Love Notes

A bit of what Valentine's Day has looked like at our house...making valentines for special people, a pancake supper, and a scavenger hunt with yummy treasure at the end...






Happy Valentine's Day to all of our loved ones, near and far! Some of the above love notes are winging their way to the other side of the world, even now...(and will arrive in time to wish you a happy St. Patrick's Day!)

This reflects how I've been feeling lately- a desire to stop and go more slowly, more intentionally through these days. It feels good to be through our transition back to Thailand, and now we seek to be faithful with our everyday activities and pray and trust toward the transition to come, asking God to lead us as we discern where we're to live in what we've affectionately referred to as 'Bangkok 2.0', turning our focus further downtown, studying language further, and seeking to see another loving body of Christ in Bangkok.

And speaking of the body of Christ, it has been such a joy to be back at คริสตจักรสามัคคีธรรมเมืองใหม่ ~ New City Fellowship Church. We feel so encouraged by the way God is leading and caring for His church here, in the midst of both strength and challenges. Here's a snippet from a recent worship service:

Tim has been home-hunting recently; some scenes from Bangkok streets...

on the back of a motorcycle taxi

Last Sunday night we spent an evening at Lumpini Park, Bangkok's largest public green space, enjoying 'Concert in the Park', where the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra is holding weekly concerts during cool season (it's 90 degrees as I type). The evening was extremely pleasant, though, both entertainment- and temperature-wise...

our very own acrobatic show just a few feet away

this is one of my new favorite pictures, dancin' on the green to a Thai love song.

We would appreciate continued prayers for the adjustment and well-being of this sweet one...
(the cute small one, not the big sweaty one), as we continue to wade through skin issues, and determine if respiratory issues are related. We have environmental allergy testing scheduled for next week, and hope that perhaps that will bring us one step closer to discerning how to best help him.

And a couple of brotherly love pictures from today, to end...

Home Again, Home Again

Two weeks in, and I would say that we had quite smooth travel (so thankful for the prayers of so many for us!) and a somewhat bumpy landing. Never a small undertaking, this moving across the world, and made a wee bit more challenging by a kitchen full of lizard droppings and a home full of dust that we battled for most of these last two weeks. The dust has caused no end of sneezing and more, which combines with jet lag and causes one to feel awful. But the good news is we're clean and settled and all clothing is put away and we've cleared out massive amounts of stuff in an effort to simplify.

The aforementioned issues have been inconveniences, but the real bump has come with Ju's physical response to our transition. Always our sensitive little guy, he awoke the day after our arrival with bumpy, itchy skin and red, puffy eyes. At which point I thought, "mercy, what have we done?!" His issues continued and culminated in increasing congestion and finally, wheezing, at which point we proceeded directly to the hospital (with mommy somewhat panicky) and entered the world of breathing treatments. We failed to take a camera, but trust me that he had the cutest bear mask for his treatments. He was diagnosed with a respiratory infection and has convalesced nicely, thanks be to God. Puffy eyes and itchy skin are gone for now, too, and we hope and pray that it was a passing issue resulting from travel and transition. Ju's health has been a point of real anxiety for me, and this has been a week of facing that and trusting God.

So after a full day of recovery from travel, Em began the adventure of 3rd grade at her lovely school. Coming back to ICS was a bright spot for all of us as we greeted sweet friends and our girl entered with excitement back into the world of 'real school'. Needless to say, the first week was a mixed bag of good days and hard, tired evenings in which we couldn't locate a pencil to do homework, but things have improved and 3rd grade is thus far a success. So here's a quick (and a bit dizzying) video of our drive to school the first day, for fun...

And a couple of pictures from Friday's 'market day', on which the 3rd graders 'sold' products they had made to represent aspects of the countries they have been researching. Emmy's shamrock pins from Ireland were a bargain and sold like hotcakes...



Going back in time a bit to the beautiful state of Georgia, here's a shot of our girl with her brand new ear piercing. We celebrated with a double doozy, which is making my mouth water just now.


As we knew Ju's big day would be a blur of travel, we took the opportunity before we left to celebrate with family, and I think never has there been a 3 year old who has anticipated his "happy birthday" with more zest or experienced it with more delight.

nothing says happy birthday like a banjo!

A little birthday song in Korea, where it was magically Jan. 7 upon our arrival...

And an airplane picture, which I share just to illustrate how I'm married to the most amazing man in the world, who sat in the middle section with all 3 children for the 14.5 hours of our first leg, while I sat across the aisle, headphones in and apparently oblivious. It didn't go down quite that way the whole time, but Tim does do the lion's share of the work when traveling because he's a much less anxious traveler than I, and just an all around incredible guy. And speaking of how I clearly married Mr. Right, our 13th anniversary also passed in a blur of jet lag; hoping for a belated celebration soon.

Seoul Man

We're celebrating a 3 year old, since it's January 7 in Korea! Safely here, and the flight went amazingly well- so grateful for the prayers for so many. Someone tell Aunt B that her lollipops are being put to good use, please!

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. -J.R.R. Tolkien

In the midst of the rush, the chaos surrounding our moving, the pack it all up, pick up visas, how in the world are we going to fit all of this in the suitcases crush of the day, we stopped. We took the tea set off the shelf, the one that was a birthday gift to our girl, the one that can't be packed back across the world.

We took out the new-old cookbook that was a gift from the beloved great aunt, and I stood beside my girl as she learned to read the recipe, to measure, to stir the dough.

And we tea-partied.



And then, a play of their making- Magical Mermaids. There was, of course, a mermaid. And a wizard...

And today we are making a birthday cake for a very special boy...

Time is a relentless river. It rages on, a respecter of no one. And this, this is the only way to slow time: When I fully enter time's swift current, enter into the current moment with the weight of all my attention, I slow the torrent...I can slow the torrent by being all here. I only live the full life when I live fully in the moment. Weigh down this moment in time with attention full, and the whole of time's river slows, slows, slows.
-Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

The Most Wonderful Time

Just a few Christmas season pictures before it gets too far behind us...a smattering of the people and times that have been special to us, to help us remember and give thanks...

piano recital

ballet's lovely ending


The Nutcracker

It was indeed a blessed Christmas, starkly different from the last and from what will be next year, joy and the everyday trials all mixed together. May God give us the grace to live each moment in thankfulness on this journey.