Bits and Pieces

Much life happening all the time, as is true of all of us. These are some snippets gathered from recent pictures, which I hope will continue in our purpose of sharing just a slice of family life with those we love far away. I'm not in any sort of organized frame of mind, but felt it was time to get on with letting loved ones see these little ones. So to that end...

These have been sitting around for a bit. A number of months ago, Em asked to have her ears pierced. Thinking perhaps this was just a passing thing ("Do you know that it's a bit painful?"), we told her we'd wait until Christmas to see how she felt then, and perhaps it could be a gift. Two days before Christmas, she reminded us, with her desire still strong, so on Christmas Eve we all set out with her to embark on yet another milestone in her sweet little life...

Choosing...

Preparing, feeling apprehensive...

Here we go!

And done. Eyes a little teary, but feeling very accomplished. I really couldn't get over how sweet and growing up she looked(s).

I also found these, from a trip the week after Christmas to Khao Yai, the national park we love that's about three hours north of Bangkok. Hiking and being together surrounded by all of that natural beauty- a breath of fresh air in the truest sense of the word.

We made a really fun memory that evening. Because we were staying overnight, we were still in the park at dusk. That's when you have the greatest chance of seeing elephants, so we were on the lookout. We had the windows down and were meandering along in the car. Being cool season, and being north of Bangkok, we found that it was getting quite chilly with the wind blowing through! So we wrapped ourselves in blankets and reveled in the unusual experience of being cold. It was delightful.

And, more recently...

reading

wild play with good friends

Something fun that grandparents will love: I came across this bit of creative writing in a school notebook that came home recently:

"Hiss, spit!" goes the mother cat. The stranger flees with terror. He has not harmed a whisker. God protects his children. He protects us like the mother cat protects her kittens. -Emmy

And here's our little deep thinker, showing off her latest tooth that is just about to make its exit. Why, yes, she is from Georgia. Why do you ask?

Oh, and another fun thing- on Sunday, after the offering at church, Em leaned over to me and asked, "Mommy, how do they get the money up to God?"

Okay, one more. This morning before school we were heading outside, and Emmy turned by the gate, smiling. I inquired about her smile, and she responded, "I'm just so happy that you're my mommy and daddy." I don't want to forget that. It's not always so sunshine and roses, to be sure, but when it is, we just bask and thank God.

My very favorite moment with this precious guy recently was when I came home last week from doing morning carpool and found him at the door in his skimmies, flexing his muscles and kissing each bicep. It made my day, and my week, and my month. Here he's wearing his daddy's taekwando shirt from long ago days in Korea, when he was just the same age as Asa. Sweet.

And this is the way he's spending his rest times these days, legomaniac that he is becoming...

This little man is Two, in all its glory. I heard him today wandering around, talking to no one in particular, saying, "No. Nope. No ma'am..."

These days, Ju is a 'Jingle Bells' man- all the way. When I put him to bed at night, and we're all snuggly and ready to rock and sing, I like to begin in on a sweet lullaby or a beautiful hymn, but he always interjects, "No! Jingle Bells!" So Jingle Bells it is. Every day and every night. Just in the last couple of days he's begun to sing along with gusto, which brightens up the exercise greatly. "HEY!"

(You can see in the photo above that he's scratching. When he saw this picture, he said, "scratch". Scratching is very much a part of his regular existence, bless his heart.)

And a little bit outside of our four walls...I've actually had the opportunity to spend some time with our college group recently. We decided that I'd go along on a trip to a not-too-far-away beach a few weeks ago and get to know some of these folks better (which is generally Tim's forte). They are really fun and zany, and we're encouraged to see the community and family forming within this group and around the life of the church.

on the street in Pattaya

I just included this one because it's pretty...leaving the island at Pattaya.

a recent gathering at our house

And finally, a quote from Frederick Buechner, from a book I'm reading, because it relates so beautifully to the way I so often feel about these moments and days...

"Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness; touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, all life itself is grace."

Brother Ninja

Frequently in costume, intensely in character. He comes up with these things all by himself, often in costumes self-constructed from random pieces of clothing. I love his intensity.


I requested that he stand by the tree with the crazy roots in his 'superhero' costume and strike his toughest pose.

And a superhero has to greet his young fans...
These brothers are growing into their fraternal bond, enjoying (and provoking) one another more and more each day. Today I heard big brother invite little brother upstairs for a tea party, showing his gentler side. I bet there was an ambush involved along with the refreshments.

