Quiet Times...

I recently found a GREAT resource for kids...and maybe most of you know of this already. I had the thought a month or more ago about finding out if Focus on the Family has the "Adventures in Odyssey" stories online. Well, a week or so ago, I finally remembered to do a "google" search on it and it turns out they do have them online. Your child(ren) can listen to it free, daily, if you choose! PJ has listened to it twice since I've found it and he really enjoys it. Today, while Calvin and Adele napped, PJ listened to an episode on the floor in our "computer room" cuddled up with a blanket and some pillows and a snack. =) I didn't grow up listening to these stories but I remember my Sunday School teacher listened to them on her way from work as an adult and really enjoyed them (yes, Kay, I still remember!). Anyway, I thought I'd pass it along if anyone out there is looking for something to keep little ones occupied at some point during your day!

Kicking around at the King's Park

Yesterday was a beautiful day...as is today. 88 degrees and windy...you can't ask for more beautiful weather. The day started off a bit on a down note due to all of us being sick with head colds and my hope of getting to the the park quickly got thrown out the window when I "died" on the couch after doing school with PJ (due to an antihistamine I took after breakfast!).
After Calvin and Adele's afternoon naps I had renewed energy and determination to go to the Park...so we did make it afterall and the weather was still just as lovely.
The boys and I enjoyed kicking the ball around and PJ really enjoyed getting all muddy and mucky. It's not something he gets to do a lot because there generally is very little grass to get muddy and mucky in around these parts. We found a larger grassy area at the Park and played. Since it's been raining A LOT these past couple weeks the ground was a bit wet in places but that just encouraged PJ to "fall" all the more over the ball. He ran around the whole time "tripping" over the ball and laughing like a hyena after he'd fall. Hey, whatever makes you happy, kid!
I, too, was overjoyed to see my two boys playing together, rather playing a "sport" together. It was even more of a blessing to be outside in nature and hearing birds chirping and the wind blowing (and, yes, Rhianna, the music was blaring but we were far enough away from it that I could hardly hear it and I didn't let it get me down!).

Below is a video of the PJ doing his "trip" act. Enjoy!

I captured this pic of PJ, dirty knees and all. When we got home he told Paul that he felt "spikey" all over. He was so itchy!

I hope they will always be BEST BUDS.

Football season in Thailand

Well, it's official, it's football season. We got all of PJ's gear including an Arsenal jersey and we even got a Liverpool jersey for Calvin. We're two weeks into football practice here but it officially starts on October 11th. The first week was a rough one with my shy 5 year old but last week went much better. It always helps to have Daddy there to encourage. We're playing in a league here in Bangkok that is comprised of children who attend the international schools and those who are homeschooled. We haven't really had much opportunity to get to know others but I am hopeful we will have some friends made before it's all said and done. Football season will last until March! It's great to have an organized program for PJ to play in and it's really close to our house.
PJ enjoys running (can you spot him with his turquoise socks and trying not to smile?!) and warming up. The coaches did a great job playing fun warm up games with the kids.




Here are the boys after practice. I will try to get some better pics next time! Calvin is dying to get out there and play but I keep telling him he's just not old enough yet...it's ok, though, he gets to play while we're at home.

Having fun with Adele

Adele is growing like a bad weed. I can't believe in one month she will be ONE already! Where has the time gone? Adele has recently started pulling up onto things (first photo) and she has added two, maybe three, more teeth to her growing set.














She recently has started playing with this fun set the Cunningham's gave her before they left Thailand. She enjoys opening the door to it. It's a little kitchenette set with blocks and "pans" for her to cook with.













As I said, she likes to pull up onto things these days which means she also has a new interest in the stairs. Thankfully, Paul built a gate so I don't have to worry too much about it. When I tell Adele "no" she shakes her head back and forth (no). It's pretty funny but she will usually continue to get into whatever it is she shouldn't be getting into (usually the game cupboard).
And yesterday the kids and I went to the King's Park to kick the football around a bit but Adele hung out in her stroller and cheered us on.

