This Month is Kicking my Tail.
I skipped school today. It's been quite wonderful. I even have time to post a little note here!
Today, our MAF family is getting together for a Thanksgiving dinner. I have been cooking up a storm and I have to say, I love it. Cooking is one of my favorite things to do and having people to cook for and a planned get together is making it a little easier for me to get past the overwhelming homesickness that I get when I think of loved ones back home.
I've made two pumpkin pies (one of which may or may not already be gone), cranberry salad, stuffing, and I'm getting ready to put the turkey in the oven. None of it tastes exactly like home because it is so hard to find some of the ingredients we're used to. (The pumpkin pie tastes just right, though. Thanks Mom for sending canned pumpkin!) I don't even want to try to explain to you the stress we had in this home at the beginning of the week just because I couldn't find a few key ingredients...whew, it was ugly!
But, we got past all that and things are turning out beautifully. I'm teaching my helpers how to make pies and stuffing and turkey and they are watching with wide eyes. It's very similar to me watching them cook! Indonesians don't have ovens in their homes, for the most part. They're way of cooking is completely different from ours. It's fun to share this little bit of my culture with them...and I've had plenty of language practice trying to explain Thanksgiving in Indonesian!
The way our classes have worked out at language school this month has made things way too stressful around here. I go to class for four hours in the morning and then Sean goes for 2 hours in the afternoon. We're both trying to keep up on homework, keep the home fires burning, stay on top of other responsibilities, and take care of kids. It hasn't been easy. Thankfully, after I finish this unit, I'll be on the same schedule as Sean is again and that will make things much easier.
I'm thankful today, even though it isn't technically Thanksgiving any more. I can't begin to tell you what I've learned since we've been here but I will say that the majority of it hasn't been the language! Oh, I'm learning that too, of course, but many life-lessons are wrapped up in these first months in a new country.
Language school is hard. There's no way around that. It's a bizarre and trying year. But God is so good and He remains faithful. I'm thankful for this experience; thankful that we get to live and work and love in Indonesia; thankful for new friends; thankful that my kids are well and adjusting so beautifully to this crazy life; thankful that I'm homesick for family because that means they are wonderful people that I love and want to be with!
Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!
Today, our MAF family is getting together for a Thanksgiving dinner. I have been cooking up a storm and I have to say, I love it. Cooking is one of my favorite things to do and having people to cook for and a planned get together is making it a little easier for me to get past the overwhelming homesickness that I get when I think of loved ones back home.
I've made two pumpkin pies (one of which may or may not already be gone), cranberry salad, stuffing, and I'm getting ready to put the turkey in the oven. None of it tastes exactly like home because it is so hard to find some of the ingredients we're used to. (The pumpkin pie tastes just right, though. Thanks Mom for sending canned pumpkin!) I don't even want to try to explain to you the stress we had in this home at the beginning of the week just because I couldn't find a few key ingredients...whew, it was ugly!
But, we got past all that and things are turning out beautifully. I'm teaching my helpers how to make pies and stuffing and turkey and they are watching with wide eyes. It's very similar to me watching them cook! Indonesians don't have ovens in their homes, for the most part. They're way of cooking is completely different from ours. It's fun to share this little bit of my culture with them...and I've had plenty of language practice trying to explain Thanksgiving in Indonesian!
The way our classes have worked out at language school this month has made things way too stressful around here. I go to class for four hours in the morning and then Sean goes for 2 hours in the afternoon. We're both trying to keep up on homework, keep the home fires burning, stay on top of other responsibilities, and take care of kids. It hasn't been easy. Thankfully, after I finish this unit, I'll be on the same schedule as Sean is again and that will make things much easier.
I'm thankful today, even though it isn't technically Thanksgiving any more. I can't begin to tell you what I've learned since we've been here but I will say that the majority of it hasn't been the language! Oh, I'm learning that too, of course, but many life-lessons are wrapped up in these first months in a new country.
Language school is hard. There's no way around that. It's a bizarre and trying year. But God is so good and He remains faithful. I'm thankful for this experience; thankful that we get to live and work and love in Indonesia; thankful for new friends; thankful that my kids are well and adjusting so beautifully to this crazy life; thankful that I'm homesick for family because that means they are wonderful people that I love and want to be with!
Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving Cannons!! We miss you guys, glad you had a fun homecooked meal with friends. It's quite cold here but no snow! We are off to a much needed weekend in the mountains. We love to here all the updates!
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