Our Jesus Christmas Party

Several months ago, I realized that this year I had the means to put on a "Birthday Party for Jesus" or a Christ centered Christmas party. A group of us from our church go to a poor area to do a children's program. We sing songs, play games, do crafts, and teach Bible stories. Essentially, the same things I would want to do at our party. When I approached some one about the idea, she said, just name a date and we'll get a team together. Naming a date proved a bit tricky with everyone having busy holiday schedules, but we squeezed it on a calendar and that very day a group was rounded up to come out to our house.

Most people in our neighborhood know nothing about Jesus, Christianity, the reason for Christmas. With less than 1% of the population of Thailand being Christian, they have few opportunities to learn about the gospel. Christmas is a Western holiday about presents, decorations, and Santa Claus. While we aim to be lights in our neighborhood, we mainly do this through our actions since our Thai is still not very good. This year, with help, we could verbally share with our neighbors.

We prayed, prepared, and handed out invitations. Hollis gave them to the children in her preschool class. One afternoon, we walked around the neighborhood handing them out. We spread the word through moped taxi drivers and food vendors. In the end, we had no idea how many children would come. I expect maybe five, but with the faith of a mustard seed, I prepared for 15-20.

I also prepared myself to be flexible. I can sometimes get a certain plan in my head and get frustrated when things work out different. I had the idea to do the Christmas story in the living room, so the children could see the tree and all the decorations. When the church group arrived, it worked out better for them to set up their projector outside. No problem; I was flexible. A good thing, too.

At the time the party was to start, one family drove up and another walked down our street. Well, at least we'd have two children plus our own four. I greeted them, and we headed in the house to start the craft project. I hardly had time to get them started before more people came pouring in the door. Hollis recognized some children from her preschool. Neighbor children and those I had never seen before entered, escorted by older siblings and parents.

As we prepared for singing and the story, Philip looked in our store room for mats to lay out on the ground. (It's common here to sit on the ground.) As the mats were filled, he kept finding more and more mats we never knew we had! In the end, we had about 15 children and 20 adults (some were curious neighbors who came without children) who had never heard the gospel before. A man from church shared the Christmas story, then a bit about Creation and who God is, about Adam and Eve and the first sin, the gospel, and finally his testimony.

Afterwards, we shared some food and conversation. Those from the church spoke with different groups of people, answering questions and sharing further. We were also able to give each child a small gift and a coloring booklet of the Nativity. We were so amazed and thankful how God had used our willingness to use our resources to share in this way. May God continue to use us and increase our faith!

Immigration Day: A Better Way to Do It

Today was the day of our long dreaded visa renewal. Last year, after a failed attempted at arriving early, we were at the immigration office from nearly opening to closing time. (Immigration Day) Learning from our mistakes, we planned to be at the office well before the 8:30 opening time. We guessed that by waiting for the office to open, we could decrease our total wait time during the day. A taxi was scheduled to arrive at 6:00. At 5:50, the driver was waiting on our street. Traffic at this time of day was very light, even with the driver being unsure exactly where the huge Chaeng Wattana complex was, we arrived at 6:30. We had thought we might have to wait outside the building, but we could go right in and get in line directly in front of the correct office doors.

The line in front of the door before the crowds arrived; the blue bag is ours.

We were seventh in line. We filled the two hour wait with exploring the building while Philip held our place. On the main floor where the immigration office is located, the kids ran around the atrium, as large as two soccer fields with a windowed ceiling six stories up. Downstairs, we discovered three cafeterias, a handful of cafes, various little shops selling everything from clothes to snacks, and the ever-present 7-11. Meriel said she was hungry, so then everyone had to have a snack: snow peas, almond slices, and rice crackers brought from home. Then the drawing books and pencils were gotten out, a few rounds of "Spot It" played, some more running around the atrium, trips to the bathroom. Finally, opening time was near and so we squeezed in to our place in line beside Philip.

A bit more crowded; hard to find the end of the line.

Right at 8:30, an immigration officer opened the doors. Since we were so close to the front of the line, we missed most of the shuffling and shoving. We had all our paperwork together, so we could go directly to getting our queue numbers. Philip was the first to step up to line one. The lady asked how many tickets and smiled when he said, "Six." But then her machine was broken. People in the lines became restless. Either all the machines were not working or with extremely unusual foresight (for Thailand), but none of the workers were handing out any tickets. When the machine was up and running, Philip was handing N1#3, along with five other numbers. For visa renewals, we had only 2 other people in front of us! We barely had time for all six of us to get settled in chairs, before we were called.

Of course, the actual processing of the visa took some time. The lady at the desk next to us was the one who had processed our visas the previous two years. She greeted us happily. The woman at our desk looked tired and harassed; her name tag was on upside down. We had a few anxious moments when the lady looked closely at our documents and flipped through pages as if she wasn't sure she was going to let everything pass. Finally, she began stamping visas into our passports. In the end, she lightened up a bit as she took each person's photo.

The last desk was for final approval. Since we already had the visas stamped into our passports, I wondered what the chance of rejection was at this point. I did notice a tray on the desk labeled "Cancelled Visas," and realized they could still revoke ours. They did not choose to do this, however, and we left the office at 10:15, six visas in six passports of six cheerful family members.

Giving or Getting: Who was Santa Claus?

Santa Claus...Sinterklaus...Saint Nicholas. I'd like to introduce you to the mall St. Nicholas. Your child sits in his lap; he asks, "Who do you want to give a gift to this Christmas?" Or maybe, "Which poor person can you help this Christmas?" He encourages children to write lists of how they can be gifts to others during this season.

Since St. Nicholas Day was on Sunday, our history and geography lessons for last week were about a man name Nicholas who was born between 200-300 years after Jesus. He lived in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey. His parents were wealthy, and at their death, Nicholas inherited it all. This man loved and followed the teachings of Jesus, giving his wealth to the poor and showing God's love. Many of the stories attributed to Nicholas are of uncertain veracity, however we learned that historical sources support the story of his supplying dowries for a family of poor young women. What is certain is that this man embodied the love of God and became an emblem of giving.

A few years ago, we stopped opening our stockings on St. Nicholas Day since memories of opening stockings on Christmas morning were so important to Philip. Other than making sure the kids knew the story of the "real Santa Claus," I hadn't found a good way of making the day special for them. Since this year, December 6 was a Sunday, I knew which shoes the kids would be wearing and that they would be putting them on in the morning, so I decided to put a few coins in each of the kids shoes. Hollis was the first to discover, "Hey, there is money in my shoe!" It didn't take the girls long to recall the story of St. Nicholas. Meriel's response with a delighted smile, "St. Nicholas must have put it there!" The girls decided to take their 10 baht piece to church as offering or a as a gift to a beggar on the way to church and save the smaller coin for later.

On Christmas and throughout the year, may we remember those who have lived before us as examples of Christ. Instead of wondering how Santa Claus could fly through the air and how long it would take him to visit every house (maybe an interesting future math and geography project, though), we choose to look to the example of St. Nicholas as a man who gave of himself just as Jesus gave Himself, which is, after all, what Christmas is all about.

