Dave stood for his Oral Interview yesterday. He received a 5.6, and will soon be placed on the Economic register.
This puts us essentially where we have been for the past year and a half - in entirely uncertain territory. When he received a 5.6 in Political just over a year ago, it was a good score nearly guaranteeing a call to the next class. And then his security clearance took over 9 months, by which time 5.6 no longer guaranteed a call. In fact, 5.6 was a pretty risky score - risky enough to start the whole process over again in a new track.
Within the Economic track, 5.6 has guaranteed a call for the last year or so. Invitations have already been extended for the March class, and so we stand a good chance of being extended an invitation to the May class. Except...
Except that they apparently need to reopen Dave's security clearance, to update all foreign travel. There has been notable foreign travel, as well as a foreign move and plenty of new foreign contacts. This could take some time.
Except that Republicans promise budget cuts across the board, and make no exceptions for diplomats and the State Department. Should hiring slow, or even freeze, a 5.6 will cease to be such a good score.
This leaves us in essentially the same murky water we bathed in last spring. We would love an offer to the May class - free flights home for the summer, appropriate timing to plan school for the following year, enough time to gracefully bow out of the project with Uncle H-- and easily avoid taking on something new, a nearly full year in a wonderful classroom for Lilly this year.
But what if we don't get a call to the May class, missing it by just a few folks? That makes the July class seem likely. Do we buy tickets to ship our whole family home for the summer, if we could be moving home on someone else's dime in July? Uncle H-- expects to move us out of Shenzhen this summer - how do we play this contingency? The uncertainty is annoying in the abstract, but costly in its difficulty when it informs major decisions.
At this point, the girls and I still plan to be home for the summer.
At this point, our family still expects to adopt Mei Mei, likely receiving her this fall.
At this point, I still expect that Dave will be hired into the foreign service within the next year.
All these things could change.
Showing posts with label FSO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FSO. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Monday, December 13, 2010
Decisive Moments
Every life is full of Decisive Moments - that moment when everything changed. It may have changed because of a decision we made, making the name that much more apt. But it may have changed because of circumstance, another person's choice, or a sudden shift in the wind. Sometimes we recognize them in the present, but generally only in retrospect.
I thought for sure I had one last week.
Dave called in to Human Resources at the State Department in D.C. We waited up to make this call, because business hours fall during our sleeping hours. Further, Ms. H.R. Professional rarely answers her phone in her first hour or two at work. Dave called. She answered. He asked for the results of his Mandarin test. She put him in hold.
I idly tapped at the computer, trying to keep myself occupied, but fully aware that I was sitting inside a Decisive Moment. Ms. Professional would come back to the phone at any moment, telling us whether or not our fates were tied to China. Providing more clear direction for our lives.
I idly tapped for a ridiculously long time - clearly she did not realize we were calling from China. I refreshed email, stalked people on Facebook, refilled my water, and eventually sat by Dave on the couch. She came back to the line. The results were not yet in.
No decisive moment.
She had suggested calling back at the end of the week. We spent Friday night in Hong Kong, sharing a hotel room with our 3 children. Dave took the phone into the bathroom, and I fell asleep before he returned. He did not wake me with the results. He told me in the morning that he had failed the Mandarin test.
No moment there, either.
A week ago, I hoped for failure. I have no hatred for China, but no real desire to spend the majority of our time here, either. I'm eager to go somewhere closer to home, with a language closer to English. A week ago, word that Dave had failed his test would only have bolstered my resolve, that Dave will get into the Foreign Service and we will learn Spanish or French.
But the news this week doesn't look so good. Incoming lawmakers pledging to cut the budget of the state department, or to freeze federal hiring, making promises which they will hope to carry out within their first 100 days in office. It is possible that this dream won't happen.
Dave sits for another test on January 3rd. I'm expecting a Decisive Moment on this one - hoping he will walk out the door with a 6.0, the top score. And expecting the next Decisive Moment to follow shortly after, when he receives a call to the March class. But then, no offer is real until you step foot in the classrooms in D.C. on the first day of training. Hiring freezes could renig all offers, both tentative and firm.
I thought for sure I had one last week.
Dave called in to Human Resources at the State Department in D.C. We waited up to make this call, because business hours fall during our sleeping hours. Further, Ms. H.R. Professional rarely answers her phone in her first hour or two at work. Dave called. She answered. He asked for the results of his Mandarin test. She put him in hold.
I idly tapped at the computer, trying to keep myself occupied, but fully aware that I was sitting inside a Decisive Moment. Ms. Professional would come back to the phone at any moment, telling us whether or not our fates were tied to China. Providing more clear direction for our lives.
I idly tapped for a ridiculously long time - clearly she did not realize we were calling from China. I refreshed email, stalked people on Facebook, refilled my water, and eventually sat by Dave on the couch. She came back to the line. The results were not yet in.
No decisive moment.
She had suggested calling back at the end of the week. We spent Friday night in Hong Kong, sharing a hotel room with our 3 children. Dave took the phone into the bathroom, and I fell asleep before he returned. He did not wake me with the results. He told me in the morning that he had failed the Mandarin test.
No moment there, either.
A week ago, I hoped for failure. I have no hatred for China, but no real desire to spend the majority of our time here, either. I'm eager to go somewhere closer to home, with a language closer to English. A week ago, word that Dave had failed his test would only have bolstered my resolve, that Dave will get into the Foreign Service and we will learn Spanish or French.
But the news this week doesn't look so good. Incoming lawmakers pledging to cut the budget of the state department, or to freeze federal hiring, making promises which they will hope to carry out within their first 100 days in office. It is possible that this dream won't happen.
Dave sits for another test on January 3rd. I'm expecting a Decisive Moment on this one - hoping he will walk out the door with a 6.0, the top score. And expecting the next Decisive Moment to follow shortly after, when he receives a call to the March class. But then, no offer is real until you step foot in the classrooms in D.C. on the first day of training. Hiring freezes could renig all offers, both tentative and firm.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The Way We Live
Its funny the things we can get used to.
We've been living under the cloud of a pending move to Washington DC for about a year now. For most of that time, had we received an email invitation to the Foreign Service, we would have been living in Washington within 8 weeks. We prepared the girls for such a move, and got them excited about DC.
That call still hasn't come, still hangs over our heads, but we don't talk about it to the girls as much. They no longer remember most of the friends we have there.
Possibly because of this mindset, we picked up and moved to Shenzhen within 2 weeks this summer. We've settled quite well, even with the cloud of an uncertain future hanging over our heads. When people ask how long we expect to be here, I don't really know what to answer. If Dave gets into the Foreign Service, we could move as early as mid-March. If he doesn't, we could be here for another year after this one. The 1-year contract everyone signed for us has not yet taken effect, and the girls have landed well in Shenzhen. Could be that we're facing stability, and the same address for 2 years in a row!
But the uncertainty still prevails. Dave will start work on this new contract any day now. He got an email last week asking him to go to the U.A.E. for 6 weeks or so, starting today. Only on Saturday did he learn the city (Abu Dhabi - how cool is that?). And still today, he's been given no travel plans. Our best guess at this point is that Dave will fly to Abu Dhabi tomorrow, for somewhere between 1 and 6 weeks. But we won't know for sure until tomorrow, when he either does or does not catch a plane.
This new uncertainty makes the old stuff seem simple. As does having lived with it for a while now. But I can't make plans for this weekend if Dave may be away. I can't make plans for tomorrow's dinner if Dave may be here. I can't make plans for Thanksgiving, because I don't know how long he'll be gone. Dave has pushed back, saying 6 weeks is far too long to spend away from his family. I expressed that this uncertainty, and this long trip are not very good employee treatment. Dave answered that it certainly is not - that's why they hire a consultant rather than use their own employees. And a globally mobile one at that. Fair enough.
