Paco and I met in Beijing 18 years ago this coming July. It's a mildly interesting story--most people would not take me for a mail-order girlfriend, nor would they ever be "guilty" of conclusively accusing Jerry of doing anything the least bit frivolous. Internet dating and romance (on first glance) is usually followed by the following: scandalous, risky, shallow, and skanky. Our story hopefully shares more optimism and class than those words conjure. Next August we will return to Beijing to teach in China for yet another year. I hope to find that gate in the airport where I emerged--knees knocking--and saw a brown-haired, horn-rimmed glassed gentleman holding a hastily scribbled name tag bearing my name. Perhaps we can petition the Chinese officials to allow us to put a small brass plaque nearby--inconspicuous unless you're looking for it. My brief experience with Chinese officials leads me to believe a plaque will never happen. The best we can hope for is most likely a brief inconspicuous re-enactment. A few astute Chinese may look on but mostly that little moment will be very private.
(Here we are taking a tri-pod selfie at Mutianyu on the Great Wall--December 31, 1997. This became the picture for our wedding announcement. We had the entire wall to ourselves. If you come and visit, we'll take you there!)
Let's all put our stubby little dimple-fingered hands together for Calvin Taggart Giles born a week ago in Roseville, CA!! As you can see, an adoring cast of three stands at the ready to deal an extra hand to him, share a pool floatie, and call him "Brother." Happy happy happy times. What a blessing are children. The one child policy was initiated in China in 1979--the very year the father of these 4 was born.
1 comment:
Welcome dear Calvin! You are another cutie pie! I was a little nervous about the whole internet thing, but Paco won my heart, because he had won yours. I trusted your judgment, and you were right on the money.
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