December 14, 2008: Sing in Exultation

“Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my Father.” Ps. 22: 9-10

Dear family and friends,

Yesterday was a memorable day for the Distad family! Brad and I went to Beijing with Jess Shamblee, for our monthly appointment at the Beijing United Family Hospital. From 11:45 to 1:30 we had a great time learning about our firstborn child.

When we arrived at the hospital, we were immediately ushered into the ultrasound suite where we waited next to a pretty young blonde girl for our turn. As we began to talk to her, we found out that her name is Kristin, she is from Ontario and that this is her second year in China. She told us how she had flown in from Wuhan, in central China. As we exchanged information, we were surprised to find out that she is a graduate of Calvin College! She and her husband studied there (Elementary Education and Physical Education) and graduated in 2007. They now teach at the International school in Wuhan, and she is 7 weeks pregnant with their first. What a small world! We had a fun (though brief) time talking about being pregnant in China before she was called for her ultrasound.

After Kristin's ultrasound, we parted ways, and then it was our turn. It was immediately obvious that the baby grew quite a bit in 5 weeks! Last month we could barely see our little progeny, and the technician judged that it was about 2 days behind its due date. This time the hungry little leach had more than devoured its share of my body's resources, and measured in at 3 days ahead of its due date. So it made up 5 days of growth in the last 5 weeks. This is great news of course...a big baby is a healthy baby! On the monitor we could see the over-sized head, small body, tiny arms and legs, and a twisted umbilical cord. We could see its little nose, lips, chin, and ears. We could also see the little heart beating a fuzzy blur in the abdomen. It was so exciting! Brad snapped lots of photos of our 2 ½ inch miracle.

After the ultrasound, we went upstairs for our appointment, only to find out that Doctor Bian had to leave for the airport. So we were assigned to Doctor Chang, whom I immediately liked better. She has kind eyes and a warm manner, and spoke comfortably and fluently in English. She recorded my medical history and then explained to us what would happen in this and upcoming appointments. Brad was particularly eager to know the sex of the child, but she assured us that will have to wait until a sonogram at 15-20 weeks reveals this information. Brad and I laughed though when she explained that some people believe that if the mother becomes more beautiful, then the baby will be a girl, and if the mother becomes more ugly (acne and a wider nose and lips), then the baby will be a boy. She also said that some believe a big appetite or an appetite for foods with vinegar means a boy, and a smaller appetite for more papery foods means a girl. Oh China!

After our little conference, she invited me to lay on the exam table so that we could listen to the baby's heartbeat. She took out a special stethoscope with a speaker on it. Brad videotaped these first sounds for posterity. There was a lot of static at first, and then the rapid but steady sound of a heartbeat. I gasped when I heard the sound, and then got quiet so that I could hear every beat. To me it sounded like a sucking sound, and it sounded like it was underwater, but there it was. Doctor Chang said that it sounded like a train, and reminded me that our baby's heart beats much faster than ours.

After the heartbeat, I was subjected to the typical OB exam including a culture, urinalysis, and blood tests. Even having blood drawn from both arms (I have tricky veins) didn't dampen my spirits. We saw our baby and heard its heartbeat! It was incredible! What a relief to know that despite 5 weeks of food-aversions, nausea, and vomiting, we still have a healthy and strong child who is growing ahead of schedule. What a beautiful and awe-inspiring experience it is to bear witness to new life!

Thank you Father for watching over our baby, even when it is hidden from our sight. Thank you for being its Father even before it knows the voices of its own father and mother. Thank you for using my body in amazing ways to create an hospitable environment to nurture new life. It amazes me that you could use my womb to comfortably cradle our child in perfect warmth with a steady supply of nutrients and the necessities for growth. How could I even fathom the details of your most intricate creation? Thank you for doing what I could never do, even I knew how. You are the Giver of Life, the Creator of All Things, the Great Artist. Thank you for painting your most complex masterpiece on this canvas, beneath my ever-expanding waistline. You are AWESOME. Thank you for allowing us to witness this miracle.

Love,
Jessie

Sunday Thoughts: December 14th, 2008

“All our righteous acts are like filthy rags”

Apart from the Love of the Father we are nothing. Our burnt offerings and deeds are nothing but “filthy rags,” and only by his grace are our rags made holy.

“To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

We were made to love and be loved, so we share our knowledge of the Father by loving Him first and others second. It’s not about what we do, but about who we love; the greatest evangelist is Love!

