Transition

Boy, was I surprised this time at how difficult transition was. There's the sheer physicality of adjusting to the vastly different geographical location (I wonder if our bodies were not really designed to hurtle across the world at hundreds of miles an hour, judging from the physical toll it takes), but also the emotional task of wrapping one's head around leaving one place and adjusting to another. I never think that will be hard, as we very much know the lay of the land here now and are quite at home, yet it always is. When we've been in Thailand 2 or 3 years, I somehow forget the differences between this home and the other one; when we return from a time in the U.S., the differences again seem vast. The environment, the driving, the heat...it all just makes one want to go to bed. But when in bed, one can't sleep properly, so it's really quite trying to the soul. Over a week into regular nights of sleep, now, however, the world looks like a brighter place.

pre-departure, with pretty grandmothers at the airport

School has been in session for almost two weeks, and both Em and Asa have had good days. There's always some level of hope and disappointment surrounding teachers and classmates, but we try to remind ourselves that God knows our needs, and everyone adjusts; new relationships are made while the old are still treasured. Emmy has been very excited and a wee bit nervous about the advent of middle school...it's quite a step. (As an aside- she's such an amazingly beautiful middle schooler!) So far, so good. She loves to share every minute detail about her day, much to my delight. When asked about his day in second grade, Asa will say, "I can't really remember. I scored a goal in soccer at recess!" So at least we know the important things are happening.

off to school...well, two of them

As for Ju, he is along for the ride with his crazy teacher mama, and my plan has been to begin kindergarten when I am on a bit more solid ground. In a burst of energy on Friday, however, I spontaneously got out a few books and Julian acted like I'd taken him to an amusement park, so enthusiastic was he. He proceeded to do the first 8 lessons of his math book (!) (his first book is primer level so it is very basic at the beginning), along with some phonics, reading and handwriting. And we were still all finished at 10 and free to go out for errands and noodles for lunch- such is the beauty of kindergarten at home. So, with little fanfare, we're on our way.  I think we're going to have a good time.

 

 

We also had a special gift to help ease our transition...our dear friend cousins, the Watts, came through to see us last weekend, and we had a grand time, as always. We celebrated their boys' birthdays and just all thoroughly enjoyed one another. So very thankful for these beloved ones!

Summer

There have been several occasions this summer that I've thought of chronicling here in this space. I've been kept from it by simple logistics (the computer in constant use by Tim, working on details for worship in Bangkok, or en route to the many places stateside that we have visited, sharing about our work across the world), but also by the enormity of what this time has been. Constant activity, daily rummaging through suitcases for clothing, work and play and time with loved ones jumbled together in a blur that has left us feeling loved and grateful, dazed and tired. Throw in Ju's strep throat and my bizarre pinkeye plague; we would be very happy to never see the inside of an urgent care facility again. Our families and friends have made space for us in their lives and their homes in ways that are exceedingly generous, and we are so grateful. Our experiences have been too many to attempt to document in their entirety; I'll just throw in a few pictures as I ramble.

We stopped over in Seoul, Korea, for a few days en route to the U.S.- was a respite and a great deal of fun to explore a new place together...

We rented a little apartment on Air B&B- a perfect triplicate bunk for our perfect trifecta!

A tremendous treat- visiting the army base house where Tim lived when he was Ju's age

And just a few from Georgia...

Best cousin friends- leaving this will be difficult

We celebrated a very special 11th birthday while here!

birthday morning- with drawings/cards from adoring brothers

a weekend at Berry with these beautiful friends- joy, joy...kudos to Brea for her beautiful photography

camping at Cloudland Canyon- gorgeous scenery and wonderful company

Yurt! My new favorite way to camp.

We depart on Thursday morning for Bangkok, leaving home to go home. The children have mixed hearts, excited to return to life, friends, school, bedrooms and playthings, church, home...yet, as Ju says, "I also LOVE it here!" I, too, am emotionally divided. It will be good to enter again into routine, to put away our clothing, to cook and work and worship and do all of the things we're called to do in the everyday...and yet these coming days will mean seeing tears well in our parents' eyes as we say goodbye, travel that seems never ending, jet lag that will stop us in our tracks for a few days, and immediately jumping into life- worship and school and everything else are waiting for us and will begin almost immediately, ready or not.

That old familiar, quiet feeling, the subtle anxiety of transition, is beginning. We're packing ridiculous amounts of 'stuff' and wondering if we're excessive (hauling three beautiful grandfather-made lamps AND an ice cream maker across the world!?); I aspire to be minimalist, but the details of life as a mobile family often seem to muddle that aspiration! With or without the ice cream maker, we'll board an airplane midday on Thursday and begin the next phase of our journey, the next chapter of life in which Grace City will grow, Emmy will enter middle school, Asa second grade, and Julian the kindergarten scholar will learn to read and 'rithmetic in earnest. Here's to new chapters and to God's faithfulness in all of life's journeys.

One Month

Today marks one month in our new home. Amazing how much life can change in so short a time. We walk to and from school, the children play outside almost constantly, and we have reclaimed our bedroom because Tim has a studio and office- computers and music equipment no longer make walking through our bedroom a stressful endeavor! Those are just a few things we're thankful for in our new abode.

And it's quite surreal to think that one week from today we'll be in Seoul, Korea, en route to Georgia and HOME!

We've had some excitement around here, and the children and I are having a very restful day off of school because of the military coup that happened yesterday. The things we miss school for- floods, toxic fires, protests, military coups. Never a dull moment! We're very concerned and praying for this country we love, but so far things have been peaceful.

There's so much I haven't written about since the last real update. Suffice to say that God has been faithful in the midst of the intensity that has been life of late. I'll just share a few favorite photos of late and head back to making lists for our departure in less than one week!

One of my favorite pictures of all time. Our first grader has discovered a new passion this year, and loves to play goalie. Does he not look 16 in this shot?

Grace City is meeting for weekly worship!

Grace City's first members

I love this. Tim's been playing and singing at a coffee shop in one of the red light districts. Light in a dark place.

Moving

Today is moving day. There are a million things to do, but I'm taking a few quiet minutes to mark this place in time. I just sent the schoolchildren off this morning with a long last look, and in less than 3 hours this space will be a jumble of movers. Today marks a move toward simplicity, space, outside play...so many good things. Walking to school after two years of commuting- amazing. We're all excited. It's clearly time. We took a little time last night to do one of our moving traditions- looking back, saying goodbye. With cake. And a sign made by my favorite 5 year old.

This space we've inhabited for two years has been very good to us. We've learned to be Bangkok urbanites, with all of the inherent perks and challenges. Riding elevators, trains, taxis, buses, tuk tuks...all in the regular course of things. Walking to great Japanese noodle shops, the grocery store and the park. Massage or manicure? Down the street. A sweet sewing man just outside our building who stitches anything up with a gentle smile for about three dollars. Guards that work all around our building whom we will truly miss. The couple down the way who makes somtam and always greets us so kindly. A street constantly backed up with exhaust-pumping traffic, often making road travel highly inadvisable. The frustration of knowing we live just over there, but we can't get there in any sort of timely manner because of the thousands of other people who are simultaneously trying to maneuver vehicles in the same direction.

I doubt that we will ever again live within easy walking distance to four 7-11 stores and 3 Starbucks.

This home has seen many, many joyful family times- movie nights, Saturday morning coffee and Scrabble games, birthday parties and wild rumpuses. It's seen tears and frustration. Dinners with old and new friends, meetings and times of worship. We open our hands in thanks for what we have been given, and look with anticipation to what is to come.

saying farewell to home- with the sign that Ju made

current view- we've descended into chaos

A Little Different

I find that after a while I begin to think of our lives here as basically the same as they would be in our home culture, and that is true of a lot of rhythms of home, etc. But then we go back to the U.S. and I see that land with fresh eyes and realize again that the two places are quite distinct.

Here are a couple of recent pictures that stood out to me as illustrative of some of the unique experiences of these three...

Monday mid-mornings usually find Ju and I walking down the street to the big mall, under an umbrella to shield us from the scorching sun. We ride the escalators up to the fifth floor, toting our beloved reusable bags from favorite Atlanta grocery stores, and do our weekly grocery shopping. It's an excellent store (albeit a bit expensive), with an entire aisle of Japanese food products, a hot soup bar and an impressive selection of clothing for pets. When our shopping has been done, Julian has collected his usual samples (baked ham and rice cakes, with the occasional offer of a barley drink or raw salmon), and our cart is loaded, we push it to the elevator, take it to the ground floor and wheel through the fancy make-up section of the upscale department store, to the door where taxis wait. We walk through the door to the salute of the guard that we know well after two years, a kind attendant loads the taxi trunk with our bags, and we take a short ride home. Upon arrival at our building, one of our friendly guards brings a shopping cart from the lobby and loads it with our bags. We then get on to the elevator with our loaded cart, take it to the seventh floor, wheel it into our apartment and straight in to the kitchen, where the groceries are unloaded and put away. Recently Julian has taken to building himself a cozy lunch nest (lunch- sticky rice, grilled pork on a stick, fruit and veggies) before the cart is sent back down on the elevator.

Makes me laugh- sometimes when I stand back, I realize how different so many of their childhood experiences are from my own...

...and in that vein, look at these sweet hill tribe siblings on Thai culture day at school!

15 (and 1/4)

So very thankful for a whole night away, in a fabulously lovely place down by the Chao Phraya River. Celebrating 15 years plus a few months (better late than never) of God's goodness and grace in bringing these high school sweethearts through all these many years together.

Big, big thank yous to the 'aunties' who made possible this time of rest and reflection- what a gift.