Out and About

Ju's wild ride

On a recent outing to the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Center, we had the opportunity to view an exhibition of fantastical photographs from a French artist, explore issues of aboriginal history in Australia and enjoy art created in honor of the king of Thailand. Our little aficionados persevered with the hope of a treat when we finished, and all were able to enjoy the exhibits, particularly the mind-bending photos from France.

Afterward our littlest man begged for a tuk tuk ride...

 enjoying some street life

...and we ended up at this fine establishment for a dinner of somtam (spicy papaya salad), grilled chicken, and that old standby, fried rice.

considering the somtam

 

We're enjoying this current stage when we can all get out a bit more and soak up the good and the interesting about our city. Not easy to do, but what fun, really, and I think pretty good memories can be made with a mixture of art galleries and street food. And I didn't even mention the roti we enjoyed for dessert, made by a sweet lady from Myanmar. Colleen, chocolate sauce abounded, and I was reminded of a long ago adventure in Chiang Mai!

Farang

We spent a recent afternoon at the park, doing the customary photo shoot to celebrate a dear friend's graduation from university...

 But of course, there were no lack of photo opportunities for the small foreigners (farang), as well...

Sweet little celebrities!

ห้าปี...Five Years

คริสตจักรสามัคคีธรรมเมืองใหม่, New City Fellowship Church, had the privilege of celebrating five years as a church community last Sunday. Love that this body of believers is 6 months younger than Asa, love that we were able to be there from the first day, when we were naught but staff and missionaries, love the enduring faces in these photos and those that God has added over these years.

Thanks be to God.

Camping

We didn't go camping in the 'north Georgia, cool breezes and changing leaves' sense, but in the '3 hour road trip to church camp, more than 100 degrees with only the great outdoors and a wall fan for cooling' sense. And we had a great, albeit environmentally intense, time; what a wonderful group of people we get to share life with. The most interesting point of the weekend was that our daddy and hubby was far away in NYC, doing important arts and missions- related things, and all of this adventure was a wee bit intimidating without him. However, I needn't have worried, as there were people at every turn eager to love on and take care of our little ones.  For example, one morning when it was time for breakfast, I couldn't find a certain someone, so I went searching about, and came upon this scene...

...happily ensconced among friends, commenced being fed my breakfast without the aid of mommy, thank you very much!

More scenes from the weekend...

 little boy, big plate

super friends (these two are best buddies)

tug of war- Em's side was victorious, much to her delight

By far the greatest joy of the weekend was that we welcomed four new brothers and sisters into the church by baptism with great rejoicing! This was a truly beautiful time of worship and thanksgiving.

And all this time, Tim was literally and culturally half a world away, attending and presenting at a conference encompassing leaders in the arts in our organization and from all around the world. A couple of my favorite shots from his time...

It's hard to say who was having more fun, although he certainly looks more cultured and cozy, and I'm certain I would get the sweaty and frizzy award!

To Market, To Market

There's nothing prettier than food just the way God made it, is there? This was the result of yesterday's foray to the market. Our market is a large open air (roofed) affair, selling everything from meat (admittedly, I still close my olfactory system when I near the warm piles of meat), to produce, to prepared food (fresh plate of cashew nut chicken?), to fruit shakes, to flowers, to clothes, to mosquito rackets. We have more western style grocery stores, which are often convenient because you need to go there to buy your pasta, etc. However, the market always lures me back with its heat and colors and smells. I love it because:

1- it's less expensive, 2- you really can't beat the bananas, 3- it's full of neat people who are making their living selling their wares and are often ready to smile and make conversation, 4- you can pick up an iced coffee, and 5- it's just more interesting than a grocery store. 

So I make my way there with my Trader Joe's bag and fill it with beauty, careful on the wet tile and cement, stepping over the occasional cat, enjoying interacting with the people along the way. When the woman helped me load my watermelon, bananas and pomelo into my bag, she said, "Thailand is hot but that's why we have such delicious fruit!" True, true!

I've not yet acclimated to the point that I buy our meat and fish here, and I don't know if I'll ever buy the eels or frogs...:)