Clearly, I am actually fixing dinner tomorrow, and life is going on as usual around this uncertainty. But I'll admit, its giving me a big headache.
We've been living under the cloud of a pending move to Washington DC for about a year now. For most of that time, had we received an email invitation to the Foreign Service, we would have been living in Washington within 8 weeks. We prepared the girls for such a move, and got them excited about DC.
That call still hasn't come, still hangs over our heads, but we don't talk about it to the girls as much. They no longer remember most of the friends we have there.
Possibly because of this mindset, we picked up and moved to Shenzhen within 2 weeks this summer. We've settled quite well, even with the cloud of an uncertain future hanging over our heads. When people ask how long we expect to be here, I don't really know what to answer. If Dave gets into the Foreign Service, we could move as early as mid-March. If he doesn't, we could be here for another year after this one. The 1-year contract everyone signed for us has not yet taken effect, and the girls have landed well in Shenzhen. Could be that we're facing stability, and the same address for 2 years in a row!
But the uncertainty still prevails. Dave will start work on this new contract any day now. He got an email last week asking him to go to the U.A.E. for 6 weeks or so, starting today. Only on Saturday did he learn the city (Abu Dhabi - how cool is that?). And still today, he's been given no travel plans. Our best guess at this point is that Dave will fly to Abu Dhabi tomorrow, for somewhere between 1 and 6 weeks. But we won't know for sure until tomorrow, when he either does or does not catch a plane.
This new uncertainty makes the old stuff seem simple. As does having lived with it for a while now. But I can't make plans for this weekend if Dave may be away. I can't make plans for tomorrow's dinner if Dave may be here. I can't make plans for Thanksgiving, because I don't know how long he'll be gone. Dave has pushed back, saying 6 weeks is far too long to spend away from his family. I expressed that this uncertainty, and this long trip are not very good employee treatment. Dave answered that it certainly is not - that's why they hire a consultant rather than use their own employees. And a globally mobile one at that. Fair enough.
Clearly, I am actually fixing dinner tomorrow, and life is going on as usual around this uncertainty. But I'll admit, its giving me a big headache.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Keeping Hope Alive
Another Foreign Service Candidate was just offered a spot in the January class. He is in the Economic track, and he scored 5.6. With a 5.6 in the Political Track, Dave probably ranks in the low 60s, but in Econ this man was number 23 and is going to the next class.
When Dave interviews in early January, he will land on the Economic track. He needs to do at least as well as he did last time to receive a call. This keeps my hope alive.
The other contingency plan was the Mandarin test, which he has scheduled for the end of November. But in only a few short weeks, he has a long ways to go to become conversational. Too many challenging conversations on the train reinforced that this weekend. Plus, he may be spending the next 6-8 weeks in the Middle East. They don't speak Chinese there, but maybe he could start working on his Arabic? The Mandarin seems like less of a sure bet, and so I'm comforted to see that a good score in Econ seems possible. And then we could get out of Asia!
When Dave interviews in early January, he will land on the Economic track. He needs to do at least as well as he did last time to receive a call. This keeps my hope alive.
The other contingency plan was the Mandarin test, which he has scheduled for the end of November. But in only a few short weeks, he has a long ways to go to become conversational. Too many challenging conversations on the train reinforced that this weekend. Plus, he may be spending the next 6-8 weeks in the Middle East. They don't speak Chinese there, but maybe he could start working on his Arabic? The Mandarin seems like less of a sure bet, and so I'm comforted to see that a good score in Econ seems possible. And then we could get out of Asia!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
The List Keeps Growing Longer
We just heard an update to the Political Register. Remember that Dave has a 5.6. Someone with a 5.5 just added the register at 109 out of a total of 222 people. Such a long list! She passed the Mandarin language test, and receiving her extra 0.4 points. That brings her up to 5.9, and makes her #13. Each class brings about 20 people off of each register, so her 5.9 practically guarantees her an invitation to the next class.
Should Dave pass the Mandarin language test, he will have a 6.0 and be right near the top of the list. However, at this point he's not feeling good about his chances. He doesn't feel able to begin meeting with a tutor again until his job falls into a routine - probably in about 2 more weeks. He plans to take the test at the end of November, and that leaves around 6 weeks of study. Looking forward, that test could go either way.
The other option would be a great score on his interview in December. He will receive that score in the Economic Register, which is shorter and less competetive than Political.
A friend recently asked me if waiting for the Foreign Service is like always waiting for the last show to drop. Its not quite so unstable, as it has been clear so far that we would not be invited to an upcoming class. But all the same, I would love to have this waiting period fall into our past. Then we can focus on waiting for Mei Mei - another crazy uncertainty with major implications on all of our family choices. Every family goes through different seasons of life - and this one sure is a whopper!
Should Dave pass the Mandarin language test, he will have a 6.0 and be right near the top of the list. However, at this point he's not feeling good about his chances. He doesn't feel able to begin meeting with a tutor again until his job falls into a routine - probably in about 2 more weeks. He plans to take the test at the end of November, and that leaves around 6 weeks of study. Looking forward, that test could go either way.
The other option would be a great score on his interview in December. He will receive that score in the Economic Register, which is shorter and less competetive than Political.
A friend recently asked me if waiting for the Foreign Service is like always waiting for the last show to drop. Its not quite so unstable, as it has been clear so far that we would not be invited to an upcoming class. But all the same, I would love to have this waiting period fall into our past. Then we can focus on waiting for Mei Mei - another crazy uncertainty with major implications on all of our family choices. Every family goes through different seasons of life - and this one sure is a whopper!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Updating the Political Register
A nominee was just invited to the September class. This person will begin their journey in the foreign service in about 6 weeks. She seems to have been one of the last candidates called. She was called with a 5.8, and ranked #16.
Another nominee was just added to the list with a 5.67 (above Dave, who has a 5.6). He is ranked #45 out of 189.
If they are not dipping much further than #16, and Dave has dropped to near #50, then its good he is pursuing other options. Pray for quick absorption of Mandarin, and/or a high score on the Econ interview this winter.
Another nominee was just added to the list with a 5.67 (above Dave, who has a 5.6). He is ranked #45 out of 189.
If they are not dipping much further than #16, and Dave has dropped to near #50, then its good he is pursuing other options. Pray for quick absorption of Mandarin, and/or a high score on the Econ interview this winter.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Step 1, Round 2
He passed the test.
Dave passed the Written Exam. This is the test he took a few weeks ago, restarting his candidacy for the Foreign Service in the Economic track. Next, submitting essays. We're still expecting him to interview in DC around Christmas.
Dave passed the Written Exam. This is the test he took a few weeks ago, restarting his candidacy for the Foreign Service in the Economic track. Next, submitting essays. We're still expecting him to interview in DC around Christmas.
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Staying Put
August calls have all gone out, and we are not on our way to DC. In fact, although State will extend invitations to FS candidates on a monthly basis through October, Dave and I see a precedent. He will not be invited to any of the 2010 classes, and we will stay put for at least another 6 months.
Its time to be pro-active. But its also time, sadly, to build contingency plans.
Being proactive - Dave is starting the process over again. He will take the Written Exam on Saturday afternoon in the Economic track. Remember that he is number 41 on a list of 150 or so - this is a list of Political candidates. With this new candidacy, he will enter the list of Economic candidates, which is a much shorter list. He will pass the Written Exam on Saturday, be invited to submit essays in about August, and be invited to DC for an Oral Exam in around November (family - this will be our next trip home, we expect). He will, I assume, pass this exam with flying colors and be placed on the Econ register by January. With the amazingly high score he will receive, he will be guaranteed a spot in the next class.
He is also studying Mandarin. He will take a 15 minute phone test at the end of June, to determine whether or not he speaks and understands at a conversational level. He does not, we realize. But could he trick someone into believing he does in 15 minutes? The possibility exists. Should he not convince them, we will look upon this as a practice test, and he will spend the next 6 months studying intensively so that he can pass the Mandarin phone test in January. Upon passing this test, he will gain an extra 0.4 points, taking his score from 5.6 to 6.0; 6.0 is the highest possible score, and would guarantee him a spot in the next class.
