One hat, one sister, one brother, one dad, one room, one conversation, one million rabbits chased in one afternoon...

Double dog dare me, huh?

My SON accused me of being vain! While I was getting ready one day...I started entertaining him with new hairstyles...he said I'd never let him take pictures...I did. He said I'd NEVER post them on the blog...I am. So there! I'm no chicken!

A few pics of a favorite past time...

WONDER WHERE THEY GET IT....


I actually have one of the King in the bathtub, but because I value my marriage...I will NOT be posting that one...it was just to be able to threaten! LOL.

You can take the Worship leader out of the Church...

...but not out of the man...

...nor the worshipper out of the man...

...and he's training the next generation...


I was cooking dinner when I heard the King singing. Nothing new there, until I realized that he was singing songs we haven't sung in a long time. I stuck my head out and saw that he was using powerpoint. He has saved all the powerpoints he created as a worship leader. While we were gone he didn't get to play the guitar or piano for the whole month. He said he missed it. He has played every day since we returned, I think. I smiled, took the picture and went back to cooking dinner. Then I heard a sweet voice chime in. I stuck my head out and listened and obviously grabbed the camera. These are the moments I want to remember forever. Earlier it had been the Prince and the King side by side on guitar (didn't get that pic), and now just the King and Princess singing praise to the Lord. Ohhhh, it makes my heart smile.

In lieu of a school picture...

Princess: I think I'll try to steal a kiss...

Prince: I think NOT!

Therapy anyone?

I hope my kids don't need therapy from the things I post on my blog...but this is too funny! Some of the summer visitors left a few things for the Princess...the rollers...the house dress...and she stayed in enough hotels to collect the shower cap on her own (I discovered 5 in her cosmetic bag!). I've been meaning to post these and I am just now remembering...enjoy my cute girl!

Wanna see somethin' cute?

GOTTA LOVE IT!!!

Good News!

1John 5:1 Everyone who has faith that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God: and everyone who has love for the Father has love for his child






A reward for living your life for the Lord is when your children say, "Me,too!" When they choose Christ, oh, what a sweet blessing.

So proud to call you sister and not just niece.

Starbucks...how I miss you!

During our time away...there was a Starbucks just around the corner. Needless to say, we frequented the place! I was reacquainted with my love... Caramel Frappuccino
(sp?). My waistline knows how many visits I made...

KBK!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl! I'm sorry I've been such a poor e-pal. I'll try to do better. Love you. Miss you. SOO proud of you!

A funny...

I hope I can do this justice...

Foreword: When I leave town, I like to make sure that I have the next few meals, upon returning home, covered. It is a pain to try to get groceries when you are tired and it's usually late at night when we return. This time...I forgot to make sure...so...no spaghetti, no easy meals, nothing, nada, zilch. Only. PB&J. Which 3 out of 4 of us love...but the one who counts the most...doesn't LOVE it.

After returning late Friday night and having pop tarts for breakfast (Can you say "care package"?) and PB&J for dinner...I was in the middle of sorting laundry when it dawned on me...it's dinner time. Yikes. The King had stepped out of the house and even though we've had our share of western food this last month...I thought he wouldn't mind this time.

We are blessed to be just inside the "delivery district" of Papa John's. And we've done it enough times...Thank you Lord.

Anyway. When I call, I always ask if there is someone there who speaks English (in the national language, of course) because there is a girl who is there about half the time and it's so much easier to order in English. This time the answer was no. So, I proceeded to order in the national language. The guy(we'll call him #1)after telling me no one ther spoke English said, "Miss, wait a minute" and put the phone to his chest I assume because he then yelled at the top of his lungs, "FOREIGNER!" (as in...someone PLEASE help me!) immediately another person (guy #2) came on the line to take my order. I told guy #2 what I wanted and guy #1 came back on the line loudly saying my address and phone number...I said yes, and then guy #2 came back on telling me to call another number where they speak English. I repeated my order and they repeated the number. Ok. I get it.

Here's the deal...in all of this...I DID place my order....they DID understand it because they said it back to me (twice)....they DID know I wanted it delivered because they confirmed my address...and they still made me call another number.

So...I hung up and called the number...it was not a WORKING number. What? I resigned myself to PB&J for dinner.

Then....the King came home...by this time the reality of what guy#1 yelled was cracking me up. In the moment...I was focused on my language...but now...ROTFLOL!!! I could just picture him...he realized he was not talking to a local...assumed he would not be able to understand me...politely asked me to wait...an SCREAMED for help!!!

Well, after the King had a good laugh he thought he could do better. So...he called. They didn't yell FOREIGNER, but they did act like they couldn't understand him.

