Pii Saow....Parenting...Furlough....

GOD IS SOO GOOD! Pii Saow got saved!!!! We have a new sister in Christ you guys!! Pii Saow has been with us for about 10 months now...we originally hired her to watch Josiah while I worked and John was out in the villages. Then I got pregnant and stopped working and we felt like we were supposed to keep Pii Saow coming...plus she had become a good friend of mine.

Pii Saow is...wait WAS Muslum!!!! I honestly don't think she knows quite what it means to be a Christian to the full extent but I know she knows that our God is truly the one true God. I am going to begin reading the bible with her (she will read it in Thai while I read it in English) and we will talk about it...the best we can with my limited language. Hopefully Pii Thak will start coming to my house when Pii Saow comes and will have a bible study with her because Pii Thak can share what God has done in her life...and she knows what Thai's struggle with when they first get saved and what they are up against in this culture.

It's so exciting - Pii Saow has been watching us from day one and she always says that we are different and we just kept telling her it is because of God in our lives. She was in awe that John was faithful to me...and that he doesn't go out drinking...(Like almost all Thai men...almost all of them have a mia noi - which means a minor wife - a second wife)...that our children obey...and that we don't argue all the time and that we are truly happy.

Anyway, I am sooo excited and I praise God for Pii Saow!!! Please keep us in your prayers as we disciple her.

In other not so exciting news....I had a thought yesterday that I thought I would share with you.... Parenting is work!!! Isn't it? I have never been so busy in all my life than I am right now. Given I'm studying Thai and teaching Chase besides all the duties that come with taking care of your household. So I have a little more on my plate than just the normal homemaker duties...but...I just had that silly epiphany yesterday...Parenting is truly work!!!

I realized this when for the 20th time I had told Josiah that he could not play a computer game and no he couldn't watch veggie tales. I've been working on making sure that Josiah has real play time....ya know...the kind with toys...hehehe...To be completely transparent...it's just easier to let your child watch videos...and play computer games than be a parent to my child. Letting our children entertain themselves in this way is just a cop out from parenting.

I've been steadfastly working on doing activities with Josiah - painting, crafts, coloring, learning how to write and read, drawing, playing the water, playing with his toys, riding his bike (in the HEAT!!!)....ect... but it is truly work for me. I know some women just breeze through this stuff and will read this and go "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?" But for me it is EXTREMELY hard to sit down and play "airplanes"....LOL. I can sit teach homeschool all day long but to sit down and "play" with my son is hard for me. I guess I'm not that imaginative...and I definately never played "airplanes" or "armies" as a young girl...lol.

So - I've stepped into a new area of parenting where I am being stretched to be all the mom I can be. Not that Josiah can't play a computer game every once in a while and watch a video for a little while....but it just can not become my replacement as a mother....so that Josiah is preoccupied and I can do whatever it is that I want to do (study Thai...write on my blog...read...check the news). I want to be the best mother I can be to my sons...and if that means learning to play "airplanes" and like it...then so be it!!!

Enough about that - we've been steadily busy...John has been going out to one specific village "Baan Phrut" with the other guys on the team. We've been showing the video two times a week there and responding to the response cards that we have received from this village (from the tracts that we've passed out) Please keep this village in your prayers - we have had many many responses from this village and we are putting our focus there for at least a month. The team has rented out a small house in Baan Phrut...the Stubenrauch's are staying in the house for a month and we will be going out there all throughout the day....just being in Baan Phrut getting to know the people.

The air conditioning in our car went out about a month ago.....talk about HOT! Feels like a sauna...we're doing alright with it so far....although hot season hasn't hit yet. I don't think we'll be able to use the car during the day once hot season hits just because of baby Jude. He is a hot natured boy!!! Josiah does alright with the heat...he gets really irritable and whinnie (however you spell that) but he does ok...baby Jude on the other hand heats up like an oven...and turns red and that worries me...anyway, please keep us in your prayers about finances. We desperately want to visit the states for furlough - and we were planning on it but the source of money that was going to fund our trip is no longer available.

It will take $4,000 (possibly only $3,500) for the airplane tickets alone!!! Can you believe it! I just can't believe it's so expensive. Anyway, please pray for me...I'm fine right now but it's been a year and 2 months since I've seen my mom...I've never met my nephew Braden...my other nephew Levi is growing like a weed...and none of our family has ever met baby Jude. It's really rough sometimes to be honest - but we are where we're supposed to be - it's just hard missing friends and family. I know God will provide the money when he sees fit. I just have to trust in him to stabilize my heart :) :) Visiting the states isn't only about visiting family and friends for us of course...it's also about being able to cast a vision in peoples hearts - open people's eyes up to the other side of the world and to call out missionaries. Being here is worth it...because it's what God has set us to do.