Should neither of these guarantees pan out, we are in Asia for the foreseeable future. He is currently on a 2 year contract, beginning October 1 of 2010. He feels he could maneuver a move to India, which we both see as exciting and a possible route into International Development work simply by proximity. NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations - essentially international non-profits) are severely limited within China, but certainly not within India. Some intense volunteer work and good connections may well foster the career change he has been seeking.
Our hope (and my confidence) still lie in the foreign service, and we hope to see DC within the next school year. But after our prayers for an August move, we are quite aware that God has His own timing. We were reminded of this last night, in reading the final chapter of the book of Job.
Then Job replied to the Lord: "I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know."
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
The Moment (or week) of Truth
Invitations have begun for the August class.
Dave and I have put our hope in receiving an invitation to this class.
We are checking email at ridiculously regular intervals, watching for an invitation to arrive.
Dave and I have put our hope in receiving an invitation to this class.
We are checking email at ridiculously regular intervals, watching for an invitation to arrive.
Bible Study
As Wendy searches for direction and answers to her family problems, she continues to explore Christianity and often asks me interesting questions. Today's truly challenged me, and left me stumbling for quite a while before I came to what I believe was a good answer.
She asked about my Bible Study, and questioned the book we used. It turns out she was looking for a book to explain what the Bible says - and I explained that there are more books than she could count trying to explain what the Bible says. I asked her which part she's confused about, and she said that she'd been reading the gospels. She reached the part where Jesus says to turn the other cheek. Specifically, "But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."
Remember that Wendy's husband is beating her, and Dave and I continue to tell her that this is not okay. So, she asked a very sensible question - but one which never would have occurred to me. So, the Bible says it is okay for my husband to hit me? I should allow him to do it?
I don't know what I said for quite a while - something nonsensical, I imagine. She continued to ask questions, and I realized how difficult it was to explain. In fact, I began to realize what a radical concept this is. In the Judeo-Christian culture of America, turning the other cheek is entirely accepted and very rarely acted out. In China, turning the other cheek is an unknown concept.
Here's what we eventually came to:
When two people fight, maybe someone will hit the other one. But maybe no one will hit the other person. And maybe one will say, "Go ahead and hit me." And then the other person does not want to. At this, the scenario began to resonate with Wendy.
This is not the same, because Jesus asks us to speak with humility and peace, as clearly opposed to taunting. But I believe that the spirit is the same. If Wendy allows her husband to hit her, she is weak. If Wendy stands tall as her husband hits her, does not fight back, and says to him that he can hit her as much as he likes; then she is being strong. She is stating that she is strong, and that he can not hurt her. That her God is bigger than his cruelty.
And isn't this exactly what Jesus showed? He peacefully and humbly allowed people to hurt Him, and to kill Him. And through all of this, He could have said - My God is greater than this, and you can not hurt me. And although they killed Him, He returned.
She asked about my Bible Study, and questioned the book we used. It turns out she was looking for a book to explain what the Bible says - and I explained that there are more books than she could count trying to explain what the Bible says. I asked her which part she's confused about, and she said that she'd been reading the gospels. She reached the part where Jesus says to turn the other cheek. Specifically, "But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."
Remember that Wendy's husband is beating her, and Dave and I continue to tell her that this is not okay. So, she asked a very sensible question - but one which never would have occurred to me. So, the Bible says it is okay for my husband to hit me? I should allow him to do it?
I don't know what I said for quite a while - something nonsensical, I imagine. She continued to ask questions, and I realized how difficult it was to explain. In fact, I began to realize what a radical concept this is. In the Judeo-Christian culture of America, turning the other cheek is entirely accepted and very rarely acted out. In China, turning the other cheek is an unknown concept.
Here's what we eventually came to:
When two people fight, maybe someone will hit the other one. But maybe no one will hit the other person. And maybe one will say, "Go ahead and hit me." And then the other person does not want to. At this, the scenario began to resonate with Wendy.
This is not the same, because Jesus asks us to speak with humility and peace, as clearly opposed to taunting. But I believe that the spirit is the same. If Wendy allows her husband to hit her, she is weak. If Wendy stands tall as her husband hits her, does not fight back, and says to him that he can hit her as much as he likes; then she is being strong. She is stating that she is strong, and that he can not hurt her. That her God is bigger than his cruelty.
And isn't this exactly what Jesus showed? He peacefully and humbly allowed people to hurt Him, and to kill Him. And through all of this, He could have said - My God is greater than this, and you can not hurt me. And although they killed Him, He returned.
Living Out Faith
I wrote last night, introducing my new crisis of faith. The end of my phone call with the preschool in DC left my head spinning, and my faith severely thrown. I'm not sure that I wrote a coherent post about it - I am sure that my thoughts were not particularly coherent.
This morning, as I talked to the ladies in Bible study, I began to make sense. Allow me to recreate the scene.
Setting: Seven women gathered around a brown shag rug in my living room, the screen closed on the front door to allow cool breezes into the shaded room. Wanda is leading a Bible study on the Israelites as they are poised to enter the land of milk and honey. The Israelites choose not to enter this land, for fear of the giants who lived there in well fortified cities. For their lack of faith, God keeps them in the desert for an entire generation.
Wanda: Its surprising that the Israelites would show such a lack of faith. They have been in the actual presence of God, and seen so many of His works.
Me: That doesn't surprise me at all. How many times have I felt God's presence, and known His leading? And still, when a situation becomes difficult I fear that God won't solve my problems. This is where I am today, isn't it? It has seemed all along as if God would place Dave in the August class - how is this not the best choice for everyone involved? And now we have the last spot at the perfect school, having been held for an extraordinarily long amount of time. How much more clear can God make this? Yet I do not have this much faith.
Wanda: Certainly, faith is not always simple.
Me: Yeah, more than that. Sometimes faith is really hard. In fact, faith is hard by definition, right? By definition, faith is believing in something that can't be known.
Shona: Oh no, you're absolutely wrong.
Me: (a little thrown by the challenge, and frankly, a bit annoyed) What?
Shona: Faith is being sure of something we do not see. I think it says it in Hebrews 11 something.
Me: (skeptically, opening my Bible) Where does it say that? Hebrews what?
Shona: I think Hebrews 11 something - I'm not sure.
Pause as I find Hebrews 11, and then as I am surprised.
Me: Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see." Its already underlined in my Bible. Well, that's clear, isn't it? If I have faith that God will call Dave to the August class, I need to write a $5,000 check tomorrow.
Shona: $5,000 - that's a lot of faith.
This morning, as I talked to the ladies in Bible study, I began to make sense. Allow me to recreate the scene.
Setting: Seven women gathered around a brown shag rug in my living room, the screen closed on the front door to allow cool breezes into the shaded room. Wanda is leading a Bible study on the Israelites as they are poised to enter the land of milk and honey. The Israelites choose not to enter this land, for fear of the giants who lived there in well fortified cities. For their lack of faith, God keeps them in the desert for an entire generation.
Wanda: Its surprising that the Israelites would show such a lack of faith. They have been in the actual presence of God, and seen so many of His works.
Me: That doesn't surprise me at all. How many times have I felt God's presence, and known His leading? And still, when a situation becomes difficult I fear that God won't solve my problems. This is where I am today, isn't it? It has seemed all along as if God would place Dave in the August class - how is this not the best choice for everyone involved? And now we have the last spot at the perfect school, having been held for an extraordinarily long amount of time. How much more clear can God make this? Yet I do not have this much faith.
Wanda: Certainly, faith is not always simple.
Me: Yeah, more than that. Sometimes faith is really hard. In fact, faith is hard by definition, right? By definition, faith is believing in something that can't be known.
