Near Confluence of the Wenatchee and Columbia Rivers, Wenatchee, WA
9" x 12"
Pastel
The point where two rivers come together forms a confluence. A confluence is the coming or flowing together, meeting, or gathering at one point; the flowing together of two or more streams. The beautiful city of Wenatchee, Washington lies along the confluence of the Wenatchee River from the west and the Columbia River from the northeast.
Columbia River on outskirts of Wenatchee, WA
A year ago at this time another kind of confluence was beginning to form. A river of sorts from Nebraska was going to join up with one from China. Fasten your seat belts as I take you on the journey about how it all came together!
Last summer a family of six from Washington flew to China to enjoy a period of touring which culminated in the adoption process of their newest little child...a four year old Mandarin-speaking boy named Caleb.
Also last summer an artist who lived in Omaha, Nebraska was looking to return to the work force after taking two years to work solely on creating a body of artwork. That artist was me and I was hoping to find part-time work that would allow me daily time in my studio, more than what a forty-hour work week permits. So I started to study the "Help Wanted" ads and asked God to direct my path. I was desiring to utilize my skills in education or art, if possible. During that job search, I went on a hiking trip with two of my sons and a brother to climb Medicine Bow Peak in the Snowy Range of Wyoming. The Sunday afternoon I returned in early July, on a whim, I looked up Bellingham, WA jobs listed on Craig's List. I had been numerous times in the Bellingham area over the years visiting friends from college days. So I knew and loved its Cascade Mountains and Pacific Ocean.
Bellingham Bay
As I was scrolling through a variety of ads, suddenly one stood out to me! It was an educator/nanny position for a family with now five children, especially focusing on early language immersion and speech for their newly adopted four year old Chinese son. My work of speech therapy in Colorado schools would come in handy for this. It is risky to hire or be hired for a job sight unseen with thousands of miles intervening. I asked trusted friends and family for advice and especially prayed for God's clear direction in my life. During this process, another leadership position in Omaha had opened up involving working with women and some were urging me to consider that one. I had a choice between two very opposite positions. Well, it all comes down to making a decision. I love adventure and am open to risk-taking so I applied for the educator/nanny postion. On-line communication went back and forth, culminating in a telephone interview. The Washington family graciously offered me the opportunity and I accepted.
At the end of August, I moved out to Washington to become a part of this family's life. And that is how I came to meet the little "river" from China named Caleb! Both of us were new to this home and state. Both of us had come from far away. And both of us were in for an amazing adventure together! When Caleb first arrived from China, I was told he spoke only Mandarin Chinese. Now he is quite fluent in English! I'm sure there are some days that his siblings wish he were not quite so talkative.
All through the school year I picked Caleb up from preschool and worked with him for several hours before we went to do school pickups of his siblings. I sensed he had a keen fascination for learning, so began to teach him phonics using the curriculum I had used homeschooling my own children. Caleb would beg me to work with him on reading. He would rather do that than play! So I worked with him, always seeking to be sensitive to how he was understanding the instruction. The library became a favorite haunt and we read together lots of the great children's classics like Goodnight Moon, Make Way for Ducklings, and plenty of Richard Scarry books. At this point Caleb will freely pick up a book around the house, settle on the couch, and start reading away. He begins kindergarten this fall.
During our lunch hours we have enjoyed watching many episodes of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood on my Ipad and talking together about them. Then we went on to watching various artist videos on Youtube together. Caleb enjoys doing watercolor with me at the dining room table. I bought him a little sketch book to write and draw in when I sketch outdoors. Working with Caleb this year has been a delight! His enthusiasm for life and learning has challenged and taught me much. Most of all, I am grateful for God's sovereign direction over the affairs of my life. He can be trusted completely with every detail of life. I've been teaching Psalm 23 to Caleb and his older brother Finn this summer. We've been talking a lot about the Lord as our Good Shepherd. King David wrote from experience about how shepherds care for their sheep. They lead them in green pastures and beside quiet waters. Working with Caleb this year has been one of those green pasture experiences for me.
Live bravely and beautifully!
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