For my friends...

Being so far away from friends in America makes it difficult to stay in touch. I'm hoping this makes it easier for some of you to know what I'm up to. To those of you who may have heard me say that I'd never blog--please forgive me. People change their minds. My mother always said, "Every woman has a right to change her mind." I changed mine.  

So this is for you Melinda, Andrea, and all of the rest of you who care about my life and doings. While I'm at it, I might as well tell you what I'm up to these days.

I'm wrapping up my writing course from the Children's Institute. (Please don't critique everything I write from this point out.) I've got one more lesson to send in and it's due the end of June. So why would I choose subject matter that would take more time to research than that? Inspiration! Yet even as I begin to think about this, I panic. Someone closer to the history than I am needs to take to the time to write this story in a way that I don't think I can from here--and soon. It needs to written in a form other than children's literature. I'm also a long ways away from the people I want to interview. I placed a skype call to my grandpa Sid Skrivseth yesterday. I'll be making another one or two calls and I'm hoping to get a hold of some of the great aunts and uncles. It's a fun project but writing the story of how my Great Grandfather came to know the Lord, in a form that is pleasing to children, might be a challenge. So tell me, is this a better lead statement, or a better closing statement? "I don't remember Great Grandpa Skrivseth very well; but I do remember that he could eat a piece of chocolate cake in four bites." Shall I throw in the fact that this man was my Great Grandfather as a twist at the end, or shall I let them know all along and try to play on the fact to increase interest?

Thai class has taken a new form for me. Dru and I are no longer studying together. His poor wife couldn't keep up over the time she got pregnant and has been rather discouraged lately with language study in general. Yet God has a way of working those sorts of things out when we leave them in His hands. Right now Dru is able to get classes every day right next door. I have classes twice a week with Pii Ang. Since this new arrangement I have had one class with Pii Ang all by myself without Dru there and it was incredibly encouraging. I think I'm actually getting excited about studying for real again. She's a super teacher, I couldn't ask for better. Maybe I’ll even catch back up to Dru and pass him.  I’m sure I have the better teacher. But alas, he has the better brains. I was supposed to have another class this afternoon, but simply didn't feel up to it. 

Being pregnant is beginning to be fun. I've been feeling a lot better, but this week I've been tired. Last week I think I overdid it a bit and I'm paying for it now. I have to remember to eat right, that makes all the difference. Sadly, I discovered today that eat right I had not. So how long will it take me to figure out that I have to watch my diet, take my vitamins, get my rest, and drink enough water? That's like four things to remember! Am I old enough to be a mom? But it really is fun to feel life inside of me. It's no longer just little flutterings that make me wonder if I'm really feeling my baby--he's taken to somersaults and vigorous kicking.  

I just sent my man out the door for an English activity and Birthday Party with the Payap group. He really wasn’t feeling terribly wonderful either. His allergies seem to have returned. He usually suffers from a headache somewhere in the day, and a stuffed up head. Along with not feeling well on so many days comes a feeling of discouragement. I’m not sure if his yearly bout with allergies is something he’ll just live with every year, or if it’s something we’re going to have to look into seriously one day. So there is a prayer request for you if you’re taking prayer requests today. Pray for Dru and his allergies. 

I like blogs with pictures, but I haven't any recent ones.  We'll have to dig out the camera and start taking more.  The truth is that we have a very forgetful nature and when we remember to take a picture, we, more than likely, forgot the camera! Nonetheless, I shall see what I can do to fix the problem, but not today...