Shona: Oh no, you're absolutely wrong.
Me: (a little thrown by the challenge, and frankly, a bit annoyed) What?
Shona: Faith is being sure of something we do not see. I think it says it in Hebrews 11 something.
Me: (skeptically, opening my Bible) Where does it say that? Hebrews what?
Shona: I think Hebrews 11 something - I'm not sure.
Pause as I find Hebrews 11, and then as I am surprised.
Me: Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see." Its already underlined in my Bible. Well, that's clear, isn't it? If I have faith that God will call Dave to the August class, I need to write a $5,000 check tomorrow.
Shona: $5,000 - that's a lot of faith.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Faith v. Pragmatism
Dave is currently ranked at 41 on the political register.
Calls for the August class will begin within the next few weeks, and they will invite around 20 people from the political register. Some people are on the Do Not Call List, and some people will turn down their invitation. Forty-one is within the realm of possibility for an invitation in August. I imagine the Do Not Call List will grow as the summer ends, and so even more within the realm of possibility for the September class.
We have prayed, and felt God's guidance on this entire process. It has seemed clear to both of us that the Foreign Service was the place God had in mind for Dave - this is his path. And August always seemed the best month, for so many reasons. Following our faith, we've been telling people we expect to move to DC this summer.
But God's not actually sending us emails - faith is essentially believing in what can not be known. And so we maintain our lease here in Shanghai, we enroll the girls in school here in Shanghai, and Dave certainly has not quit his job. None of these cost us anything. But as we come nearer to the dates we hope to move, the costs will pile up.
We paid 2,000 RMB as a non-refundable application fee for Sophia's preschool in Shanghai. Because Sophia is enrolled, we can wait on Lilly's application until mid-June - the sibling preference will enroll her immediately. Still, in mid-June we will pay another 2,000 RMB for Lilly's application.
We will be in town for the summer, and so we will join the pool. The pool doesn't accept summer memberships - its annual or nothing. And the pool doesn't accept monthly payments - its all at once. So, we will pay 10,888 RMB in mid-June to join the club.
That's 14,888 RMB in non-refundable cash we will invest in our life here in Shanghai by mid-June. Add to that the baby items we will ship from Grammy and Grandpa's basement, and we're investing about $2,500 in the possibility of staying in Shanghai. We have no choice on the school, and we have very little choice on the pool.
But here's where it gets tough.
I just spend an hour and a half on the phone with an amazing preschool in the DC area. This school has a national reputation, and a wait list "as long as her arm," according to the administrator I spoke with. This school would be a beautiful fit for our family, I believe. And they're holding the last 2 spots for our children.
Like many other things, this seems sent from heaven - another sign that we'll get into the August or September class. Luck doesn't find such a perfect fit, right?
But they're asking for $5,420.94 within 1 week.
I want to have faith that we'll go to DC in August, and I pray for it every night. But that faith is becoming pretty expensive. Probably prohibitively so.
I want to live out the faith that we'll go to DC in August, but does my faith actually make it more likely?
The Rest of the Story:
I will not pay the $5,000 this week, and so I will turn down the guaranteed spots at this, such an amazing school. But all is not lost. The school is growing, and waiting for zoning regulations to enroll about 10 more children. That zoning will not come until early fall. Possibly, this will be perfect timing - and God can work through things I can not yet see. He may still have a place for them at this school, and I will continue the conversations.
But the question still remains - when does living on faith become entirely unpragmatic?
Calls for the August class will begin within the next few weeks, and they will invite around 20 people from the political register. Some people are on the Do Not Call List, and some people will turn down their invitation. Forty-one is within the realm of possibility for an invitation in August. I imagine the Do Not Call List will grow as the summer ends, and so even more within the realm of possibility for the September class.
We have prayed, and felt God's guidance on this entire process. It has seemed clear to both of us that the Foreign Service was the place God had in mind for Dave - this is his path. And August always seemed the best month, for so many reasons. Following our faith, we've been telling people we expect to move to DC this summer.
But God's not actually sending us emails - faith is essentially believing in what can not be known. And so we maintain our lease here in Shanghai, we enroll the girls in school here in Shanghai, and Dave certainly has not quit his job. None of these cost us anything. But as we come nearer to the dates we hope to move, the costs will pile up.
We paid 2,000 RMB as a non-refundable application fee for Sophia's preschool in Shanghai. Because Sophia is enrolled, we can wait on Lilly's application until mid-June - the sibling preference will enroll her immediately. Still, in mid-June we will pay another 2,000 RMB for Lilly's application.
We will be in town for the summer, and so we will join the pool. The pool doesn't accept summer memberships - its annual or nothing. And the pool doesn't accept monthly payments - its all at once. So, we will pay 10,888 RMB in mid-June to join the club.
That's 14,888 RMB in non-refundable cash we will invest in our life here in Shanghai by mid-June. Add to that the baby items we will ship from Grammy and Grandpa's basement, and we're investing about $2,500 in the possibility of staying in Shanghai. We have no choice on the school, and we have very little choice on the pool.
But here's where it gets tough.
I just spend an hour and a half on the phone with an amazing preschool in the DC area. This school has a national reputation, and a wait list "as long as her arm," according to the administrator I spoke with. This school would be a beautiful fit for our family, I believe. And they're holding the last 2 spots for our children.
Like many other things, this seems sent from heaven - another sign that we'll get into the August or September class. Luck doesn't find such a perfect fit, right?
But they're asking for $5,420.94 within 1 week.
I want to have faith that we'll go to DC in August, and I pray for it every night. But that faith is becoming pretty expensive. Probably prohibitively so.
I want to live out the faith that we'll go to DC in August, but does my faith actually make it more likely?
The Rest of the Story:
I will not pay the $5,000 this week, and so I will turn down the guaranteed spots at this, such an amazing school. But all is not lost. The school is growing, and waiting for zoning regulations to enroll about 10 more children. That zoning will not come until early fall. Possibly, this will be perfect timing - and God can work through things I can not yet see. He may still have a place for them at this school, and I will continue the conversations.
But the question still remains - when does living on faith become entirely unpragmatic?
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Checking the Register
Dave just checked in with HR at the State Department.
He is now ranked 44 out of 148.
They will begin sending invitations for the June class in the next few weeks. Unfortunately, should he not fall any further, this does place him directly in Probably Not category.
A quick description of the Probably Not category:
You can pretty well rest assured that you're not going to get called, and you know that. But, as you're awfully excited about the prospect, you just can't help but check your email every five minutes for the few weeks when invitations will be going out, just on the off chance that they reach as low as your rank.
Because, you know, it really could happen.
He is now ranked 44 out of 148.
They will begin sending invitations for the June class in the next few weeks. Unfortunately, should he not fall any further, this does place him directly in Probably Not category.
A quick description of the Probably Not category:
You can pretty well rest assured that you're not going to get called, and you know that. But, as you're awfully excited about the prospect, you just can't help but check your email every five minutes for the few weeks when invitations will be going out, just on the off chance that they reach as low as your rank.
Because, you know, it really could happen.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Plot Thickens
The comfort of living a dramatic life is the knowledge that it will someday lay out into a great story - a bestselling novel. But this is becoming too much. The book would be too confusing for anyone to follow!
A few updates for you:
The Foreign Service Register:
Remember from before that Dave has received his Security Clearance and now waits on the Register to be invited to one of the monthly training classes. Dave arrived on the register in the middle forties. Within two weeks, he had fallen to the low fifties. Further, State only reached as low as the middle 30s in their invitations for the May class.
What does this mean?
Well, this is all pure speculation. But we speculate that many people have tested well in the Political cone lately, and that a score of 5.6 may no longer be enough to guarantee a spot in the Foreign Service. This possibility makes Dave extremely anxious, bordering on depression. I feel much more confident that he will eventually be called, but the situation certainly calls for a pro-active stance.