A Little Bit Magical

Yesterday evening, we all enjoyed our second Bangkok Street Show. Wandering around Lumpini Park, we stopped at various tape marked "stages" and were treated to the goofy, the amazing, and the magical. A good live show is all about the performers personality and stage presence. Many of these people must have been "class clowns." Now they get to travel the world, entertaining people from various cultures, "playing" for a living.

Philip's all around favorite was the acrobat troupe. No props, just brawn and discipline. Flips, flying, feats of balance. His award for pure entertainment went to Katay Santos from Venezuela. His tricks weren't the most eye catching, but he kept up a good banter with the crowd, drawing us in and making us laugh. His finale of doing a handstand on top of a stack of four chairs had Meriel holding her breath.


My heart went out to a young Chinese woman. Sequins falling off her costume, her tricks weren't dazzling but created from pure hard work and determination. She performed some interesting acts of contortion. Then she began to balance objects on the bridge of her nose, face upturned. She set up a plastic table "leg," then a table top, four small wine glasses, another top. Finally she had three tiers with vase of flowers on top. She climbed a set of stairs, balanced on a rocking platform, scaled a few rungs of a pair of ladders, and managed to get back down to the ground. She must have been balancing all of that on her face for more than 5 minutes.

The Japanese Juggler had all the kids watching wide eyed. Using sleight of hand and optical illusion, he made fixed wooden circles spin and rotate. He was also quite good with the Chinese yo-yo. He was able to get three yo-yos whirling around and around, hopping from one string to another, then flying into the air. The crowd gasped as he sent a small yo-yo high over the tops of the trees, managing to catch it just before it escaped into the audience.

The grand finale for our little family came in the form of a thin, gray-haired Japanese man carrying an umbrella with a bubble machine perched atop. As he stepped through the deepening twilight, his big smile and bright eyes had the audience warming to him immediately. The stage lights glinted on the bubbles, causing Hollis to exclaim, "They are rainbow bubbles!" Masashi Okuda caught bubbles and stored them in his top hat, releasing them later with a flourish. He created larger and larger bubbles, then tiny and even tinier bubbles, a sprinkling of fairy dust. Bubbles within bubbles, caterpillar and cluster bubbles floated up into the sky. From a small flask, he sucked some kind of gas into his mouth and blew it into the bubbles. These opaque bubbles sparkled and hovered before bursting in a puff of smoke. After the show, our little family walked through the evening, filled with pleasure and a little bit of magic.

The Character of God

We are into the season of Advent now and enjoying the anticipation leading up to Jesus' birth. As part of our Jesse Tree, yesterday, we read the story of the first sin in Genesis chapter 3. Of course, I've read this story many times and would say I know it well, but I was struck by a new aspect of it. Satan* deceives Eve on many levels, but fundamentally he brings her to question God's character. Eve, and Adam, physically walked and talked with God. They had the opportunity to know him like no one else. I believe they would have known He loved them, that He was wise, all knowing, and good. If she had stopped to think about it and to think about God, Eve would have realized that what the serpent said couldn't be true. The God that she knew would not try to keep her from something good. He loved her greatly and knew what was best for her.

The great deceiver still uses this same trick today. I often find myself wondering if certain aspects of my life are really best for me. Wouldn't it be better if I could see my family more often? If we didn't have to worry about our plans for the future? If we had plenty of extra money? If...If...If...? I begin to think that I can orchestrate a better life for myself than God. But wait! God loves me so much that He sent His only Son to earth to die for me. This same God created the world and has the power to do whatever He chooses in it. He also cares about me personally, not just my physical well being but also my soul. He loves me greatly and knows what is best for me. So next time I begin to see "that the tree [is] good for food, and that it [is] a delight to the eyes," I will look away from the fruit and toward the Almighty God and my Loving Saviour. 

It would sadden me to have these precious children question my motives, because I love them so much and only want the best for them, and I sure hope they know it. That must be how God feels when we don't trust His ways.

*Yes, I know that the Genesis account doesn't specifically mention that the serpent was Satan or vice versa, but other Biblical references lead me to believe that it was Satan and not just a clever serpent.

Giving Thanks

Well, much has happened since I wrote last which has again prevented me from writing regularly. We'll see if I can manage to get in a rhythm now, but with Advent upon us, it may not happen. We celebrated a lovely Thanksgiving with member of our Christian family. Eris really has a tender heart; she wrote a "Thanks" list on her initiative which I thought was worth sharing (with her permission).

1. We were delivered from hard dengue fever
2. A soft bed
3. Our house
4. A couch
5. Our Bibles
6. Monkey (her favorite stuffed animal)
7. Family
8. We have a park nearby
9. Friends
10. A free nearby children's museum
11. A good fan in this hot place
12. Food
13. Bicycles
14. Money
15. Skateboard
16. Clothes
17. Ball
18. Jesus saved us from our sins
19. Homeschooled
20. Books
21. Library

I would agree with all of the above. And these people certainly top the list:

Ramen and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

It's been awhile since I've written here. After my parents' visit at the end of September, I needed some emotional recharging before I felt ready to share my life with you all. However, I have missed the connection I feel writing (even though not many people read this, at least I imagine a connection) for my friends and family. The time with my parents was wonderful, parts of it restful, and I plan to write about some of it; but when they left, I felt anew the isolation and loneliness that comes from living in a city of millions far away from close friends, familiar seasons, and those who speak my native tongue.

My method of recharging is simple - pray some, daydream some, Skype a few close friends, and READ! I really wanted to read a book that I knew I would enjoy fully. I wanted characters I could relate to and love, no foul language or questionable morals. No divorce, no adultery, no wars - not even the traditional evil versus good of fantasy. We have a decent English library here in Bangkok. The girls and I travel an hour and a half every other Saturday for "library story time" and the chance to lug home new reading material. Amongst the donated literature, it is difficult to find the sort of book for which I was searching. I brought home something that seemed a possibility, but it failed to live up to my high expectations.

Frustrated, I turned to technology to help meet my needs. I am a bit technologically challenged, so I ended up spending a bajillion minutes trying to figure out how to use my mom's library card to check out an e-book to read on Eris's Kindle. I found one that I wanted to read - book number ten in the Mitford series -- it was checked out. I put a hold on it and went back to moping. It wasn't that I didn't have anything to read; I just wanted what Philip called my "Ramen and grilled cheese sandwich" book. In the U.S., a packet of chicken flavored Ramen with a grilled cheese sandwich on the side was my comfort food. We kept a stash of noodles on a high shelf for Philip to make for me when I was sick or particularly feeling down.

So two weeks ago, when I could have been writing the stories of "Grandma and Grandpa and Us in Chiang Mai," I was finally reading my book. (After another bajillion minutes getting it from wherever it is in cyberspace onto the Kindle.) It was just what I hoped for, although without the familiarity of holding an actual book. Last week, I may have been ready to write again, but Philip did not have his Thursday night Bible study, during which I commandeer the computer. So here I am, planning to renew my regular blogging amidst the craziness of my life with four little ones, who all daily help to drain me via fussing and squabbling and recharge me with their laughter and snuggles.

Can't be down and lonely too long with this little one around - plus his three big sisters!

