Millers in Shanghai: May 2008

25 May 2008

It has been a month since we wrote, so let me try to catch up.

Another week in Germany

After Heidi returned from Germany to Jakarta, I stayed another week to work at the office with the person I am replacing. It looks like the job will be good and the people I work with seem to be a good group. Like anything, though, it will just take some time to get accustomed to everything.

Nash – Bali Trip

After I returned home, Nash took off with the 7th grade for a week of “educational” activities in Bali for an extended field trip. I am told they spent a lot of time preparing for their field trip, studying about the culture, history, religion, geography, etc. He had a great time.

Nash’s Poetry Night / Mallory's Stitches

A couple of weeks ago Nash had a poetry night at school – everyone in his English class would be reading poems they had written this semester. That night when I got home from work, things were crazy – Heidi had just gotten home from someone’s music lesson, so some people had eaten dinner, some hadn’t, and we were still trying to decide who was going to the poetry night vs who was staying home. Grant and Luke also wanted to go to a Science Night at the elementary school, but it conflicted with the poetry event, so lets just say it was a bit hectic. When we finally decided that everyone would go to the Poetry Night, everyone got loaded up in the car and drove to the school. We were running a bit late, so we all rushed to Nash’s classroom, and on the way, Mallory tripped going up a small (3) set of stairs. Her chin broke her fall. As soon as Heidi picked her up, blood started dripping from her chin, onto Mallory’s clothes and onto Heidi. We told the boys to go to a nearby restroom to get some paper towels to put on her chin, but the bathroom was locked, so we carried her over to the cafeteria and got some napkins to put on her chin. We ended up deciding for me to take her to the clinic, and for Heidi and the boys to go to Nash’s poetry night (yes, they were a bit late, but I think they had a good excuse). In the car on the way to the clinic Mallory stopped crying, but she was so concerned about the blood on her hand and on her clothes. I got her cleaned up a bit, and then when we arrived at the clinic, the doctors stitched up the cut. She was pretty brave through the whole ordeal, but screamed and cried quite a bit when they put the paper towel thing over her face and upper body (with a little hole cut out for her chin) and gave her the shots for anesthetic and then started stitching. Pretty terrifying thing for a 3 year old to lay there on a table, essentially blindfolded, and then have strangers poke you with needles and then sew you up. Mallory got the stitches out a few days later and the wound seems to be healing pretty well. We’ll see how big of a scar she has from this.

Grant’s Poetry Night

Grant also recently had a Poetry Night at his school – no injuries, thank goodness. His teacher and the class had gone through a lot of work to prepare the room, and to script the program. Grant played the violin as the parents and families were coming in to the classroom. They even bound together all of the poems and published them in a book for each of the students. At the end of the poetry, they showed a picture slide show his teacher had put together for him because Grant’s leaving the school this year.

Luke’s performance

Luke has been participating in a singing group called the PIE Pipettes (PIE stands for Pondok Indah Elemntary), and last week they performed. He has also enjoyed his Watercolor and Science after-school activity/classes this semester.

Mallory’s Pre-School Graduation

On Saturday we attended Mallory’s pre-school graduation at a hotel ballroom in Kemang. It was a little overkill, if you ask me. They went all out with a stage, costumes, music, etc. Mallory performed with her class in a mermaid outfit, singing two songs about the ocean.

Leaving Jakarta

Well, our time in Jakarta is really winding down. Every day that goes by, we seem to have another “last time” for doing something. The boys have had end of year activities at school (school dance for Nash, other performances, tests, etc.). Heidi had a Primary party here at our house one day for the Primary students (just 2 other kids, because 2 were out of town). We have sold quite a few pieces of furniture and other items that we either don’t want or won’t need in Germany (especially considering the fact that our house in Germany is smaller than our home her in Jakarta). We are still looking for buyers for a sofa & loveseat set as well as a dining table, so if you know anyone who is interested, let us know. This weekend we have gotten serious about packing. The movers come tomorrow morning, and will work Monday – Friday to pack and load our stuff into an air shipment and a sea shipment, so like usual, we are trying to decide what we take in our luggage vs what goes into the air and sea shipments. Tomorrow we’ll check in to a hotel and stay for the week because our beds and such will start to be packed up tomorrow. Today after church there was a going away lunch for us and several other families from the branch who are also leaving Jakarta this summer.

Living here in Jakarta has been a great experience for our family. We have all gone through various times of frustration or dissatisfaction with living here, but in general we are very glad we have had the opportunity to live here. We have learned a lot, we’ve enjoyed the chance to see and do so many different things, and we hope we are better people for having lived here. The next few weeks will be a bit stressful, but everything seems to be working out very well for the move and for our plans for the summer.