Tomorrow we leave Colorado and head towards Nebraska. Our goal: Omaha. It's ten hours from here. I'm starting to get butterflies about Iowa now. I haven't had time to think about it yet with all the packing and organizing. But now I'm starting to think...
"Monday the kids start school and Peter goes to work, I'll be alone in someone's basement."
"14 or more days is a long time to be living in a basement."
"What in the world are we doing?"
"We don't know anyone there!!!!"
And more things like that.
Then we got a call again today from the pastor. They found a better place for us since we need a place for so long. It's an apartment basement, 2 bedrooms, a living room, bathroom, and kitchen. It was clear we could stay separate for meals and such, so that we can have family time. :) God provides.
It's gonna be ok.
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
9.28.2011
6.20.2011
Mongolia Day 4-8
Well I must say it's a blur!
Since I wrote last we were able to have a meal with some dear friends. They lived in Sukhbaatar with us for a year and they live in a different remote location now. They happened to be coming to UB, so we delayed a day so that we could see them and spend and evening together. It was wonderful. They have another new baby, #5. Whew! We had chicken at a Korean fast food place and then we walked back to the apartment for and let the kids play while we chatted until 10pm. It was wonderful.
The day after we took a taxi up here to SB. We all rode in the back seat of a toyota corrolla for 5 hours. It is a beautiful trip in the summer. We had PJB sandwiches. I was surprised to find a fresh salad with cucumbers and tomatoes and hard boiled eggs! Score! My new diet has been surprisingly easy to follow.
We arrive and there is no electricity at the house. We find a screw drivers and Peter starts taking the plyboard off the windows. A friend made us a pizza and a salad and we have a nice dinner.
Days 4-7
LOTS AND LOTS of decision making. We have gone through everything in the whole house. We put it in the trash, give away, sell or take to the USA piles. There is even a pile of things that we have named "useful garbage!" Since we have to burn our trash, we don't burn things that others could scavange and use. It feels crazy to have this catagory in my mind, but it is hard to burn up things that could be used in by someone that is needy enough to scavange. :) Things like hot water pitchers that don't heat, but that can still be used as a pitcher. Clothes that are too messed up to give away...
We had a big argument, no I mean dissussion, ha ha, about how to go about this. Peter wanted to invite people over and just open the cupboards and closets for them to find what they wanted. I couldn't imagine saying, "just go through the whole house!" So since I was the louder and more emotional and unbending one, we did it my way! We sorted through items room by room and then agreed to put everything that we were giving away upstairs. USA stuff directly into suitcases, trash directly burned and "useful garbage" in the garage to be taken to the dump.
We accomplished this in two days. Then I went upstairs.... whoa, what a lot of stuff! But honestly not as much as I thought we had. I began laying out a garage sale type of thing. Soon I realized that this was not going to go well. Then we decided to bag up things that we knew our friends needed. We have a whole room full of bags labeled with each person's name. It was so fun. It was like being Santa to decide what to give each person and family.
We also ran into all the new Peace Corp people. They train the whole new group up here every summer. So we stopped and invited them over. They chose gobs of stuff to take with them to help them get through their harrowing next two years. :)
Then today I organized the remainder of the stuff into bins. Adult clothes, kids clothes, kitchen, organizational supplies, medicine, holiday stuff, baby stuff, DVD/CDs, towels sheets, baby stuff...
The baby stuff was the hardest to go through for me. I chose a few special outfits to save and then just binned a baby girl/boy box.
Tonight we had Terri and her kids over for dinner. She was able to take 3 bins of stuff and it was great to see Weston's kindergarten curriculum and some nice clothes go to her family.
We also are trying to sell some things. The email went out to foreigners in Mongolia today and I got lots of replies. I sold the bed, bedding, stove, freezer, table, water filter, small appliances, maternity clothes, tent, baby stuff, ... YA. we made about $600 today! :) Will you pray for a buyer for our big items, treadmill, car, the wood stove and dryer? Thanks. We need to sell the big things to make it worth it to hire a truck and bring the rest of these small things down to UB.
Tomorrow I'll post pictures in the community. We have very worn couches, chairs, desks, water barrels, washer, small furniture that I'm selling for super cheap so that Mongolians will enjoy the item and the price. :) It will be good to get it gone though.
All I have left is the garage. I found gobs of stuff in there, almost buried in the dirt! Not really but it's major dirty and I need to wipe it down and get rid of it too.
This week we'll start inviting friends over. We'll give them the bags of things we chose for them as gifts, have a meal and let them go through stuff upstairs as well. I hope this part is done by the beginning of next week. I'm tired of thinking about all this STUFF.
How come we need so much STUFF?! I wish we didn't need so much stuff and that things didn't define us so much, but you know it does. That is why my bags are full of baby clothes for a baby I don't have, children's books the kids love to hear and I love to read, my bedding I splurged for in 2009 and don't want to leave behind, pictures, I'm even bringing my kitchen aid because it's worth it! :)
Well I better get out of cyber land and get back out to my cabin and be real "Tundra Mom" in the time I have left.
Night all. Have a great day!