My Schedule; God's Plan

Last week was our first week of school. After a season of birthdays, I was ready to settled down into a routine and get some formal learning done. I had planned that the first week would be uninterrupted - no play dates, no extra shopping trips, five "full" days of school. Then on Sunday, I met a single mother of two from Ukraine who has been traveling around Asia for the last year and a half. Everyone at church thought that her little boy was a second Simeon, and her daughter fit in right between Hollis and Meriel.

As our kids played together, she asked about things to do in Bangkok. She had another week before her flight to Kiev. I mentioned the Children's Museum and Jatujak Park. Thinking ahead of my full week of school, at first I wasn't going to offer to meet her. Then I thought, What is more important: getting in as much schooling as I can and getting on a good schedule or loving people? Besides, I don't often get a chance to spend time with other mothers, and all of us would enjoy some time together. So we agreed to meet at the park on Wednesday, and indeed it was a blessed, enjoyable time. Our kids played, we encouraged one another, we prayed together. I had a chance to get to know a sweet sister in the Lord.

Another friend had been planning on meeting us at the Children's Museum for Simeon's birthday the week before, but he had been sick. Since he was so disappointed and we hadn't gotten together in a few weeks, I invited his family over on Friday. Once again, I realized that the opportunity for growing friendships was a higher priority. We are in Thailand to show Christ's love, and we can't do that very well if we don't take opportunities do spend time with people. We did some science projects, including erupting soda geysers and chocolate quicksand with baking soda with vinegar reactions (also know as erupting chocolate oobleck), so we kind of "did school."


This same friend turned seven years old on Wednesday this week and invited us to celebrate with him. We had a great time exploring a garden, trying some Thai coconut milk cake, and rollerblading. It was also a chance to practice our Thai. Suksan Wan Geun! (Happy Birthday!)

Today, we went to a City Gardening Fair with some other Thai homeschooling families. Next week, we have to do our 90-day report at immigration. Then another friend we met a couple month ago and haven't seen since will meet us for a play-date. I remember how much I prayed for friends and for people to help us learn Thai. This may not be exactly what I had in mind, but God is providing and allowing us to be His light here. What better lesson to teach my children than to be ready to follow God's plan and take opportunities to show His love, even when to do so interrupts "our" schedule.

Presents for Simeon

Each of the girls were thankful and happy with their birthday presents this year, but Simeon's excitement and delight with his surpassed them all. There's just something about the simplicity of a two year's old joy. After five birthdays in the last few months where Simeon got to give presents, at first he didn't understand that these gifts were for him. He kept trying to give them to someone else. On the third or fourth package, he understood - all these are for me!

So what are these wonderful presents with which Simeon is so enthralled? Twelve little, plastic kittens to carry around, put in and out of containers, and play pretend with his sisters.

 A set of plastic farm animals, including a Thai water buffalo, to join his farm set. His own leather wallet to put cards in and out of, to snap open and closed, and to smell. New shorts that fit; his favorite have a shark on them. A pillow and sleeping mat for sleeping in the big kid room with his sisters. Two new books. A little stuffed dog named Timothy that was Mommy's when she was little.

Socks - he likes socks but hasn't owned a pair since he was three months old. A colorful xylophone to play a complete octave; he can join in with Mommy and Meriel now. And two race cars to zoom down the pvc pipe ramps on the stairs.

                                                      No two year old could be happier!

The best part of his birthday was seeing the love his sisters lavished on him. They were so excited for his first taste of ice cream, to give him his gifts, to have him sleep in their room, to give their brother an extra special day. We are blessed!

Thailand: Developed or Developing?

Some people have asked me whether or not Thailand is a developing country. The quick answer is yes. Of course, there must be a long answer, or I wouldn't be writing this. There are several different measure of development, and the main ones do not merely divide countries between developing and developed. The UN uses the "Human Development Index" encompassing life expectancy, literacy, education, standard of living, and quality of life. The countries then fall into one of four categories of development: very high, high, medium, or low. The countries in "very high" are developed, those in "high and medium" are developing, and those in low are underdeveloped. Thailand in is the lower end of the "High Human Development Index" group. The World Bank classification is the other major  measure; this focuses more on economy than indices of living. It also has four divisions based on income: high, upper-middle, lower-middle, low. Any country that is not "high income" is considered developing. Again, Thailand falls in the lower end of the upper-middle group.

So what does all this really mean? Basically it means that the basic standard of living in Thailand is quite different than that in the United States, Western Europe, Japan, or even South Korea but not as drastic as that in East Africa or Haiti. Thailand is in that middle ground where some people live very well indeed and others live quite poorly. My personal experience only extends to Bangkok. I don't know anything about rural Thailand since it requires a personal vehicle to explore, but I imagine the standard of living there is lower than most of Bangkok. Bangkok presents an interesting amalgam of developed and developing worlds.

A visitor to Bangkok could fly in to the main airport, take a taxi to a ritzy hotel, travel around only by Skytrain to see fancy malls and expensive restaurants. Another visitor could stay in our house, travel by non-air conditioned bus, shop in the stinky "wet market," and eat in open air neighborhood restaurants. These two people would experience totally different cities. The second would see how more people in Bangkok actually live, though many more are crowded into small apartments and shacks along the canals with fewer amenities than we. I think the reality of Thailand's "upper-middle" categorization is that most Thai have enough to eat, the majority receive some sort of education, many are literate, most have access to some sort of health care. Definite room for improvement, especially as far as quality of life and safety for children, but overall not horrible.

I feel that this sign in our church bathroom gives a pretty good idea of the mix of lifestyles in Bangkok:

Some people have never considered that one should not throw toilet paper into the toilet to flush; it needs to go into a separate trash can. Others have never seen any sort of toilet other than a squat one on the floor and need to be instructed to sit on the seat. This is the development rating for Thailand in a nutshell.

Five to Six

Each child develops differently with spurts of growth at various ages. For Meriel, this past year has been one of rapid maturation. She has gone from a cute, little girl to a beautiful young lady. She is becoming aware of the world beyond being the center of the universe. Learning, loving, praying, wondering.

She is beginning to learn the value of hard work. She has struggled to read, making great progress, delighting her younger siblings by reading "Peter and Jane" to them. She has pressed through daily tin whistle practice, successfully mastering two fun tunes. Many days, I have to make her read to me and mandate her whistle lesson. But the joy on her face as she plays for Daddy makes it all worth while.

Meriel's self-control has increased greatly, as well. Yes, she still has her tantrums, but they are less frequent and often shorter and less boisterous. She is responsive to a gentle reminder to calm down and, if caught in time, often manages to avert a tantrum completely. She thinks of others above herself - sharing special treats, including her little brother in a game, making room for another sibling beside her in the rocking chair.

When Meriel asks a question, she will keep asking until she understands the answer. She really wants to understand the world around her, what a Bible story means, what Mommy and Daddy are discussing, what Eris is talking about. If she doesn't comprehend the answer, she won't pretend she does. When she finally "gets" something, she won't forget it; she is beginning to be able to incorporate what she learns one day into a different concept another day. She listens and really cares about what each person has to say.

Meriel loves Jesus but is also honest about her limitations. She explains that she is not ready to get baptized yet because she does not really understand enough about what is means to follow Jesus. She realizes that she does bad things and sometimes is not ready to try to not do those things. She knows she can pray and talk to God. She remembers prayer requests and daily brings others to the Lord. When she decides to follow Jesus completely, it will be her own choice from which she will not turn back. I am so proud of my six year old!

