We celebrated our 5th year here in Pingyu this March 1st. We have been truly blessed not only with children and staff but also with the Pingyu people; our children were able to go to a playhouse for free in the morning and then were able to watch a movie for free at a local movie theater that afternoon. Then Michelle made cupcakes to end the day. Eli, our middle son, enjoyed his cupcake.
The Chinese New Year was pretty late this year, it was right after Valentines Day. We allow our children who have safe homes to go back and visit their grandparents for the holiday for a few days. The New Year to the Chinese people is as big as Christmas is to the Western world. Of our 30 children (not including our own 3 sons), we had 9 children who cannot go back to their hometowns.
We try to celebrate the New Year by doing all the traditions that a typical Chinese family will do so that our kids don’t miss out on anything. Jaxin (our eldest son) is helping Patch light a firecracker in the above picture.
Catina and Davey enjoying their sparkler!
Becca and Jake enjoying their sparkler!
Joey and Anna enjoying their sparkler!
Frank enjoying his sparkler!
We also throw in some new traditions too and had a bonfire with smores. Our friends Kirk and Anzhela Ransom came and helped out for the New Year. Below you see Kirk helping me cut down a dead tree and you see Anzhela helping our housemothers cook chips!
Michelle,Anzhela, Nicky(Our close friend and teacher) and Catina and Davey’s grandma cooked a huge dinner for 24 people. It was very delicious!
When we met Catina and Davey the first time we told their grandmother that their home was not safe for them to return. We told her know how important it was for her to spend time with them, especially during the New Year festivities. So we invited her to come and stay with us or a few days. She was excited to come and be able to spend time with them and to eat American food! She really enjoyed helping out in the kitchen too, but we just could not get her to smile for a picture:)
Dana, Anna, Catina and Becca(left to right) all helped Michelle make us chicken noodle soup!
Our city is becoming more and more beautiful. This is a newly manmade pond in the center of one of our new parks.
Michelle and I thank you for dedication in spreading love, hope, joy and peace to all of our children, staff and friends these past 5 years and we look forward to a great future with all of you. Below are some pictures of us taking some of the kids to a bounce house. On the way to the park we saw a cow grazing near the river and Aaron acted like he was petting it.
