It's come to my attention that I've neglected to provide much needed pictures of our sweet children to some special people that might be waiting for them. I am now going to rectify that situation, with some updates on how these little ones are doing:
Just another idyllic morning of reading on the porch...well, sort of...I had to be quick with the camera...Asa lasted for about 30 seconds before he was distracted by more pressing matters...
like finding his plastic car keys.
Our boy just turned 21 months old, and talking is his best trick these days. New words are always appearing and communicating with him is big fun. In his own words, he's a "bi-bo" (big boy). No, I take that back, his best trick these days is definitely using the potty! He's has taken on this skill quite naturally, although he's not consistent, and happy to use the diaper when it's available. He has discovered the joys of being a boy and begun to revel in trucks, making the most interesting truck sounds, thanks to Daddy. He's enjoying climbing and descending stairs, climbing furniture, much prefers walking to a stroller, and thinks the best thing to have in his hands is exactly what Sister has in hers. This leads to much weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Emmy, always the reader, is engrossed in her book. She could do this for hours, as long as I was nearby ready to read to her.
And while we're on the front porch, I threw in this picture for fun. This is a big pot that sits on the porch that was full of algae and just a few fish when we arrived. Tim gave it a good purging of algae and all of the sudden it's happy! We have lily pads and lotus blooms and the fish have multiplied like crazy! So thank God for providing pets when we're not in a place to have the adorable puppy Emmy's heart desires. One of the small advantages of living in the tropics:).
And here's our big, beautiful girl washing her feet out back. Two things this picture illustrates: 1- the fact that we're constantly washing our feet. I didn't know a place could be so dirty; and 2- our Emmy is growing up. She'll be 5 in just 2 weeks, and that's so hard for me to grasp! She continues to be, in all honesty, a delight. She has her exasperating moments, as do I, but we are so, so thankful for our girl! She still has an imagination as big as the created world and is learning to read and spell, which is great fun for both of us to watch happen.
And she said my all time favorite thing this morning. We were in the van on the way to visit friends, and having our usual chatter, when she stated, "You guys are the best parents." I almost had to stop the car and turn around (except we would have been plowed into by about 10 motorcycles) to face her as I said thank you, and I think that's the nicest thing she's ever said to me. I want to record it and play it back for her when she's 15:).
We took a day today to travel to Khao Yai (which means "big mountain") National Park, about 3 hours north of Bangkok, with our friends and teammates Rachel, Preston and Melanie. It was a long but fun day with a packed van and tired children. We hiked to an overlook of a beautiful 3- tiered waterfall, which is behind us, unseen, in this picture. It was really spectacular, and just good to be outside in creation. And we were rewarded on the way home with a visit to Chok Chai Dairy Farm for a big cheeseburger and milkshake!
May I brag on our children just for a moment? Thanks. Our Emmy was a great hiker, braving some rough terrain and complaining very little. But what's even more impressive is the way she stood still on the trail several times as whoever happened to be following her at the moment removed leeches from her shoes or legs. Now that's a big girl! They were nasty persistent little creatures in the wet, muddy environment today, and we all found a few in the course of our hike. And Melanie got a big splinter in her head from a scary thorny hanging branch, but that's another story.
And Asa Bear's accomplishment today: using his first Thai style (in the floor, flush with a bucket) potty. Never a dull moment for these children!