Last week we had a late afternoon where Ju was crying because of a maternal injustice, the details of which I now can't recall, while I was trying to go about the business of getting supper. Asa came into the kitchen with a smile and a twinkle in his eye, and said, "I'm going to do a fake burp for him." What to say to that? I replied that I imagined that would be an encouragement. Sure enough, they were laughing together momentarily.

These are sweet days, and I smile to think of them traveling the road to come together.

Saying Goodbye

We said goodbye, finally, by giving away our kitty litter and cat food today. Our sweet *Khao Meow, who was a New Year's Day gift to us a year ago (a gift from God, that is, in the form of a stray kitten wandering at a friend's pool), is officially gone. We had him for a really good 11 months, and one day back in November he wasn't here to greet us in the evening as was his faithful habit. We waited, prayed, asked neighbors and workers nearby, nobody had seen him. We made the sign (above) and posted copies in our neighborhood, still hoping that somehow he would come back to us. We have no idea what happened to him.

Tim says that he is growing into a saintly cat in our memories, and I think this is true. He was an amazing kitty, patient with little hands, not destructive, a great lap dweller, but in our collective memories he has become something of feline perfection embodied. We still miss him; for me, it's sort of a slow grief that flares up at times and then subsides, and is, of course, lessening with time. I missed his presence a lot at Christmastime, knowing that he would have only enhanced all of that warmth and beauty. The kids still talk about him a great deal, and it's good to know he'll always be part of our family. So farewell, our dear Khao-ie.

*This obscure name is a play on the Thai word for sticky rice, which is 'khao niaw'...'niaw' rhymes with 'meow' :)

Baby, It's Cold Outside

We've been having lovely weather around here. Cool breezes in the morning and evening, highs in the 80's and lows in the 70's- very uncharacteristic, amazingly refreshing, and most certainly it will be short lived. This is cool season at its best! A good consolation prize for missing GA's first white Christmas in more than a hundred years.

Being accustomed to the continuous heat, when it's cool in the mornings our children run for their hoodies! These were taken on a recent morning before school...



Like the Ingalls girls storing up the sunshine of Indian summer before 'The Long Winter', we're soaking it up!

Twelve and Two

Twelve years ago, when I was 22 and Tim was 13- not really, he just looks it, doesn't he? This was the first snapshot taken of us after we were officially married, by my friend Beth, I believe, and I've always loved the joy in it. We couldn't have anticipated how our road together would meander, but who better to travel the road with than your best friend?

We celebrated by getting away together for 24 hours, while our very generous friends took care of our little ones, and it was incredible to have the luxury of time together- we haven't done an overnight away since Emmy was a baby and we lived in Atlanta. Thank you to Catherine and Melanie!

We spent the night in a hotel with this view from our little balcony...
Again, who would have guessed, 12 years ago? What a city!

We had fun trying to remember all of our anniversaries- most we can recall but some are lost in oblivion...of course we remember the first, which we spent hiking in north Georgia. We set out fresh and ambitious in the morning, and by the time we straggled back to our car in the dark, rainy evening we had hiked 13 miles round trip! The 5th, the first time we needed a babysitter for a dinner out...and of course, the 10th, which is usually a big one.

It was big for us- 11 pounds, 4 ounces, in fact...

Which brings me to our other celebration, just two days before, of our Julian. He was a hefty little newborn, wasn't he? Amazing to think we have enjoyed two years with this precious child.

traditional birthday morning cake in bed

and of course we must share with our siblings!

As I considered how to celebrate our boy, I thought about who, outside of his family, loves him most, and it seemed obvious...

...so we headed over to the church mid- morning to sing and eat cake and pray for Ju with our friends/colleagues there, who love all of our children in a way that brings me a lot of joy, especially being so far from our families.

(As an aside, don't we look a bit like a sitcom in this picture above? Tim and I have had a good time coming up with ideas for the pilot episode.)

While we ate cake, Julian kept repeating, "Happy new year cake!", with great enthusiasm. He is an avid talker and all around doer these days. He weighed 25 pounds at his 2 year checkup, putting him close to the 25th percentile, and he's about 50th for height. His eczema continues to be a real challenge, but for the most part, it's in a manageable state. He loves to read, write on any surface with an available pen (woe to our couch, many times over!), and do anything his big brother and sister are doing, preferably first.

Happy birthday, my beautiful boy. You have been a gift to us through every joy and each challenge; we love you and thank God for you.

Yesterday Play

I walked in after rest time yesterday (Ju and I are the only ones who really rest, you know) and found this raucous play scene. Pure joy...


And today I made a birthday cake for an aspiring 2 year old. More on that soon, I'm certain!