Dave has begun studying Chinese, because passing a telephone language test would add either 0.17 or 0.4 points to his score. If he passes the test, he will certainly have a high enough score to guarantee a spot in the next class. If he does not pass the test, he will prepare to begin the entire process over again. He would take the written exam again, and pass easily. A few months later, he would take the Oral Exam again in a different cone (Economics, most likely). Even if he received the same score, he would be guaranteed a spot in the next class because the Political cone is the only one currently overrun.
Impact?
Although DC is still a possibility for this summer, it is certainly not a sure bet. But Uncle H-- moving us outside of Shanghai is a sure bet. Staying put is not an option.
The Move:
Uncle H-- still wants to move us to Hong Kong this summer. I have begun to realize how difficult this would be. Housing and rent would be challenging, as would setting up school (preschool registration forms are expected this month). I would expect to stay for about 6 months - not long enough to make friends or establish or a real support group. Not really long enough to hire a good ayi or figure out how to maneuver a new foreign city. And facing each of these challenges with a newborn and two preschoolers only intensifies the situation.
We have asked Uncle H-- to consider moving us to Chicago instead. Professionally, Dave hates this option. I must keep reminding him that he wants no future with this company, but he still struggles with the choice. The advantages of Chicago are numerous. Much of Dave's family lives in the Chicago area, and my parents are a simple weekend away in St. Louis. We could surround the girls with their family, and Dave with a wonderful support system during this transition period. And, we could almost certainly get The Red Chair from Chicago to DC when the time came.
But if finding a circle of friends for me within 6 months would be difficult in Hong Kong, it feels nearly impossible in the western suburbs on Chicago. Plus, get this logistic - in the DC area, Lilly is kindergarten age this fall. In the Chicago area she was born 4 days too late. One more city to begin researching preschools - and this time, we seek the right place (and tuition) for 2 children.
The Adoption:
As if all this were not enough.
We updated our homestudy this weekend in order to remain on the waiting list to adopt a child from China. Our social worker shared some interesting speculation of her own with us. Let me ensure you are up to date with us on the adoption, though.
We chose to become pregnant last summer because it looked as if our wait would end up being 3 years total. Such a wait would bring about a 5-6 year gap between Sophia and Mei Mei, which made us uncomfortable. So, after speaking with our adoption agency, we decided we ought to just sneak a little Jake in the middle there.
Fast-forward to December, when a number of expedited families living in China were matched with their baby. They had been waiting about 22 months, which looked like a pattern to us. We speculated that we would be matched with our baby next spring. Jake would be about 15 months old when we picked up her 6 month old sister. It would be close, but it would be possible.
Our social worker gave different - and much more informed - speculation. It looks to her as if expedited families are ready to move quickly. She speculates that we could receive our match anytime - she says there seems to be no pattern at all.
Bad news.
Bad news because China will not (and should not) allow us to adopt Mei Mei while we have a child under 12 months old in our home.
Bad news because we do not have a 6 month grace period, as we originally thought.
And bad news because we've already got enough uncertainty in our lives.
** A few words of comfort for you, though. Although we have this hanging over our heads, it has very little impact on our daily lives. We still enjoy our friends and the emerging spring weather, and we continue to feel the excitement of a new baby joining our family in a few weeks. Our future certainly calls for as much prayer, faith and grace as we can summon. But the days are far from dark.
A few updates for you:
The Foreign Service Register:
Remember from before that Dave has received his Security Clearance and now waits on the Register to be invited to one of the monthly training classes. Dave arrived on the register in the middle forties. Within two weeks, he had fallen to the low fifties. Further, State only reached as low as the middle 30s in their invitations for the May class.
What does this mean?
Well, this is all pure speculation. But we speculate that many people have tested well in the Political cone lately, and that a score of 5.6 may no longer be enough to guarantee a spot in the Foreign Service. This possibility makes Dave extremely anxious, bordering on depression. I feel much more confident that he will eventually be called, but the situation certainly calls for a pro-active stance.
Dave has begun studying Chinese, because passing a telephone language test would add either 0.17 or 0.4 points to his score. If he passes the test, he will certainly have a high enough score to guarantee a spot in the next class. If he does not pass the test, he will prepare to begin the entire process over again. He would take the written exam again, and pass easily. A few months later, he would take the Oral Exam again in a different cone (Economics, most likely). Even if he received the same score, he would be guaranteed a spot in the next class because the Political cone is the only one currently overrun.
Impact?
Although DC is still a possibility for this summer, it is certainly not a sure bet. But Uncle H-- moving us outside of Shanghai is a sure bet. Staying put is not an option.
The Move:
Uncle H-- still wants to move us to Hong Kong this summer. I have begun to realize how difficult this would be. Housing and rent would be challenging, as would setting up school (preschool registration forms are expected this month). I would expect to stay for about 6 months - not long enough to make friends or establish or a real support group. Not really long enough to hire a good ayi or figure out how to maneuver a new foreign city. And facing each of these challenges with a newborn and two preschoolers only intensifies the situation.
We have asked Uncle H-- to consider moving us to Chicago instead. Professionally, Dave hates this option. I must keep reminding him that he wants no future with this company, but he still struggles with the choice. The advantages of Chicago are numerous. Much of Dave's family lives in the Chicago area, and my parents are a simple weekend away in St. Louis. We could surround the girls with their family, and Dave with a wonderful support system during this transition period. And, we could almost certainly get The Red Chair from Chicago to DC when the time came.
But if finding a circle of friends for me within 6 months would be difficult in Hong Kong, it feels nearly impossible in the western suburbs on Chicago. Plus, get this logistic - in the DC area, Lilly is kindergarten age this fall. In the Chicago area she was born 4 days too late. One more city to begin researching preschools - and this time, we seek the right place (and tuition) for 2 children.
The Adoption:
As if all this were not enough.
We updated our homestudy this weekend in order to remain on the waiting list to adopt a child from China. Our social worker shared some interesting speculation of her own with us. Let me ensure you are up to date with us on the adoption, though.
We chose to become pregnant last summer because it looked as if our wait would end up being 3 years total. Such a wait would bring about a 5-6 year gap between Sophia and Mei Mei, which made us uncomfortable. So, after speaking with our adoption agency, we decided we ought to just sneak a little Jake in the middle there.
Fast-forward to December, when a number of expedited families living in China were matched with their baby. They had been waiting about 22 months, which looked like a pattern to us. We speculated that we would be matched with our baby next spring. Jake would be about 15 months old when we picked up her 6 month old sister. It would be close, but it would be possible.
Our social worker gave different - and much more informed - speculation. It looks to her as if expedited families are ready to move quickly. She speculates that we could receive our match anytime - she says there seems to be no pattern at all.
Bad news.
Bad news because China will not (and should not) allow us to adopt Mei Mei while we have a child under 12 months old in our home.
Bad news because we do not have a 6 month grace period, as we originally thought.
And bad news because we've already got enough uncertainty in our lives.
** A few words of comfort for you, though. Although we have this hanging over our heads, it has very little impact on our daily lives. We still enjoy our friends and the emerging spring weather, and we continue to feel the excitement of a new baby joining our family in a few weeks. Our future certainly calls for as much prayer, faith and grace as we can summon. But the days are far from dark.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Number Crunching
Prepare yourself - this post will include a lot of numbers.
Dave was added to The Register on March 3rd. With a score of 5.6, he is now 46 out of 141.
Allow me to explain the register, and to put his numbers into context. This way, you can share our anxiety for the next few months.
