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.

Fall and Other Delights

This fall is simply stunning. This is the view just out of our front door at present- that could hardly be more lovely (in the city, anyway).

And looking down, just for posterity...
The brevity and the fact that we experience this only once every few years makes it all the sweeter. There's nothing like driving or running with a shower of falling leaves around you. God is simply glorious in His creation.

Even as we revel in experiencing the beauty around us, we're thinking of and praying for the people of Thailand, who are experiencing the worst flooding the country has seen in 50 years. We are praying for our church as they give aid to those suffering and continue to wait to see how our area will be affected. It's odd to have your heart and mind in two worlds.

On this side of the world, we've been soaking up our time with loved ones. We've celebrated some grandparent birthdays...


Done some camping with family...

Splendid Tallulah Gorge in north Georgia

At the zoo with our dear friends and former teammates- it's always amazing to me to see how the bonds formed in Thailand don't break. These little girls fall right back into giggles and closeness even after living worlds apart for the past several years.

Soaking up friends in Atlanta, too- at the Botanical Gardens

We had the fun of a visit with our friends and future teammates, which was such a joy, and we're all anticipating Baby, who will be making his appearance this month!

Ceramics has played a major role in our time here, which has been refreshing and stretching for Tim. He has loved working as an artist again and desires to see his gifts mesh with the work we've been given in Thailand. He had the opportunity to show his work this month, which culminated in a closing event last weekend. It was a privilege to share his work and to use ceramics to help fund work in Thailand. Our amazing photographer friend took pictures from the show, and perhaps I'll post some of those when we get them.

playing with fire- an ancient japanese firing method called raku

a more traditional firing- a load of pots ready to come out of the kiln

students at our local school visit the studio for some instruction from the potter

I had the privilege of spending the weekend at Berry recently with my four closest friends from college- it was refreshing and a reminder that these are forever relationships- I'm so thankful for these girls.

Halloween was just fun- a visit with Uncle G and Aunt B, as is our tradition, then dinner and trick or treating with dear friends. Because we don't do this every year, Asa had no trick or treating experience and was a little slow to warm up to the whole endeavor...he thought Halloween meant hiding candy in the house to find, which we've done in Thailand in an attempt to celebrate in some small way- so funny!

Recent travels have taken us to Nashville, which we really enjoyed- beautiful honky tonk city that it is. We visited good friends, then ate burgers and signed our names in sharpie on a rusted out car in a country-western bar- how's that for fun?

And that about sums up our recent weeks. Life is full.

catching up

Straddling the state line. This pretty much sums up our last few months. We have been on the road, soaking up this time with our families and so many we love, sharing about life and work in Bangkok, doing home life and school. The pace has been intense, and full of so many good things! Any attempt to catch up here will be in vain, so I think I'll do just a brief flyover for posterity's sake.

We had the chance to visit our dear cousins in India on the way home to the States this summer. We had an incredible time enjoying them and enjoying the little bit of this country we were able to experience. A few glimpses of that...





Em celebrated her birthday in 3 different countries this year, and had the fun of celebrating with her cousin in India!

On to the U.S....

just a bit of summer- my very favorite picture from the lake in NC

Celebrating our birthday boy as September rolled around...

We had a party filled with family and friends just after his big day, and spent his actual birthday indulging in a bit of culture at an art museum followed by a visit to one of Atlanta's finest eateries...

Travels have taken us to Washington, D.C., where it poured rain the majority of our stay but we managed to wring ourselves out and see lots of great things, anyway...


Then on to visit dear friends in Virginia, which just blows you away with its loveliness...

Fall has seen little ones jumping into some new endeavors...


And most recently, Mountain Day at Berry, which was lovely and slightly chilly and warm with old friends. Our oldest children expressed their desire to go to Berry, and Asa expressed it perfectly, "Mountain Day is the funnest!"

We began a new tradition this year- a Mountain Day hymn sing after the main festivities; I don't think it gets much better than old hymns and good friends, a guitar, a banjo and a fire...



And that's that. These past months have been full of good gifts, and we are grateful. And the cold weather's coming! And the holidays!