So Long Ordinary

I don't know if you've picked up on it yet but we live really close to our neighbors.  Actually, our house is part of a family plot of property - our neighbors are also our landlords - and we live right in the middle of this Javanese family full of brothers and sisters and grandparents and babies and kids of all ages. The view from our dining room window - just doing a little maintenance work on somebody's bike. There's almost always something interesting happening right outside our window...we've learned a lot of culture just standing at the sink or by our dining room window where we can see their front porch and observe their familial interactions.  We don't understand much of what is going on because they speak Javanese, but it's still rather entertaining and educational. If we aren't watching what is going on, we're at least hearing it through windows we keep perpetually open to let in a breeze. All we wanted was to sleep in a bit on a Sunday mor...

I've been encouraged lately to do more writing about just plain old life.  I realize this may be incredibly boring to some (okay most) of you, but this is the kind of stuff I want to remember and that I want to share with my Mom back home but never seem to remember when we talk - just those random, everyday moments that make up my life here in Indonesia.  So, it's just a story.  There's no message or purpose other than my own entertainment...just a little description of a part of my day that is actually pretty boring but kinda fun...in a blah, blah, blah sort of rambling way....Thanks for humoring me.  I'll probably start doing this more often.  Because it's my blog and I can. It took us a while this morning to locate a store that had anything worth buying for a birthday present. Brooklyn is invited to two different birthday parties next week.  Normally, finding something for a little girl the same age as my girl would be easy peasy lemon squeezy .  Bu...

Our internet was down for several days and I'm just now getting caught up with the rest of the world.   I haven't been online much in the past two weeks and I shouldn't be so surprised that I survived.  In fact, life went on just fine without my hourly email/Facebook/blog/news checks and I didn't miss much.  Actually, if it weren't for the fact that my birthday was Friday, I wouldn't have missed anything all! It was fun today to open up my Facebook and email accounts and find all sorts of happy birthday wishes in three different languages!  I'm blessed to have so many friends all over the world - that's one of my favorite things about our life as missionaries...and also one of the hardest because, while we have lots of really great friends, we also have had to say too many good-byes.  Facebook is great, though, for helping us keep in touch with our far-flung friends and family!  Thank you for the birthday wishes! My birthday weekend was awesome!  Sean ...

At the retreat in Jakarta.... My latest post on the MAF blog can be seen here .   I had a fabulous weekend in Jakarta and received some much-needed encouragement. I was thoroughly spoiled, laughed a lot, ate plenty of yummy food, and had an opportunity to learn a little more about myself and my Jesus. I also got to see some old friends, which was so special. I came away from the whole trip feeling SO blessed!  Sean and the girls did fine without me...though we were all happy to be re-united on Monday! 4.5 weeks left until we can return to Palangka Raya...I'm ready to get home.     We've gotten some fun packages this week!  I think we all needed the "little shot in the arm" that packages from home bring.  New clothes, fresh toys, and U.S. food products are such huge treats now.    For several days we were hearing a rat scurrying around in our roof.  The good news is that it's been a few days since we heard him...the bad news is that there is ...

Saturday will mark our half-way point of our time back in Salatiga!!  I can't wait to get language school completely behind me.  I also can't wait to go back to my home and life in Palangka Raya! It has been raining in Palangka Raya!  The air is clearing up!  So far our teammates, the Pratts, have remained in Tarakan, just to be sure this trend will continue before heading back.   This Friday, I am going on a very special trip to Jakarta for an MAF ladies retreat.  Three whole nights and four days of zero responsibility (haven't had that for 8 years!), lots of pampering, eating at yummy restaurants, fellowship time with fellow missionary ladies, and several sessions full of encouraging words brought by a woman I admire ?!?!?!  I can't wait!  I fully expect God to meet me there in that five-star hotel room (a generous donor paid for us to stay in what appears to be the best hotel I'll ever stay in) and I know the weekend will be just the refreshme...

Here in Java, our house is much smaller, closer to the street and the houses next door, and surrounded on all sides by neighbors who do the majority of their living outside. Their water source is a well in the back yard next door, shared by several families.  They don't have washing machines or dishwashers so all that washing is done outside next to the well.  The kids get bathed (twice a day) in a plastic tub while the adults take a "shower" in a makeshift shower space made out of tin near the well.  We hear all of it - the washing, the clanging dishes, the splashing water, the sneezes and coughs - because our windows stay open and even when they're shut they don't seal out much noise. Our Salatiga home While the Javanese are really quite laid-back and quiet people, we've learned that certain noise is acceptable. Even as I type this, the neighbors in the house behind ours are blaring their music for the whole neighborhood to enjoy.  It isn't considered...

I came across another blogger who likes to interview her kids every year, just to see how they change and keep a fun record for posterity.  I think it's a great idea!  Since Brooklyn just had a birthday, I thought we'd start with her.... What is your favorite activity? My favorite thing is...watching movies! And coloring. What is your favorite color? Pink. Blue and red. What is your favorite toy? Dolls - especially my American girl doll. Who are your best friends? Emma, Hannah, KJ, Ester. What do you want to be when you grow up? A pilot!! Why? Because Daddy is. What does Daddy do all day? He flies float airplanes. What does Mommy do all day? Teach. What do you do all day? Play. What are your favorite books? "Pinkalicious" and "All the Ways I Love You." What are your favorite movies? "Rapunzel" (known as "Tangled" in the States). "Felicity" and "Kit." (American Girl movies) What are your favorite foods? Hamburgers and h...