And Then Life was PERFECT! (Also: Score One for the DS Folks!)

This is us. The one showing lots of shoulder (in her Chengdu, China Marine Ball ball gown!) is the EFM who writes this blog. The one wearing a tux (James) is the employee who moves her (and their two sons) around all over the world. The red link, below, is how you can get in touch with me...

The time in Chengdu, China

Chengdu: city of fabulous food and beautiful Buddhist monasteries!

In Our Same Boat (with State)

Beyond the Cornfields
Brand-new State Department family in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Love their two little girls (she just recently had a baby while being posted in Dhaka), horticulture, traveling and adventure!
Email From The Embassy
State Department family formerly in Beijing, China, and recently posted to Amman, Jordan. A trailing spouse, she's also a writer, and frequently publishes articles with major news sources. A very experienced State family, this new post is something like overseas post number six or seven for them.
Just US
A beautiful family of seven - they have arrived at their new post: Jerusalem! They just finished off an unaccompanied tour to Iraq and are very much looking forward to sightseeing around the middle east.
Our Life
State Department family on their second post...Tijuana, Mexico. It's their first overseas assignment and they have two little boys. They love Tijuana so far and post pictures frequently! They also get to enjoy the best of both worlds for they can sneak over the border into San Diego when they want to!
The Dinoia Family
State Department family formerly in California, now in DC for a DC tour. Next, the husband will do a one year unaccompanied tour. A very experienced State family (formerly in Iceland and Caracas) with a blog that has been around quite a while and has great archives. Jen has a sweet heart and a lot to give!
The Perlman Update
State Department family formerly in Chennai, India, who then did a year-long unaccompanied tour in Iraq. They are now on a DC tour and after that will do another unaccompanied tour (Afghanistan). She totally tells it like it is and doesn't sugar-coat what life is really like. Witty, snarky, funny and down-to-earth. Look elsewhere if you want fake. Read if you want REAL.
Where in the World Am I?
State Department family formerly in Bujumbura, Burundi and now in Hyderabad, India. They just had their first baby this summer - a beautiful little girl- (there's a separate blog about this) and she also eats gluten-free (with a separate blog, also).

One of the most intriguing things about Chengdu is that it is a seamless blend of ancient and modern... all together, side by side.

Can't Live Without (non-State)

Crass-Pollination: An ER blog
The best ER nurse blog EVER!
Doctor Grumpy in the House
The best doctor blog EVER!
In Which...
My IRL friend, a stay-at-home, homeschooling Mama of seven. Her darling daughters are, goshdarnit, probably too young to be hoped for as my future daughters-in-law.
The Crib Chick
My IRL friend, a stay-at-home, homeschooling Mama of five. Hopefully two (Any two! I'm not picky!) of which are my future daughters-in-law.
the underwear drawer
An anesthesiologist who is possibly the most talented & entertaining writer ever. I've read her blog ever since she started medical school. No, don't know her in real life. Wish I did.
The Bloggess
This blog is both hysterically funny and hilariously irreverent. I actually let my 17 year old son read it (who loves it as much as I do!), but wouldn't even CONSIDER letting my 12 year old son read it. Which is about all the description it needs!

The grounds of Chengdu monasteries can be very, very peaceful...even though they are smack dab in the heart of a city of millions of people.

Specifics

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06/28/2011

And Then Life was PERFECT! (Also: Score One for the DS Folks!)

I am very, very proud (you have no idea how proud) to say:

**JAMES GOT HIS 2/2 TODAY IN CHINESE!**

Holy cow, you guys, this is awesome for so many reasons, not the least of which is that DS folks right now are being put under the microscope in language training in a BIG WAY.

Because of that, and because of many family reasons (I'll get to them in a sec), this test was SUPER high stress and SUPER high stakes.

For example, who in the world wants their CDO contacted and Post contacted and told that they didn't/couldn't make their required language score and thus... (fade to unknown)?!

No one, that's who. And especially not my husband.

But there was also a lot of pressure on him because he scheduled his test 2 weeks earlier than the end date of his class. The reason he scheduled his test that early is:

So get this. James has been a Boy Scout leader/Scoutmaster/Assistant Scoutmaster since Matthew (our 17-yr-old) was in kindergarten (Tigers). Matthew is now an Eagle Scout. During all those years, never once (never once!) has James been able to go to Boy Scout summer camp. His job situation never let him. (Reason why I hate TSA # 7,975,233.)

But Matthew turns 18 soon and won't be a Boy Scout any longer. And this is the last summer we're in the US for at least a few years. Thus, next week is James' first and last chance to go on a Boy Scout summer camp trip with both boys, and they are scheduled to leave in just a few days.

