Kong tomorrow (actually, an island off the city) for a week of R&R and a chance to avoid the war zone this place becomes with the Chinese New Year. Yippee!!

Here's me being vulnerable posting pictures of the real belly this morning before a shower... It was funny taking the picture because I was watching it expand and move back as the baby was moving around. (notice the lovely bathroom tile and the hot water pipes and heater that don't quite carry hot water to the shower upon command)

and here's a picture of Dave in the morning too, just so I'm not alone:) He's cute though with his "natural" hairstyle and little chin patch though:)

biking with a baby bump and other blessings

Blessings. That's what I have to remember about today.
Have you ever done errands around the neighborhood in your car, maybe gone to your favorite grocery store just because you like how it feels inside? I love going to places like Whole Foods or Trader Joes or Borders, not exactly because I have to get food or books necessarily, but because it's just so nice to walk around the store.. I guess this is marketing at its best:) But ever errands like going to the bank or post office aren't too brutal of an experience, that is, mostly.

Today I had 3 errands: mail a letter to Beth (yes, you!), deposit the next 4 months of spending money in the bank (hopefully we don't spend more than that in the next 4 months!) and get a few groceries. The difference between what an American may imagine these experiences to be and what they actually are all depend on your view of what a line should be. I don't know what in the Chinese system beside mass amounts of people and authoritarian rule made the concepts of waiting in line such a foreign idea. But, as I waited at the post office, I was cut in front of 4 times. I was thankful for the "pick your number" system at the bank, as it assured that who came first goes to the counter first, and guards to watch you and make sure your slip of paper has the right numbers on it.

The grocery store is a different story all together. Knowing I had a few heavy items (OJ, dish detergent, fabric softener, yoghurt) to pick up, I was hoping for a shopping cart. For some reason, there were none to be found on the first floor. I went to the second floor, seeing if there were any up there (note, to get back to the first floor, one must go through the entire store and ride a slow escalator down), and found nothing. I asked a clerk and it seemed as if she went off on a mission to find one for me as my hands were already full. I followed behind her to the opposite end of the store and she turned around and asked me what I wanted... "um, a cart?"
"meiyou" was her reply. Apparrently my instincts of thinking someone working at the store would be helpful. Wrongo.

I did find a basket however, and began picking up things for the day. And just when I was thinking "oh, this is getting rather heavy" I looked up and spotted it... an abandonned cart in my isle-- too good to be true. Seriously, even though through out the rest of the shopping experience 4 different loud music/talking noise blasted my eardrums, I was thankful for a cart.

Then began the bike home with groceries in my basket and on my back... at this point my bladder was overful and the baby decided to practice tap dancing. I've discovered mountain biking with groceries through traffic is enough of a challenge, but doing it while feeling rather off balance and navigating through cars who don't mind traffic lights (again, the absense of a line mentality), I was quite frustrated.

However, as soon as I got home, I met 3 wonderful young gentlemen (also known as my students) who offered me hot cocoa and to carry my groceries up 5 flights of steps. God bless em! That was another really thankful moment. When I got in the door I discovered that my ayi had gone out, noticing that things were low in the house and had herself bought everything I had already! Oh man.... well, as least I know I'm being taken care of, and blessed to boot.

Changes come... and they keep coming!

Today marks my fifth month of pregnancy, and the just over half way point. This morning as I was reflecting on that fact (reflecting is something I used to do all time time, and it seems I've not done enough lately!), I realized that in 5 months, my life and everything I've been and known is going to irraversibly change, God willing, and I will be a mom.

Yesterday I went to Kim's baby shower for Keturah, and celebrated the birth of this precious little girl with a bunch of other ladies, I think all of who were themselves moms with little ones, or not far from it. As I looked around the room, baby on my lap, I realized "wow, it's very rare that I'm in a group like this, and pretty soon, this will be my group!" Up till this point, all my time has been spent with peers, many who are single and don't have kids, teenagers who have lots of questions about pregnancy, but never have experienced it themselves, or college students.. same thing. Of course I have friends and family with little ones running around and genuinely enjoy being with young families, but realizing I will have my own family very soon is a very new thought... is 5 months enough time to be ready for this????

I guess now is as good of a time as any to write in cyberspace other news of transitions happening in the Coons home. This entire year Dave and I have been praying about what is next for us. It's the end of our contract at TIS, and in the last 5 months, the beginning of our preparation for having a family. Up till this point, we've been very sure and very blessed to have lived and worked in China in a place we love amoung people we love. I've been able to "live the dream" in so many ways as I've pushed forward in creating summer adventure programs and now am beginning to train others to do the same. It's been so rewarding in so many ways to follow this dream. I wrote earlier of a vision/thought in Mongolia where I felt that God might be calling me to a different goal, something I couldn't see yet, and to leave behind the trails I've trod. Well, and Dave and I have been seeking together, he's felt similiar things and more specifically, a desire to pursue graduate school very soon. This brings us to our news... This will be our final semester in China, and after the baby is born in June, we will be heading back to North America to pursue the things God is placing on our hearts. We would love to talk more specifically with anyone interested, so please let us know if you want more specific details, and we would love to fill you in!

So far, we plan to spend our first 6 months as parents learning how to be parents (any suggestions?) while staying with family. We're also hoping to catch up with our long lost friends! Hopefully next January we will be lead to the right school and Dave will begin starting classes. This is our plan, but we're open to whatever God might have for us. We've loved our time here and are truly thankful for the chance we've had to live and work in China. It's been an adventure of a lifetime-- and we look forward to the next great adventure-- PARENTHOOD!

Christmas in the countryside:)

We just got back from our Habitat for Humanity trip, and it was incredible. I have only a couple of pictures presently, but a whole lot more in a little while:) Here are some pictures of the village we worked in, and a minority village we drove into the mountains to see and celebrate Christmas with.This is us approaching our worksite on Christmas day.


Highlights of Christmas day were singing Silent Night with Miao villagers and hearing Handel's Messiah performed in a little church on top of a mountain by Miao farmers. It was wonderful! The students were awesome workers and had great attitudes. We were all so encouraged by one another as we worked, worshiped and played, enjoying the beautiful countryside.