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Why we are grateful this week:

1) Last Tuesday night the students invited us to their talent show. It was hosted by the English Association. We didn’t realize how big this event was going to be! About 500-600 students attended, and Jess Shamblee was asked to be a judge. It was run a little like the final round of an American Idol contest, and we were exited that we knew about half of the final contestants. It was a great evening.

2) Our final English Club of the Fall semester was on Friday night at the Western Campus. Again it was exciting to see the energy that they bring every time we hold an English Club for them. Jess spoke again about the “Four Loves,” and this time she did not have to fight though nausea during her talk; it was only before and after Club.

3) Saturday we visited the hospital for another baby appointment. They said that even though Jessie has been feeling awful lately, the baby is completely healthy at this point. In fact, they said the baby was about three days ahead of schedule. It’s amazing to me that they can be that specific!

4) We also did some Christmas shopping on Saturday and then visited Texas Pete’s for the best Burger and Milkshake in Beijing.

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) Please keep our future plans in your thoughts. We are still trying to sort out where the Father is leading us for the upcoming year. There are some opportunities in the States that we are investigating, and we have not ruled out returning to China for a third year. Most of all, we want to follow the Father’s blessing.

2) The upcoming week will bring the end of classes for the fall semester for Jessie and me. While my week looks relaxed, Jessie week is packed with about 24 credit hours.

3) We are still concerned about next semester’s schedule. We will be telling the College about our pregnancy by the end of December so that we can start to organize our spring schedules. The biggest problem will be that Jessie will need to return to the United States at the end of May, and our classes will continue for about another two weeks.

Following His Blessing,
Brad

Sunday Thoughts: December 7th, 2008

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

A lamp for my feet? Is that enough?

Just a lamp for our feet, that is the promise, and we can step forward in faith & courage because the light is trustworthy. The light illuminates more of our path with every step until we have reached our destination.

I stumble most when I am focusing too far along the path, when I look beyond what the lamp has revealed. Sometimes all we are shown is the next step and all we need is the courage to move forward.

Why we are grateful this week:

1) We had a great English Club on Monday! Jessie spoke on the “Four Loves” by C.S. Lewis, and Bubble Boy came to a conclusion.

2) Our jet-lag has finally subsided, and we are happy that we are spending the weekend in one place.

3) Jessie’s nausea has been better this week. She is finding foods that she can eat and her flu-like symptoms seem to be disappearing.

4) Jess Shamblee had a great weekend. She visited a student’s family and hometown, and I’m sure she will blog about it. We highly recommend you check out her blog at: http://shambleegoestochina.blogspot.com/

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) Finals start next week for our Oral English classes. After that we will have some free time to spend with students until they leave for the winter break around mid-January. We want to finish the semester strong!

2) For Christmas, we will be traveling to Boading to celebrate with the rest of the IECS team. Please keep our travel plans in your thoughts.

3) Last Sunday, while traveling back to Tianjin, Will Corder lost his passport on the train. Please remember Wil and Courtney, as they go though the process of applying for a new passport.

4) Newt and Claire will return to the United States tomorrow. Their visit was a tremendous blessing for all of us! Please keep their travels and recovery from jet-lag in your thoughts.

5) We will go to the Western Campus on Friday for their final English Club of the semester on that campus. It will be the same as last Monday; if all goes well we will have a video ready to post a couple days later.

6) My parents are hoping to visit us at the beginning of January, but that is dependent on my mom’s recent bouts with vertigo. She is seeing the doctor again this week, and hopefully they will tell her it is okay to fly. You can be thinking of her healing as the vertigo prevents her from going about her daily activities easily, especially driving.

7) We are a little concerned about next semester’s schedule. We have not told the College that Jessie is pregnant, and we are not sure how that will affect her schedule. The biggest problem will be that she will need to return to the United States at the end of May, and our classes will continue for about another two weeks.

All in His name,
Brad

December 7, 2008: Sing for Joy

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” Ps. 5:11

Dear Family & Friends,

The last three weeks have been a blur of fun and excitement and a pleasant distraction from the ills of first trimester pregnancy. Life got very interesting for Brad (and others) when almost three weeks ago I returned from class and informed him that I really wanted to go home with him to the United States for the week. I was nauseous 24/7, homesick, and dying to share the joys of my pregnancy with family and friends at home. Although I had felt this way for some time, and been dropping subtle hints for awhile, this was my first (albeit last-minute) direct attack. Thankfully for me and for Brad, he is a pretty mellow and flexible guy. After talking to our travel agent, our deans, our foreign affairs department, our parents, and my siblings, I joined Brad for the international flight from Beijing to Washington 48 hours later.