So not only was our going-to-Chengdu schedule on the line... not only was the rest of James' training schedule on the line... not only were phone calls to his CDO and Post on the line... not only was the threat of SIX MORE WEEKS OF CHINESE on the line... but also my husband's only chance to go to Boy Scout camp with our two boys was on the line when James took his language test this morning (two weeks early).

I can't even begin to describe how happy we are. I got the score I needed yesterday and James got the score he needed this morning.

And you know what? This is a fun little tidbit.

I have heard - I cannot verify, of course, but I have heard - from both my husband's classmates AND a few of his teachers - that James was the VERY FIRST ONE of his Chinese cohort (which is very large - something between 20 and 30 students) to get a 2/2.

**Score one for the DS folks!!**

~ ~ ~

This is the part of the blog post where I wholeheartedly thank all of our Chinese instructors and the Chinese Department management.

Oh. My. Goodness.

To say that the teachers care is an understatement. Yes, learning Chinese is SO hard... the length of the course is SO discouraging sometimes... the goal often seems SO impossible... but all of our teachers have hearts of gold and want more than anything to see us succeed.

You guys should have seen it today.

After James left the testing center and came back to the Chinese corridors, he was/we were surrounded by his teachers and my teachers all hugging us and all being so thrilled for us. And I cried and James even got misty-eyed and the teachers were all so happy and proud. It was such a wonderful time.

So thank you, Chinese teachers. Thank you, Chinese Department. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

And thank you, everyone, for your encouragement and your prayers.

WE DID IT!!!

Posted on 06/28/2011 at 12:51 PM in Boy Scouts, FSI, James, James - State Department, Learning Mandarin Chinese, Training for Chengdu, China (2nd Post), TSA Sucks Royal | Permalink

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Heck yeah yall did it! Congrats as the two of you worked so hard towards it :)

Posted by: Kerri | 06/28/2011 at 01:22 PM

yay!

Posted by: Becca | 06/28/2011 at 01:34 PM

You DID do it ... and I'll admit, that I'm a bit misty eyed here myself. There is NOTHING more exciting and awe dropping than amazing personal accomplishment.

You. Two. ROCK!

Posted by: Jill | 06/28/2011 at 01:41 PM

That is huge!! Congrats!!

My hubby tests out of French on Thursday. Let's hope he has the same success that you guys did.

Posted by: Anne | 06/28/2011 at 01:50 PM

Congrats to both of you!!

Posted by: Sara Roy | 06/28/2011 at 04:18 PM

Congratulations and HUZZAH! to you and to James. That is wonderful. Enjoy Boy Scout camp!!

Miss you,
Kate

Posted by: Under the Sky | 06/28/2011 at 07:11 PM

Hooray for both of you! Not a small feat.

Posted by: brooke | 06/29/2011 at 03:00 AM

Huge smiles going on in Mozambique for the both of you! Bravo!

Posted by: Nomads By Nature | 06/29/2011 at 05:47 AM

YAY! Congratulations!
Lots of wishes for a fabulous Scout Camp experience, too! My little brother is working at a big huge scout camp out in Utah for the summer and he is LOVING working with all the kids and parents :)

Posted by: Camille | 06/29/2011 at 06:15 AM

Congratulations, you guys! I'm waiting to hear back on the results of my FSOT Written (possibly as early as tomorrow!), and I'm glad you guys are doing well. ^_^

Posted by: Dan Hess | 06/29/2011 at 11:35 AM

Congratulations!

Which scout camp? Goshen?

Posted by: Consul-At-Arms | 06/29/2011 at 05:21 PM

wow! I'm a little late to the party but I am SOOOO happy to hear this! It was really a delight seeing you walk by my ConGen room today. Both of you did it! Your hard work paid off! Congrats and Welcome to the club!

Posted by: bfiles | 06/29/2011 at 06:12 PM

CONGRATULATIONS to the whole Daring family!! I was offline for a few days, and I got to read all of these exciting posts at once! Two passing (and excelling) language tests AND enrollment in ConGen! Woohoo! Enjoy a much-needed sigh of relief and step towards Chengdu. The hardest part is over!

Posted by: Sadie | 06/30/2011 at 06:26 AM

YEAH!!!! How incredibly awesome!! Sure hope he enjoys every moment of Scout Camp with his boys!

Posted by: Melissa | 07/05/2011 at 02:54 AM

The comments to this entry are closed.

James loves me. And our sons. And his job. But not having his picture taken. In 2011 he finished up over a year and half of training, and in the fall of 2011 we got to our first overseas post - Chengdu, China!