"Gift of God"

I couldn't wait for Sunday afternoon. I had butterflies in my stomach all day (even longer, really). Anytime I thought of Sunday I would get flutters. Our dear, dear friends that we met during language school, Jan and Jose, returned to Thailand from Holland where they had their first born child, a son, Joas. He is just over three months old and is beautiful. His name is taken from the Bible and means "gift from God." We have prayed with and for this couple for God to bless them with a baby, and he has...three times now, but the first two went to be with Jesus before they got to meet them. Then, God sent Joas. So, this is why I had such butterflies in my stomach. I couldn't wait to get my hands on this beautiful, healthy baby boy and hold him. I was in awe of his little body and it was just so powerful to see the answer to my prayers, our prayers, sitting there right before me. God heard. I cried realizing again the miracle of life.
Even though he didn't understand a word of my English, he still humoured me and laughed and smiled and cooed when I spoke to him. And, our boys LOVED him. PJ said over and over and over again how cute Joas was and he hasn't stopped since Sunday. Out of the blue he'll just say, "Mommy, Joas is so cute, isn't he?" And, I have to agree. The kid is a cutie. I told him that we could arrange a marriage between him and Adele. =)

Thanks so much to all of you who have been praying for our friends. God has heard our cries, praise His name. We love you Jan, Jose and Joas and are so thankful for your friendship and thanks SO much for coming over on Sunday...it was the highlight of my YEAR!!!

Making "Som Tam" (Spicy Papaya Salad)

Well, folks, we met again for Mom's group yesterday and this week the ladies decided we were going to make "SomTam" or Spicy Papaya Salad for you English speakers. They also brought the goods to make Khanom Jiin with Kaeng Khiaw Waan (noodles much like spaghetti with Green Chicken Curry). It was a lot of fun but I was sad they didn't let me help a whole lot. These women just went to town chopping and cutting and frying and cooking and beating. It was SOOOO good (sorry, Kim and Rhianna, I don't want to make you miss this good food too much but it was really good!).
So, how does one go about making Spicy Papaya salad? Well, it takes a lot of ingredients that might seem weird to combine to a American but they all come together in this Thai style "salad" that once you taste it you crave for more and more and more...right Mom Henry?! First, you need an unripened papaya. If you were thinking ripened papaya...you thought wrong! And, then you peel the skin off of the papaya. You then cut it with a knife about a million times and then scrape the part you've cut into a bowl (see the 1st picture with P'Bee...who is expecting her second baby!!).











Some other ingredients you need are tomotoes and limes (pictured to the left). The small eggplants you see pictured are for the Green Curry.





You also need some peppers. The small bird peppers in the picture were for the salad...and the crabs. =) There are three ways to eat som tam (more really, but basically, three). There is Isaan style (Isaan is the NE part of Thailand where the salad originates from) and they add crabs to their som tam. Then there's Thai style and they add dried baby shrimps (sorry, no pic of those) and there's farang style...sans seafood of any kind! In som tam they also add garlic, fish sauce, sugar, MSG (not always) and another paste of something that I couldn't really get the low down on WHAT it was exactly. The bird peppers are truly what make it spicy. And, in our group yesterday we had from three peppers to 10!!! There was only one woman in our group who likes it that hot...the rest are 3 or even 5. You also throw in a healthy dose of peanuts and beans and then you beat it all together in the crock...as demonstrated below by my friend, Naa. Usually, you eat this dish with sticky rice and fried chicken or fish...and that is just what we did! Mmmmm...so good!


I also learned another Thai superstition yesterday as we sat around and ate. One woman (the one who likes 10 pepper in her salad) is one of nine children! She is the only girl. She is GREAT. I love her...she's so easy to talk to and nothing, and I do mean, nothing, phases her. She is also the second to youngest (I think...but she might even be the youngest). So, she was telling us this story. Her family had all boys (before her, obviously) but their next door neighbor's had all girls. So, the families exchanged crocks and low and behold our friend's family had her and the neighbor's family had a boy! And, they truly believe it's because they exchanged crocks! Pretty funny. They asked if Americans have superstitions like that and I said yes, but I couldn't think of any...can any of you think of things Americans would do in a situation like that? Or any other supersitions?

Calvin's shoes

Nanny and Pappy recently sent a package for us and inside were these cute Lightning McQueen shoes. Sorry I don't have a picture of PJ in his yet. =) Calvin loves to run around the house in his making car noises...and sissy likes to get them too!

Thanks for sending them...they're a big hit!

Adele Crawling

Here she is in action...enjoy!

Recent happenings...

A lot is going on around here, mainly in the way of teaching! I haven't had much time to devote to "blogging" but I hope to catch you up on some recent events. About three weeks ago, PJ started piano lessons with our beloved Aunt Catherine. He REALLY enjoys it when he gets to have a lesson with her. We bought a cheaper keyboard for him just to see if he will stick with it (and since we will be leaving on furlough in a few months we didn't want to spend a bunch of money on a piano or nicer keyboard). Since this picture was taken (his first lesson) we have moved the keyboard from the kitchen table to a stand in another room...so it's much more conducive to practicing now!
I also got the Singapore math books from Singapore and they're GREAT! I really like them and all the different things they use to teach math. PJ seems to enjoy it too. I have found that some teaching points (already!) have been hard to convey (mainly b/c I am such a BAD teacher). But, God gives grace and PJ is getting it. I found the counting by 2s hard to teach but we continue to review and I think he's getting onto it...slowly but surely.