The Register
To run through the past year, Dave has passed an test, written essays, passed an oral exam, received medical clearance and received security clearance. Once all of those hoops have been jumped, each candidate is placed on The Register. This is essentially HR's list of bodies eligible to begin training. You see, Dave can not simply be sent out into the world as a diplomat. He must begin his Foreign Service career with a series of training classes in Washington, DC. State offers these classes approximately every 6 weeks. Here are the start dates for upcoming classes:
HR invites nearly 100 students to each training class. That's about 20 from each cone. (Remember cones or tracks? This is the candidate's chosen career track. Dave chose Political. There's also Management, Economics, Consular and Public Diplomacy).
Placed at #46 on the political register, we could assume that Dave would in the 3rd group of 20 political candidates and therefore called to the August class (March's class is already full). But its more complicated than that.
People arrive at their place on the register by two statistics - their score, and the date they hit the register. Dave's score is 5.6. He hit the register on March 3rd. Anyone with a 5.6 or lower who arrives on the register from now on will be behind him. But anyone with a score of 5.7 or higher will hit the register above him. This could potentially pull him lower on the list - an acquaintance was 68 out of 68 when she first hit the register, and has fallen to 83 out of 97 within only 2 months.
People also have the option of going DNC at any time. Going DNC is adding your name to the Do Not Call list. Dave has already added his name to the Do Not Call list for May, because we expect a baby to be born on or near the start date. A move from China between now and then is not in the cards. But many other people are on the DNC list as well, meaning that invitations always dip lower on the register than #20. The February class called #40 and the October class called #54.
This is where it becomes a real gamble. No one can guess how many people will join the register in the next few months, or estimate how high their score. No one can guess how many people will stay on or off of the DNC list - although we assume that a fair number have been waiting for the end of the school year.
Here's our anxiety-ridden speculation:
We speculate that most DNC candidates are waiting for the end of the school year, and will come off of the DNC list for the June and August classes.
We know that Uncle H-- will move us in mid-July, if Dave has not already resigned.
We worry that there will be an extra move before our arrival in DC, costing both ourselves and Uncle H-- a good chunk of money, and costing the girls and I a good chunk of stress and discomfort.
Hence the planning for two separate moves.
We're hoping and praying for an invitation to the June or August class, and we may spend some time on pins and needles until we find out for sure.
Dave was added to The Register on March 3rd. With a score of 5.6, he is now 46 out of 141.
Allow me to explain the register, and to put his numbers into context. This way, you can share our anxiety for the next few months.
The Register
To run through the past year, Dave has passed an test, written essays, passed an oral exam, received medical clearance and received security clearance. Once all of those hoops have been jumped, each candidate is placed on The Register. This is essentially HR's list of bodies eligible to begin training. You see, Dave can not simply be sent out into the world as a diplomat. He must begin his Foreign Service career with a series of training classes in Washington, DC. State offers these classes approximately every 6 weeks. Here are the start dates for upcoming classes:
March 29
May 10
June 21
August 2
September 13
May 10
June 21
August 2
September 13
HR invites nearly 100 students to each training class. That's about 20 from each cone. (Remember cones or tracks? This is the candidate's chosen career track. Dave chose Political. There's also Management, Economics, Consular and Public Diplomacy).
Placed at #46 on the political register, we could assume that Dave would in the 3rd group of 20 political candidates and therefore called to the August class (March's class is already full). But its more complicated than that.
People arrive at their place on the register by two statistics - their score, and the date they hit the register. Dave's score is 5.6. He hit the register on March 3rd. Anyone with a 5.6 or lower who arrives on the register from now on will be behind him. But anyone with a score of 5.7 or higher will hit the register above him. This could potentially pull him lower on the list - an acquaintance was 68 out of 68 when she first hit the register, and has fallen to 83 out of 97 within only 2 months.
People also have the option of going DNC at any time. Going DNC is adding your name to the Do Not Call list. Dave has already added his name to the Do Not Call list for May, because we expect a baby to be born on or near the start date. A move from China between now and then is not in the cards. But many other people are on the DNC list as well, meaning that invitations always dip lower on the register than #20. The February class called #40 and the October class called #54.
This is where it becomes a real gamble. No one can guess how many people will join the register in the next few months, or estimate how high their score. No one can guess how many people will stay on or off of the DNC list - although we assume that a fair number have been waiting for the end of the school year.
Here's our anxiety-ridden speculation:
We speculate that most DNC candidates are waiting for the end of the school year, and will come off of the DNC list for the June and August classes.
We know that Uncle H-- will move us in mid-July, if Dave has not already resigned.
We worry that there will be an extra move before our arrival in DC, costing both ourselves and Uncle H-- a good chunk of money, and costing the girls and I a good chunk of stress and discomfort.
Hence the planning for two separate moves.
We're hoping and praying for an invitation to the June or August class, and we may spend some time on pins and needles until we find out for sure.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
The Red Chair
Those of you who know me personally are probably familiar with The Red Chair. Its my nursing chair, the glider we purchased for the nursery before Lilly was born. Its a lovely chair, soft and comfy, and easy for every member of the family to snuggle into and take a nap. It is perfect for feeding a baby in the middle of the night, and dozing off with her in your arms. It is perfect for reading stories to both a 3- and 4-year-old in the evening. It is vibrant and lovely, and it has been in our home as long as our children have been in our home. The red chair has become my one piece of permanence in an ever changing household.
Further, the red chair has become an important tradition. Each child has her portrait taken on the red chair for her birthday. Birthdays came quite frequently when they were infants. First weekly, then monthly, and now yearly. Here is Lilly at 7 months old, in our home in St. Louis:
Here is Sophia at 13 months old, in our first Shanghai home - in Lu Jia Zui:
The Red Chair photos give us a beautiful way to watch our children grow and to trace the homes where they lived, as well as an exceptional number of vibrant portaits.
When we eventually move to DC for Dave to begin his new career, we will live in temporary housing. The State Department will pack up our current home in two shipments: 1-UAB or Unaccompanied Air Baggage, and 2-HHE or Household Effects. We are privy to most of the shipping rules already, as this is a government job and those bureaucratic bits and pieces are public information. We know that our UAB will fly from Shanghai to Washington, DC and will meet us at our temporary home. We know that this is severely limited by weight, but that tiny babies get a few extra allowances referred to as a layette. However, these allowances are meant for small things like collapsed cribs and strollers. The HHE will include everything else in the house, up to 18,000 pounds. Friends shipped their entire furnished apartment for a family of 5 and came to only 8,000 pounds, so we'll be sending everything we own - both here and in St. Louis. The catch is that this shipment will sit in a storage unit somewhere until we reach our first post. That is, we will not see any items sent in our HHE for over 1 year.
Rules quite clearly state that furniture may not be included in the UAB (the one we will have with us in Washington).
Rules clearly state that we will not have access to our HHE while in Washington (it may never arrive in the DC area; if it does, it will cost around $500 to open the door to the unit)
But how can Jake live her first year of life without the red chair?
I am distraught about this.
I hate to think that I will have no Red Chair Pictures of Jake from the time she is 2 months old until after her 1st birthday.
Dave is spending the week in Hong Kong. Alone in my bed, in a dark room last night, the significance of this hit hard. I cried. This is simply not okay with me. After crying long and hard, I began to wonder if maybe I was upset about something more. I began to realize something difficult.
We chose to be where we are, and we knew that this would be a difficult choice. We knew that having a baby while changing international careers would be difficult. We knew that life in the Foreign Service would be difficult. We also knew that through faith and prayer, we would still be fine. "The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." - Isaiah 58:11 I know that whatever challenges arise, I will be like a well-watered garden in the desert. Everything will be alright.
Until I faced what is clearly the first of many practical sacrifices.
So, feeling rather trivial, I mentioned this in Bible Study this morning. I mentioned The Red Chair to the ladies because we were discussing prayer, all that Ask and You Shall Receive stuff that everyone believes until it comes time to really ask for something. In fact, we read an even better verse: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 This time, it still says to present all of our requests to God. But the next line does not say they will be granted - the next line says that we will have peace.
