So Long Ordinary

The girls and Ester.  Ester is a sweet, shy, quiet little girl from next door.  She's also our helper's daughter, so she comes over almost everyday to play with the girls while her mom works.  On Friday, she just wanted so badly to spend as much time as possible with us, so we brought her with us to the MAF dock to say our good-byes.  All four girls spent the time at the dock playing around in the grass.  (Remember that post of the girls playing in the water a few weeks ago?  This is that same area, now bone-dry.) We're going to miss Ester...and so many other friends here. I'm not going to mention how very much we will miss our MAF family. (okay, guess I just did)   Sniff. Well, what a surreal feeling.  Our house is pretty echo-y.  Since we're having the interior painted while we're gone, I took down all of our pictures and wall hangings.  I also put away breakables and special items that might get damaged just sitting around the house f...

First of all, a huge thank you for all the kind comments on my last post.  I love hearing from you - through comments on this blog, Facebook, emails, phone calls, real life conversations, and the grapevine ! It was a little hard to put such an honest post out there, but you've all encouraged me so much with your words.  Thank you. It feels like ages ago, but it was only a few weeks ago that we took the girls and the dog down to the MAF dock to play in the river.  The river was pretty high, which creates the perfect little shallow pool to play in. We took a lunch and made a picnic of it. Check out that huge log that floated down the river!  It was the perfect place to play. We should totally do this more often.  (Except maybe not take the dog?  This is where she got the water in her ears that started the ear infection that we're still battling!) While the girls played, I sat on the bench and watched the monkeys play - and by monkeys I don't mean kids.  ...

Oh, we've had a great few weeks since my last post!  I mean truly   great weeks with all sorts of little blessings that have shot our end-of-term weary arms full of the energy we need to reach our furlough in just FIVE more months. I think I'll start with the most obvious..... I mean, really.  Who ever would have thought? I know I never imagined meeting Harrison Ford in Central Borneo. I'm just blown away by this life we live.  It's amazing.  Sean and I often talk about how crazy our work in Indonesia has been - dealing with the rich and powerful as well as the most down-trodden and needy.  It really throws us sometimes. Three years in, we're still learning how to navigate two such different worlds - neither of which is our comfort zone. Mr. Ford really impressed us, though.  Not because he's a huge movie star (though I was most certainly starstruck), but his attitude was so humble and kind. He's a normal guy.  I was touched at how he took the ti...

A few weeks ago, when the moon was full and reportedly very close to the earth, we headed out to the MAF dock to try to see the rising moon.  It's hard to find a good place to watch the moon rise when there are tons of big trees all around and the land is flat as a pancake for miles and miles.  Sean's grand idea was that we would climb up on top of the hangar roof.  At first, I thought this would be fun...until I saw what that meant.   Somehow, scurrying up a wobbly ladder and up onto a steep metal roof with a 100 foot drop into a muddy river is not my idea of fun.  Not really. Fun fact: my feet sweat when I'm nervous.   I was nervous. And I was also wearing flip-flops.  Sweating feet and flip-flops are a bad mix on a steep metal roof.  Ugh.  I don't even know how I shimmied up to the peak of the roof, but I'm pretty sure it was done with a few tears and some harsh words for my husband who was so helpful by telling me to "just stand up and wa...

It's hard to believe we've almost lived in Indonesia for three years.  In some ways, it has become a pretty ordinary life.  Things that once shocked me now barely register a blip on my radar.  I was trying to think of some examples for you but found I had to think a good long time to come up with anything!  That is how normal life here has become - I can't even recognize the things that, for this Colorado Mountain Girl, weren't normal 3 years ago.  You know -  things like taking your shoes off before going into people's houses to have important documents notarized.  Or unloading an airplane engine from the back of a dump truck using nothing but manpower and 2x4's.  Or seeing all manner of objects transported on scooters - refrigerators, chickens, 5-6 people, rebar, lumber, food carts, bicycles, fans, jerry cans full of gasoline, propane tanks, monstrous bags full of rice cakes.  On any given day, I see about 20 different things that I never k...

I knew I wasn't blogging much, but I can't believe I totally missed the month of March!  That's okay, though, because I truly needed the break.  We have been swamped lately so here's a little catch-up: Early in March, Sean and I took a little trip to the capitol city of Jakarta so that he could complete his annual flight physical.  Our girls stayed with our teammates, the Rogers, and had an amazing time.  I really enjoyed a change of pace and Starbucks but overall I came away with the realization that I. Don't. Like. Big. Cities.  And Jakarta is a big, big, big city.  Next time, I think I'll try to remember that I don't like shopping all that much, either.  Little touristy shops on quaint, quiet streets - yes!  Huge, indulgent malls with overwhelming prices and choices....not so much.  We had the Rogers' kids over the following week, so that their parents could have a similar trip to Jakarta.  I never expected the boys and girls to get a...

It's already the last day of February on this side of the world and I'm still scratching my head wondering where January went.  Good grief.  It would be an understatement to say we've been busy.  Lots of guests, lots of happenings, lots of good stuff....that's what's been going on!  March looks like it will be just as full - but with some fun travel and rest, which we are especially looking forward to! Can you say Starbucks? I'll share a couple of pictures from our February.  I lost the charger to my camera a while ago (not that I used it that much) so these are pretty low-quality Ipad photos.  I should steal Sean's camera once in a while, shouldn't I? We had a LOT of rain in February but one morning in particular we had a major downpour that flooded our yard before it could drain.  The girls just love it when that happens....   Our Valentine's Day wound up being crazy-busy but the following morning we finally got around to making and decorating...