It's funny. Many people freak out a little bit when we speak to them because they ASSUME they won't understand us. Sometimes I just have to say, "Listen to me...I'm speaking YOUR language." And even then, at times, they think they don't know what we're saying. I've even heard of people walking off and telling their friend, "Wow, I didn't know I knew so much English!" You've GOT to be kidding me. :)

Long story short...we DID get a pizza...and a good laugh for free!

Hotel room pics...

Does Sesil sleep with everyone?

A Day to Celebrate...

On October 14th, 2008 at about midnight we stepped off an airplane into our new city, jet lagged and ready to find a bed. It was a Tuesday night. We had been traveling since Monday morning. Our plane left Houston at 6:00 AM. We were so glad to get here...then the fun began.

We'd said goodbye to our families and friends, knowing that for many of them we wouldn't see them again for a few years (3? 4? 5?) and knowing that some we would never see again this side of heaven. We have lost several, some closer than others. But that's not the point...the point is, well, I think I have a few points.

1) We made it. There have been several days when I was ready to go back home and stop this crazy ride. I'm a "homebody". I like to come home and stay. This place has not felt like home, until recently, and then it's a new kind of home.

2) I can survive without seeing my peeps. I'm a people person. The people over here have not "warmed up" to me as of yet. I miss my mom, friends, family, and generally the people who love me! God bless the creator of SKYPE.com!

3) I can survive in the land of seafood!...and even gain weight! Although there are many things that I don't care for, I have found that my taste buds have adjusted. There are things that we ate all the time at this time last year that we never eat because we don't really care for them anymore. Strange huh? Not to mention that we have a McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Papa John's and a Dairy Queen in our city. We limit ourselves on how much "western food" we eat, but do reward ourselves about....mmm...once a week with one of the above.

4) Anyone ever seen "While You Were Sleeping"? Sandra Bullocks' character wants to have stamps in her passport. Me too. Although I traveled a little when I was 17, I've never been very far from home (my home state) for long. So, it's a neat thing to have all these stamps in my passport. As a matter of fact, I was telling the kids the other day, that they are blessed. How many 7 yr. olds (or even 14 yr. olds.) do you know that have been all over Asia and know their way around an airport and customs with no fear or apprehension?

5) God truly moves in mysterious ways. I have been moved out of my comfort zone. Before the move, I was a confident, fairly articulate professional who knew my strengths and weaknesses and was not afraid to step up and do what needed to be done. Since the move, I have found myself stuttering and unable to communicate in either language, lacking the confidence and boldness to speak up about anything. I have felt like God unzipped me from head to toe and turned me inside out to clean out spaces in my life I didn't know I had. To say it's been difficult would be an understatement. But worth it? Absolutely. I was comfortable and a little cocky. Now, I know I'm lost without Him. Before, I SAID I was lost without Him. There is a difference and I'm still learning all about it.

6) We are NOT HOME, yet. Home. Mmmm. I miss my house and land. But I've learned much about myself because it's gone. I was much more materialistic than I thought. Now, I have nothing. It's liberating. But more than that. Home is where I felt the most like myself. I was home in my house in the country. I was home in my classroom. I was home with my friends. I was home at church. I was home visiting our families. There's a part of me in all those places helping me to connect. Without those, or really any, connections I floundered. The longer I've lived here and with the little bit of traveling we've done since being here...it's nice to come home. Being here long enough has given us connections. Also, everything that has happened in the last year reminds me that this world is not my home. Here or with you, we're all destined for another place. Losing the loved ones I've lost this year sets my mind on seeing them there someday.

7) Growing up and out from the USA. While living in the states, I had one perspective on its inhabitants, now I have a somewhat different one. Now, I know that most of the people reading this are in the states, so please don't be offended. This is my lesson. My view of the world has changed. It really is a small place. In this country, I have met people who know where my hometown (Pop. 8,000 Salute!) is. Usually a foreigner passing through but still....Crazy. I see how the rest of the world views Americans and why. They think we are like "Hollywood". Yikes. One comment I heard was how normal I am. Uh-huh, most Americans are normal (don't go there!). Most of us get up, go to work, take care of our family, cook supper, do homework with our kids...normal things. Although the process of what all of that looks like over here is different...we look the same on the inside. Isn't that why God looks at the heart? We're all the same on the inside.

Ok. I know. I've gone on long enough, but the truth of the matter is that there's more. I know you get the picture. We all grow and change and as we've reflected on the changes in our family this year, we've been amazed. As a family we talked about what's been good? Hard? Bad? Still undecided about? And the truth is...we're right where God wants us to be.

So...One year down....how many more to go? We'll have to see. No definitive answer on that one yet.

Had it your way lately?

My family wishes I'd stop setting the camera on the table...they never hear it click...well, SHE does...hence the look.

Lest you think all we did was eat while we were away...let me just say that I can't post some of the pictures we took (you know that whole anonymity thing), but when all you eat is Asian food and you get to a place where you have other options...you usually take the other options. At least, if kids are with you! More to come!