Lazy Friday

It's just that kind of day. A lazy Friday afternoon, not too hot, had an early lunch, a simple supper planned. I can just relax (after I hang up the laundry). Babies sure don't have trouble getting comfortable for a nap when they need one. Here's my sweet Simeon showing off some comfortable sleeping positions.

 

Thoughts on Hanging Out the Wash

Of all the daily chores, the one I probably mind the least is hanging out the wash. Whether from my small garden in Beersheva, my backyard in Terre Haute, or my balcony in Bangkok, I feel a sense of unity with women across time and place. My mother, grandmothers, great grandmothers all pinned laundry on various types of lines to dry in the sun. Women in Kenya, Turkey, Bolivia, Australia, Ireland do the same. The items on the line may look quite different, but our purpose is the same. We are women, taking care of our families.

Sometimes I get the chance to hang the laundry while the morning is still cool. I enjoy listening to the morning birds coo and warble. In the heat of the day, it's not so pleasant, but I still take the opportunity to watch a squirrel gathering leaves and grass to build a nest. The kids like to take advantage of playing somewhere that's usually off limits. I do have to pay attention that Simeon doesn't try to climb up the railing and fall over the side, but his sisters usually watch out for him. I have lost a few clothes pins by Simeon throwing them into the overgrown lot next door.

No matter what the rest of the day holds, I at least get outside twice a day. Except for when it rains, in which case, the price of having to hang clothes in the way inside is worth the cooler temperatures. On days when I don't have a full load of clothes, diapers need to be washed and hung. Or someone has a an accident or makes a mess that necessitates an immediate washing. If the washing machine is available for a day or I can get two load done in a day, there's always towels and sheets waiting for a turn. Since I need a free laundry basket to lug laundry out to the line, I am motivated to keep up on folding and putting away. Otherwise, I'd have clean clothes dumped on to the floor which would not stay clean and neat for long.

Even having to run out at the beginning of a rain storm to bring in laundry has its excitement. The girls are all very good at asking me if I have laundry up at the first sign of rain. I'm better at reading the clouds than I otherwise would be. I'm usually right when I note that those clouds won't dump on us or it looks like rain is heading this way. On the other hand, sometimes I am wrong, and it starts to rain just as I've spent the last fifteen minutes hanging up laundry and have one sock left. Grrr! That's the worst.

In the evening, sometimes I'll slip upstairs by myself to take down laundry while the kids are in the shower. It's so peaceful up there. I look at the moon, planets, and stars; watch the bats flit around, until I hear someone calling for me. Often I'll pray, sometimes I'll sing, even dance. Other times I just enjoy the connectedness, my laundry line reaching across time and space to yours.

If You Came to My House...

As I was washing dishes today, looking up at the plant leaves pushing their way through the slats in the cement walls with splashes of water missing the drain hole in the cement floor hitting my feet, I thought about some things about our house that seem normal to us now but would be odd to a visitor from the United States. In the U.S., builders are very good about hiding details of the inner workings of a house. Here, electrical wires wandering around the walls and ceiling, demonstrating exactly how everything is connected. In a similar fashion, blue pvc pipe decorates the walls in the bathroom and kitchen. In my outdoor kitchen, the pipe underneath the sink does not quite reach the floor underneath. If the hose gets bumped by a reckless toddler, the water from pouring out the hose misses the hole altogether and splashes all over the floor.

Another striking feature is the open gray water ditch in the outdoor kitchen and around the back of the house. Water from the washing machine is visible dumping out the pipe in its back and into this ditch. Water from the sink can be seen causing a ripple in the back ditch as I dump out the dishwater. Fortunately, the number of items Simeon has thrown into this murky water has been few. I've managed to discourage him from playing there by providing him with clean water to splash in.

The last item I thought about was the jungle growing next door. No city ordinances regulating the height of the grass. I have to keep at the vines snaking through the walls into our house if I don't want to be encroached. It's nice to not have neighbors peering over our walls and to be able to hear the birds in the mornings and frogs in the evenings. I'd prefer not to have the huge spiders visiting but overall I appreciate the "empty" lot next door.

"The Jungle Next Door" from our second story balcony

Game Time for Eris

I recently discovered my old set of jacks and introduced Eris to the game. At first she couldn't manage to scoop up any jacks and still catch her ball on the first bounce, but now she can beat Mommy sometimes. The other kids enjoy bouncing the balls around the house, trying not to lose them. My jacks are only plastic, so bits have been breaking off them, but they remain usable. It's a good "old fashion" game with entertainment value for multiple kids at a variety of ages, can be played alone, and it improves hand-eye-coordination. I'm considering getting her a set of marbles, but I'm not sure I'm ready for those to be rolling all around the houses. Maybe when everyone's a bit older.

Another childhood game I have been relearning and teaching to Eris is Cat's Cradle. With just a length of yard tied into a circle and instructions from the internet, we have been problem solving together to make various string creations. We are currently stumped at going from "Cat's Eye" to "Fish in a Dish," but we will figure it out. There are ways to play alone as well, so it can be another thing for Eris to play with when Mommy's busy and she "doesn't know what to do."

Our favorite modern game at this time is Spot It! by "blue orange games." We received this game in a package last year, and Eris (7 at the time) has really enjoyed it. I have fun with it, too, and Meriel has started to be able to join in some. Each card has eight pictures on it. Each pair of cards will have one set of matching pictures on it. The pictures are identical except for size. The basic game is to find the matching picture between two cards and call it out. It's trickier than it seems. This is a game that is fun and different each time we play it. It can also be played alone. It comes in a little tin, so is easy to transport. I imagine we will be bringing it with us wherever we move in the future.

 

I wanted to write the instructions for the various games in case we lose them. We let Simeon play with instructions in an attempt to keep him from meddling with the cards. Maybe someone else who has lost their instructions will be able to find these online or if they are curious about the game before purchasing it. I was impressed enough with this game to buy some other games from the same company as Christmas presents, so I will have to let you know how these games are received. They are not cheap ($13-15) but if they are played as much as Spot It has been, the price will be worth it.

The Tower:
Deal one card to each player. Place the rest of the cards in a stack in the middle. Each player tries to find the matching item between their card and the the top card of the middle stack. When a person finds a match, s/he places it on top of her pile and then everyone tries to find a match between the new card on top of the center stack and the card on top of his own stack. The player with the most cards in her own pile when the center pile is gone wins.

The Well:
The opposite of "The Tower." Start with one card in the center and deal the remaining cards to the players. Each player finds the match between the top card on her pile and the top card in the center pile, placing her card on top of the middle stack when a match is spotted. The winner is the one who gets rid of all his cards first.

Hot Potato:
This game works best with more than two people. Decide how many rounds are to be played. At the beginning of each round, each player has one card in his palm. At the same time, each player flips her card over and tries to find a match with another players card and then place the card on top of her card. If a person has more than one card in her palm and finds a match in another players hand, she puts all her cards on top of his. The round ends when one player has all the cards. At the end of the designated number of rounds, the person with the fewest cards wins.

