Finding Jesus in apartment hunting

In Josh's hunt for the perfect apartment, he found one that meets about 97% of our Dream Apartment Criteria. When you factor in the reality that a perfect apartment just doesn't exist, that 97% was looking pretty good.

The only downside to this great apartment (because there has to be one, right?) is that the landlord kept putting us off and wouldn't give a direct answer. In America, it would be easy to assume that things just kept coming up and that's it. But here, speaking indirectly is also a very clear way to speak directly. If he's putting us off, it's likely that the answer is no.

Anyway, so we're still waiting on a final word if he'll rent this apartment to us. In the meantime, we've been taking on the the role of the man who had friends arrive at his house after a long journey. Our kids are probably tired of hearing us pray that God will keep this apartment open for us!

Last night as we were finishing up family devos and getting ready for prayer time, I asked the girls, "What's something important that we really need to keep praying for?"

And Samantha answers, "For us to love Jesus and follow Him well."

In that innocent answer, all the importance I had placed on this apartment vanished. All the ways I had dreamed about using the rooms and improvements I'd make seemed so silly...because Samantha's answer was so true.

To follow Christ and love him above all should be my most important goal, my most frequent prayer, and my most worthy endeavor.

I can get so easily distracted by the promises of comfort the world offers. I can get caught up in thinking how I can replenish my pantry to our pre-America days. I can try to plan and arrange our lives and schedules to have as little difficulty as possible. But thanks to the Holy Spirit working in my kids, I'm reminded that at the end of the day, only Christ matters.

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UPDATE: Due to slow and unreliable internet, this post was not published on the day it was written. I'm SO happy to report that the landlord contacted us and we can rent this apartment! We'll have to wait until around July15 to move in, which means still more trusting in the Lord to maintain our sanity for the next two weeks! Thank you to everyone who's been praying for us! I hope to post some pictures soon...if the internet cooperates. =)

so here we are.

I'm sitting here in the air conditioned room of the temporary housing where we're staying. The big girls are playing on the ipad, the little girl is passed out from a jet-lag induced nap, and the little boy is screaming for attention. Really, he's squealing for attention, but sometimes squealing and screaming are hard to differentiate. My wonderful, capable, and thoughtful husband is out looking at a few apartments.

It's been a good week so far. We've been blessed by the prayers of old friends and blessed by the hospitality of new friends. We've been in and around the city and are slowly starting to get a feel for the place. There are so many differences between this city and where we used to live. For those that might be interested, here's a few of them:

Our new city is super hilly - think San Francisco hilly. That means there are very few bikes. It's hard to believe there's such a city in this country that doesn't have bikes, but there is! We're in it! Our calves have been sore each morning just from the little bit of walking we've done.

Our new city has lots and lots of green. There are lovely trees everywhere, but the truly amazing thing is that they aren't covered in a layer of dust. They're...clean. It's shocking, really.

The roads of our old city were generally laid out in a nice grid pattern - North/South streets, East/West streets. This city so far seems to be a jumble of twisty and turny roads. Getting my bearings has been tough for this reason!

This city has a reputation for being cloudy and depressing, but in fact it hasn't seemed that way at all. I think if someone were coming straight here from America, it might seem cloudy and dreary. But if you've lived in other cities here, the fact that it's cloudy and means that you can actually see the clouds is pretty impressive. So many cities here are blanketed with a layer of smog that I wonder if locals even know that clouds exist. Here, you can actually see the shapes of the clouds - which I think is pretty nice.

We had very low expectations of what the city would be like, so I think we're being surprised at every turn. Even though apartment hunting is slow, we have so much to be thankful for. The Lord has truly been gracious to us in leading us here.

Our kids are adjusting well. Silas is totally jet-lagging and has been awake from 2-4 every night except last night. (Maybe that's a sign that things are getting better?) I've carried him more in the Snugli carrier than ever and I'm sure my shoulders and neck will pay for it soon!

