Last year, our family changed drastically with the surprise addition of our fourth baby, ten years after having our third. I wouldn’t change a thing, of course. The addition of this little one has brought another layer of joy and laughter to our home. The older three truly enjoy watching her closely each day to see what new trick she has learned. They love making her laugh, and her emerging personality is loving to do the same in return. What a blessing she has been!
Of course, it hasn’t been a cakewalk. My “geriatric,” 41-year-old body definitely tires more easily and hasn’t bounced back as quickly as it did a decade ago. The ways I feel stretched every day to meet each child’s need at their specific stage can be intense and humbling. The older three have had to sacrifice time with my husband and me as we’re again in the time-consuming baby stage. And yet, I still often feel the need to lay down my desires for some peaceful alone time in order to engage in the deep conversation my sixteen-year-old wants to have, chat about music or books with my fourteen-year-old, or play a game with my ten-year-old. It’s so apparent to me that these days with them are precious as they move closer to leaving our home.
Before I got pregnant, I spent the previous few years getting more involved with the work we do. While still being present at home, I had pockets of time to attend work meetings, help at the kids’ school, and meet up with local friends. After spending eleven years at home caring for three kids, I had begun to enjoy using my brain and gifts in different ways.
The Lord’s plans are often not the same as ours. I have wrestled with this as I find myself at home more, less involved in team life and local work than I have been in years.
I ask myself what I can offer to those outside my family. I can’t always go out and spend hours with people, but I can offer a listening ear when they come over or chat on the phone. I can support the work in various ways from the background. I can connect with other local moms when we take our babies outside for the mandatory daily dose of vitamin D.
Within my family, I can continue to support my husband with all the hats he wears. I can be a sounding board for the decisions he has to make. I can engage with my kids, continuing to pour into them and point them to a deeper relationship with the Lord. I can support them when they meet a new friend who isn’t a believer and wants to talk about spiritual things. I can encourage them when they’re feeling the hardships of this overseas life.
The woman described in Proverbs 31 is nothing short of remarkable. She is humble, hardworking, and wise. In this new-kind-of-busy stage of my life, I seek to be like her. In these days of not being able to do so much hands-on work with others, I pray that I can be like her when “she opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue” (Proverbs 31:26 ESV). I pray I can be content in the stage I’m in, noticing the blessings all around me. I pray I can recognize and seek out the opportunities right around me, knowing that “little” interactions can matter for the Kingdom just as much as “big” ones.
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One of the most common foreign-friendly Chinese dishes is stir-fried eggs and tomatoes. It’s also one of the easiest to make at home. We’re in the throes of winter, so making it into a soup and adding fresh noodles from the market is the perfect way to warm our bellies. With a few simple ingredients (and loads of alterations that can be made to fit your taste or the foods accessible to you!), you can have this on the table for a simple lunch or make it a side for a cozy dinner. Pairing it with a classic grilled cheese sandwich is always a winner in our house.
Chinese Egg and Tomato Soup
Ready in: 20 minutes
Serves: 3–4
Slightly adapted from: The Woks of Life
- 3–4 servings of a noodle of your choice (pictured here is one kind I can get freshly made at my local market, called “cat ears”)
- 2–3 Tbsp of olive oil
- 4 eggs, beaten, with a splash of water added
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2–3 medium tomatoes, chopped into medium chunks
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tsp salt, more to taste
- 1–2 bunches of bok choy (or your favorite green)
Boil a pot of water and cook noodles according to the package instructions. (My favorite hack for a quick pot of boiling water: heat an electric kettle full of water and pour into the pot! So much faster!) Drain and transfer to a bowl.
While the noodles are cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot or wok. When hot, add the beaten eggs. Add a teaspoon of salt. Let eggs cook and bubble up around the edges. Slowly move the eggs around until completely cooked. They shouldn’t stick if there’s enough oil to cover the bottom of the pot. Remove from pan and set aside.
With the heat still on medium high, add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Once hot, add the minced garlic, stirring until cooked through and starting to turn light brown. Add the tomato chunks. Stir tomatoes and garlic until cooked down and the juices begin to turn red, 3–4 minutes. Add the sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. (Start with 1 tsp salt and add more at the end if needed.) Let the flavors meld and cook until bubbling, another minute.
Add in the chicken or vegetable stock, and let it come to a soft boil. Return the eggs to the pot. Add the bok choy and let cook, about 2 minutes.
Taste the soup, and add salt as needed. I also love adding a spoon of crispy chili spice. Serve hot over noodles. Enjoy!
