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!