The main reason I'm stopping in here today is to say, "PLEASE PRAY!"  Sean has an amazing opportunity to share at a village interior for their Christmas program today!  He was asked to do this a year ago.  Rather than attempt it all by himself he has enlisted the help of our MAF Indonesian staff and our other MAF pilot, Isaac.  Together, these 7 guys will be preaching, leading worship, sharing testimonies, and presenting "The End of the Spear."   This particular community they are heading to is one that still struggles with spiritual darkness and old beliefs.  There is one small church there and a handful of true believers.  The guys are hoping to not only share God's love with the community but also to encourage the Indonesian pastor who serves there as a missionary.  If time allows, Sean is also hoping to make a 15 minute flight upriver to encourage another Indonesian brother whose life was recently threatened because of his faith...

As you know, we took a break from English Club for about 6 weeks.  It was a nice break, and I feel very encouraged and excited about some changes we've made.  One of the main changes blessings is HELP!  With a new teammate here who is pleased to help teach and plan the classes, I'm feeling less stressed about handling the up to 60 kids that come to English Club each week.  Plus, we've found a way to divide up into groups so we can be sure to get the most out of our time with them.  For our first day back, we had a special treat for the kids.  Tacos!  I've yet to meet an Indonesian who knows about this marvelous, heavenly food and we thought it would be fun to share it with them, since they were learning the word anyway!   It was no simple task gathering all the ingredients - Amber, my friend, did a great job of gathering and preparing the treat.  If you'd like to learn more about that day and the kids' reactions...

A view of sunrise from our backyard captured by Sean several weeks ago. It is a lovely Saturday morning - a bit overcast, so it isn't too hot.  I love that we had a full night of rain.  These smoke-free days are a true gift after experiencing our first smoke season in Palangkaraya.  A true gift. I am tired this morning.  I stayed up too late reading in our new hammock on the back porch.  I love cuddling up with a good book in an overstuffed chair next to the fire on a chilly day.  Since that isn't going to happen here, I've found my alternative - relaxing in the hammock on the porch while it rains outside!  It got a little chilly even. I had to go turn off the fan.  Despite my late night, the girls (who went to bed at their normal time) were up before 6 a.m. asking for help with the DVD player and help getting their cereal.  Then, Sean got a call to go do a medevac flight for a woman having difficulty in childbirth.  So, all hope of...

After a spell of being pretty much the only Americans in Central Kalimantan, it has been a real treat having teammates again.  MAF'ers!  Americans!  People with kids our kids' ages!  Teammates.  We've had so many.  Loved so many.  Said good-bye to so many.  But I tell ya, we are grateful for them all.  Because being out here "all alone?"  It's hard.  There's just something about having somebody else around from your own culture that makes you feel more energized, more able to deal with the difficulties and ups and downs of this missionary life.  I know that having teammates and friends on the field - let alone those that really "get" you is sadly rare. We've somehow managed to have the best teammates everywhere we've served.  Maybe God knows how much we need them?  We are blessed again with new teammates who make the load we carry feel not quite so heavy.  (Their container full of household th...

There's this great swimming pool about 30 minutes from our house.  It is a lovely spot, set far away from the city of Palangkaraya and tucked in a quiet village on the only hill for miles around.  We love going there on Saturday nights.  We order chicken curry and watch the kids swim.  I like to get in the tepid water for a quick swim and enjoy the little chill-bumps that raise on my skin when I step back out of the water into the fresh night air.  Last time we were there, there was a huge storm rumbling as the sun set.  By the time the kids were in the pool, it was a downpour.  Our friends were with us, and while the kids jumped into the pool, we adults found ourselves a spot out of the rain where we could visit. Every time the lightning struck, I'd glance nervously around, start counting the seconds that passed before I heard the thunder.  I was a worried wreck.  Five precious little people, including 3 of my own, w...

Sean was in the newspaper in Idaho...okay, so his picture was, but it's still pretty cool.  Go here to read the recent article about MAF. Want to learn more about the Missionary Badge of Honor?  Read my latest MAF blog post here ! We have finished up our fourth week of homeschool already!  Wow, time flies when you are having fun.  Truly, we are having fun and I am seeing these girls all grow and learn...kind of exciting when you start out wondering if you are doing things right. We are truly enjoying having the Rogers family here from Tarakan.  The kids have been having playdates like crazy and we are all really enjoying some fellowship with our MAF friends after about a month all on our own here.  Having teammates is a GOOD THING. English Club today!  I had to cancel last week because I was feeling really sick to my stomach.  Looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.   We are busy.  We are tired.  Between my homesc...

Brooklyn is officially a 3rd grader! She worked really hard this week to finish her work and I am SO proud of her. She's pretty excited and we're already enjoying our break. First year of homeschool done - check! Madison is also done! I started her in Kindergarten a little late in the year because I had to wait for some materials. So, we only got about halfway through Kindergarten. I do have First Grade materials also on the way for next year. Maddie is gonna be a KinderFirst Grader! I counted 54 kids at English Club today. I could have double counted a few or even missed a few, its kind of hard to keep count with a bunch of kids milling about in a smallish room! Seriously, though, we can't add any more to this class. We're really having fun - today I taught them to do the twist and make paper airplanes. They loved it! The fun thing about teaching English is that the students can learn from anything. Okay, okay, we are studying action verbs and transportation...