The Poisoned Gift:
Deal one card to each player and place the remaining cards in a stack face up in the center. At the same time, players turn their cards over. Each player looks for a match between the center card and an opponent's card. Upon finding a match, he places the top center card on the other player's pile: an unwanted "poisoned gift." When the center stack is gone, the player with the fewest cards wins.

Triplet:
This is our favorite. Lay nine cards out in a square. Players looking for sets of three matching items, calling out and taking the cards when they find a match. The taken cards are replaced and play continues until no matches of three can be found. Winner has the most cards.

Challenge:
Make up your own variation of play. We've tried a few different ways, some better than others. It's always fun to have a versatile game.

Sandal Graveyard

When we moved to Thailand, we didn't know what to expect in many ways. One of the big miscalculations we made has to do with apparel. We assumed that since a lot of clothes are made in this part of the world, we would be able to find clothes here that were similar quality and less expensive. We also thought that since it is very hot here, it would be especially easy to find lightweight, cool clothing. We were very wrong on both accounts.

I don't understand much about economics, but Philip hypothesizes that the market here in Thailand is not big enough (and wealthy enough) to cater to. This means that everything made in this part of the world gets shipped to the big markets in Europe and North America. If we wants something like the quality we would get in the United States, it will likely be something that was intended for the U.S. market, and at high cost was instead redirected to Thailand. This means it will be very expensive.

If we find clothing or shoes at a reasonable price, they will be so cheaply made that it is not worth even the small price. Whenever something breaks the first day used, the girls just shrug and say, "It's Thai." We have dresses that were second hand when we got them that have survived three girls' heavy wearing. Philip's favorite pair of shorts was purchased at Goodwill and have been worn extensively, including for swimming. They are intact. Yet the short he got a month ago, have been patched three times already.

The worst trouble we have had is with footwear. We wear sandals every day. I literally cannot count the number of pairs of sandals we have gone through. Just a few weeks ago, Philip through away about ten pairs that were irreparable. I am wearing my blue hiking sandals my mom bought me from Lands' End twelve years ago. Philip has reglued the soles on and the soles are showing the wear of the years, but they are otherwise in great shape. If I knew the company had the same quality and type of sandals today, I would get another pair for me and one for Eris.

Eris's feet have been growing way too fast, but we've had other trouble too. My mom sent her a pair of saltwater sandals, which we hoped would last through her and maybe even Meriel. When we were staying at the Guest House, she left them out by the playset one evening. One of the pair was never seen again. Carried of by a cat maybe? Since she did not have any sandals to wear, we bought her a pair at the store. They broke within a week. Another pair of sandals sent from the States survived for nearly a year but then the connections between the straps and the sole began to wear out. Philip repaired them many times, but they just kept breaking at another place. Her current pair were bought about a month ago, in the women's section. The soles have already been glued on and are starting to separate again.

I really don't have any memorable stories about Meriel's sandals. She has not lost any nor had one break so badly while out and about that it had to be replaced immediately. Her current pair is from the U.S., repaired by Philip twice.

Hollis had a pair of sandals that Philip bought at Goodwill during his trip to the U.S. a year ago spring. They were holding up great. In January, she decided to use one as a digging tool while at the beach. It went missing. Philip carried her around until we could find a pair that would work for her the next morning. Recently, a friend from church who is a year older than Hollis has been giving her hand me downs, so Hollis is set for sandals now. This family is from the Philippines, so have never seen the wonderful price of sandals to be had at sales, thrift stores, and garage sales in the States; they buy the "reimported" items at a premium, so they last for a second child.

Simeon has worn the same pair of sandals his whole life. We stretched the limit for going around barefoot. Before he was walking well, I didn't set him down anywhere that wasn't clean enough for him to crawl and thus also be barefoot. By the time, we really felt that he must have a pair of shoes on his feet, he was able to wear the pair my mom had sent from the States, though they were a bit big. Now his toes are poking out and starting to get black on the bottom. We have been looking around for sandals that would last until Grandma comes in September. For some reason, Thais mainly shod their children in flip-flops, so it is difficult to find sandal in small sizes. I can't imagine a two year old being able to keep those on their feet while walking the uneven sidewalks or being carried through the crowds. I do not want to have to worry about shoes flying off as I'm scrambling to get all my children on a barely stopped bus.

Yesterday, we finally decided to go to a fancy department store to see if we could find a sale that would offer some sandals for Simeon. I found a pair that fit and were going to be a reasonable price on sale 40-60% off, a little big at size 8, but we can't afford to be too picky. When I asked the clerk the price, she told me that they were not on sale. Only those three pairs of shoes directly below the sign were included in the sale. Meriel found a pair that looked higher quality than most. The price was still more than we are usually willing to pay, but we were running out of options. We decided to try them on and if they fit, we would buy them. At first Simeon was resistant to wearing anything other than the only pair of sandals he has ever known. This changed dramatically with his first step. The sandals squeaked! A grin of delight lit up his face as he began to dance around.

Now Simeon has a pair of sandals that fit and is excited to wear. We just have to remember to take them off whenever we arrive somewhere that requires quiet. Another reason we can't wait for Grandma and Grandpa to come!

Our Fruit Bowl

One of the benefits of living in Thailand is the year round fresh fruits and vegetables. While I certainly miss berries (I'm a big berry girl - all my top favorites are berries), I concentrate on appreciating the joys of watermelon in January and cutting into a juicy pineapple whenever I chose. Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are rare here. Why open a can of pineapple (which I've never seen in a grocery store), when you can a whole one from any market or already cut into chunks from a street vendor. The only vegetable I've bought frozen is peas, because I have not found fresh ones for sale, and they are a key ingredient in Lemony Alfredo and Peas - Philip's and Meriel's requested birthday meal.

Apples and grapes are a rare treat, but we've gotten the privilege of trying many new fruits, many of which we learned the Thai names for before (if ever) figuring out what they are called in English. Our favorite are shaumpuu - usually red, occasionally green, crisp, not too sweet, can be eaten in their entirety, although the bottom is not as tasty and is often discarded. They do not last very long, so we eat them the day they are purchased from market. When learning Thai with a neighbor, I showed her a picture of a pear as we learned words from The Very Hungry Little Caterpillar; having never seen a pear before, she said it was a shaumpoo since they share a similar shape.

Another delicious and fun looking new fruit are ngo (short "o"). These Seussical edibles are pink egg shapes covered with long greenish stiff "hair." Once the peel is off, the white fruit is sweet but not too much so with texture similar to the middle of a grape; it can be a bit annoying to get all the fruit of the oblong pit in the center, but it is worth the hassle.

I believe the world boasts many kinds of guava, but the farang (also the word for white people) here are green with a soft, white flesh. Probably the closest exotic to an apple. While I don't think they would work as a replacement in apple crisp or pie, we still enjoy these as a stand alone snack.

A final fun fruit I will mention at this time that we frequently enjoy are dragonfruit. We actually have yet to learn the Thai name for this amazing looking item. With layers of thick pink peel curling away, it does rather resemble imaginary dragon scales. The texture of the inside is like a kiwi but white with black flecks. The flavor again is sweet but not overly so.

I hope you've enjoyed a journey through the succulent fruit of Thailand. I realize that I'm not very good at describing taste. Something to work on. In the meantime, enjoy a few extra berries for me during all the berry (and cherry) seasons this summer.