Since I wrote last we were able to have a meal with some dear friends. They lived in Sukhbaatar with us for a year and they live in a different remote location now. They happened to be coming to UB, so we delayed a day so that we could see them and spend and evening together. It was wonderful. They have another new baby, #5. Whew! We had chicken at a Korean fast food place and then we walked back to the apartment for and let the kids play while we chatted until 10pm. It was wonderful.
The day after we took a taxi up here to SB. We all rode in the back seat of a toyota corrolla for 5 hours. It is a beautiful trip in the summer. We had PJB sandwiches. I was surprised to find a fresh salad with cucumbers and tomatoes and hard boiled eggs! Score! My new diet has been surprisingly easy to follow.
We arrive and there is no electricity at the house. We find a screw drivers and Peter starts taking the plyboard off the windows. A friend made us a pizza and a salad and we have a nice dinner.
Days 4-7
LOTS AND LOTS of decision making. We have gone through everything in the whole house. We put it in the trash, give away, sell or take to the USA piles. There is even a pile of things that we have named "useful garbage!" Since we have to burn our trash, we don't burn things that others could scavange and use. It feels crazy to have this catagory in my mind, but it is hard to burn up things that could be used in by someone that is needy enough to scavange. :) Things like hot water pitchers that don't heat, but that can still be used as a pitcher. Clothes that are too messed up to give away...
We had a big argument, no I mean dissussion, ha ha, about how to go about this. Peter wanted to invite people over and just open the cupboards and closets for them to find what they wanted. I couldn't imagine saying, "just go through the whole house!" So since I was the louder and more emotional and unbending one, we did it my way! We sorted through items room by room and then agreed to put everything that we were giving away upstairs. USA stuff directly into suitcases, trash directly burned and "useful garbage" in the garage to be taken to the dump.
We accomplished this in two days. Then I went upstairs.... whoa, what a lot of stuff! But honestly not as much as I thought we had. I began laying out a garage sale type of thing. Soon I realized that this was not going to go well. Then we decided to bag up things that we knew our friends needed. We have a whole room full of bags labeled with each person's name. It was so fun. It was like being Santa to decide what to give each person and family.
We also ran into all the new Peace Corp people. They train the whole new group up here every summer. So we stopped and invited them over. They chose gobs of stuff to take with them to help them get through their harrowing next two years. :)
Then today I organized the remainder of the stuff into bins. Adult clothes, kids clothes, kitchen, organizational supplies, medicine, holiday stuff, baby stuff, DVD/CDs, towels sheets, baby stuff...
The baby stuff was the hardest to go through for me. I chose a few special outfits to save and then just binned a baby girl/boy box.
Tonight we had Terri and her kids over for dinner. She was able to take 3 bins of stuff and it was great to see Weston's kindergarten curriculum and some nice clothes go to her family.
We also are trying to sell some things. The email went out to foreigners in Mongolia today and I got lots of replies. I sold the bed, bedding, stove, freezer, table, water filter, small appliances, maternity clothes, tent, baby stuff, ... YA. we made about $600 today! :) Will you pray for a buyer for our big items, treadmill, car, the wood stove and dryer? Thanks. We need to sell the big things to make it worth it to hire a truck and bring the rest of these small things down to UB.
Tomorrow I'll post pictures in the community. We have very worn couches, chairs, desks, water barrels, washer, small furniture that I'm selling for super cheap so that Mongolians will enjoy the item and the price. :) It will be good to get it gone though.
All I have left is the garage. I found gobs of stuff in there, almost buried in the dirt! Not really but it's major dirty and I need to wipe it down and get rid of it too.
This week we'll start inviting friends over. We'll give them the bags of things we chose for them as gifts, have a meal and let them go through stuff upstairs as well. I hope this part is done by the beginning of next week. I'm tired of thinking about all this STUFF.
How come we need so much STUFF?! I wish we didn't need so much stuff and that things didn't define us so much, but you know it does. That is why my bags are full of baby clothes for a baby I don't have, children's books the kids love to hear and I love to read, my bedding I splurged for in 2009 and don't want to leave behind, pictures, I'm even bringing my kitchen aid because it's worth it! :)
Well I better get out of cyber land and get back out to my cabin and be real "Tundra Mom" in the time I have left.
Night all. Have a great day!
6.14.2011
Mongolia Wrap up Trip Day 1-3
I haven't been able to blog much here. We have been agonizing about our future plans and now that the news is out that we are leaving Mongolia to get help for Sierra, I feel that I can write again.
Making that decision has been a real struggle. We are still sure of our call to come here in 2005 and are glad to have been used of God in Mongolia for the last 6 years. We are thankful that there is a church here now. We had wanted to help with the church formation/discipleship stage of this ministry, but know that we cannot risk Sierra's speech and development.
Our dear girl has improved, but it very much at the phonic level. Meaning that she can properly produce sounds but not words. Everyone agrees our place is back in the US for now. We are looking forward to a great role with ReachGlobal and will share details asap.
For now, I want to use my blog here to remember this time of goodbyes in Mongolia.