So, I asked the ladies. Should I pray for The Red Chair? And unequivocally, they said yes. God doesn't care how trivial our needs, we decided. If we need something, we should bring it to God. The worst thing we can receive is peace.
And so I pray for The Red Chair. And I have faith that God will somehow answer this prayer. Honestly, I am rather curious what He's got up His sleeve - as this one seems nearly impossible. But I will pray. And I ask those who pray for us to pray as well - please pray that we still have our Red Chair.
The worst we can receive is peace.
Further, the red chair has become an important tradition. Each child has her portrait taken on the red chair for her birthday. Birthdays came quite frequently when they were infants. First weekly, then monthly, and now yearly. Here is Lilly at 7 months old, in our home in St. Louis:
Here is Sophia at 13 months old, in our first Shanghai home - in Lu Jia Zui:
The Red Chair photos give us a beautiful way to watch our children grow and to trace the homes where they lived, as well as an exceptional number of vibrant portaits.When we eventually move to DC for Dave to begin his new career, we will live in temporary housing. The State Department will pack up our current home in two shipments: 1-UAB or Unaccompanied Air Baggage, and 2-HHE or Household Effects. We are privy to most of the shipping rules already, as this is a government job and those bureaucratic bits and pieces are public information. We know that our UAB will fly from Shanghai to Washington, DC and will meet us at our temporary home. We know that this is severely limited by weight, but that tiny babies get a few extra allowances referred to as a layette. However, these allowances are meant for small things like collapsed cribs and strollers. The HHE will include everything else in the house, up to 18,000 pounds. Friends shipped their entire furnished apartment for a family of 5 and came to only 8,000 pounds, so we'll be sending everything we own - both here and in St. Louis. The catch is that this shipment will sit in a storage unit somewhere until we reach our first post. That is, we will not see any items sent in our HHE for over 1 year.
Rules quite clearly state that furniture may not be included in the UAB (the one we will have with us in Washington).
Rules clearly state that we will not have access to our HHE while in Washington (it may never arrive in the DC area; if it does, it will cost around $500 to open the door to the unit)
But how can Jake live her first year of life without the red chair?
I am distraught about this.
I hate to think that I will have no Red Chair Pictures of Jake from the time she is 2 months old until after her 1st birthday.
Dave is spending the week in Hong Kong. Alone in my bed, in a dark room last night, the significance of this hit hard. I cried. This is simply not okay with me. After crying long and hard, I began to wonder if maybe I was upset about something more. I began to realize something difficult.
We chose to be where we are, and we knew that this would be a difficult choice. We knew that having a baby while changing international careers would be difficult. We knew that life in the Foreign Service would be difficult. We also knew that through faith and prayer, we would still be fine. "The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." - Isaiah 58:11 I know that whatever challenges arise, I will be like a well-watered garden in the desert. Everything will be alright.
Until I faced what is clearly the first of many practical sacrifices.
So, feeling rather trivial, I mentioned this in Bible Study this morning. I mentioned The Red Chair to the ladies because we were discussing prayer, all that Ask and You Shall Receive stuff that everyone believes until it comes time to really ask for something. In fact, we read an even better verse: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 This time, it still says to present all of our requests to God. But the next line does not say they will be granted - the next line says that we will have peace.
So, I asked the ladies. Should I pray for The Red Chair? And unequivocally, they said yes. God doesn't care how trivial our needs, we decided. If we need something, we should bring it to God. The worst thing we can receive is peace.
And so I pray for The Red Chair. And I have faith that God will somehow answer this prayer. Honestly, I am rather curious what He's got up His sleeve - as this one seems nearly impossible. But I will pray. And I ask those who pray for us to pray as well - please pray that we still have our Red Chair.
The worst we can receive is peace.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The 20 Year Plan
Just for fun, Dave and I laid out a skeleton outline for our family over 20 years in the foreign service. Based on a few simple assumptions, here are some of our more interesting findings:
We would move to our 3rd post in 2015. With Lilly entering 5th grade, Sophia entering 3rd grade, Jake entering Kindergarten and Mei Mei starting preschool, this will be the first time I have some time to myself. This is the first post where I could conceivably have a job.
We would begin our 4th post in 2018. With Lilly entering 8th grade, bidding on this post will be a serious decision. If we want to see our children all stay stable through high school, this will be the time to leave the foreign service. If we want to ensure that each child has their junior and senior year in the same high school, this will be the time to lay out a very serious 10 year plan.
We would begin our 8th post in 2029. This would be the first post where Dave and I would arrive with no children in tow, as Mei Mei will begin her freshman year in college this year. At this point, Mei Mei and Jake could have lived in 10 different countries. Having blown her first 5 years in only 2 countries, Lilly would only have 7 flags under her belt, and Sophia 8. Dave would be a member of the Senior Foreign Service by this time, and eligible for some pretty amazing career choices.
We would move to our 3rd post in 2015. With Lilly entering 5th grade, Sophia entering 3rd grade, Jake entering Kindergarten and Mei Mei starting preschool, this will be the first time I have some time to myself. This is the first post where I could conceivably have a job.
We would begin our 4th post in 2018. With Lilly entering 8th grade, bidding on this post will be a serious decision. If we want to see our children all stay stable through high school, this will be the time to leave the foreign service. If we want to ensure that each child has their junior and senior year in the same high school, this will be the time to lay out a very serious 10 year plan.
We would begin our 8th post in 2029. This would be the first post where Dave and I would arrive with no children in tow, as Mei Mei will begin her freshman year in college this year. At this point, Mei Mei and Jake could have lived in 10 different countries. Having blown her first 5 years in only 2 countries, Lilly would only have 7 flags under her belt, and Sophia 8. Dave would be a member of the Senior Foreign Service by this time, and eligible for some pretty amazing career choices.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Anticipation turns to Anxiety
When Dave passed his orals and was offered conditional employment with the U.S. Foreign Service, we anticipated that his Security Clearance would take 6-9 months. That gets us to right now - 6 months later. We are now in the Any Day Now window, and easily foresee ourselves staying here for the next 3 months.
Should he receive Security Clearance sometime in the next 3 months (remember that Jake is due in mid-May), he would be invited to one of the summer classes and we would move to DC around June.
We like this idea. The girls can finish up their school year here, and begin a new one in Washington. We can blow through our 6 weeks worth of diapers and formula, and then leave the country rather than relying on substandard quality or expensive imports. Family can meet Jake while she's still tiny.
But I wonder if God is trying to lower my expectations.
We've been seeing posts lately from people who have been awaiting Security Clearance for around 1 year. And I am reminded of the conversation Dave had with his interviewer. The interviewer said something to the effect of... Whoa, you've got an awfully long list of Foreign Contacts. And you are a consultant? Who speaks to a long list of companies and seminars on a weekly basis? Wow - this will take a long time.
He may have been right.
But don't get excited, Shanghai friends. Dave's contract with Uncle H-- runs out this year, and they have no plans of renewing. We will be leaving Shanghai this summer, either way. Talk in the office at this point is that they would appreciate his skills in Hong Kong - and with the same boss over both Shanghai and Hong Kong, this would be a simple move to make happen.
Hong Kong is alright with me - no language issues, good doctors and access to high quality baby items, and I'm already connected to people there.
But stickiness ensues when we realize that sometime during that Hong Kong year, Dave will probably receive security clearance and have us shipped off to DC mid-school year. And then shipped off from DC to post, also mid-school year. That'd get poor Lilly to attending 4 different schools before she hits 1st grade at our first post. It would continue Sophia's practice of never living in a home for 12 months until she reaches her 6th birthday.
And to make things even more interesting, expedited adoptions have definitely begun again. It seems that families currently in China are picking up their child 24 months after being registered with the Chinese government. We registered in April 2009.
That pulls our number in the middle of next year - what could be shaping up to be a very interesting year.