Our arrival in America was not without incident. We arrived in the U.S.A. on Wednesday 11/19 where Bonnie and Ed (Brad’s parents) picked us up from the airport. Getting through customs was an adventure, as I discovered “citrus” (a.k.a. oranges) in my bag, and was ratted out by a customs official and a K-9 cop. We were informed that my citrus would have to be incinerated, lest I had carried toxic fruit juices from China into America. We were directed to the “Agriculture” desk, where a bored and unhurried clerk eyed our fruit and promptly dropped it in the very average-looking trashcan behind him. Not exactly the fires of Hades I had been expecting. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed.

The time at home was so refreshing. I spent all day Thursday talking to my Mom, digging up her old pregnancy books, asking pregnancy questions, trying on maternity clothes she’d bought for me, and eating Josh’s homemade chocolate chip cookies. For dinner, Mom, Dad, Josh, and I had spaghetti (my favorite) together, before I headed back to Hagerstown for the night. (Bonnie generously gave me the keys to her mini-van while we were at home, and thanks to low gas prices, I could conveniently enjoy my visiting.) On Friday Brad spent the day with Mr. Bair and Brian Montgomery, two of his best friends, who took the day off just to be with him. Brad hung out with the guys all day while I went maternity shopping with Ed and Bonnie. It was funny trying on the clothing in “Motherhood” where they give you a stuffed pillow on a belt to imitate your big belly for maternity clothes. On Friday night the guys returned from their adventures, and the four of us played a new version of “Settlers” (Brad’s favorite game), which was a Christmas gift from Brian.

Saturday was spent following Brad through the JFK. For those of you who aren’t from Washington County, Maryland, the JFK is a 50-mile ultra-marathon beginning at Boonsboro High School (where Brad attended), then following the Appalachian Trail, Potomac River/C&O Canal, and ending at Springfield Middle School. This year Brad ran his 10th JFK, and joined the esteemed “500 Club.” After a year of using a Hal Higdon advanced training schedule for ultra-marathons, and having lost 35 pounds in the last year and a half, Brad took more than an hour off of his personal best time. Despite the freezing 19 degree starting temperature, Brad finished in 9 hours, 40 minutes, and 43 seconds. His achievement buoyed his spirits even in his fatigue during recovery. In addition, the Hagerstown Herald Mail reported on his story, and acknowledged that he was one of the few to be so successful despite the terrible cold. For Bonnie, Ed, and I, the day was simply spent meeting Brad at various points along the trail, supplying changes of clothes, reading books while we waited, and most importantly—keeping warm inside the van. Toward the end of our trip we picked up a girl named Abby who was hypothermic and in tears, and unable to convince her to finish the last two miles after she’d warmed up, we drove her to the finish and handed her over to the capable EMT staff.

On Sunday, Brad and I visited Tristate in Hagerstown, and caught up with our friends there. We laughed when we walked in, only to hear Randy talking about Brad and I in front of everyone. We joined him at the front, where again he talked to everyone about us and about China. Afterwards, Brad and I went upstairs to hang out with our “Young Marrieds” class, which has spent the last few years morphing into the “Young Families” class. It was great to talk about pregnancy with the girls who have been there so recently, and to see the adorable children that resulted from the whole thing. It’s great to know there’s an end in sight! Brad and I had to leave early to help with dinner, which was a good thing. Bonnie had a Thanksgiving feast planned at home, and it was a great day, full of warm memories, and the exchanging of Christmas gifts. My parents and Josh joined us (fresh from 2 days in Ocean City!), as well as Brad’s sister Nancy, her boyfriend Brian, her daughter Becca, and Brian Montgomery. I enjoyed hearing about pregnancy from Nancy, and swapping stories.

