Almost 50 Years and Counting
June 3, just weeks before his 
grandparents'
anniversary, Riley Saxowsky, the fourth grandchild, entered the world
on the other side of the continent. That's now two granddaughters born
to Gail and Denvy's daughter and two grandsons born to their son. The
mystery Riley brought with him was the coloration of his eyes and hair.
A fair blue-eyed baby born to two dark haired and eyed parents. It must
have been some Scottish blood from generations earlier.
During the summer of 2007, while Weiwei
was talking to her father in China on the phone, she handed Denvy the
phone. Kan Zhang enjoyed talking and a chance to talk to an English speaking
American gave him a greater chance to practice his excellent English.
During the conversation Denvy mentioned how he and Gail hoped to teach
in China some day. That day came the following August.
For
two months Gail and Denvy taught English at Jiangxi Science and Technology
Normal University in Nanchang, China. They taught nine classes each, typically
speaking and writing English. They had the same students, both in different
classes. Those to whom Gail taught writing, Denvy taught speaking, and
visa versa. They spent many weekends traveling first to Changsha to visit
a student from Western Oregon University, Then tourist sites like Hangzhou
and Guilin.
In
the second month Denvy's prostrate became a health issue and after several
weeks with no improvements and the advice of both Chinese and American
doctors they returned to Oregon two months prematurely. The timing was
good as Gail too was suffering pains specifically in her back. After an
emergency stay in the hospital in December Denvy was diagnosed with an
infection that probably was the source of all the problems. After the
infection was controlled, life returned to normal. Getting her back aligned
and sleeping on her own bed relieved Gail of her discomforts also.