I do want to say something that may come across kinda strange...but I want everyone reading to know that I - in no way - wrote what I did above to try to get people to give us money. I know the money will come in when it is time for us to be able to go...and John and I never want anyone to give unless they feel like they are supposed to give to us. I would hate for anyone to think that I'm trying to emotionally manipulate anyone into giving money. I really want to be transparent about everything...struggles...finances...everyday life here...

Anyway, thank you for reading and praying for us! God is doing so much and we are so blessed to be apart of what he's doing here. I have to cut it short right now - Jude is a hungry boy! :) We'll talk later... :) :) :)

Steph

Prayer Request/Pictures

Hello Everyone!  

WOW – we’ve been busy busy busy!  I’m making this a super short post so that I can ask everyone to be keeping us in prayer for diligence and supernatural smarts because we’ve started Thai language classes again and it is a REAL CHALLENGE!  That’s just putting it lightly – IT IS MIND BLOWING at times…Please keep us in your prayers!  

Ok…that’s it for now.  Wow…that’s the shortest post EVER!  Well, by me at least!  I’ll write again soon!  Thank you for reading…Enjoy the pics!

Steph

The false god in the back is AT LEAST 7 stories high!!!
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Upon rows...
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There are rows of these things...rows upon...rows...upon rows...
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Upon rows...
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Mike in front of the idols
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Baby Jude chillin in his new stroller that we found in Bangkok. We asked for the cheapest one and this was it...nice huh?
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While running errands one day Micheal and I stopped to take some pictures of the idols...and there were some monks around who seemed excited to see farangs and more than willing to have their picture taken...
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John combed Josiah's hair like his mom used to comb his when he was young - doesn't he look handsome!?! You almost can't see the cow licks in this picture...hehehe...
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This is "Lap Moo"...One of my other favorites! Both this and the "yaa ma ma" are eaten with "Kao knee awo" which is sticky rice.
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My little man is so handsome!!!
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This is a picture I took at one of my favorite shops here. Katherine and I come here often to get food - It's called "Raan coon boo" in english that's "The grandpa shop". When I ate here the first time I was in awe and didn't like it much but the food has grown on me and I crave this meal at least 3 times a week!!!! It is delicious. You eat each of the three plates with "Kao knee awo" which is the rice looking stuff...but it's not regular rice...it's called sticky rice.
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This is delicious...believe it or not...It's called "Yaa ma ma" It's HOT but delicious!
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Getting ready to go into the school....Micheal, John, Colton, Jude and Katherine...
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Josiah checking out the lion...he had to make sure they weren't real... :)
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When I wasn't teaching...most of the second day I was holding either Jude or Mercy.
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MaryBeth teaching the kids their memory verse in English and in Thai...
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Josiah after playing hardcore outside at the school...
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MaryBeth going over their scripture memory verse in English and in Thai...
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The girls making valentines...The Thai's are incredibly gifted with their hands...I wish I had gotten some pictures of the finished Valentines...
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A little boy was running all over the school...excited about his pet ants....They just stayed right there too...
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The other part of the school...
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Back of the one of the school buildings...
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The main school building...
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Two boys going to the cafeteria...where we were teaching...
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The schools library...
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Here I am teaching about God's definition of beauty...
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Josiah, Pii Thak and Mercy having some fun with the horse at the school we were at yesterday...
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Valentine's Picture....John and I were trying to look each other deeply in the eyes for this picture but we couldn't keep from laughing...Fun Fun Fun!! Not one of my best pictures! HAHA!
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A decent Valentine's Picture :)
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Pii Thak passing out tracks...yes she is wearing a jacket in the HEAT!! to keep the sun off...
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Village store...
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Clinton visiting a house...
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There are always tons of children wanting to know what we're all about...and spend time with us...
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A house...
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They all gather around Brian's truck to visit
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Asia (Josiah's best friend) helping pass out tracks...She's such a doll!
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Thai people don't use diapers and their kids are usually potty trained by 1 year old!!! I just couldn't believe it! If I had to I suppose I could...but I THANK GOD that they have cheap diapers here for 170 baht ($4). Who wants to be pee'd and pooped on for a year!!! Think about if you didn't have an option?!?!?
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Isn't she beautiful!!!!
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Those eyes!
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Some young village girls with Mercy (MaryBeth and Brian's youngest)
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Clinton setting up to show the film...
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Isn't she sweet!!!
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John, Brian and MaryBeth is in there too! :)
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John being silly on his bike! And that is a toothpick in his mouth...someone said it looked like a cigarette...hehehe. He's a true blue TEXAN huh? In America I don't think you'd ever see John in a cowboy hat but being here some how makes you appreciate where your from and makes you want to embrace it...so John saw this hat in Bangkok when he went to Chaing Rai and figured it would be a good sun blocker...I think he looks handsome with it on!!! Go get 'em cowboy!!
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Valentine's / English Camp

