These are a few scenes Tim captured in our greenspace (I don't think you can really call it a yard) the other day. That's the backside of a rather large cockroach protruding from the lizard's mouth. Makes me sad to think of what lizards have to go through, but he seemed to enjoy it enough. I'm glad somebody likes those nasty creatures!
exquisite moth
Doesn't this look like candy?
And because what entry is complete without a glimpse of our favorite species, here's our sweet boy. He and I are learning a new rhythm to our days now that sister is in school and brother is napping well. This child is a joy to be with. He melted my heart one morning in the kitchen this week by saying, "You're the bestest mommy." But another time he said, "I don't always love you, because I not like the construction man with dirt all over him." Who knows what kind of connections are going on in that little mind, but he is so CUTE and conversations with him are so much fun.
I finally documented our newest milestone. He's still a bit wobbly, but is enjoying a new vantage point. I felt the need to get every angle for the enjoyment of his grandparents, so bear with us...
He has the sweetest crinkly-nose smile. This is not its full glory, but a mere hint. Tim calls him a 'smile dispenser', as you've only to look at him and you find yourself basking in his sweet grin. On the flip side, he also has a shriek that is a force to be reckoned with, and is known to wake directly from a silent slumber into a piercing scream. He's not big on alone time, and is by far the happiest when he's in our arms or in a sling. So we do a lot of both, but are also working on his ability to sit or lie somewhere and let us do important things like get dressed and make meals.
oops!
I love this picture because it's such a jumble of Bangkok- cars (everywhere, always!), motorcycles (everywhere, always!) and the occasional elephant. In fact, the kids and I were walking home from visiting a friend in the neighborhood next to ours tonight, and we stood in awe of an elephant walking right by our neighborhood. Its master was selling sugar cane to feed to it, but we didn't have any money, so we just watched. Like Samwise Gamgee, I love a sighting of one of these magnificent animals. However, it always does make me sad to see their big feet trodding cement when they should be traipsing through the jungle. It's not the ideal life for them, in any number of ways.
Her first day was brimming with excitement. Up at 6:10, a bowl of oatmeal, the whole family loaded up for the big event. We had a rough night with Julian the night before, so we were a bit bleary, but excited...such is family life! Emmy was giddy with anticipation, and oh so adorable in her uniform!
Lining up outside the classroom. She's one of two native English speakers in her class. And she still has a height advantage. I pray that some of these children will be kindred spirits for her.
Heading in with a backward smile...no hesitation, no fear on her face, no tears. Thank goodness, for both of us. That would have been hard!
With her teacher, Miss Kim, today at open house. We've entered the land of uniforms, homework folders and packed lunches. Big adventures ahead!
She starts school tomorrow morning, bright and early. It's bittersweet; the end of an era, the beginning of an era. I'm so excited for her, because it's clearly time. But we will miss her. I'm praying that she makes lots of friends and will bubble over with all the things she'll learn. I'm praying that we'll quickly find a good rhythm to our days here at home, and her time away will only enhance her time here with us. The days will be different without her constant storyline narration, her prancing and hopping, everything that makes her Emmy. She's such a bright spot, and has been an ever-present sparkle in my life for the last 6 years...
Whew, she's growing up quickly.
This guy is going to miss his constant playmate. I don't know how he'll react. I know we'll have a lot more princes, knights and sol-diews, more dragons to slay and bad men to defeat. Less polly pockets and princesses. I think Mommy will be on call a lot more when he says, "I need a fwiend!"
This guy will just have to work on filling those shoes. He's sitting pretty well (pictures to come) and I know it won't be long until he's toddling around and we'll have two stick wielding, digger driving dragon slayers running around. Hard to imagine being home with two boys...
I love these children and I love the life God has given us, right now.
In early June (or was it late May?) we went up to Khao Yai National Park, a great outdoors sort of place we really like that's about 3 hours north of us. It's nice to be out in the jungles of Thailand. It was a pretty low scale wildlife day, as there were no elephant sightings, and only one monkey, but he sat and devoured the bananas we threw to him, peeling them efficiently with his limber little hands and downing them as quickly as we could provide them. Speaking of monkeys, isn't this little guy the cutest you've seen?
This waterfall was absolutely magnificent...
...but this little miracle was even more so!
This is part of the group we went with, comprised mostly of the college interns that have spent the summer here with us working alongside us. They have been a real blessing to us as a team and as a family.
Asa doing battle with the tiger at the welcome center. He's an actual park native, killed some years ago and now he graces the welcome center as a warning to all visitors to beware the wildlife!
Changing course, here's Emmy arabesque-ing during the mini ballet class she took a number of weeks ago at the church, lead by two lovely ballerinas who are part of the intern group. Such fun!
We decided to forgo the embassy 4th of July shindig this year, thinking that the late hour and travel would be too much with an infant, so we had a picnic at our nearby King's park, and it was perfect. Hot dogs, chips and salsa, watermelon and apple pie. A good time was had by all and we were home for bedtime! You can see in this picture that Emmy recently lost her other top tooth. That makes all 4 front ones and she looks so beautifully like a growing up little girl!
Julian considers our country's history...these flags were a project with Daddy that morning.
Enjoying the sand and water table Daddy recently built for them. You can see part of our little garden in the background. It's looking pretty wild out there, but no produce yet. We're novices, so we'll see what comes of it.
Finally, here's our Em and Melanie being silly together, which is what they do best. Melanie worked with us for two years and has just returned to the U.S. to apply for and prepare to come back and work long-term. She has been a great friend and 'auntie', and we miss her very much!