Day one: Arrival in Mongolia. I can understand some of the plane announcements in Mongolian. We arrive and headed to the restroom with the kids. I notice the hand soap in an empty beer bottle on the sink. I smile. The simplicity is great after a year in complicated America. :)
We negotiate a cab and they load our bags. Sierra begins to scream as we enter the cab. She doesn't want a driver in with our family. :) We drive towards UB and smell the familiar coal smoke air. We are strangely comforted that we are home. Arriving at our guest apartment, ASCOM, we head up the flights of stairs with the HEAVY bags that I packed full of low-calorie canned veggies and high protein snacks. :) Peter is so happy with me! He loves the way I always travel light. LOL
We pass out after being awake 30 hours.
Day 2: We start the day at 3 am with PBJ sandwiches for the kids. They are wide awake and hungry. Gotta love jet lag. We are up for so long before we're able to make noise in the apartment. We plan the day, did summer school, read and prayed and took off. We walk 3 miles to our favorite Indian food cafe. YUMMO I love love love it. I could eat it everyday. I mix my Madrasi with a cucumber and tomato salad avoiding the wonderful rice and naan bread. I have one bite of each and thoroughly enjoy my spicy meal. We sit on pillows on the ground in a tent. fun.
We head to the state department store to get pictures for Sierra's new passport. Can you believe hers expires already? Her passport has a picture of her 2 days old. At the photographer, she starts screaming and screaming when the woman wants to take her picture. After 15 minutes of talking, disciplining and bribing to no avail. I ask the women to just take the picture.
It is the most horrible picture EVER. Her eyes are red, drool is running down her face and her mouth is contorted. We start laughing like mad when it's developed. She looks like a crazy person. Although she deserved to have that picture on her passport until she's ten, LOL, we knew she'd kill us for putting that on a legal document and she would be so embarrassed later! So since we don't want to scar her for life, we take a picture with our own camera. We should have thought of that 20 minutes ago, I blame jet lag entirely. We got it developed and it is very cute! :)
We got a taxi and drive home. We had a wonderful dinner with our friends the Sprengers. They are so amazing.
Day 3: We wake up and I begin P90X. Yes, this is crazy, but I need a focal point for the next 30-50 days of transition. I need a stable that will be the same world wide. I need a healthy output for all this stress. I got this for free from a friend. Opportunity knocked and I opened the door. I shred my body for 75 minutes. I am amazed I can even do the program, but I CAN! Thank you Lord. We did summer school again, this time starting the day at 4:30.
I think that homeschooling can work. I am drilling our family rule into the children- two words. NO COMPLAINING. It's working. Weston is challenging himself and begging for school. Today he read for 30 minutes when I only asked him for 10. Could that CAVA program really work for us?
We eat- the food that loaded the bags, is already a blessing. Yest I did bring a big block of frozen low-fat cheese. It makes eggs so much nicer. Peter smiles. I thank him again for carrying my insanity, but now he is truly thankful. We had nice USA powdered milk with our french pressed coffee.
We hop in yet another cab. We drive a LONG way to register. We fill out gobs paperwork for the recovering communist need for this many pictures, stamps and papers. We divide and conquer. He fills out the paper work. I wait in the foregners line. We wait and wait. We have a number. There are 47 people ahead of us. But this is ASIA--- no one is obeying the rules. I use my old basketball stills to block and box out the cutters... :) I get to the front of the line. She asks, "Where's your number?" I hand her the number and she says that I have to wait. I rudely tell her that no one else is giving her a number. She grudgingly takes my paperwork and Peter gently takes over. We joke that she probably wrote a note on my passport to fine me at the airport or something. We recall the Seinfeld where Elaine get's the word "difficult" written on her medical chart. I'm sure my passport says, "DIFFICULT!" HA HA--- that is for you T.
We hop in our cab, he's been waiting. We pay 40 dollars to the taxi to arrive at a cafe. We eat in a hurry. We hop in another cab.
We direct him to the Embassy to get Sierra's passport. We are sworn in and she is cleared to get a renewal. We walk along the river. We see a group of boys splashing in filthy water in the wash. Weston begins to yell, "it's too dirty. They shouldn't swim in that water." At the same time Sierra starts yelling one of her favorite words, "Poo Pool.... I want poo" She wants to swim in the same filthy water that is giving our son a panic. We have to instruct Weston that these boys swim there because that is the only time they'll get to swim and they are happy to see water after seeing ice for all those months and to remember to think and be polite before screaming at others. AND we coax Sierra away, while she screams and cries because she wants to swim in the mud puddle. :)
Ah the joys of parenting international kids!
Making that decision has been a real struggle. We are still sure of our call to come here in 2005 and are glad to have been used of God in Mongolia for the last 6 years. We are thankful that there is a church here now. We had wanted to help with the church formation/discipleship stage of this ministry, but know that we cannot risk Sierra's speech and development.
Our dear girl has improved, but it very much at the phonic level. Meaning that she can properly produce sounds but not words. Everyone agrees our place is back in the US for now. We are looking forward to a great role with ReachGlobal and will share details asap.
For now, I want to use my blog here to remember this time of goodbyes in Mongolia.
Day one: Arrival in Mongolia. I can understand some of the plane announcements in Mongolian. We arrive and headed to the restroom with the kids. I notice the hand soap in an empty beer bottle on the sink. I smile. The simplicity is great after a year in complicated America. :)
We negotiate a cab and they load our bags. Sierra begins to scream as we enter the cab. She doesn't want a driver in with our family. :) We drive towards UB and smell the familiar coal smoke air. We are strangely comforted that we are home. Arriving at our guest apartment, ASCOM, we head up the flights of stairs with the HEAVY bags that I packed full of low-calorie canned veggies and high protein snacks. :) Peter is so happy with me! He loves the way I always travel light. LOL
We pass out after being awake 30 hours.
Day 2: We start the day at 3 am with PBJ sandwiches for the kids. They are wide awake and hungry. Gotta love jet lag. We are up for so long before we're able to make noise in the apartment. We plan the day, did summer school, read and prayed and took off. We walk 3 miles to our favorite Indian food cafe. YUMMO I love love love it. I could eat it everyday. I mix my Madrasi with a cucumber and tomato salad avoiding the wonderful rice and naan bread. I have one bite of each and thoroughly enjoy my spicy meal. We sit on pillows on the ground in a tent. fun.
We head to the state department store to get pictures for Sierra's new passport. Can you believe hers expires already? Her passport has a picture of her 2 days old. At the photographer, she starts screaming and screaming when the woman wants to take her picture. After 15 minutes of talking, disciplining and bribing to no avail. I ask the women to just take the picture.
It is the most horrible picture EVER. Her eyes are red, drool is running down her face and her mouth is contorted. We start laughing like mad when it's developed. She looks like a crazy person. Although she deserved to have that picture on her passport until she's ten, LOL, we knew she'd kill us for putting that on a legal document and she would be so embarrassed later! So since we don't want to scar her for life, we take a picture with our own camera. We should have thought of that 20 minutes ago, I blame jet lag entirely. We got it developed and it is very cute! :)
We got a taxi and drive home. We had a wonderful dinner with our friends the Sprengers. They are so amazing.
Day 3: We wake up and I begin P90X. Yes, this is crazy, but I need a focal point for the next 30-50 days of transition. I need a stable that will be the same world wide. I need a healthy output for all this stress. I got this for free from a friend. Opportunity knocked and I opened the door. I shred my body for 75 minutes. I am amazed I can even do the program, but I CAN! Thank you Lord. We did summer school again, this time starting the day at 4:30.
I think that homeschooling can work. I am drilling our family rule into the children- two words. NO COMPLAINING. It's working. Weston is challenging himself and begging for school. Today he read for 30 minutes when I only asked him for 10. Could that CAVA program really work for us?
We eat- the food that loaded the bags, is already a blessing. Yest I did bring a big block of frozen low-fat cheese. It makes eggs so much nicer. Peter smiles. I thank him again for carrying my insanity, but now he is truly thankful. We had nice USA powdered milk with our french pressed coffee.
We hop in yet another cab. We drive a LONG way to register. We fill out gobs paperwork for the recovering communist need for this many pictures, stamps and papers. We divide and conquer. He fills out the paper work. I wait in the foregners line. We wait and wait. We have a number. There are 47 people ahead of us. But this is ASIA--- no one is obeying the rules. I use my old basketball stills to block and box out the cutters... :) I get to the front of the line. She asks, "Where's your number?" I hand her the number and she says that I have to wait. I rudely tell her that no one else is giving her a number. She grudgingly takes my paperwork and Peter gently takes over. We joke that she probably wrote a note on my passport to fine me at the airport or something. We recall the Seinfeld where Elaine get's the word "difficult" written on her medical chart. I'm sure my passport says, "DIFFICULT!" HA HA--- that is for you T.
We hop in our cab, he's been waiting. We pay 40 dollars to the taxi to arrive at a cafe. We eat in a hurry. We hop in another cab.
We direct him to the Embassy to get Sierra's passport. We are sworn in and she is cleared to get a renewal. We walk along the river. We see a group of boys splashing in filthy water in the wash. Weston begins to yell, "it's too dirty. They shouldn't swim in that water." At the same time Sierra starts yelling one of her favorite words, "Poo Pool.... I want poo" She wants to swim in the same filthy water that is giving our son a panic. We have to instruct Weston that these boys swim there because that is the only time they'll get to swim and they are happy to see water after seeing ice for all those months and to remember to think and be polite before screaming at others. AND we coax Sierra away, while she screams and cries because she wants to swim in the mud puddle. :)
Ah the joys of parenting international kids!
3.17.2011
Remembering Grandma
Today I remember Grandma and Grandpa Smith.
Peter's grandparents loved me right away and always made me feel like family. Today is the day that grandma passed away five years ago and she is truly missed.
I'm thankful to have known her and benefited from her gentle and quiet spirit. Such kindness and care for others is rare and I am truly thankful for it.
This is a picture of a picture in my wedding scrapbook. This was Peter and my first dance and all of our parents and grandparents joined us. Their legacy of faithful marriage, then 50 years, is such a great gift. It is such a special memory to me.
I am fortunate to remember them often since we have the gift of living in their home, sitting at their table, and even eating with their silverware.
I'm still waiting for her baking genius to wear off on me from her rolling pin and cake pans. :) Thank you for this gift grandma, grandpa, Kerri, Lee and Laurie. We are truly grateful.