HAPPY LATE VALENTINE’S DAY!!

I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day – I know I did!  John did so GOOD  this year!!  I woke up to beautiful wildflowers on my side of the bed and a hand made card!  It just means so much more when things are hand made doesn’t it???  Then later that evening John had asked Katherine to watch the boys so we could go out together.  That explained why Katherine so gracefully avoided answering my question “Are you busy on Valentine’s Day??”  

Anyway, we were able to go out on our first real date in FOREVER!  It was wonderful – we brought Katherine home 2 roses and some ice cream (she’s sweets freak!)  We had to show her how much we appreciate her – it’s really hard not having family and friends to call on to have a night out every once in a while.  Don’t get me wrong though…this team is like family but we are always SOO BUSY!!!  

Anyway, today is the last day of the 3 day English Camp – Yesterday went wonderful!  It’s so much fun…but at the same time it’s sooo much work.  By the time me and the boys got home I was BEAT!  Josiah had taken a good hard fall to the rocky ground and was having a hard time getting over it and was badly in need of nap…Jude was hungry, hot and sweaty!!!  My feet were aching and my head was pounding but all in all it was so much fun!!!!  

It’s not easy teaching English and helping out with activities while watching two boys.  John was out passing out tracks in the village we were in.  Micheal was there so he helped some.  One really funny thing is that the Thai people do not let their children cry…the need is met at the exact moment that the child cries out…NO JOKE!  So…when it was just Katherine and I…baby Jude started to fuss…that’s all it was…just fussing softly….and all the kids stopped the game calling out…. “Luk ronghigh, Luk ronghigh” which means the baby is crying.  

I told them it was ok and tried to continue but they weren’t really satisfied until I walked back patted him and then said “Mai ben rai ka…Luk mii sabaii jai”…meaning “don’t worry…baby has comfortable heart…”  Which means to them…he’s ok.  Although it is against Thai culture to not stop everything for the crying baby.  No matter what it is.  

The school is about 45 minutes away and deep into the country.  I took some pictures and will be posting them soon.  It’s very peaceful out there.  Last night we were going to show the film in that village but it was raining so we could not.  So today Katherine, Brian and I are going out to the school to teach and share again – then I will return home with my boys and get food and then John and I have Thai language class…after that John will go out to meet up with Brian and Katherine to setup everything for showing the video.  

Well, I don’t want to make this a super long post so I’ll try to cut it short here.  Plus there is breakfast to be made, a 3 year old to wake up and an English lesson to be prepared.  I will post again soon with pictures from the school.  Thank you for praying…caring and reading!!!  If you happen to read this before 4am your time…then pray for me..I’m going to be teaching the children about real beauty and that they are a masterpiece designed by the one and only true God and that His son came to make a way for us.  Pray that the message is clear and that it finds good soil in the hearts of these children so they will remember it always.  

May you be blessed!!!

Steph

The day that we left we had to get Jude's passport picture taken and while we were waiting for it to develop - I said to John "We have NEVER had a family picture taken...why don't we just do it...we don't have to be dressed up or all pretty looking...let's just do it a la natural?" Of course John was cool with it so we had this shot snapped...it was only about $5 for Jude's photos and these...crazy huh! Pretty good compared to the $35-100 you might spend in America...We just happened to all be wearing navy blue too!!
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Josiah in our hotel at Bangkok - isn't that hat adorable!!
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Does this shock you? Brian was taking Asia and Mercy to the park and he asked if Josiah could come too...and this is how they went. If the park wasn't very close he would not have done this...but this is absolutly normal here in Thai culture...although we do this VERY VERY RARELY and they ALWAYS wear helments.
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Believe it or not...these to seats fold down to make a surprisingly comfortable bed...
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Posing infront of the train
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Josiah checking out the view...
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