Almost two weeks ago, our friend, Team left for America. He is pictured next to Paul to the left. Team moved to San Francisco where he will be studying Art. For the next six months he will be studying English so that he can study Art! Anyway, this was his last day in Thailand and it was a Sunday so he came to church and we prayed for him. Paul and others have shared the Gospel with him but he is not yet a believer but would you pray for him? Also, the guy standing next to Team in the picture is Wit. Wit is another fun guy our team hangs out with often. And the last guy in the picture is Pat. Pat is from a hilltribe in northern Thailand called the Akha. He recently joined our team (in May) and helps Paul on the campus. Paul has been tremendously encouraged by Pat's friendship and working with us. Pat often preaches on Sunday mornings, so please pray for him as he proclaims the Word of God.






And, as requested by my parents (they want more pics of Paul and me), here is a picture of Adele with her Daddy. I must say she is totally a Daddy's girl and adores him. As soon as he comes thru the door from work she lights up. She continues to be a joy. She is pulling up on anything and inching her way toward walking...agghhh...I am NOT ready for that yet! =)













And, finally, we have Calvin playing outside the other day on our neighbor's cool truck. It has pedals (much like a bike) that makes it go forward and backward. The boys and Adele had a lot of fun riding around in it. Now, if it would stop raining we could go out and enjoy it some more. =) (Our neighbor told us we could borrow it for a few days...wasn't that nice?)

This week...

I can't believe another week has blown by. It seems that each day and week pass by at "Lightning McQueen speed!" In a nutshell, we worshipped in Thai Sunday morning then we had our church Concert of Prayer in the afternoon, Sunday night we went to the park to hang out to try to meet some new people and catch up with old friends, we had Mom's group on Monday, Tuesday we spent our day off as family doing absolutely NOTHING! Wednesday we had a team meeting, Thursday we had a doctors appointments, Friday we met up with a local homeschool group and helped Melanie (Thai Curry on the side bar) celebrate her 1 year anniversary in Thailand. =) Today, we had two of the Veldhorst kids over to play and have spent the rest of our time recovering from yesterday! Amidst all of that, I am trying to put together a schedule for this coming "school" year (I put "school" in quotes because we really aren't starting school, but I am still making a schedule to organize our life a bit more...there's just TOO much to do without having a schedule.)
I also ordered some Singapore math books from Singapore...I'll tell you how that goes once I get them (!) and trying to iron out details for some discipleship with a couple of Thai women...as well as taking care of some meals to help the Veldhorst family while the wife/mom of the family is still Stateside. Whew...are you tired yet?! I am tired, but it's been a blessed week, and I do mean that. It is a joy to see the many ways God is answering prayer. For instance, this recently formed homeschool group God has provided at JUST the right time for us (the Mills going on HMA, etc). The pic of the boys to the left was taken at the Children's Discovery Museum here in BKK where the BKK homeschoolers group met yesterday to get to know one another. The boys had a blast and to their delight they even got to ride on the Skytrain...always a thrill when we get to do that!
The Children's Discovery Museum was a lot of fun. It was the first time we had been. To the left you see my boys putting on a puppet show...just one of the many things you can discover here. =)













Here are the boys looking out the window of the Skytrain on our way home. They were tuckered out last night...didn't hear a peep once we turned out the light! I think tonight will go much the same way!

Our doctors appointments went well. Again, I took all three kids by myself...but it went much better this time...and I think the pediatrician is getting used to me and my brood...I wonder what he'd do if I had six kids???!!! He always seems a bit stressed when he sees me coming! =) Anyway, it went well. All three were well behaved and Adele who was scheduled for a vaccine, didn't even CRY! I don't know HOW that happened...well, I do actually. There's this Thai song that our Thai friends sing to Adele that she absolutely LOVES and so when they came at her with the needle, the nurse and I started singing it to her and she was into it and never even fussed or anything! I am going to try to find it on YOUtube and post it, if they have it. If I recall, I think Adele weighs 8.5 kg and is a tall baby as well. I don't really keep track of all the stats anymore...sorry grandparents! She is crawling on hands and knees now and doesn't like to be constrained. She's getting over her first cold. She loves to play peek-a-boo.
The second appointment was for Calvin...not his eye this time but for his skin. We found out he has really, really dry skin so the doc prescribed some moisturizer lotion and body soap. While I am giving updates, we took Calvin a couple weeks ago to the eye doctor and he said to continue massaging his eye for another three months...so next month we go back. He really doesn't want to do surgery if he doesn't have to. Please continue to pray. I feel that his eye has gotten worse since that time instead of better.
Thank to all of you who pray. Please pray for this week ahead...it's just as busy, maybe more so! Pray that we would glorify Christ in all we do.

