I just found this on the computer, much to my amusement.
I think this is what he does when I'm sleeping.

Reasons to Rejoice

There are so many, all around us. Here are a few. This past Sunday we received new members into our church with professions of faith and baptism. What a joyful time; how privileged we are to have seen God knit this church together from the very first strand and to sing songs and hear (and try to understand!) teaching in this fascinating and challenging language each week.


Jane is a college student and has become a friend. We're going to bake together this week, as she is a big fan of my brownies. We're so thankful for her belief in Christ!


And here are three more incredible reasons to rejoice:

This captures him perfectly. Full of life and so dear I'm sometimes taken aback.

His first year photo. He really is that precious.

And she is lovely, is she not? Such an in-between age; sometimes she astonishes us with her maturity and at other times she's all little girl, basking in attention and full of silliness. I'm trying to savor every day.

Thank you, God.

Another New Year...

Our family likes to concentrate lots of celebration around the turn of the year...yesterday Tim and I celebrated 11 years of wedded bliss...which seems like quite a long time on one hand, yet seems very natural on the other. Tim began the day by delivering breakfast in bed, which was amazingly thoughtful and kind. Asa had made his way into our bed during the night, so he soon woke up and started taking bites...alas. We had planned to go out that evening together, but our little guy had a difficult time staying asleep the night before, and we feared it might be an unpleasant evening for everyone if we left, so we stayed put. We had a candlelight family dinner and had a really great time talking about when we were dating, engaged and married. Emmy had some sweet questions: "When did you first see each other?", "Why did you want to get married?", and she's convinced she wants to wear my wedding dress after looking at pictures...we'll see how she feels in 20 years!

While we would have loved to go out just the two of us, I know that, Lord willing, there will be anniversaries down the road for which we'll have the freedom to celebrate any way we choose, all by ourselves. And we'll likely be missing our children:). So for now we'll just thank God for the joy of the constraints He's given us.

After the kids were in bed, we spent the rest of the evening with Harry Potter, which we missed during the summer. How romantic! ;)

A New Year

A Year in Numerical Review:

- 11 pounds plus of baby born one year ago today
- 1 happy mommy to hold said baby on outside rather than inside
- 2.5 months to enjoy family and friends in GA
- more incredible post baby meals than I can count!
- 1 LONG trip across the world, with some adventurous stops on the way
- 1 trip up the Eiffel Tower
- 1 homecoming in Bangkok
- 1 horrible rash begins
- TOO many doctor visits!
- 0 dairy products for Mommy
- 1 hospital stay when Mommy had mastitis
- 1 persistent cheek rash
- 5 teeth
- 1 dimple
- 3 words- peekaboo, uh-oh and Dad-DY!
- 1 crazy crawl that just recently brought on mobility:

"What is that, Mommy?"

Eyes on the prize

Enjoying a birthday spaghetti dinner

Fun on the beach- much sand was consumed!

Loving the ocean

Our first pacifier baby- when he sleeps- I've always been paci-phobic, but he took to it strongly and there was no turning back! I'll admit it has had both advantages and drawbacks.

Julian's first year has shown me clearly, if there was ever any doubt, that I do NOT have this mommy thing figured out. He's kept me guessing, kept me praying, kept me humble, kept me awake, kept me laughing, made me trust God in new ways, and given us all so much joy that we can't imagine our lives without him.

Happy birthday baby boy. We love you endlessly.

Meet the newest member of our family

He looks like a tough guy, but he's really quite the little softie, just looking for a warm lap.

Making Merry Part 2

It's my first Christmas!

We had a good Christmas. It goes without saying that we missed family and friends who are far away, and there's that inevitable melancholy, but at the same time there's much God has given us here to be thankful for, and we were more aware than ever this year of the love growing in our hearts for the people right around us. So this is good news!

The king of Thailand's birthday is in early December, so I think of all the festivities surrounding this special occasion (and they are grand festivities!) as the initial hoorah for the Christmas season. This year was his 82nd birthday, and pink was the color of honor and well-being that was worn by Thais nationwide this year in his honor. Here is some interesting cultural info, borrowed from our friend Melanie, who borrowed it from the BBC:

Then, watched by millions across the country, the king gave a brief statement in reply - the first time his voice has been heard in public since his illness. The king has now returned to hospital, but this brief public appearance will have given hope to millions of Thais. They have been hoping for signs that the man often described as the one truly unifying figure in a politically divided country is on the road to recovery. King Bhumibol, the world's longest-serving monarch, is treated with reverent devotion. His portrait hangs in shops, offices and on roadside billboards.

Two years ago, royal astrologers decreed that the colour pink was auspicious for the king's wellbeing.

This year our team spent the king's birthday working and visiting at Mahatthai, a community we've ministered in and enjoyed fellowship with for the last several years, helping to clean up trash there and then having a meal and a celebration that evening. Here are a few pictures Tim took from that day (the kids and I weren't able to attend):






The King's Park, which is very near our home and a frequent stomping ground for our family, was all dressed up for the occasion, and we spent some time there enjoying the lights and amazing flowers...



There was a Christmas party for our English and college ministries, and it sounds like it was quite the shindig. Here are my favorite pictures:

We Three Kings of Orient Are

And what is Christmas, really, without a little break dancing?

We caroled through the market that's near our church, which was fun. We stopped near the stalls/shops of different people we know, and it was a chance to spread some cheer and invite lots of people to our Christmas service the following Sunday...




And finally, Christmas day. We had a sweet time together as a family, then had a houseful of friends over that evening for worship, dinner (pizza- keeping it very simple!) and games. It was a good, good day of celebrating Jesus' birth and all the good gifts He has given us.