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