Finally Living in the Land

It's Monday and we have now been in Bangkok for 4 days. Wow. I still really can't believe we are actually here. Let me back up and give you a preview of the last 6 days.

We left SLC Tuesday. Very difficult goodbyes with family and loved ones. You should have seen us with all of our carry ons. We forgot that our 2 toddlers, who could each have 1-2 carry ones, would also need to be carried on! It was quite comical actually, trying to pass through security taking off 4 pairs of shoes each time and then putting them back on, then carrying bags, and more bags, and car seats, and 2 sleepy children, and me blubbering all the way! And we were late! We were the very last to board!! Agghh! But due to very kind airport and Delta employees, we made it. And so it seemed to go the rest of the way to Bangkok. Not that there weren't any difficulties, but overall it went fairly well.

Upon arrival in Bangkok, the traffic overwhelmed me. Oh my! I can't see myself ever having enough courage to drive here. It is absolutely crazy! Thank goodness for public transportation.

Since arriving we have been able to see nearly all of Pun's extended family. 18 of them and most of them live right on the same block. They are a very kind and generous family. Pun and I have also spent some time with his great aunt. She is 102 years old! She is blind and pretty much house bound. Helen and Daniel are warming up to her. Actually, Helen really enjoys going to visit her. As many of you know, Pun has a burden for his whole family to know the Lord and especially this aunt. Yesterday, Helen told Pun they should go tell her about Jesus dying on the cross for her. We were both touched. She and Pun went to visit and begin to share with her. Pun is praying for more alone time with her.

As I sit here typing, my mind is going in 100 directions. There are so many new experiences I want to describe for you. To say the least, it is overwhelming, exciting, emotional, scary, and fun. Maybe I am just tired! But it is impossible to tell you everything so as the days go by, I will try to give you little pictures of what life is like.

If you are wondering...Yes, it is extremely warm and humid here. Unusually so for this time of year. But the thunderstorms are awesome!

The first night we were here, we all woke up around 3am (2pm MST) wide awake! So we went outside in the yard and began exploring the night life. Among the highlights were the lizards and the giant snails (in there shells). The lizards climb on the walls inside. I can't figure out how they get in, but they don't bother anyone and they are fun to watch. Helen and Daniel and I love to find them! Pun's parent's yard feels like a tropical paradise. You really don't feel like you are in the middle of Bangkok at all; there are too many exotic plants, trees and flowers, not to mention the little creatures! Maybe I have just been in Utah too long.

Eating Thai food has become adventure in itself. There are many wonderful new foods and fresh fruits and then there are some that I will need to acquire a taste for. I have never been a big fan of vegetables, nor much of a healthy eater. That is all about to change! The pineapple and bananas are incredible, and the grilled meats delicious! There are just so many new flavors. The children are doing fairly well with it all, although Helen has a craving for pancakes! Funny, since she never asked for them at home.

I am surprised at how much is written in English here. Street signs, store signs, and products in the store have a fair amount of English. And there are so many US brand names here. At times I find myself thinking how similar things are here compared to the US. At other times I am shocked by the differences.

Other news some of you may not know, is we are expecting our 3rd baby in April. His family took the news well. We were waiting to tell them when we arrived so we didn't post anything on line. Birth in Bangkok will definitely be a new experience. No more homebirth, it is illegal here. So we have found the only hospital in SE Asia that does water births right here in Bangkok. Thank you, Lord!

Tomorrow we will be leaving to go to Pun's parents ranch for a few days and then on to the ocean for a few more. It should be very nice to see some of the country side.

My computer time is extremely limited right now. If you email and I don't respond, it is most likely because I can't get to the computer. This may go on for the next month or so until our container arrives. I also have no way of uploading pictures for now, either, which is a shame. There is so much I want you to see. It will have to wait.

For now, know that we miss you all and think of you often.

One Week and Counting

Well, actually it is only 5 days. Boy, you should see how excited Pun is!! Me, too, for that matter. He is really ready to go home, and I am ready for him to take me.

Last weekend our shipping company dropped off a rather large shipping container. We had 3 days to get it packed and ready to ship out. Thank you to all of you who helped us load up. If it hadn't been for many friends from church and our family, we wouldn't have made it in time. And I just can't tell you how glad I am it is all gone. I hope it gets to Thailand eventually!