Abby is such a little extrovert. She's friendly and funny and says hello to anyone who will look at her. She poses for pictures and waves at toothless old ladies. She's a real charmer. She loves the freedom she gets in the taxi now that carseats are a distant memory. [I, on the other hand, do not love the freedom she gets in the taxi!] She likes chinese food and loves strawberry ice cream.

Samantha has probably been the quickest to adjust of all our kids. She has enthusiastically embraced the people and culture around her. She bravely uses her broken language skills to communicate with waitresses, taxi drivers and passersby. She loves the food and has had zero issues with jet lag. Even she commented yesterday, "I think I'm really getting used to it here!"

Emma still seems a little skeptical of it all, which is fair since she's the oldest and has the largest capacity to compare experiences. She's been concerned about the smell of the streets and her inability to communicate. She doesn't remember many of our previous rules - you must always hold a hand when you cross the street, you have to sit still in the taxi, you've got to pay attention to where you're walking - and the learning curve seems to be hardest on her. I feel like she's caught between being able to be "big girl" in America and having to start from scratch here. We've been trying to be thoughtful about taking extra time to process things with her and giving extra grace for her. She's gradually getting used to things though, and she's enjoying the fun stuff we've been able to do together. She's been so excited to eat some of her special foods again, and she loves playing with the other local children she's met.

We're all looking forward to having our own place soon. We're staying in a two bedroom place, which is better than two hotel rooms but still feels a little cramped for the six of us! So - maybe next week will hold more progress on the apartment search? Thanks to all of you who have kept us in your prayers and have sent words of encouragement our way! We really appreciate you!

Samantha the poet

I haven't blogged much about this, but our time in the States is drawing to a close at a maddeningly fast pace. It's hard to believe we've been here almost a year. It's hard to believe we won't be here again for another four. It's hard to believe that we're almost totally packed!

In the midst of our upcoming move is Samantha's 5th birthday.

How can she almost be five? She still seems so little, so innocent, so dear...and five just seems very grown up. There are many grown up things she can do already, so in some ways it feels like she should be older than five. But the truth of the matter is that I'm not so sure I'm ready for her to be too grown up.

Our main reason for delaying our return overseas is so that she could celebrate her birthday with our families; now that it's upon us, I fear that it will be easy to overlook because of our mountainous to-do list.

My girl Samantha is a bit of a mystery. She's quick to introduce herself to little old ladies at Walmart and ask them a dazzling array of personal questions - how old are you? when is your birthday? is your favorite color yellow? Yet she can equally be hesitant and shy around new people.

She's our easiest-to-please child, hands down. She'll eat, wear or do whatever is asked of her. She loves to eat anything, has no strong preferences regarding her wardrobe (unlike her older sister) and is generally happy to help out.

She brings about the strongest reactions from Abby. She's a great artist. She sometimes feels unsure of herself. Her feelings are very sensitive. She'll hug you and never let go. Her consumption alone could keep the fruit and vegetable industry afloat.

I love this girl.

This year, I've learned more than anything that I MUST find a way to treat Samantha like Samantha. She's not Emma. She's not Abby. She's Samantha - and she has her own needs, her own personality, her own strengths and weaknesses.
The girl can read. And, as I was cleaning out our school folders preparing for our big move, I came across some "notes" she had written in her notebook.

The first one read:

Dear Emma,

I love you because you are my friend. You are a good sister to me. I love the way your voice sounds. It sounds like you and I like the way you are. Love, Samantha

Precious, no? It went in the keepsake box.

Then I found this one - and I realized that not only can Samantha draw well, she's a little poet too!

Dear mommy,

I love you. You are like a dandylion or a sugar puff floating in the air. Love, Samantha your daughter

The third?

Dear Emma,

I love you. You are like a snowflake drifting. Love, Samantha

Her sweet spirit is all over those pages. [And, by the way, I'm claiming dibs on being her literary agent for the future! ha!]

So, with her birthday coming up and the discovery of these great literary works, I wanted this post to be about Samantha. I don't want her to get lost in the shuffle. I want to be able to look at her life and meet her where she's at. I want her to feel like the loved and treasured child she is.
Happy almost Birthday, Samantha. We can't wait to celebrate your five years of life!