Also, please note. As this post is pure speculation, you will understand why the posts have been sparse lately. With no news on the baby front, the adoption front, the Foreign Service front or any other major drama, I simply haven't much to say. Please excuse the long breaks... and pray for some news soon!
Should he receive Security Clearance sometime in the next 3 months (remember that Jake is due in mid-May), he would be invited to one of the summer classes and we would move to DC around June.
We like this idea. The girls can finish up their school year here, and begin a new one in Washington. We can blow through our 6 weeks worth of diapers and formula, and then leave the country rather than relying on substandard quality or expensive imports. Family can meet Jake while she's still tiny.
But I wonder if God is trying to lower my expectations.
We've been seeing posts lately from people who have been awaiting Security Clearance for around 1 year. And I am reminded of the conversation Dave had with his interviewer. The interviewer said something to the effect of... Whoa, you've got an awfully long list of Foreign Contacts. And you are a consultant? Who speaks to a long list of companies and seminars on a weekly basis? Wow - this will take a long time.
He may have been right.
But don't get excited, Shanghai friends. Dave's contract with Uncle H-- runs out this year, and they have no plans of renewing. We will be leaving Shanghai this summer, either way. Talk in the office at this point is that they would appreciate his skills in Hong Kong - and with the same boss over both Shanghai and Hong Kong, this would be a simple move to make happen.
Hong Kong is alright with me - no language issues, good doctors and access to high quality baby items, and I'm already connected to people there.
But stickiness ensues when we realize that sometime during that Hong Kong year, Dave will probably receive security clearance and have us shipped off to DC mid-school year. And then shipped off from DC to post, also mid-school year. That'd get poor Lilly to attending 4 different schools before she hits 1st grade at our first post. It would continue Sophia's practice of never living in a home for 12 months until she reaches her 6th birthday.
And to make things even more interesting, expedited adoptions have definitely begun again. It seems that families currently in China are picking up their child 24 months after being registered with the Chinese government. We registered in April 2009.
That pulls our number in the middle of next year - what could be shaping up to be a very interesting year.
Also, please note. As this post is pure speculation, you will understand why the posts have been sparse lately. With no news on the baby front, the adoption front, the Foreign Service front or any other major drama, I simply haven't much to say. Please excuse the long breaks... and pray for some news soon!
Monday, January 11, 2010
One Decision Made
The Foreign Service holds training courses for them incoming officers about every 6 weeks or so. Invitations have already been sent and accepted to the January and February classes. The March class will begin on March 29. I would be 33 weeks pregnant. The following class begins on May 18. We expect to have a 1 week old baby at that time, so the May class has been off the table for nearly 5 months now. The June class begins on June 21.
We had been hoping that Dave would receive his Security Clearance in enough time to be invited to the March class. This is still a possibility. The crew in charge of clearing Dave have finished their investigations, and placed his file in a pile called Adjucations. This is the period of time where they decide whether or not to clear a person. People with clean records skip Adjudications, and go straight from Investigations to Cleared. People with foreign spouses, extensive travel, and connections in China tend toward Adjudications. With two of them three, Dave has already spent 5 months in Adjudications. We don't expect him to spend much longer here - Security Clearance could come any day now. We feel quite confident he will have his Security Clearance within the next 2 months - by March.
So, the question often arises for us. If offered a position in the March class, will Dave accept? The advantages are many:
- Dave moves out of a job he doesn't like, and begins his new career sooner.
- We deliver Jake in the states, at a hospital with a low infant mortality rate, and near our family.
- We can attend Dave's family reunion in May.
- We have all of our baby gear nearby, and easy access to stores which sell Pampers and Enfamil.
But would I rather move at 30 weeks pregnant, or with a 3 week old child? New moms may be amazed, but the old pros would agree - the 3 week old child is much easier. Plus, the advantages of delivering in Shanghai are many as well:
- Although Dave would be in a great new job, he would also have zero days of vacation. Think unpaid family leave, where we would have to reimburse the government for our housing on a daily basis. Here, he looks forward to nearly 3 weeks of vacation for the new little one.
- I have a great support group here. Although I look forward to meeting up with some wonderful friends in DC, I have some wonderful friends here as well. They will help with my kids, they will surround our family with prayer, and they may even cook for us sometimes!
- Wendy. While in Shanghai, we have someone who cooks and cleans for us, does all of our laundry and dishes, can pick up the girls from school and even get them dressed in the morning. Wendy knows our routines, she knows what we like, she knows our family and she knows how to help. In the states, our bathrooms would get filthy and our laundry would pile up at the arrival of a newborn - but now here!
- Tiny Tots. Lilly and Sophia can continue to attend school every day, offering a basic piece of continuity in their lives while they adjust to the new baby. That way we put off moving until school finishes for the year. Were we to move to DC early, I face delivering a baby with 2 children out of school. We move over the summer, and we've got better chances and seeing them each begin school in the fall, and meanwhile finding plenty of summertime playmates.
The list is certainly longer on the Shanghai side. Add to that how comfortable I am with my doctor, and that my hospital meets all Western accredidation standards. Our healthy baby will greet the world with no problems at all.
So, we've settled on the perfect timing. Dave's security clearance has 2-3 more months to come through, and then he can be invited to the June or July classes. If we're lucky, we might even make it back in time for the family reunion!
We had been hoping that Dave would receive his Security Clearance in enough time to be invited to the March class. This is still a possibility. The crew in charge of clearing Dave have finished their investigations, and placed his file in a pile called Adjucations. This is the period of time where they decide whether or not to clear a person. People with clean records skip Adjudications, and go straight from Investigations to Cleared. People with foreign spouses, extensive travel, and connections in China tend toward Adjudications. With two of them three, Dave has already spent 5 months in Adjudications. We don't expect him to spend much longer here - Security Clearance could come any day now. We feel quite confident he will have his Security Clearance within the next 2 months - by March.
So, the question often arises for us. If offered a position in the March class, will Dave accept? The advantages are many:
- Dave moves out of a job he doesn't like, and begins his new career sooner.
- We deliver Jake in the states, at a hospital with a low infant mortality rate, and near our family.
- We can attend Dave's family reunion in May.
- We have all of our baby gear nearby, and easy access to stores which sell Pampers and Enfamil.
But would I rather move at 30 weeks pregnant, or with a 3 week old child? New moms may be amazed, but the old pros would agree - the 3 week old child is much easier. Plus, the advantages of delivering in Shanghai are many as well:
- Although Dave would be in a great new job, he would also have zero days of vacation. Think unpaid family leave, where we would have to reimburse the government for our housing on a daily basis. Here, he looks forward to nearly 3 weeks of vacation for the new little one.
- I have a great support group here. Although I look forward to meeting up with some wonderful friends in DC, I have some wonderful friends here as well. They will help with my kids, they will surround our family with prayer, and they may even cook for us sometimes!
- Wendy. While in Shanghai, we have someone who cooks and cleans for us, does all of our laundry and dishes, can pick up the girls from school and even get them dressed in the morning. Wendy knows our routines, she knows what we like, she knows our family and she knows how to help. In the states, our bathrooms would get filthy and our laundry would pile up at the arrival of a newborn - but now here!
- Tiny Tots. Lilly and Sophia can continue to attend school every day, offering a basic piece of continuity in their lives while they adjust to the new baby. That way we put off moving until school finishes for the year. Were we to move to DC early, I face delivering a baby with 2 children out of school. We move over the summer, and we've got better chances and seeing them each begin school in the fall, and meanwhile finding plenty of summertime playmates.
The list is certainly longer on the Shanghai side. Add to that how comfortable I am with my doctor, and that my hospital meets all Western accredidation standards. Our healthy baby will greet the world with no problems at all.
So, we've settled on the perfect timing. Dave's security clearance has 2-3 more months to come through, and then he can be invited to the June or July classes. If we're lucky, we might even make it back in time for the family reunion!
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