Monday and Tuesday were quieter days than those that went before. On Monday Brad printed letters, stuffed envelopes, and mailed letters at the post office. He topped the day off with Monday night football, and yet another soak in the hot tub. I spent the day downloading photos off our old camera, organizing our belongings and mail, and preparing a speech for English club. On Monday afternoon we stopped by Boonsboro High School and caught up with Mr. Bair and our former Club kids who were at play practice. Afterwards, Mr. Bair had us over to dinner with him and his three young sons, and then Brad played “Settlers” with the guys until the wee hours of the night. Tuesday was much the same for Brad, and I went into Frederick for a doctor’s appointment to investigate the cause of my six weeks of coughing. One of the joys of pregnancy is the inability to take any common medication because it might hurt the baby. So she prescribed a baby-friendly allergy-type pill, and my coughing has pretty much ceased. I spent Tuesday afternoon doing last minute shopping and then Brad and I drove down to Bethesda to meet his cousin Joanna and her fiancé Joe for dinner. We had a great time catching up and solving the world’s problems before heading back home for the night.

Wednesday, for me, was Thanksgiving and Christmas rolled into one. I was up early packing for our trip back to China, and running into Hagerstown for a few last purchases. My mom picked me up around noon, and I got to spend the afternoon listening to Christmas music and hanging out with my sisters, Kerri, Kristy, and Karilyn. Thanksgiving dinner was served at 5pm, and Brad, Bonnie, and Ed joined us for the occasion. The food was fabulous, and we all ate until we were stuffed. We talked until late, and then exchanged Christmas gifts with my family, before packing up for our early morning flight. After 2-3 hours of sleep, our alarm clock rang at 3am. My parents drove us to the airport, and we made it in plenty of time for our 7am flight to San Francisco and then Beijing. Saying goodbye was really difficult, especially after such a brief taste of home, but it was also great knowing that it will only be 6 months until we see each other again.

So, thank you to all of you who made our visit home such a delightful time! It was great to see so many familiar faces and to be greeted with so much love and understanding. Thank you Mom and Dad and Bonnie and Ed most of all, for opening your homes, cars, refrigerators, and schedules to a couple of vagabonds whirling in from China. You guys are awesome! Thank you to Mr. Bair, Brian Montgomery, Joanna Charron, Joe Portnoy, Kristy Head, Kerri and James Frederick, and all others who changed your schedules in order to make time to be with us. We feel so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful family and so many great friends. You fill us with joy and gladness and rejoicing. Your thoughts and love that goes the “distance” to China encourages us, and makes our time away from home so much more bearable. Thank you for encouraging us to follow our dreams to China, and for always greeting us with open arms when we return home. You all amaze us. We love you.

Always,
Jessie and Brad

“I am thankful every time I remember you. In all my thoughts of all of you, I am always full of joy because of your partnership in this from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until that Day.” Ph. 1:3-6

Sunday Thoughts: November 30th, 2008

“Our father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains”

Just a taste of home has made me consider the gifts and blessings that I have taken for granted for so many years: good home-cooking, friends & family, easy transportation, great fellowship, Monday Night Football, hot water from the tap, and toilets with water in them! We have been blessed with so many great gifts, but sometimes I wonder if we spend too much time focused on the gifts and not enough time focused on the Giver. Do we pursue the “blessings,” or do we pursue the Father?

An anonymous gift is never quite as sweet; we always want to know who to thank. The same is true of our Father. The blessings of life are never as sweet if we don’t know who is responsible for those blessings.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Why we are grateful this week:

1) This past week was extremely refreshing for Jessie and me. On Monday I had the opportunity to catch up with friends as we watched Monday Night Football. On Tuesday, we had dinner with one of my cousins, and Jessie got to see her doctor in Frederick. On Wednesday we had Thanksgiving dinner at Jessie’s parents’ home with my parents and her brother and sisters. Afterwards, we exchanged Christmas gifts, and then hurried to bed for 3 hours of sleep before we woke up and went the Dulles International Airport Thursday morning.

2) Our return flight to China was okay. We made our connection in San Francisco, and landed in Beijing on Friday afternoon at about 4:30pm. The turbulence didn’t help Jessie’s nausea, and she was sick the entire time. But we made it in one piece, and we were happy to see Tony’s friendly face when we landed.

3) For the Thanksgiving weekend the entire IECS team visited Langfang. We slept in Saturday morning, and around noon we played a game of flag football. After the game we all prepared different parts the meal, and 16 of us squeezed into our apartment for an amazing Thanksgiving feast!

