Belated Squeakly Addition

Our Community here has a small newsletter called The Squeakly that one of the staff puts out each week to keep everyone abreast on current events, birthdays, school stuff, ect. They had an extra one this spring for all of the leaving staff, a collection of tributes to each family. Because of different situations, we had a record amount of leaving staff, I think upwards of 10 (to put this in perspective, last year we had zero, just one staff member who was transferring within company). While all of these people are our friends and we will miss them much there is one family that it breaks our hearts to say good-bye to. Unfortunately, this Squeakly Tribute Edition came out while I was in the States and while I knew about it, I just did not have the time to put anything together. I decided this would be the place to pay tribute to these wonderful friends for which China will just not be the same to us without them.

The Carmans were our host family three years ago when we arrived in Qingdao. We were a late addition (if you might remember we weren't accepted and assigned to Qingdao until we were actually at training). While we were busy packing up our house and saying last good-byes, Jacquelyn was in Sichuan with earthquake relief. She arrived back in Qingdao just a few days before we did. Jeremy had stayed behind to watch their two year old daughter, Anna and to prepare for us to arrive. Despite the busy summer they were having, they were a great support to us in those first few days.

At first our relationship was just as it was assigned. They were hosts and we were the new staff. Jacquelyn took me shopping to a few different places to get our apartment set up, Jeremy helped us with translation as we set up water delivery, internet service, ect. The had us over for dinner several times, and we began to reciprocate. I remember those first few weeks, as our relationship shifted from host/newbie to just friends. Being as insecure as I am, it took months for me to realize they were no longer just "helping us out" but had become dear friends.

Being our first Christmas in China, we were unable to return home and were not sure what it would look like. A little homesick, we were reminiscing about the previous Christmas when my sister had just moved in with us and we had a huge "sleepover" in the living room with her, the dog, and the cat. Jacquelyn said, "well, why don't we do that here? You guys can crash on the living room floor and we'll celebrate together." We did so, and I still remember little Anna's face as she came out of her bedroom that Christmas morning to find strange people on her floor! We had planned a trip to Beijing for just after Christmas to meet our friends who were having a baby up there, and we decided to invite the Carmans along. It was a great trip, and I will treasure our squished trip to the Great Wall forever. Anna and I really bonded that trip, and it was strange to return to our little apartment after spending over a week together between Christmas and Beijing!

That fall and spring we saw each other several times a week. We settled into a routine of Sunday night dinners and TV making it through the entire season of Firefly and some of Arrested Development. They became pregnant with their second child and Jacquelyn and I traveled to Beijing together for a doctor appointment. That summer I went to Beijing to care for Anna as they welcomed little Lucas into the world. We didn't see each other much that fall as Jacquelyn's father passed away and they returned to the States, I was just pregnant and not up to being out most evenings, and then they returned home for furlough the six weeks between Christmas and Chinese New Year. Our relationship withstood though, and they were a huge support to us as Lizzy was born here in Qingdao-the first company baby to be born in our city in many years! Then Jacquelyn became pregnant with Surprise Micah, and he was also born here in Qingdao. In fact, Lizbeth was the 1st of 10 babies born to our company within a year.

We knew long ago that they would not be signing a new contract. This year has one of saying good-bye and trying to adjust to not having them around all the time. Unfortunately, it has also been one of sickness-everything from strep to pneumonia. And of course there was Jeremy's appendectomy and numerous colds and viruses! Through it all, we have grown closer to them. It has been so fun to watch the interaction between Lizbeth and Lucas (we may have an arranged marriage in the works), and see Anna grow into a wonderful big sister. I'm so happy we were able to spend even just a few short months with baby Micah. Here is my prayer and thanks to each of you.

Anna, I love you dearly. You are a wonderful friend and I hope I can raise my daughter to be as dear as you. You are a great big sister, and very intelligent. I love to watch you with each of your parents individually and together. I love how you included me in your life, from playing the Wii to taking naps on the couch together! Thank you for letting me hold you when you were small and I didn't have a daughter of my own. Thank you for telling me how much you will miss me-I will miss you so much too! I hope you will remember us, even though I know as you grow we will be a distant memory of your childhood. I hope we can meet up again over the years and we can still be a part of your life.

Lucas, I am so glad I got to know you from the first day of your life. Your parents were so excited to have you, and I remember how nervous your dad was about having a boy! He has looked forward to playing ball with you and teaching you "boy" things since you were the size of a fist. I love your relationship with your mom and your little brother. You are such a tender young man, and I hope you will keep your sensitive heart and thoughtful spirit.

Micah, sweet Micah, oh how I love your smile! I love how you love to interact with people even at such a young age. I love how you are so calm and happy, how you make everyone feel better with just a small smile. I grieve the fact that we only had you near us for three short months, but I hope we can meet again over the coming years.

Jeremy, you are a wonderful father, co-worker, and friend. I love your quiet spirit that calms each of us down, even when you are inwardly panicking yourself! (Think-missed train to Beijing!) I love how you love your wife and children, and you are a great example to those around you. I love how much we think alike and what a great team we make when playing games. Thank you for being our friend and helping us so much over the years as we needed you to translate this or that! (You might think we don't need you anymore but we do!) You have been a great inspiration to me in Chinese language learning. I hope one day I can be as cool as you :-)

Jacquelyn, my dear friend, to you I have no words. I know whatever I write is so inadequate to what I feel. You have been an incredible friend from baking me special gluten free treats to listening to my many tears. You are a great wife and mother, and I know the Father has great plans for your family. Thank you for letting us be a part of your family. Thank you for loving my daughter so much. Thank you for your patience as I moaned just one more time about our housing, my job, or how much I wanted a baby! Thank you for being a great model in mothering and living in China. Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful food. Thank you for including me in Anna's birthday cakes and Lucas's birth. I love you dearly and pray we can continue our relationship while apart. It breaks my heart to say good-bye to you. I am honest when I say I just don't know what living in China looks like without you.

Carman family, we will miss you dearly, but know you are following His path. Our prayers and support are with you always.