Today I trimmed their roses and remembered their wonderful lives and the gift of their love.
3.01.2011
Favorite minute of the week
They sit there, cuddly on the chair together.
The sun shining in though the window as they share the moment, chair and book.
I steal a picture from far away, so as to not shatter the magic of this moment.
Sierra turns the pages and reads to Weston.
They are happy clams and so am I.
10.10.2010
Olives...
p
I love olives. I really like green olives. When I was young, I only liked black olives; but after studying abroad in Israel, I really like green.
Here at grandpa's house and there are three big olive trees. I knew Weston would really enjoy the process of making olives. So we did it.
I found an easy recipe that contained no lye. Click here if you're interested.
First we picked. Then we washed and smashed them with a marble rolling pin. Now they are soaking in water. The water releases the tannin that makes the olives bitter. I have rinse and recover olives for one- four weeks until they are not bitter.
Then I'll make a brine with cider vinegar, garlic, lemon and rosemary. I'll cover them in the brine and put them in the fridge- ready to eat.
It was fun so far (and a bit of work.) I hope they turn out!
10.07.2010
Beach Day
We love Corona Del Mar. It is the best beach for kids. Shallow water, flat beaches and nice sand. The kids had a blast!
10.06.2010
Drippy, Soaked, Splash Mountain
We went to Disneyland last week on Friday after speech therapy. It was hot, so we decided to go on Splash Mt. We have been on it several times and never been soaked like this.
Peter and I sat in the front. After the first little hill, our left sides were soaked and my left shoe was absolutely filled with water! Then we went around a corner to the right. Our right sides were completely soaked and my right shoe could have hosted a goldfish!
All of this and we hadn't even gone down the big hill yet. Peter was howling in the front. He was saying again and again, "I'm so soaked, I am completely soaked!!!" I was ducking behind him and laughing so hard.
As we went down the big hill at the end, Peter and I knew we had no chance. A huge wave came up over the front of the boat and seemed to stop above us like a cartoon. Then it splashed down on Peter with its full soaking power!!! As I crouched behind him, all that was spared of my clothing was the front of my shirt that Peter blocked.
Peter was completely and totally soaked, as if he had jumped in a swimming pool. He was literally wringing water out of his shirt for hours. I am laughing while I remember it now. He really took it for the team!
9.18.2010
Princess and Knight room continued...
Princess Sierra's chamber...
Knight Weston's Lair...
Kissing Sleeping Beauty!
He LOVES it!
So does she...
Fun times! Peter is so artistic and he made the "cornet" to hold Sierra's canopy bed with a shelf and ply board. He designed it and really did a great job!
This room makeover is nearly done. We'll add pictures and I have to sew the gray curtains for the window. Maybe a trip to Medieval Times is in order! :)
Espresso... yum
We found a treasure while we were walking yesterday. A nearly new espresso machine at a garage sale for $5!
It makes great foam (name that movie)~ Peter likes cinnamon on his- no thank you! Cocoa for me please! ;)
Groggy morning faces enjoying their special drinks! :)
It makes great foam (name that movie)~ Peter likes cinnamon on his- no thank you! Cocoa for me please! ;)
Groggy morning faces enjoying their special drinks! :)
8.25.2010
Last days of summer---
She is so brave!
Grandma and Sierra swimming at Breanna's graduation party.
Sierra and Weston LOVE Thunder Mt.
The real story--- She's mad!!!
Giant lollypops mark the last minute of 2010 summer!
8.11.2010
princess cousins...
Crazy shots...
Don't you love the heels?
This one's my fave!
These are the first shots before they got silly and crazy!
Aren't they dolls, and hilarious?? They would have posed all day!- My camera ran out of batteries!
5.08.2010
Peter's Birthday
We had a smallish celebration today. I hung up streamers last night and then went to bed. I made cupcakes this morning for breakfast and went out to get him some Starbucks coffee.
Then we ate and ran out to John's graduation. It was so fun to sit with family and honor John for his accomplishment!
I also spent the morning clapping for 28 strangers that had received their doctorate degrees. Did you know that Peter enrolled in a Educational Doctorate program through Liberty University this week? Seeing these people finishing their doctorate degrees and John finish his Masters Degree, made me realize what a huge job Peter has ahead! You can do it Peter!!!
We had been planning on Peter beginning his education again, but from Mongolia. After thinking about it, we decided to continue with this plan from here in California. So here we go!
Happy Birthday my love! I am blessed to be your wife and I'm so proud of you.
Then we ate and ran out to John's graduation. It was so fun to sit with family and honor John for his accomplishment!
I also spent the morning clapping for 28 strangers that had received their doctorate degrees. Did you know that Peter enrolled in a Educational Doctorate program through Liberty University this week? Seeing these people finishing their doctorate degrees and John finish his Masters Degree, made me realize what a huge job Peter has ahead! You can do it Peter!!!
We had been planning on Peter beginning his education again, but from Mongolia. After thinking about it, we decided to continue with this plan from here in California. So here we go!
Happy Birthday my love! I am blessed to be your wife and I'm so proud of you.
3.29.2010
Is your wife home?