Pluto

One of the great things about being a mom is learning new things every day, and then sharing them with my children. Last month, we watched Venus and Jupiter come closer together in the western evening sky. In this part of the world, they didn't appear to get as close as farther north, but we did see them gradually close in on each other night by night. On July 1, we noted them at their closest before moving farther apart. Eris and I studied the characteristics of these two planets during the day as we gazed at them nightly.

Philip is interested in the potential of travel to Mars. Meriel likes to ask, over and over again, if I went to Mars and stayed for when day and returned, how old would I be when I came back? (Answer: almost 12.) We discuss possible challenges that would face settlers on Mars and explain Earth concepts such as atmosphere, gravity, and importance of water. We also entertain questions such as why people might want to try to visit and live on Mars and what sort of rule might have to be put in place.

Next up is some exciting new developments about Pluto. Nine years ago, before Eris was even born, NASA launched a satellite dubbed New Horizon. It has been nearing Pluto and sending back never seen before images of our solar systems farthest planet. On Tuesday evening (our time), the satellite will be at its closest position and sending back real time photos of a side of the planet that has never been seen before by humans. We get to learn about Pluto, space exploration, advanced technology. We are excited to learn new information about our universe at the same time as the experts do.

You can learn more and follow New Horizon:https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/index.html

What I Do...

Lest you think that I've been a slacker since I haven't been posting much lately, let me fill you in. Summer is a busy time for us with six birthdays and an anniversary falling within three months. It's a natural break from our school routine to focus on celebrating the various members of our family. There are also some daily activities that I am trying to do with the children, so that by the end of the day, I don't have much free time. So before the girls are ready to work on their surprise for Daddy's birthday, I will take a few minutes to share how I've been spending my time.

It would not be a good idea for Meriel to go three months without doing any reading. We are very, very slowly working our way through the Peter and Jane key words books. It's important for her to feel confident with one level before moving on to the next, or she gets too discouraged. Although it's often a fight to get her started, she is doing great and progressing steadily.

The other activity I try to do daily with Meriel is a tin whistle lesson. That's right, I am teaching her to play an instrument. She is so musical, and I thought it would be a great confidence booster for her to be able to learn something that Eris is not. She does not like to work at it, but she is noticing improvement from practicing ten minutes every day. When she plays something correctly, she is really pleased, and I believe she will really enjoy being able to play some day. We are both imagining Daddy's delight when she plays for him on his birthday.

Eris and I have started reading the Bible together. It started with an assignment from her Sunday school teacher to read the book of Matthew. She may have misunderstood the teacher, since she never brought it up again, but it turned out well because it has started this new habit. We normally to a family Bible story time, but Eris is old enough for something a bit deeper. We finished Matthew last Saturday, and, at Eris's request, are now reading Joshua.

Eris is my little dancer. We have been stretching and dancing together nearly every day. We practice some ballet positions, learn some moves from other dance genres, and even make up our own. We choreographed a dance together that she is practicing to perform on Daddy's birthday.

On days that Hollis does not go to preschool, she has tracing homework - either Thai letters or numbers. So while I'm working with the other girls, I also supervise her. She is always super excited to do her homework and actually works to trace properly. Previously, when I tried to get her to trace she would purposely make "mistakes" and draw wildly off the line. I am pleased with this improvement.

Other than my daily devotion time, my daily activities include fitting in a fiddle practice session. I really feel better about the rest of the day, if I make a chance to fiddle. I also usually manage to squeeze in some Thai vocabulary and sometimes even some pleasure reading. Well, time's up; gotta go!

The Tune of My Heart

As my fiddle playing has slowly improved and I'm actually playing a few tunes now, I've come to understand that I can't really play a tune unless I first develop a clear idea of what it's supposed to sound like. The only other instrument I've really played previously (apart from recorder in fourth grade music class) is the piano. With the piano, what you press is what you get. I could read the music, and as long I pressed the appropriate key for the correct length of time, I could play a song without ever having heard it before. Of course, knowing a song beforehand certainly helped but wasn't necessary. With fiddle, it's different. If my finger is slight lower or higher on the string than it should be or if my bowing pattern is off, it won't sound right. The only way I really know that I'm playing the proper note is if it sounds right or by staring at the tuner the entire time I play. As I try to get away from dependence on the tuner and recognize on my own a particular note, having a tune clearly engrained in my mind is necessary.

How do I go about getting those tunes in my mind? By listening to them, over and over again, while I fold laundry, prepare a meal, or sweep the living room. When a tune gets "stuck in my head," I know I'm ready to try to play it. When I hit a discordant note, I don't have to look at my tuner, I just compare it to the note in my mind and know to try to move my finger slightly. I am not "learning by ear" just yet, as I still rely on sheet music to some extent. However, I am developing my ear for the sound of the notes and the style of playing I hope to eventually be able to imitate. The more I've heard a tune, the better I'll be able to play it.

The same goes for my life, if I want the actions in my life to demonstrate a particular tune, I need to know it well. Eris had an assignment from her Sunday school teacher to read the book of Matthew. Since her teacher speaks Thai, we aren't always exactly sure of what is required, but I decided it would certainly not hurt for us to read together, even if that wasn't the assignment. This morning, Eris finished reading the first half of the book to me while I hung laundry on the line. I strongly desire my life to follow the Bible, to reflect Jesus in every aspect. To do so, I need to be listening to the Word, carrying it in my heart and mind. I would do well to have a verse or passage going through my mind as I wash dishes, get the children ready for bed, or wander through the vegetable market. I often do find a hymn or praise song in my heart that I hum around the house, uplifting my spirit when I'm inclined to be discouraged.

Just as I'm learning to place my finger in a certain place on a particular string to produce a distinct sound, I am learning endeavoring to follow patterns in my behavior. When my children behave poorly, "Love is patient" should automatically jump into my mind, followed by an enactment of this. When I feel weary of living in Bangkok, I want to see all around me as "sheep without a shepherd" and earnestly desire that I may have a part in their coming to know Jesus. On days I don't want to persevere, I "continue to run the race so as to win the prize." When I'm tempted to worry about what the future holds, I need to choose to "not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself." The more I listen to, read, and meditate on Scripture, the more my life will be able to sound like the right tune.

When the Cat's Away, the Mice... Fuss!

At supper, Philip asked me what I thought about him going to a movie this evening. I was curious to know what time, so he looked up the schedule and said 7:40; he would need to leave at little after 7:00. This gave him time to finish supper with us and wash the dishes, as he usually does. He also wouldn't be back too late, so I thought it sounded fine. I usually do most of the bedtime routine with the kids, so it's not much different when he's not around, other than I have to sing the bedtime songs instead.

Well, just as soon as Philip walks out the gate, things begin to go awry. Simeon had fallen asleep in his high chair during supper. Often a short nap at this time, allows him to get through to bedtime without a fuss. This time, he woke up when Philip was getting ready to leave and was not happy. He screams the whole time I cleaned up his high chair. The girls are supposed to be putting the blocks away and getting ready for their shower. I pick Simeon up, and as he begins calming down, Eris informs me that Meriel had just dumped all the blocks out. I order her to "pick them up right now." She tells me, "No!" For the sake of a peaceful evening, I consider overlooking this sass since she does start to put the blocks in the box, but then she sticks her tongue out at me. I send her straight to the shower, and the second wailing episode begins.

