Four Dragons Waterfall 四龍瀑布

Last Saturday we did our first hike as a family of five.

The actually "hiking" part was not long--maybe 20 minutes up and 20 minutes down--just the right challenge for the little ones.

At the top we got to splash around a bit.  This would be a great place to cool off in the summer.

The locals use the waterfall as a massage jet.  We watched a man in his sixties do yoga-like moves underneath it for quite a while.  I could only stand the pressure for a minute before crawling back down!

Afterwards we walked down to the town of Shenkeng and had lunch on the Old Street.

It was so good to get out of the city!  

This is a great hike to try if you have small children but no car.  ;)  It took me a long time to find info on how to get there so I'll post it here in hopes it will help someone else...

Take the MRT to Taipei Zoo Station, then hop in a taxi (it's a 15-minute drive to the trail head).  Tell your driver to follow the 106 from Taipei towards Shenkeng (深坑).  Follow the signs for the Paozilun Trail (炮子崙步道).

Drive straight past the Formosa Gas Station (turning left leads to Shenkeng Old Street).  Then you'll see a second gas station; that's where you turn right and go up the mountain.

往深坑路上那家福爾摩沙加油站直行（左轉是往深坑老街）

之後會再看到另一家加油站，右轉上山。

The beginning of the trail is really easy to miss.  Keep driving up the road, and you'll reach a sign that says "Paozilun Trail" pointing over a small bridge to the right.  DON'T TURN THERE; KEEP GOING!  Watch carefully for a small unmarked trail on the left.  It looks like a little dirt path with a few sandbags/tires someone put in to make it less slippery.  If you're unsure, check the telephone standing on the right of the trail...if it's number 44, you're at the right place!

When you're done hiking, you'll have to walk about 20-30 minutes back down that road toward Shenkeng to catch a bus or taxi back to the MRT.

Jude is 2!

Our sweet Jude turned two years old this week.  He is a fun-loving, talkative little boy who enjoys coloring, pretending to cook, belting out his favorite tunes while playing air guitar, running around at the park, and climbing up sofa "mountains" and jumping into pillow "rivers."  He is naturally compassionate--if big sister or little brother is crying, he'll comfort them with a favorite toy and say, "It's o-tay, it's o-tay."  While he loves being around people, he also appreciates being alone sometimes (when he needs a break he'll climb into my lap and put his blankie over his head).  Jude, we love you and watching you grow brings us so much joy.  Happy birthday, buddy!

Happy Easter! 復活節快樂！

Behold Him there, the risen Lamb! 來看復活主聖羔羊

The great unchangeable I AM,  祂的信實永不改變

The King of glory and of grace!  榮耀聖子愛我的主

One with Himself, I cannot die, 信祂所預備享永生

My soul is purchased by His blood!  祂流盡寶血賣我命

My life is hid with Christ on high, 我靈藏主裡在高處

With Christ my Savior and my God.  耶穌基督是主我神

A Five Minute Blog Update

A few friends have been asking when I'm going to start blogging again.  Ha.  Well...here's a quick update (mostly in pictures)...

Thank you to friends far and near who sent me birthday wishes this past week.  28 is pretty great so far.  :)

Speaking of birthdays...sweet, smiley baby James will be 3 months old tomorrow.  He loves eating his fist, "talking" to his big brother and sister, and making new friends everywhere we go.

It's been cloudy and raining almost non-stop here.  If the sun happens to peek out for an hour, I try to get the kids outside as quickly as possible before it starts drizzling again.

Back of our apartment building

The quotable Keira at 6:30 AM: "Mom, why do your eyes have purple spots under them?"

Exciting things are happening as we prepare for ministry in a new part of the city (we'll move sometime in the next six months).  If you'd like more info on that, let me know and I'll add you to our prayer update list.

Checking out a potential new neighborhood

Have a great weekend!

--Kayt

CNY 2016: Fun at the Park

We just had a week-long vacation for Chinese New Year and the weather was unseasonably warm.  We spent a lot of time hanging out in different parks around our neighborhood.  You never know what you're going to see in a Taipei park...

Jude, 22 months

Keira, 3 years 4 months

Good friends :)

Happy Year of the Monkey!

Love Multiplied

"Here comes one who will augment our loves." --Dante

Since baby James joined our family, one of my favorite things is watching Kalan and the kids love on him.

You'd think that with each new baby our love would be stretched thin. After all, children do put a strain on our time, energy, and money.  But I've discovered love is different--it miraculously multiplies.

Each new family member allows me to know and appreciate the others in new ways, ways I didn't before.

It reminds me of something C.S. Lewis wrote about friendship.  This has been on my mind recently, and I think it applies to families too:

"In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out...Two friends delight to be joined by a third, and three by a fourth...For in this love 'to divide is not to take away.'" 

He goes on to say that this is how friends (and I would add earthly families) resemble the family of God.

Someday we will praise God together in heaven, 

"where the very multitude of the blessed (which no man can number) increases the fruition which each has of God.  For every soul, seeing Him in her own way, doubtless communicates that unique vision to all the rest... 

...The more we thus share the Heavenly Bread between us, the more we shall all have.”

(Quotes are from The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis)