"I travel a lot. I hate having my life disrupted by routine." Caskie Stinnett

I found the above quote on a website for travel quotes. Yes, I was trolling for something clever to entitle this post...and this quote pretty much fits our life to a T.  Yep, I couldn't have said it better myself.  Though, I think that for me I wouldn't mind having a bit of routine!  Ten years of moving around the world and two different countries does get a bit old.  And, when you add in four children and home schooling three of them, there's rarely a dull moment.  But, then just when you think it can't get any better (!) you add learning another language into the mix.  You can say my days are pretty full.  If I'm honest with you few readers who frequent here then I can also admit to you that sometimes I am jealous of those of you who have a "normal" routine that you can rely on.  Those of you, and you know who you are, who can plan out your entire homeschooling year, complete with Christmas break, Spring Break, summer break and any other break in between and have VERY little variation in your plans.  Oh, I have NO idea what that is like.  What is it like to be "finished" with school for the year?  We have NEVER done that!  Okay, so enough of my honest feelings on our travels...and I am thankful to the Lord for the privilege of serving Him in a foreign country...I really am and I know that my children are learning leaps and bounds and their experiences will impact them in mighty ways and I thank God for that too.  So, without further ado, the whole reason I picked the quote above is because we recently traveled to southern Thailand where we spent some time relaxing and we spent some time scouting our our new home. Calvin and Adele had never been to the south, or not that they could remember, anyway, and we thought it would be good for them to see what our new home is going to look like, feel like, taste like, etc.  Our kids have been really missing the beach the past couple months and so they were all really looking forward to hitting the beach...and boy did we ever!  Crystal clear water, snorkeling, kayaking, sand-castling and water color painting (thanks to the fabulous NaamFon) and just bumming around is what comprised our days on the island.  The pace of life just kind of came to a halt.  No electricity from 10 am to 5 pm, and no a/c units in our bungalows, but the view and the water more than made up for it.  I was challenged, most definitely, by the wildlife that entered said bungalow (little, red ants that like to eat anything and everything but especially underwear!)  But I realized just how citified I had become...when I first listened to the call of God to be a long term missionary I was willing, eager even, to do anything, go anywhere and eat anything...and put up with snakes, ants, etc, but here I was 17 years later saying, "no thanks, God, I need my creature comforts!!!"  Oh, the sin bottled up in this heart of mine!  So, anyway, even while away on a break, God was clearly getting my attention for all my affection to be solely on Him. 

 Above: the view from our bungalow; below, the bungalow.

 Above a Great Horn Bill and below PJ with a baby monitor lizard he and Paul caught. (He was just a tad over the moon with this catch, and it was his first real catch with his snake tongs).

 Some of the island children kayaking.

It doesn't get much better than a nap on the beach and a snack of papaya.

 painting with P'NaamFon

 Adele after she received this flower from a new friend who had just left the island.

 Back on the mainland, we hit a waterfall one day...the kids all enjoyed it!

Calvin and Elizabeth on our way to the waterfall.

We also had the joy of hanging out some in Trang City, checking out the Kopi (ancient coffee) and the weekend market.  We worshiped at Trang Church where we, providentially, ran into our pastor from Lopburi days!!!  We're getting excited about the future and what our Lord might have in store for us!  Please keep praying for us, for wisdom, discernment and obedient hearts to follow where the Lord leads. xo