Thai Dessert

We gathered again this past Monday for our mom's group. Thank you to those of you who are praying. I feel that we are starting to get a core group (after three months!). Anyway, one of
the women wanted to teach me (and Rhianna, but Rhianna is back Stateside for a while) how to make a Thai dessert...which I have forgotten the name. Many of you should be able to order it at a Thai restuarant near you..if you dare. It's really good, though, so I encourage you to try it. It's basically taro balls in coconut milk. We also mixed some pumpkin with some flour and added that to the taro. It was YUMMY! and SO easy to make. The first two pics are of us making the smaller balls that go into the dessert. Everyone helped roll them in their hands. Many hands make this dessert much faster and easier to make!

Then, you heat up some coconut milk, add lots of sugar and some other plant that we don't have in America and boil it for a while.













Then you enjoy with friends. As we ate our dessert we discussed questions from our "Question Jar." Each time we meet, those who are present write down a question they have about family and then we answer them the next time we meet. It's a neat way to discuss a range of topics with a little bit of structure. Please continue to pray for this ministry. Pray for God to encourage each of these women in their role as a mother and wife and pray for us to have an open door to proclaim the Gospel.

some encouragement, I hope

I recently started reading a devotional book by Beth Moore entitled Voices of the Faithful. (Thanks Rhianna for letting me borrow it!) Anyway, today's reading I found encouraging and wanted to share this poem with you that the author penned. She is/was a missionary in Central Asia.

Tie my heart to here,

Let it beat with the pulse of the people.

Let it love and be loved.

And when it no longer beats

Let my soul rise to Thee.

Bind my heart to You,

Let it beat as one with Yours.

Let it pump compassion through my veins

And let it always be my heart's desire

To come to Thee!

This missionary wrote the above after she had a conversation with another missionary. She asked him, "How long did it take you and your wife to feel at home on the field?" She says she waited for his deep, spiritual answer. He said, "It never happens." She wondered how that could be and then he shared with them that the peace and calm does not come from ever feeling at home; however, it comes from becoming tied to the people God wants you to reach and knowing the Father's heart.

I think this is very important for any Christian, not just missionaries. Are we tied to God? Are we tied to the Father? Do we have purpose in the task God has given us...each of us to fulfill? In Ephesians 2:10 the Lord tells us that "we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Are you doing those things? Are you tied to the work God has for you? It may be in a different culture but for most of you, it's in YOUR very own culture...there is work for us to do but we must not ever allow the work to overcome the Person for whom we work. If we work as hard as we can for God but have not God...we will quickly burn out and have nothing left to give. If you struggle to meet God daily, I urge you, I exhort you to make it a priority because how are you ever going to speak healing words into another's life if you yourself haven't been reminded of God's promises and healing words? So, I will ask you again..(and myself) are we tied to God? If not, seek after Him for He promises to be found when we diligently seek for Him. (Jeremiah 29:13).

*and on a side note...if you are a wife and a mother this post isn't meant to make you feel guilty because you aren't out in the world leading millions of lost sinners to Christ. Your first priority, according to God's Word, is your husband and then your kids. Don't neglect them..they are part of your "good works prepared in advance for you to do." I, struggle with this A LOT! There is a certain amount of guilt that comes with being a missionary wife/mom and finding the right balance between ministry to my family and ministry to the Thais can be difficult but it gets a lot easier when I allow God to show me what He wants me to do and when I submit to and trust the leading of my husband. So, this post isn't meant to make you feel guilty...do your work as unto the Lord...you, as a wife and/or mom, perhaps have the greatest ministry on the face of the planet. Raising Godly kids isn't easy but I still exhort you to be tied to God while you do it! He will grant you wisdom and understanding and patience to endure the hard days that seem will never end! =)

And the Winner Is....(drum roll, please!!!)

TANG! And I just want to say that Tang was Pong's choice as well. Thank you to all who participated in the voting. =)

Mrs. Pregnant Beauty Pagent

Baby showers in Thailand are rare. But, since coming to Thailand, our team has introduced them to the Thais in our community and needless to say, they LOVE them! (Who doesn't love getting fun baby gear to antcipate the sweet little bundle that is about to change life forever?). Anyway, this past Friday we had a shower for one of our Thai staff. Pong cleans our office and is not yet a believer. She is going to have her third child sometime next month. We showered her with love and gifts and prayer for her, her family and her new baby.

