yes, we are still here :)

So I did not know that I wouldn’t have access to the internet :)   We just returned to Bangkok after 8 days on the coast about two and a half hours south of here.    Most of our time at the beach was spent at a conference, but we had a three day break between the two conferences and spent a lot of time in bathing suits - It was good in many respects – much needed time for our family to just be together.  The schedule for our second conference was much less ambitious and allowed more freedom in our schedules to reconnect with good friends and just live at a more relaxed pace. 

We are starting to look ahead to the BIG transition yet to come.  We fly into China on February 2^nd and begin the process of settling into our new home.  Our apartment is currently unlivable (No heating units is one major issue, and though we are currently enjoying beautiful hot and sunny days, our new home is in the middle of cold wet winter, so we cannot move in until we have some way of warming the apartment!)

I am not sure what to expect in terms of when we can move in, but my best guess is that we will need anywhere from one to three weeks.  Hoping it’s closer to one, but trying to be realistic and keep my expectations low :)  It’s pretty much impossible to sum up the huge-ness of this move…. We are leaving much behind, and entering much that is new.  The transition will be tough, and I am learning that it will take a long time.  Not just to get “moved in”, but to really settle our hearts in our new home.  So, boarding the flight on Wednesday will be a bit like leaping off a bridge.  And I’m not really anticipating a soft landing :)

 

In the meantime, it’s kind of nice to stay in this “location limbo”…. We don’t really have anywhere to call home.  I cannot locate 98% of our belongings.  We’re staying with some friends of ours who work for the State Department at the Embassy here.  After two weeks of hotel living it’s nice to be in a home, even if it's not ours! 

ready for a new topic

I thought it might be fun to write a post that was not about sleep and puke.  But I will say this...  we are sleeping okay and we are healthy.

Our conference is full speed ahead and between meetings and trying to reconnect with many old friends, our schedule is packed pretty full.  But full of really good things.  Childcare keeps the children busy in the mornings - crafts, snacks, games, lessons, etc.  Julianna's class is learning the Ten Commandments and this morning before breakfast she nailed the first two - I haven't asked her yet, but I'm sure they learned another one or two today. 

The weather is starting to settle and seem normal.  For the first few days every time we put on shoes Lydia would say "but we don't need our boots or jackets"!  And it's been a long time since I heard Julianna complain about being hot, but we went out yesterday afternoon and she was "so hot and tired of walking".  (We did walk a long way, and she was a trooper on the skytrain and all manner of crazy huge city landscapes and experiences.) 

There are so many people here that we share much history with - it's a bit overwhelming to walk into the room (over 1000 people from 18 countries) and realize how much of our lives we have invested in Asia.  In some weird way, it feels homey to be in Thailand, in a hotel, full of all these people. 

And, as of right now, this hotel room is as "home" as it gets for us, so I'll take it :) 

day two

I am pretty sure this is day two of our time in Thailand - it's hard to know how to count the days, and I just found out earlier this morning that today is Monday.  Good to know.

Isaac is much improved (not thrown up since last night), and no one else has started throwing up, so I am encouraged that we are on our way to health.  But not positive, and trying to keep my expectations low :) 

Day one we finished a 30-something hour journey at 1am, kids slept about four hours (Matt and I got less than three).  Girls napped, hated (with a gut-wreching passion) waking up, and barely stumbled their way to bedtime (about 7:45).  Isaac ended up getting quite a big chunk of sleep from 3 til 6pm, woke for an hour or so and then went to bed again. 

By the time the girls were in bed last night, I was about three inches away from totally destroyed.  Had not slept, had cleaned way too much throw up, spent hours cuddling one pretty miserable little boy, and endured supper with two very sleepy daughters.  I wanted sleep, but was dreading the night ahead, sure that Isaac would be throwing up and the girls would be wide awake before midnight.  

But mercy fell upon our hotel room, and there was lots of sleep, way more than I ever anticipated.  Thank you Jesus. 

So though today still dawned a little too bright and early for my tastes (and, honestly, way before 'dawn' officially arrived!) we are doing ok.  I wasn't really sleeping well anyways. 

We started meetings today, the girls were happy at childcare, and Isaac was mostly content to be in the back of the meeting room with Matt and me.  The real big conference starts tomorrow, and if Isaac stays healthy he'll be in childcare too.

Thank you for praying.  It is significant to me, to know that you are "out there", and you care about our family.  

Bangkok

We made it.  All in all, the trip went very smooth and we are so grateful for your prayers.  There were several times that Matt and I would look at one another and say “people must be praying for us”.

Our first “night” in Bangkok was a short one.  We pulled up to the hotel about 1am local time and the kids were awake by 6.  Thank you JET LAG!   The kids got lots of sleep on the plane (yay!) but Matt and I are both very low on sleep.  I started trying to count how many hours we’ve slept in the past three days but quickly realized the number was so low I didn’t want to know :)

Isaac’s stomach is not doing too well.  I originally hoped that maybe it was just jet lag, but he isn’t getting better and now throws up even sips of water.  Ugh.  So, while I am thankful this did not start on the travel day(s) I am not sure what the next few days hold. 

Matt just endured the brutal task of waking the girls from naps (waking jet lagged children is so difficult!).… and he headed out the door with two very sleepy-eyed little ladies on their way to the pool.  I am back in the room with sleeping Isaac (who missed most of his nap throwing up but is now sleeping). 

Hoping and praying that Isaac heals quickly and that tonight holds good rest for all five of us!  Thanks again for praying!