The other day someone came to the gate and was trying to sell honey. Peter went out and the first thing that the sales person asked was, "Is your wife at home?" Peter laughed. My reputation has proceeded me. It is hard for me to say no and this person knew that too.
It is not hard for me to say no to ridiculous things, and I don't think I'm a sucker. However saying no to poor people at the gate with perfectly good products is difficult. Saying no to people that need help is nearly impossible.
I've only done it once here in Sukhbaatar. Last summer a women was selling carrots at my gate. I said no because they were really overly priced and I didn't need carrots. She looks so sad. I nearly cried on the way back to my house!
I am home now in the good ole US of A and it is so wonderful. It is so clean and warm. The food is deliciously easy and good! Seeing my kids with their family is the biggest blessing. And I am caught. I am caught by the sad fact of saying no.
I was overwhelmed yesterday at church and could hardly hold myself together. I was crying all over the place and the "saying no" was so strong I could taste it in my mouth. I could feel it around my neck as I tried to hold back the tears so hard they choked me. I could taste it when I failed and the salty tears rolled down my face.
It is so clear that saying yes to Sukhbaatar is saying no to all these other wonderful, amazing blessings. I'm so sorry for that my dear, sweet, wonderful family and friends. I love you so much.
And this comes to mind...
Matthew 19
28Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
Thank you for giving us up so gracefully and supporting us in this work. Your rewards will come a hundred fold as well of that I'm sure.
3.18.2010
Good Day
Today was a good day. It was the first day that there was hope that Spring was indeed coming. We bundled up and walked over to Terri's house and we were not cold, not even our noses. It was only around 30 degrees, but that is 70 degrees warmer than it has been and so it feels nice; and the sun is bright and warm on our faces as we walked and ate chocolate mints.
Then we had a good time at our friends house and Peter came to pick us up. Then we decided to go out for dinner. Here going out for dinner is not about going out for a great meal, it's about NOT doing the dishes! Yay for me! We have found a cafe that sells vegetarian food, which is really a lot nicer than meat dishes here. The meals have eggs, and a lot more veggies and are served with steamed rice on the side.
As we drove home Weston talked about his icicle collection. We told him how he is lucky to be able to collect icicles and store them outside for an entire winter!!! I think this is one of the best places in the world for that! He has quite a collection growing on top of the dog pen.
Peter came up with a great idea to photograph them and measure them next year and try to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for the biggest outdoor collection! What a fun idea. Weston is delighted.
Then we had a good time at our friends house and Peter came to pick us up. Then we decided to go out for dinner. Here going out for dinner is not about going out for a great meal, it's about NOT doing the dishes! Yay for me! We have found a cafe that sells vegetarian food, which is really a lot nicer than meat dishes here. The meals have eggs, and a lot more veggies and are served with steamed rice on the side.
As we drove home Weston talked about his icicle collection. We told him how he is lucky to be able to collect icicles and store them outside for an entire winter!!! I think this is one of the best places in the world for that! He has quite a collection growing on top of the dog pen.
Peter came up with a great idea to photograph them and measure them next year and try to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for the biggest outdoor collection! What a fun idea. Weston is delighted.
3.17.2010
no news
Here is the daily dozen:
I wake and my headache is mostly gone.
I find happy children and my hubby in the living room
I give them all a wave- no kisses, off to the coffee pot!
I find no sugar for my coffee
I have a cup anyways
I check email and facebook
I do Tae Bo Kids with the family
I do laundry
I make lunch
I can't hear well, I'm getting a head cold, maybe?
I chop up the weeks meat and put it in the crock pot, maybe after 2 days it will be done and soft
The children are playing nicely with one another. They are getting over vacation mode, and the need to be entertained all day!
We talk to Auntie Shauna and sing Happy Birthday!
The electricity goes out.
I pull the casserole out of the oven and
put it in the frying pan and cook it over the camping stove
I eat
I talk with my friend and have a nice chat
I get out the homeschooling stuff.
I plan for the rest of the year in Bible, poetry and geography
Friend comes over unexpectedly
We chat for an hour and had tea and popcorn.
I had miscommunicated that we had "wheel chairs" for charity. We really have walkers. Opps!
Do you see what's missing from my day? Chores and homeschooling?
Bye, off to do those things.
I need to clean and organize and get ready to move into a smaller house. I don't know where to start so I am frozen in indecision.
I wake and my headache is mostly gone.
I find happy children and my hubby in the living room
I give them all a wave- no kisses, off to the coffee pot!
I find no sugar for my coffee
I have a cup anyways
I check email and facebook
I do Tae Bo Kids with the family
I do laundry
I make lunch
I can't hear well, I'm getting a head cold, maybe?
I chop up the weeks meat and put it in the crock pot, maybe after 2 days it will be done and soft
The children are playing nicely with one another. They are getting over vacation mode, and the need to be entertained all day!
We talk to Auntie Shauna and sing Happy Birthday!
The electricity goes out.
I pull the casserole out of the oven and
put it in the frying pan and cook it over the camping stove
I eat
I talk with my friend and have a nice chat
I get out the homeschooling stuff.
I plan for the rest of the year in Bible, poetry and geography
Friend comes over unexpectedly
We chat for an hour and had tea and popcorn.