The rest of this time has been spent saying goodbye. My dear friend LaVonne came all the way across the country to spend one last weekend with me. We had the best time together. Thanks, LaVonne, for coming so far to to say goodbye. Thanks for all the good memories and for your friendship. I will truly miss you.

Another highlight has been the chance to spend many evenings with the families from our church. We have been to so many special dinners with friends. It's just making it more difficult to say goodbye. But we wouldn't trade any of the memories.

On Monday night our church had a surprise party to send us off. We all ended up the canyon at a park where Pun and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner. It was an evening we will never forget! To our church body: You will never know how much you have come to mean to us. We will sorely miss you... And we won't forget all of you who promised to come see us in Thailand, too! We are holding you to it!! Thank you everyone -- We love you soo much!!

You know, Pun and I have talked about many things we will miss here like the seasons of the year (especially fall time), the mountains, snow, certain types of food, but we always end with talking about the people we will miss. Your friendships have been our true treasures.



PS I had planned to put more pictures in of our party and gatherings with friends, but none seemed to capture the essence of the events without too much explanation so I decided to add a couple other of my favorite pictures!

So much to say...

I am painfully aware at the time that has lapsed sense I last wrote. When I started this blog, I knew there wouldn't be too much to say until we actually moved but 5 weeks have passed since my last post and I never intended to go that long!

Thank you to those who still check up on us during this time. I know you keep coming back, I see it on the stats (although I don't know who you are.) Just a few things have kept me preoccupied: taking care of mom (more on that later), taking care of sick babies, computer problems that kept me off-line, being sick myself, company for a week, and family camp with our church to name a few.

As I write, Mom is off to her first check-up since the surgery. She is doing really well at this point. It has taken time to recover, but her headaches and nausea are finally subsiding. She is rarely sick, and her headaches are manageable. Thank you so much to all of you who prayed for her. I think she is finally seeing the good results we were hoping for.

We have finally purchased our tickets. We leave on September 5th. It seems like we have been standing at the edge of the cliff for so long, that to think we are actually going to jump seems surreal. There are several hurdles to cross before that time. We have yet to ship our things. It looks like that will happen the next weekend. Pun may have to make a trip to the Thai embassy before he leaves to clear up a problem with his passport. And of course, we want to spend these last days with family and friends.

Some of my family made special trips out to visit us one last time this summer. Earlier this summer my, mom's youngest brother and his family came for a week, and just last week my mom's oldest brother and his wife came. We had such a wonderful time with all of them, and felt so loved that would come so far to say goodbye. We will miss each one of them...

I have pictures to post, but the website is not working right. Pun somehow was able to get me in so I could at least write a quick update. I will post more when the website is up again.

Brain Surgery

Well, it's over!! Mom now has a dime size whole in her head with a shunt running from her brain down to her abdomen! She did excellent and so did the doctor. We are hoping and praying for immediate relief from the symptoms. If all goes well, she should be home on Monday.

Here's how the day went:




When we arrived at the hospital, Mom's tiny room was already filled with visitors. Although she was feeling lousy, she was definitely enjoying the company.

"You're going to do WHAT to my grandma?"

Helen tried in her own way to fix Grandma's "ouch" on her head. Check out the bandaid!!

Though the surgery was short, it seemed like such a long time to wait for Mom. Some of us got very sleepy.

When we heard she was on her way back to the room, nothing could slow this man down from meeting her at the elevator!!

She looks pretty good for just having brain surgery!!

Thank you, everyone who prayed for Mom. We appreciate your love and concern.

Late News

Happy 4th!! My mom decided to have a big party for the 4th, so we invited 14 of our friends from church over for dinner. What fun! We had a great time visiting and eating a delicious dinner and homemade ice cream (including jalapeno ice cream--thanks, Dave!). Everyone left before the fireworks but one dear friend, Char. We talked her into sticking around for our neighbors fireworks display (here we are watching them),



and to do a few of our own fireworks.






Helen and Daniel always enjoy having her around. Thanks for hanging out with us, Char!



One final note, for those of you who don't already know, my mom will be having surgery tomorrow morning. They will be putting a shunt in to drain excess fluid off her brain. I will post an update tomorrow or Sunday.