From my heart...

You know, for the past two weeks...while we have not been studying Thai anymore and have not had any duties except for to continue to pray, shine our light and prepare to move what we have to Hat Yai before returning to America - I feel as though I have been busier than ever.

I do believe we are making the transition from having two children to three. Jossalyn is no longer his adorable itsy bitsy baby just laying there...content to be able to see us. She is a full blown...beyond adorable 7 month old that has to be in the action too! Jude has developed into such an incredible 3 year old...it's like on his birthday he made a concious decision to grow up a whole years worth in one day!

Josiah has matured so much over this past week it's amazing! As I sit here...Jossalyn is wheeling around in her walker grabbing things out of suitcases. (Intermission: 10 minute diaper change) Jude is getting his daily dose of 101 Dalmations...that boy LOVES that movie! Josiah and Daddy are still asleep...it's 7:37.

The past week we've have another breakthrough...but one I don't write about too often. Have you ever just felt like the worst mother EVERRR?? Well, I have...I was speaking to another homeschool mom last night and she was like...excuse me that's MY TITLE...I think we've all felt like that at someone point or another...and then there's the other half of us that feel like that EVERYDAY! LOL!

Naw...it's not that bad but during this time...during this season...it's been rough. All the changes and Josiah learning that he must obey no matter what house or country we're in...and Jude learning how to deal express himself and his frustrations with his brother...and learning that sneaking around is not safe and NOT ACCEPTABLE!

Well, this week it just seems like we've finally broken through!!! The house has a different feel because peace and love reigns in stead of frustration and attitude. Am I saying I think the battle is over? NOPE...it's just over for this season...and I'm oh so happy about it.

During all the things that have been going on in Bangkok and in other parts in Thailand it's like God has been protecting me from focusing on that stuff. I imagine it something like a father who knows that bad things are going on either side of his baby girl and he just keeps snapping his fingers...whistling and calling the focus of his child to be on him and him alone. In his gaze there is peace and comfort, TRUST and PURPOSE.

Many of the missionary moms last night kept asking if I was doing ok...they seemed to think that the hard part was all the train rides, the moving, the selling, the unknown of if when we can get tickets, the airplane rides...and then settling back down just to pick up and move again in 2 months once in America to somewhere we're not familiar with...they were all concerned about my sanity...and to be completely honest...for the first time I didn't need to say..."Just pray for me..." in that way that lets people know that I don't feel up for the challenge but that's what's going down...so I'm gonna bit my lip...take a deep breath and press in.

Instead I just looked at them and said "yes! I'm fine!" It felt so good to just say...I'm fine. While it's two words it means so much more...it means "It's ok. I'm not stressed...I don't feel like this is hard...We're ready...I have peace...I have joy...I have happiness....I am full of faith...We trust God..."

The only sorrow or sadness I feel is in leaving Thailand itself. I love this country and I LOVE the missionaries that are serving in it. It hurts my heart that I won't be here during these turbulant times...but at the same time I am excited to go home to my America...my family...my friends who are pretty much like family...

I am encouraged and full of excitement about ideas God has given me about helping missionaries. I'm asking God to enable me to ignite a fire in the church back home to take on missionaries in a new way. The churches who have supported us back home have loved on us and cared for us so deeply...and it meant, at times, LITERALLY the world to us. That love, shown through emails and calls, at times a box...kept us strong...knowing that we're not alone in this battle.

I have so many ideas...some that are so small...such as getting kids magazine subscriptions coming and sending them to the missionary kids that I know...that would be such a humongous treat for any missionary kid I know...and mean the world to the parents. Have a missionary prayer website so that missionaries can come and submit specific prayer requests...and even bigger ideas such as a gift box system - guaranteeing that missionary families at least get 2 boxes a year. I wish I could express how much boxes mean to most missionary families...it's not the stuff...well, sometimes it is...especially if it's velveeta cheese...but it's the love that is put into the box...