I had miscommunicated that we had "wheel chairs" for charity. We really have walkers. Opps!
Do you see what's missing from my day? Chores and homeschooling?
Bye, off to do those things.
I need to clean and organize and get ready to move into a smaller house. I don't know where to start so I am frozen in indecision.
3.13.2010
I'm Learning about Parenting
I am on a discovery of true parenting. Why is it that there is no training for parents? Yes, there are books and websites that can prepare a parent for the events of parenthood; ideas about children’s diet, sleep patterns, potty training, education…
But the actual parenting is not addressed. Parenting is so much more than events. I’d like to see an effort to help young parents understand parenting at a deeper level. For me the whys and philosophy and purpose behind my choices make a big difference.
Homeschooling has brought out a thinking about parenting that previously had not been there. The pressure to be THEE educator in Sierra and Weston’s lives because of where we live, has been a good force to help me understand parenting more.
I am reading a book, Upgrade by Kevin Swanson and it has helped me. It is a pro-homeschooling book and has much of the reasoning behind the homeschool movement documented, and lists some great reasons for homeschooling. However, for me, it has also helped me to consider homeschooling and extension of my parenting and not have it separated in my mind as, “education.”
The education of a child is the responsibility of the parent, whether they are sending their child to school, a co-op, a charter school, or homeschooling. American culture has life all separated into boxes- education in one, spiritual life in another, arts in another…
For each of those boxes, we have an option to outsource that training of our child: School for education, church for spiritual training, various extracurricular activities for hobbies, arts, or sports. While that is not necessarily bad, it is dangerous in some ways because it could sacrifice relationship time with my children and I think relationship is the key to education and parenting.
Furthermore, people are not separated into boxes, education is the preparation of the whole person. It is helping Weston and Sierra become successful adults. This will take specific help, training and education in every area from physical, to spiritual and beyond.
For example, speech therapy is yet another area to invest in my relationship with my daughter, thus strengthening my ability to train her and deepening our love and her faith in my care. This is great, but this type of training in every area is going to take it all--- all my time, all my thought, all my discipline and more.
This realization has caused me to know parenting is going to take everything I am and more than I am through Christ. Before, I really thought that the kids would become who they were meant to be without much direction on my part. It’s funny to actually write that down, but that has always been my idea. They should be independent to play alone, make up games, imagine and play, and follow their interests as they come. I think that independence is good; however now, I think it will take more of ME to parent and train them up so that they can be more than they could alone. That makes parenting, homeschooling, speech therapy, cooking with them and training them to be neater and whatever else comes much more exciting and purposeful.
3.12.2010
No news
Hello
There is not much news here in Sukhbaatar. Our kids are getting bigger, it seems by the day. Our team is getting stronger. The church here is progressing at it's nice slow pace.
Winter is melting away, somehow, in the cold windy spring. The kids and I have been out for walks two days in a row now. It's still 20, but the sun is melting the snow and making nice muddy puddles everywhere. I have a deck again.
A cow died in front of our yard, from sickness and the freezing cold about two months ago. Pray for Mongolian herders, there was so much lost cattle from the hard winter we had. I wish I had some time lapsed photography to show you that cow's final demise. It is like a National Geographic out there. The cow is nearly gone. Stray dogs and birds have finished it off except for the two legs, which are still frozen to the ground. :) Lovely. I know you wanted to know that.
Sierra is talking more and more. It is interesting to see her progress through the typical "how a kid learns to speak" chart, she is like an 18 month old . She is babbling like an 18 month old would and really using more consonant sounds. This week she said please, thank you, brother, dog. We are working with her steadily. Pray she progresses at her pace and then become a normal little talker who is jabbering my ear off. :)
Weston is learning the piano with a program his great-grandparents bought us for Christmas. It is really cool. I'll post a video of that soon. It is a really a neat computer program with a digital piano keyboard. He also finished the first half of Kindergarten yesterday and we are moving up to a phonic reading curriculum now because he knows all the letters and sounds. He can write all the capital letters alone without tracing and now we are working on the remaining lowercase letters.
Peter is preparing a lesson today for church tomorrow. He just found out he had to teach yesterday, lovely. It takes a long time to prepare in Mongolian and then there is the actual speaking which is harder still. It makes for such a light and funhearted day!
I am typing here and enjoying the Internet, but really I am ignoring housework and chores that must be done. :)
So with that,
goodbye and goodnight or good day depending on where you are on this beautiful globe.
There is not much news here in Sukhbaatar. Our kids are getting bigger, it seems by the day. Our team is getting stronger. The church here is progressing at it's nice slow pace.
Winter is melting away, somehow, in the cold windy spring. The kids and I have been out for walks two days in a row now. It's still 20, but the sun is melting the snow and making nice muddy puddles everywhere. I have a deck again.
A cow died in front of our yard, from sickness and the freezing cold about two months ago. Pray for Mongolian herders, there was so much lost cattle from the hard winter we had. I wish I had some time lapsed photography to show you that cow's final demise. It is like a National Geographic out there. The cow is nearly gone. Stray dogs and birds have finished it off except for the two legs, which are still frozen to the ground. :) Lovely. I know you wanted to know that.