I settle down on the couch to nurse Simeon into a better mood. Then Eris arrives to explain that Meriel is using "enough soap for six Meriels." Again, I consider letting this go, but we've had "lessons" on this (we have all sorts of interesting "lessons" such as practicing saying thank you to those who give up seats for us on public transportation, learning what voice volume is appropriate to use in crowded places) with me demonstrating how much soap to use and how to obtain it followed by each child showing me how to do it and then a "practice session." I really feel I should be consistent in encouraging the girls not be wasteful, so I set Simeon down to go into the bathroom to remind Meriel how to press the soap dispenser head down partway. Simeon throws a fit.

Again, I'm on the couch calming Simeon. Eris enters, "The shower head is spraying funny. I can't really explain it." Simeon has to unlatch again, he's just getting to big to carry and nurse at the same time if I need the use of my hands. He's mad. I'm frustrated. I think that the girls must have done something to break the shower head; often they let it swing down to slam against the wall instead of replacing it in its holder. When I turn on the water to examine how it's flowing, I realize that the hose is leaking. This is probably just a matter of wear and tear, so I am a bit mollified. Eris starts crying because she doesn't want to use the squeeze sprayer or bucket and dipper for her shower. "I wish Daddy were here!" "I wish he were too," I think; out loud, "If he were I don't think he'd be able to fix it tonight. Just rinse off quickly."

I get Meriel into bed. She's fussing because she doesn't get a story. Simeon is screaming so I can barely hear her. I patiently explain that she needs to remember to be respectful to Mommy and that is why she does not get a story. I need to get Simeon calmed down, and I will check on her when I tuck Hollis in in a little bit. She does calm down a bit, and I know she will fall asleep quickly. I give her a big hug and kiss.

Finally, I'm back on the couch, nursing Simeon and ready to read Hollis's story. Simeon likes this library book, which is a story about a dog. He's happy now and Hollis is in a good mood because she got a nap before supper. I am thankful, because otherwise I would be dealing with another naughty child. After her story, I remember that Hollis has not done her homework for preschool the next day. I'm doubly grateful for her nap that will allow her to do her page of tracing 6 and ๖ without hassle. She cheerily and carefully does her page while I read Eris's story.

Then Hollis is in bed. As I'm at the door, she calls me back because she has forgotten to give me a hug, then an "Eskimo kiss." Now the door is shutting, Simeon is fussing about something and I accidentally clip his heel in the door, so now he has a reason to cry. I'm down to two. Simeon usually likes showers, so I pacify him by telling him it's shower time. As we're taking a shower, he gets mad again because we can't use the regular shower head. We hurry through and get out. Eris is trying to play a computer game, a treat since Daddy is gone and we have a chance to use it. She's having trouble figuring out what to do next. I make a note that we have to somehow get her more computer literate, since it's so important these days. It's hard with Philip using the computer nearly constantly, except when he's doing something with the kids.

When it's time for Eris to wrap up what she's doing on the computer, she gets attacked by one of the "phantoms" in the game. She's frustrated; she had wanted to complete the adventure. She doesn't like doing things that she is not immediately good at. She's crying out of frustration, missing Daddy, weariness. She wants to go to bed; perfect because it is time for her to do so. I tuck her in. One child sleep child left.

I hear Eris sobbing because she wants me to sleep with her, but she knows I'm not going to tonight. I couldn't stay with her longer because Simeon was threatening to wake up her sisters. She will calm down and fall asleep soon. Simeon clambers for my attention. At first he wants to wiggle and nurse, but I chide him when he gets too wild and set him aside. He screams, calms, climbs back in my arms ready to rest. Gradually the whimpers from the bedroom subside. Simeon nurses to sleep in my lap as I write this.

Four children asleep. Actually, it wasn't really that bad. Now it's Mommy time!

Time Spent with Daddy

On my first Father's Day, I was three days old. I gave my Daddy an Oregon belt buckle and Mommy gave him the belt to match. I've given him many gifts over the years, many of them homemade. Now days, the gift we enjoy sharing the most is just talking and spending time together. I am a self-proclaimed "Daddy's Girl," and I have many memories of doing things him. In honor of Father's Day, I'd like to share a few.

When I was little, my Daddy was really busy working on his doctorate. When he wasn't at the seminary for class, he was upstairs in his study. He had a box of fun toys that were not allowed to leave the room. At bedtime, I would climb the stairs to say good night. If he wasn't too busy, Daddy would play with some of the toys with me: a helicopter that could fly about the room, a really long stuffed snake, a wind-up hopping chick. Sometimes he would show me "tricks" on the computer, like moles popping everywhere on the screen or spray painting the background. Since I didn't have much time with him, those little times were very special.

I remember accompanying Daddy to the hardware store and him explaining all the different screws, bolts, and nails in the various bins. He seemed to know about so many things and didn't seem to mind answering lots of questions. Mom vividly remembers a time when we were all in the store together. I was given a choice of going with Mommy to one department or with Daddy to another. I choose Mommy, but after Daddy had already disappeared, I changed my mind and started screaming, "I want my Daddy!"

When I was older, I remember getting to stay up late with him on Saturday nights to watch British television shows on PBS. While my brother was his primary fishing buddy, we did have some wonderful trips together. I didn't enjoy getting up early, but I did enjoy riding the ocean swells with breeze whipping my hair - just Dad, the sea, the sky, and me. We also hunted together, silently walking the hills in the wet, autumn dawn. It was more about being with my Dad, then actually finding a deer. We enjoyed just about anything we did together.

My Dad and I both are bookworms and night owls, so we have enjoyed many midnight reading times and discussions together. I was going to read C.S. Lewis's Narnia series to myself, but he wanted to read it to me, so I let him do so. Whenever, he didn't want to read of an evening, I would threaten to read ahead. I've read entire books over his shoulder, just starting out of curiosity and then continuing because it was a good book. We've raced each other to the finish of other books, reading the same copy or sometimes checking a second one out of the library. We've reread books together (either the second time for him, me, or both). Right before college, I was the one who started the Harry Potter series, and told him that they were really good books but were going to get dark. He picked them up and read them all right away. We read the remaining books of the series together during my summer vacations. We went to a book party at the local library to pick up our copies of the final book during the summer between my second and third years of medical school when Eris was a few weeks old. I read that book during all those midnight and mid-day feeding sessions, allowing me to keep up with Dad despite my tiredness.

I am so thankful for my Daddy and all the wonderful times we've spent together. God willing, we will have many more. He is someone I can have a good time with no matter what we're doing, someone I can be real and honest with, someone who prays for me and loves me, and just wants to be with me. I love you, Daddy!

"Time spent together is never wasted"

About Mommy

A friend posted on Facebook a list of questions and answers about herself which she had asked her six year old. He had some really cute responses. None of my daughters were that great but some are worth sharing. It's fun to get inside your child's mind by asking questions like these. Maybe I'll see if I can find some more lists and try to do something like this every once in a while.

What is something Mommy always says to you?
Hollis: I love you.
Meriel: She doesn't say anything always. (My literal minded child. "Ok, a lot.") Calm
             down.
Eris: You're not meaning not to.

