Catching Up...or at least trying to do so!

To the few who still continue to read this blog, thank you for your faithfulness to check and see if I've posted!  I was just scrolling through and realized I didn't post anything from our trip out west!  How is that possible?  Well, perhaps, I can get to that here one day in the near future. For now, I think it best to catch you up on our life here in Thailand!  We are SO very thankful to be back.  We had a few bumps on the road our first month or so and not the least was being knocked out for a good week and half with Dengue Fever.  God, in His faithfulness, provided for us.  NaamFon took such good care of us and the kids...I felt so badly because Paul was diagnosed on Friday, we moved into our home the next day and she moved in on Sunday...to mass chaos.  And, she ended up taking care of ALL of us (except Paul who ended up being admitted into the hospital).  She was and continues to be a huge blessing to us. We are not surprised by this...but just so very grateful for her servant heart and her love for Christ and for us.  So, that was about 2 months ago.  Since then, we've began home schooling (again) and Paul and I started language school on January 31st.  Oh, we also celebrated Calvin's 8th birthday with our friends, the Mills.  He proclaimed the following day that it was the bestest birthday he's ever had.  That put a smile on our faces to hear his delight.  He also has learned how to ride a bike and he's finally getting in those top two adult teeth that we've been waiting on for 10 months!!!
NaamFon also is teaching our children Thai each day for about an hour!  They are really loving it and excelling at learning the Thai alphabet and the sounds each letter makes.  NaamFon makes it a lot of fun with songs and videos and games.  It's the highlight of the day for each of them.
NaamFon and I are also meeting weekly for prayer, Bible study, and accountability. We are doing an Old Testament survey, while reading through the entire Bible this year. I am SO thankful for this time with my sister...and I would ask for your prayers as I prepare the "lesson" each week that the Lord would give me wisdom and correct understanding of His precious Word.  We are doing an Old Testament survey which is quite challenging with my language but we make it through...but your prayers are so welcomed and appreciated.
We also have begun having team meetings, praying together for Trang and our personal growth in the Lord.  We have begun talking about team values, norms and things like as well.
We are so thrilled to share that New City Fellowship Church is celebrating seven years tomorrow!!!  We are so thankful to the Lord for His sustaining work in Ram 2 but please continue to keep this church in your prayers!
I continue to be amazed that we are here.  That we are in the country we have come to love. We are saddened by what is happening politically here but we have great hope in our Lord, knowing His purposes will stand.  Please keep us in your prayers.
Below are some pictures from the past few weeks...

Calvin's 8th birthday, we surprised him with some LEGOs from the States!

 PJ with a long nosed whip snake he caught int he garden near our home.

 PJ with his pet iguana, Jambu.

 All this little girl wanted since getting to Thailand was to eat a grasshopper...she got her wish and seemed to enjoy it but declined when offered more!

 Elizabeth has loads of fun with the Thais, here she's playing with our friend, P'Lek's sunglasses.

Not to be forgotten is our little pet, Fluffy the hedgehog.  She has grown quite a bit since this picture was taken.  She's very prickly but enjoys a comfortable life.