Sierra is talking more and more. It is interesting to see her progress through the typical "how a kid learns to speak" chart, she is like an 18 month old . She is babbling like an 18 month old would and really using more consonant sounds. This week she said please, thank you, brother, dog. We are working with her steadily. Pray she progresses at her pace and then become a normal little talker who is jabbering my ear off. :)
Weston is learning the piano with a program his great-grandparents bought us for Christmas. It is really cool. I'll post a video of that soon. It is a really a neat computer program with a digital piano keyboard. He also finished the first half of Kindergarten yesterday and we are moving up to a phonic reading curriculum now because he knows all the letters and sounds. He can write all the capital letters alone without tracing and now we are working on the remaining lowercase letters.
Peter is preparing a lesson today for church tomorrow. He just found out he had to teach yesterday, lovely. It takes a long time to prepare in Mongolian and then there is the actual speaking which is harder still. It makes for such a light and funhearted day!
I am typing here and enjoying the Internet, but really I am ignoring housework and chores that must be done. :)
So with that,
goodbye and goodnight or good day depending on where you are on this beautiful globe.
3.09.2010
Silly Fun
Weston watched that show Wipeout while we were traveling. Have you seen it?
It is an obstacle course show with big red balls people have to jump on and they fall off into water or mud. It is silly, but a bit addicting as the viewer watches these grown adults make fools of themselves as they run, jump, fall, get filthy, and totally WIPE OUT!
It is the perfect show to capture the mind of a 5 year old boy. He thought it was awesome! Weston made a Bunnell Wipe Out course in our living room because he thought the show was so cool. Peter helped him expand it to a two room course.
I couldn't resist videoing the kids and of course, Peter. And turn about is fair play, so then Peter videoed me while I played Bunnell Wipe Out.
It is a very flattering view of us both!!! Ha ha. It shows how lithe and agile we are, indeed, we are Spring chickens!!! ha ha ha..... Can you hear my sarcasm?
Then Peter used his new, super-cool Macbook to make a video out of it!
Happy Viewing.
It is an obstacle course show with big red balls people have to jump on and they fall off into water or mud. It is silly, but a bit addicting as the viewer watches these grown adults make fools of themselves as they run, jump, fall, get filthy, and totally WIPE OUT!
It is the perfect show to capture the mind of a 5 year old boy. He thought it was awesome! Weston made a Bunnell Wipe Out course in our living room because he thought the show was so cool. Peter helped him expand it to a two room course.
I couldn't resist videoing the kids and of course, Peter. And turn about is fair play, so then Peter videoed me while I played Bunnell Wipe Out.
It is a very flattering view of us both!!! Ha ha. It shows how lithe and agile we are, indeed, we are Spring chickens!!! ha ha ha..... Can you hear my sarcasm?
Then Peter used his new, super-cool Macbook to make a video out of it!
Happy Viewing.
3.08.2010
Back online
We're back online- finally! Yay. I spent an hour today at G Mobile politely applying pressure until it was fixed! I'm so glad.
A lot going on here.
We are most likely moving in April. Our friend and co-worker, Sharon, has finished her commitment to teach English here and her apartment is available.
This winter and last, our city has kept the apartments very warm so this is an option for us when earlier it wasn't because the apartments were too cold for my precious children! :)
We'll be sacrificing a room and moving down to a 2 bedroom and the yard (which is only usable 4 months of the year!)
We hope it will mean a little less work for us.
No more-
feeding dogs
making dog food
cleaning poo
weeding our yard
bringing water in
bringing water and mess out
burning trash
chopping wood
gardening (kinda sad)
driving to work and warming the car.
More time for:
our family together
ministry
language study
home school
speech therapy
Hopefully less isolation for me because:
I'll have to go outside with the kids
I can see the beautiful river and forest from the 4th floor
I'll be closer to school and church
AND
We'll be cleaner-
Wash dishes easily!!!
We can take a shower in hot running water EVERY day!
and wash AND rinse our laundry everyday if needed!!!
and have a toilet....
The last four reasons are good enough for me. Goodbye house!
A lot going on here.
We are most likely moving in April. Our friend and co-worker, Sharon, has finished her commitment to teach English here and her apartment is available.
This winter and last, our city has kept the apartments very warm so this is an option for us when earlier it wasn't because the apartments were too cold for my precious children! :)
We'll be sacrificing a room and moving down to a 2 bedroom and the yard (which is only usable 4 months of the year!)
We hope it will mean a little less work for us.
No more-
feeding dogs
making dog food
cleaning poo
weeding our yard
bringing water in
bringing water and mess out
burning trash
chopping wood
gardening (kinda sad)
driving to work and warming the car.
More time for:
our family together
ministry
language study
home school
speech therapy
Hopefully less isolation for me because:
I'll have to go outside with the kids
I can see the beautiful river and forest from the 4th floor
I'll be closer to school and church
AND
We'll be cleaner-
Wash dishes easily!!!
We can take a shower in hot running water EVERY day!
and wash AND rinse our laundry everyday if needed!!!
and have a toilet....
The last four reasons are good enough for me. Goodbye house!
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