Three

I'm noticing that more and more of my pictures have all three girls in them. Abby's getting to the age when she can follow directions (when she wants to), and even smile in the right direction of the camera.

I took this a few days ago just before a water balloon fight in the backyard. I love how they got together and held up their balloons - it has kind of a Charlie Angels-esque feel to it, don't you think?

The three:
Again, the three:
There's still such an age difference between the older two and Abby that lots of pestering still occurs...but they CAN play together happily sometimes. I want my girls to know that leaving someone out isn't an option - no matter how old they are! - but still find a way for them to have a bit of alone time when they need it.

For now, I'm loving the three pics.

so we went to the beach.

If there's one thing that going to the beach will do for you, it's spoil you for reality. A week in balmy temperatures, of one-minute walks to the beach, of swimming and lounging and lazing and snacking - who would want to return to reality after that?

A few weeks ago, the incredible couple who masquerade as my in-laws took our family to Panama City Beach. Josh's parents manage their own business, have three other young children, and a host of other responsibilities - yet they put everything on hold to come and hang with us and our drama precious and well-mannered children.

In case you're wondering, Panama City Beach was gorgeous. We stayed in a gated community that was 20 miles away from what you usually might think of "Panama City Beach". It was quiet. Peaceful. Lovely. Landscaped. And, it was big. [Our beach house was a three-story place that housed all of us together. We were one big happy clan!]

The sand was soft, and the water was clear. I'd go back tomorrow if someone wanted to take me. Any takers?

Here are a few recaps from the trip...

Silas wasn't really digging the beach so much. Maybe the combo of sand and sun was a bit much for his wee little body. Or maybe it was the fact that once we got three other children and two adults dressed and sunscreened, it was already time for his nap?

The big girls LOVED it all. There was not a thing about the beach that they didn't like.

They built sandcastles. They buried each other in the sand. They jumped over waves. They swam in the calmer, deeper parts with Daddy. They found crabs in their holes. They watched tiny little fish get scooped up by pelicans. They were in heaven.
I'm not quite sure when Emma became such a little ham for the camera, but it's officially happened!
How was Abby, you ask? Hmm....
Abby didn't really like the sand so much either. It kept sticking to her feet and her legs and got on her hands - you know, the typical thing that sand does. She didn't like the movement of the waves, or how hard she had to walk to make it back to our beach chairs. She did not like it.

Josh's sister Kristen was able to temporarily soothe her with a joint venture sand castle. This just might be the only picture of her smiling anywhere near the sand.
It kind of put us in a weird spot, though - the big girls loved the beach, the little ones were not big fans. Fortunately, our beach house had a private pool as well, so one or two days I put the little kids down for naps and went to lounge by the pool [sit down for this] by myself. Josh stayed at the beach with the big girls, which was a huge fatherly sacrifice. Josh would generally fall in the Abby-category on the Beach Spectrum.

One day we switched jobs. I had the big ones (and Abby, until her big freak-out moment) at the beach; Josh stayed with Silas during a nap.
In addition to our private pool, the neighborhood had three community pools as well. These were bigger and deeper than our pool. These provided a nice break from the saltiness of the ocean. And we could steal Gigi's floaty raft!
Abby hit her stride in the pool. "Abby go big pool?" she'd ask us.

She didn't ever want to leave.
She must have jumped into the pool with Pappy a hundred times.
Good thing that Pappy loves her so much! [He didn't have the heart to say no!]
Before the trip was over, we all decided to rent a Pontoon Boat and drive it over to a nearby island. We'd heard that there were lots of great seashells there and shallow areas for young children to play in. It was a lovely place, indeed. We brought lunch and ate on the boat - which required a significant amount of logistical planning! Before we drove it back inland, Pappy and Josh decided that all the kids could drive the boat.

Samantha went first, and never really got over the euphoria that she was actually driving:
Emma was next and really got down to business - she was serious about driving that boat:
Even Abby got a turn! I think she giggled the entire time. She loves doing whatever her big sisters are doing.
Ha! Look, mom! No hands!
And we can't leave out Silas, right? That little man just steals my heart every time I look at him.
The boat was actually pretty big and very comfortable. It was a great little excursion, and we all thought it was worthwhile.