What makes Mommy happy?
Hollis: I obey.
Meriel: When I behave.
Eris: Cleaning up.

What makes Mommy sad?
Hollis: Me being naughty.
Meriel: When I be naughty.
Eris: [Me] hitting Meriel.

How does Mommy make you laugh?
Eris: By laughing at my jokes.

What was Mommy like as a child?
Hollis: I don't remember.
Meriel: I don't know. Like Eris.
Eris: I don't know. Liked to play.

How old is Mommy?
Hollis: I don't remember. 21?
Meriel; Eris: 31


How tall is Mommy?
Meriel: 10 feet tall.
Eris: 5 feet

What is Mommy's favorite thing to do?
Hollis: Play!
Meriel; Eris: Read.


What does Mommy do when you're not around?
Hollis: Miss me.
Meriel: Play her fiddle.
Eris: Try to get presents for me.

If Mommy becomes famous, what will it be for?
Meriel: Doing a cartwheel on a trampoline at a circus.
Eris: Reading out loud, shouting at the top of her voice for 3 hours. (Pause.) Probably be
         famous for reading so many books.

What is Mommy really good at?
Hollis: School.
Meriel; Eris: Cooking

What is Mommy not very good at?
Meriel: Are you not very good at fiddling? (What do you think?) I think you're better at
             fiddling. I think you're not very good at cartwheeling.
Eris: (Laughs) I know, getting away from her children.

That's all for now. Good night!

A "Touchless" Date

Imagine you and your husband of ten years haven't been on a date in two-and-a-half years. Finally, you have an opportunity to go on a no-kids, out of the house, real live date. As you step out of the gate, your hands free from little fingers and diaper bags, you reach for each others' hands. Hooray, let the date begin!

This is how our late afternoon began yesterday. The reasons Philip and I haven't been on a date in so long are too numerous and complicated to relate. The simple explanation has to do with no nearby family, limited funds, and four young children. We do have plenty of time together at home with the children, and even "alone time" in the evenings watching documentaries, reading, and conversing about various topics - Biblical issues, astronomy and physics, fantasy literature. If you can name it, we've probably discussed it. With our tenth anniversary approaching, we finally had the opportunity for a real date. We knew someone who could watch the kids, and she was willing to do it.


Contemporary Thai culture clashes between conservative and progressive. Here it is inappropriate for a couple to demonstrate affection in public. Certainly no kissing, no cuddling, no hugs, not even hand holding. While many foreigner visitors ignore these taboos, as ambassadors of Christ, we need to respect them. When Philip and I go somewhere together, it's with four children. I carry Simeon in the baby-carrier and hold one or two hands. Philip carries the bag packed with all the stuff four young children may need while out and hold the other necessary hands. We do not have free hands for each other. It has never been an issue. Suddenly this cultural prohibition was a bother; it felt odd to be walking alone with my husband without touching him.

Philip and I allowed ourselves to hold hands to the end of our yaek (short dead end street), and that was it. I learned that I'm terrible at walking right beside my husband when I'm not holding his hand. I'm habitually a fast walker, so my pace kept gradually increasing so I would end up ahead of him. (Hopefully, not a metaphor for our marriage.) When I focused on keeping in step with him, I did much better. As we wandered around Jatujak Market, people kept cutting between us. I longed to grab his hand to keep us a unit. We still had a wonderful time together, just the two of us. Far be it from me to complain about this opportunity. However, next time we have a chance for date in the "Western" world, I look forward to holding my husband's hand and showing the world that we are one.

Comfort in the Storm

I enjoy a good rainstorm, especially at night. The pattering of rain on the tin roof is relaxing to me, lulls me to sleep. Meriel, on the other hand, is afraid of rain. More precisely, she is afraid of what rain usually brings. Last week, it started to rain in the middle of the night. Before I even heard the rain, I heard shrieks coming from the girls' bedroom. When I ran in there and asked Meriel what was wrong, she said, "It's raining." And then, "I'm scared that it might thunder." I tried to get her to calm down and not worry about something that might happen in the future. She settled down a bit, so I went back to bed. Then, a peal of thunder crashed. Howling, Meriel hurried into our room, arms full of stuffed animals and blankets. That was the only thunder we heard for the night, but it was enough to validate Meriel's fears.

As I lay in bed trying to get back to sleep, I thought about how I often worry about what might happen in the future. It's really just as ridiculous as Meriel being afraid of rain. "Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself!"

At supper one evening, we were talking about the weather. I mentioned that it is almost always cool in Oregon. Philip countered with, "But it rains a lot." I could see the concern on Meriel's face with the mention of rain, so I added that it usually doesn't thunder. Her face brightened, "I would play outside in the rain all the time!" I informed her that it is often cold when it rains, and she laughed. The idea of cold rain without thunder is such a foreign concept to her.

Last night, we did have a real thunderstorm. Lightening flashed right side our window, thunder shuddering the house at the same instant. Meriel pressed up right against my side, Simeon sandwiched between us. The power of the storm was impressive. Waves of rain blew against the house. I enjoyed the coolness the rain brought, the refreshing breeze of the storm. My children won't always need my comforting arms around them, so I just cherished the moment. Eventually, the storm blew past, and we all drifted into a restful sleep. I pray that my children will always let God restore peace in their hearts and lives in such a manner.

Lead the Way

If you've ever tried to walk through a crowded place with a child, you've probably figured out that young children are not very good at navigating. Or maybe your children are better at that than mine. The ideal situation is to walk hand in hand, side by side. In Bangkok, however, this is often impossible, even with only one child. Food carts, poles, flower pots, holes clutter the sidewalks leaving little room for people to pass. Add people waiting for buses, in line to buy food, meandering as they look at their phones, riding mopeds and push carts, and it is often necessary to walk single file.

If I put a child in front of me, I can easily keep track of her. But then she minces along, getting distracted by every little thing. She has trouble making the decision which direction to go around an obstacle. She stops for a moped directly in the middle of its intended path. She hesitates before every turn and curve. She often obliviously runs into a person or step into his way. An already slow and hindered trip becomes unbearably frustrating.

The second option is for the child to follow me. I can lead the way, threading decisively around, through, and between obstacles. I step aside for mopeds, the elderly, and heavily laden pedestrians. The problem with this is that I cannot see whether or not the child is actually following me. They often have trouble following right on my heels and get too far behind. If I have a free hand, I guide her in this way, but often I am caring heavy bags and this is not possible. Usually, I have her hold onto my skirt but this can also lead to trouble with a lagging child blocking the way with a stretched out skirt. Try this operation with four children, and it is a wonder we ever make it anywhere!

This morning, I was thinking about how difficult it can be to physically guide my children around the swarming streets of Bangkok. How much more challenging and crucial it is to direct them through the spiritual aspects of life. I, as a mother, need to be at the forefront showing my children how to push through discouragement, avoid temptation, embrace adversity. I can teach them how to remain aware of the spiritual battles raging around us daily. I must run the race without meandering or hesitation. They will follow me, so I better be following Christ.

Hollis is Four!

I cannot overestimate how much of a blessing it is to have Hollis in our lives. Words cannot describe the joy, laughter, delight, excitement she brings. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I thought I'd share some that show the best of our Hollis June.