4) On Sunday, it was great to spend the morning with the entire team as Newt taught and shared some words of encouragement. We really cherished this time since it is rare that we have the opportunity to meet as a large group.

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) Please keep Jessie’s health in your thoughts. She is still dealing with nausea. It has been difficult for her to eat consistently.

2) Tomorrow will be our third and final English club on the main Campus. Our “run-on” play will come to a conclusion, and Jessie will be speaking about the topic of “love.” We will go to the Western Campus on December 12th for their final English Club.

All in His name,
Brad

Sunday Thoughts: November 23rd, 2008

“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in His sight”

Sometimes I wonder how wise I think I am. Lately, I have been reminded that my strength is weakness in His sight, my love is compassionless in His sight, and my wisdom is foolishness in his sight. However, it’s not my strength, love, or wisdom that are being questioned, but rather it’s my focus. It’s the word “my” that attracts too much of my attention.

“My” strength is weak compared to His strength. “My” Love is compassionless compared to His love. “My” wisdom is foolishness! In fact, I am learning that my weaknesses are much stronger than “my” strengths when they are in His hands. When it’s my weaknesses that are being exalted I can accept no credit; the glory is His.

Why we are grateful this week:

1) As many of you know, our travel plans changed at the last minute, and Jessie decided to come home with me on Wednesday. Our flight went extremely well. We decided to stay in the United States a couple extra days. Our return flight is now scheduled for 7am on Thursday morning. We will celebrate Thanksgiving on Wednesday night at Jessie’s parents’ home and then leave for China early Thursday morning.

2) My race went extremely well, and other than the bitter cold, I have no complaints. I finished in 9 hours 40 minutes and 43 seconds, more than one hour faster than my personal record. I placed 272 out of 922 runners, and now have the privilege of joining the “500 Club” for runners who have completed the race 10 times.

3) It was great to spend time with family and friends for the past few days. We played games, did some needed shopping, and ate good food!

4) We are also looking forward to spending Thanksgiving weekend with all of the other American English teachers in China. Newt will be visiting, and the other teams will come to Langfang for the weekend.

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) You can continue to keep Jessie’s health in your thoughts. She is dealing with daily nausea and fatigue.

2) Please continue to keep our travel plans in your thoughts.

3) The Monday after Thanksgiving will be our third and final English club on the main Campus. Our “run-on” play will come to a conclusion, and Jessie will be speaking about the topic of “love.”

All in His name,
Brad

Sunday Thoughts: November 16th, 2008

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the His glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from Him”

Unveil me? …Unveil me!

Unveil me to reflect your glory; strip everything away, and transform me. Everything that is of me, strip it away. Everything that is pride, arrogance, envy, slander, and folly…strip it away. Everything that is unclean, strip it away! Strip it away, and replace it with “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Strip it away and replace it with those attributes that best reflect your glory. Not my glory, but yours! Please Father, less of me and more of you.

Why we are grateful this week:

1) We had a game night with students on Tuesday, and we had a blast. 11 of us played “Signs” and “Spoons” (with chopsticks!) for about two hours. It was good to laugh and play together!

2) Tony visited this week on Wednesday and spent the night. The team went to dinner and lunch with him and the students. It was encouraging to spend time together.

3) Friday night’s English Club went well. About 250 students packed the room, and Shannon gave an awesome talk!

4) Jessie had a great time eating lunch with some of her favorite students this week: Catherine, Cassie, and Lily. After observing Jessie and I interacting in our home, Catherine told Jessie, “I think that you are the happiest woman alive!”

5) The heat has been turned on in our apartments! No more cold nights until mid-March.

Please continue to “think” about us:

1) I will be traveling to the United States on Wednesday the 19th for one week. I should arrive in DC around 7pm on Wednesday, and I should be landing in Beijing on the following Tuesday night. It will be a quick turn-around so please keep my travel plans in your thoughts. I am looking forward to the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family.

2) Jessie already has lunches scheduled for next week with Catherine, Joy, Sally, and Danielle. Please be thinking of her during these times.

3) You can keep Jessie’s health in your thoughts as she is often nauseous and finds most foods unappetizing. She continues to feel fatigued and coughs a lot due to a bad cold.

4) Next Saturday Jessie will be going to the Philip Hayden Foundation with Peter, Shannon, Jess Shamblee, and Wil & Courtney Corder. We know it will be a great experience for all involved.

All in His name,
Brad