I didn't take so many pictures - pictures at the beach with little ones is tricky! - but I'm so glad I have these. Al and Debbie, we had such a wonderful time. Thank you so much for your creativity, generosity, and your time. I am so thankful to be in your family and couldn't dream of better in-laws. We've all got some wonderful memories stored from this trip!

Down Memory Lane

I came across some old cd's tonight that contained pictures from the early days of our world adventures.

Early, as in...we had no kids. We were free to go here and there, climbing mountains and doing all sorts of dangerous and ill-planned things. We could stay up til all hours of the night (oh wait! I still do that!) and talk to friends.

It was so fun to look at these pictures from a few years back. Seven years ago - and yet as I look through these pictures, so much is different for us...but so much is very similar.

Seven years ago, the people and places in these pictures were unfamiliar.

Now, some of the people and places in these pictures are like our second skin.

Comfortable. Familiar. Dearly loved.

Would you like to walk with me down Memory Lane? You won't even have to put on your shoes....

Our friend John looks like the King of the World as he confidently steers a bamboo raft down a river in Thailand.

Josh is about to go Ninja on his raft pole:
The look on John's face is priceless - especially since a few minutes later he actually fell in the river. Camera, wallet and all.
Wrinkly old man in the mountains of northern thailand:
I did actually eat the fried silkworm:
If only Rachel knew how often she'd actually eat those dumplings...

My friend Chris and I doing some {*cough*} yard work:
Shots are just part of the deal now:
I just love this lady!

Rotee - the snack for anyone looking to satisfy your sweet tooth outside of America. Pure deliciousness!

The boy from the family that inspired our "no-coke-or-gum-til-you're-five" rule. And look how short my hair is, too!):
It sure seems like we're always packing...
Many evenings spent with these guys:
Strangers here turned into close friends through the years:

Long hair or not, this is one of the smartest and most capable people you'll ever meet:
He's always been very thorough...
Musical talent finds company:
This was the first "bungalow" Josh and I ever stayed in! Before this trip, I always assumed the word "bungalow" implied a little romantic getaway...
...but wow, my definition got smashed to pieces! We stayed up with Brian and Karl playing cards until we could barely keep our eyes open...hoping that we'd fall asleep quickly without thinking too much about the bugs and noises!
How about renting Bungalow 3 for your next anniversary?
I think this guy is laughing because he can't believe a big white guy just bought his little erhu.

There's several more picture cd's, so don't be surprised if Memory Lane turns into an Avenue requiring a longer stroll...

because we all scream for...

yeah, yeah....ice cream.

It's hard to believe that one year ago, my girls had never ever tasted Braums ice cream. In fact, they had lived a life of sketchy-quality ice cream consumption.

Never fear, they have crossed over from death to life.

Abby can recognize the Braum's sign from a half mile away. Sunday afternoon, Emma asked me - using secret code, no less - if we could go to braums after church. Impressed by her coding efforts, I said yes. As we drove there and the sign was spotted by our resident ice-cream-sign-spotter, Abby yells:

"Hi Braums! I'm comin'!"

That story is 100% true and factual.

We've made it matter of priority to stop at Braums (and Rusty's Frozen Custard) as often as possible. Josh likes to surprise the girls with a stop for ice cream after he picks them up from their church class. We'll go when they've reached a certain milestone in school. Or we'll go just because I want to go, and quite frankly...who's going to argue with me?

On this particular visit-

we were celebrating Emma finishing her year of school. I could say we were celebrating ME finishing the year of school, because I have an aversion to finishing projects. I'm really glad my lack of discipline hasn't hampered her educational progress too much!

We were all happy to share in Emma's celebration. She celebrated with Cookies and Cream in a waffle cone:
Samantha shook things up and got soft-serve frozen yogurt in a waffle cone:
Abby got her usual: strawberry in a cup:
Reason #253 to Homeschool:
Reason #254:
Not that ice cream needs a reason...