As always, we had to play games and so I know we played the dress up a "pregnant" woman game before with toilet paper but we played it again. The first picture is of Tang, the second is Pawn and the third is P'Khiaw. P'Khiaw was the "hi-so" (high society) pregnant woman. They thought it would be fun to have a vote...so over on the sidebar, please cast your vote for who YOU think is the cutest pregnant woman of the three...later, I will tell you who Pong chose. The last pictures is of all of the pseudo-pregnant woman and the real one...can you believe she only has one more month to go? She is SOOOO small! (And this is why we, as foreigners, are constantly told how FAT we are...especially while pregnant!!!)

Happy Thai Mother's Day!

This morning we had another photo shoot...here they are, my three precious babes...all cute and cuddly..ok, maybe not cuddly but definitely cute! (sorry, I have to say that, I am their mom!).
Adele has been "wai-ing" for a while now but here she is in motion. Thank you to Aunt Gracie for the adorable dress. Since we celebrated Thai Mother's Day today, it was the perfect option to wear on her because on Mother's Day in Thailand one must wear BLUE! I also put a barrette in her hair for the first time today...and she just melted our hearts! PJ said "She is so beautiful, mommy!" And I must agree!
















The three of them "posing".
















Adoring big brother.

5 Years and Proud of it!

PJ's eager to announce that he is five now. He likes that he can do things now that he's five that he couldn't do before...like reach the light switch to the bathroom. To the left is another big 5 year old thing he can do...he can eat a grown up hamburger...well, at least he tried! While at the beach we ate at the Great American Rib Company (can you believe they have a restuarant like this here????). Anyway, PJ set his heart on this monster burger and ended up not eating it due to some spice factor in the meat. He enjoyed the fries immensely though!




















I often tell PJ and Emmy that they are two peas in a pod. They are the best of friends. They enjoy being animals and crawling around like dogs or cats or whinnying like horses. When listening in on their play I am always amused, especially by Emmy Mills' narration of whatever it is they are doing. I swear, she will be a writer one day...I hope she remembers me when she's making the big bucks! =) On our recent trip to the beach with the Mills family, we hardly saw PJ. He and Emmy were always off on some adventure, no doubt. We did manage to get them to play about 3 minutes of soccer on the beach and then they were tired. Not good news for our sprouting football players! We will be saying "goodbye" the the Mills family in exactly one week. We are sad. We will lose our playmates and our friends for seven months and then once they return we will be heading off for our furlough...oh, sadness indeed, but this is life as a missionary! PJ has asked me on ocassion why people can't just stay here. It's hard, please pray for us as we make this transition. Pray that it would be a neat time for PJ to grow as he will have to branch out and meet new friends.
PJ loves it when we have guests staying with us. We love it too, as I have said in the post about Adele. But, I really, selfishly, love it all the more when I see how much my kids are growing to love hosting people and learning about people from different parts of the world...this time from Atlanta, GA. PJ quickly took to the team but he especially took to Mandy (pictured with PJ). Mandy and her husband Brian are in seminary and desire to serve God overseas. Please pray with us that Thailand would be that field of service (!). Anyway, as I was saying, PJ LOVED Mandy. One morning early on in their stay with us the team was getting ready to do their team devotions. I saw PJ running thru the house and then I saw in his hand his children's Bible and he sat down next to Mandy and proceeded to open his Bible to study God's Word with them. Mandy patiently showed PJ where they were in the Bible and explained what they were reading and talking about. They then had some time in quiet prayer and PJ sat thru the whole time. I was so proud of him, but more so I praised God in my heart that He is drawing PJ to Himself and showing HImself to PJ thru each and every person that comes thru our door (if they're a Christian). I thank God for the Body of Christ. I have heard many a sermon preached on the Body of Christ and I have often taken it for granted as we have had family around so much but being on the other side of the world, you begin to see it a little differently. You begin to see that though we're not "blood" relatives, we really are "blood" relatives if we are worshipping Christ...we are all bought with His blood and it connects us to one another in such a beautiful way. When teams come (or individuals) and stay with us, I rejoice that God has given us opportunity to rely on each other. I can be a sister to someone whose sister is a world away, I can be an auntie to a child whose auntie is on the other side of the world. And, those who labor here, whether one week or four years are sisters and aunties, uncles, cousins to us and our children...and that, as a mom, is priceless! So, thanks to all of you short termers (and long termers) who have loved on us and our children. You have no idea what a ministry it is to missionary families...so keep it up!