Make a way so that any missionary mom who has trouble getting curriculum for her children can...and maybe a missionary support group online that helps with culture shock...raising children on the mission field...taking care of a family on the mission field...knowing what you're up against and recognizing it before it bites you on the b-HIND.

I don't know how or when...but my heart burns to be an advocate for missionaries in America. To draw attention to the need for support - financially, spiritually and emotionally. If people would take on one missionary family personally (as many have with us) and think of their children...send a toy...special candy from America...a bi -weekly email that is not generic...send 20-30 a month...WOW...if every Christian family would adopt a missionary...how incredible. What a support for some of those who are fighting so far away from home...

So...back to TODAY...we're all packed and we'll be leeeavving on a jet train...wait? I mean...leaving on a train at about 2 today - which is an accident by me. We're on an overnight train on purpose! I was supposed to buy tickets for the latest leaving train there was...but alas...I bought the earliest leaving over night train. What does that mean for us? 6 hours of entertaining a 6, 3 and 7 month old instead of 2 hours! But...it's ok...it's an adventure!!!! RIGHT?!?!?! hehehee...yeah it is and it's going to be fun...

We will arrive in Bangkok tomorrow morning sometime and wait at the train station for about 6 hours to catch our next overnight train which will take us to Hat Yai. But please be praying because last we heard Hat Yai was flooding and the trains might not be able to get through. We are pretty sure that the waters should have gone down by the time our train needs to pass through...but this flood is worse than the one we had the second year here...and THAT was bad. At one point our team was out on an inflatable boat delivering water, rice and formula to homes.

Once we arrive...we will settle into the church down there and start going through our home and selling what we have. We want to get tickets for the week of the 15th but after everything has happened I have been told that some people are being told there is a wait from 3 weeks to 2 months. I don't know which is right...I'm praying that we can get tickets as soon as we get there and leave during that week.

I'm sooo excited about getting to see our team...it's been over a year!! Josiah squeels everytime I tell him that he gets to see Asia and Mercy. Jude is just excited about the train right now although he is having a hard time with all the change. Yesterday he would walk around the house going "TOYS??...TOYSS?!??!?! We're we goin Mom? House all gone?!?! Goin on a train?? I wanna go on the train....wheh my TOYS Mom??" All of that said with quite a 3 year old strained voice. Poor baby...but we love on him and explain for the 20th time and Josiah helps a lot.

Josiah is gonna be the most flexible man when he grows up...man! Welp, it's now 8:13...Josiah is awake...Joss is back to sleep...Jude is still taking his Dalmation dose and I have a husband to waken and many things to prepare...so thank you for coming by and for thinking of us and praying for us throught his transition.

Please forgive me if I have not replied to your email. Sometimes I only have time to check my emails and then by the next day I forget to write back. Sometimes I remember emails that I haven't replied to (and they've been pushed down pass my view by junk emails or whatever) as I'm laying in bed trying to get to sleep and i try to make a mental note to reply tomorrow but recently...my mental notes don't work so good.

I'll write as soon as I can after our 2 day journey and share all the train pictures with you! Oh and the PAD protesting group won! The current political party has been resolved and the prime minister has been forced to step down - no one in that party can be involved in politics for 5 years. An interim prime minister has been installed and there are discussions of an election that will elect a new prime minister within 30 days!

Amazing! They plan on releasing the airports and resume flights by Friday which will be a huge task because the airport was a free for all while the protestors were there...there is no telling what has to be done to make the airport operational. The director of the airport made a plan to have the airport cleared and open by Friday...He called the plan a birthday gift for King Bhumibol, who turns 81 on Dec. 5.

I could write a whole other post about all that but...alas....time is UP! Again, thank you for coming and reading and for praying....thank you.

Check this out just for fun. Josiah went out and did this himself...it's bad quality because I had to resize it to upload it. We edited it...don't miss the ending song: