Moved In

And I’m still alive. Two weeks of hard work, interrupted by a few days of retreat, but otherwise…work. I’m thankful for the several breaks I got—was forced to take. I’ve decided that everything takes longer when it’s hot. It was torture to come to the end of the day and discover that only half of what I wanted to do that day was done. One day I didn’t have water all day. I was planning to clean. It ended up okay though, I did a lot of tidying and getting ready to clean. On Saturday I was still frantically cleaning. I needed to get ready for the house warming last night. It was around 4 o’clock and I lost electricity. I was dusting this big furniture in the half light when Dru suggested going on a walk. So with floors still grimy and dishes piled high, Dru and I took off for a walk and then supper. We came home from church on Sunday afternoon, rested for a bit and then Dru did dishes while I gave the rest of the house a “lick and a promise.”

The party went well. But to be honest, I was too busy being hostess and flying from place to place, and taking care of a fussy baby to notice. It was nice to have our Thai and furang friends here together though.

And now I get to live. People went home with dirty feet last night, and I’m seeing all the dust that I’d missed and everyone got to look at. But I’m just looking at it scornfully and giving it only a few jabs here and there. This week I’m resting. I told Dru yesterday that today I was going to sleep as much I wanted. And I’m going to bake cookies this week. And have nice meals.

I also told Dru that for one of Jube’s naps this week, I’m going to just hold him and look at him and love him the whole time he sleeps. His babyhood is slipping mercilessly away. My baby is crawling, pulling himself up on the furniture, and the other day he started climbing the steps. Seeing Rachel’s tiny baby reminded me to enjoy my own before all his babyhood is gone. Besides, he needs mom time—we both were cheated the last two weeks.

Jube woke up with a fever this morning. So, after getting up and eating corn bread for breakfast, I put Jube down for a nap and we both slept all morning til almost noon. Lovely.

I think my man is going to take me on a date this week. Maybe tomorrow but it might be pushed off if my baby’s still sick.

I’m very thankful for my new home here. It’s big and rambly feeling compared to our little apartment across town. I’m not sure where we stored everything in that little place. We’re filling this place quite nicely. There is only one room we have that is basically “extra.” It’s got 3 chairs in it and that’s it, but it will become a guest room if ever we need one.

I told my mom a while ago that I was having a hard time trusting the loving kindness of God. But this house is proof of it.

So yeah, the last couple weeks were hard for both of us on more fronts than one, but we survived. This week we’ll find the new normal and live.

Check out the picasa album for pictures. I’m going to try to load them, we’ll see if it works.

New House

In one week I hope to be out of this little apartment to my big rambling house on the other side of town. How I love that house! I can't wait until it's all painted. Pictures later, but not today.

We went over there this morning with good intentions to just clean, hoping the dirt would come off the walls. We soon discovered that that was was a crazy idea and the whole house is going to need painting. So Dru went to buy paint. I was at a loss as to what colors to tell him to buy because I hadn't had time to think or dream over it. But I think that we'll get it all figured out and it shall be beautiful when it's done.

Now for the confession. I strongly dislike painting. Strongly. It's hard dirty work, and in this country it's HOT. I thought I was going to be able to handle the heat, and I can, much better than I did a year ago, but even so, I was ready to take a nap by noon or so. Oh, and I woke up very unsure of the condition of my stomach this morning. It was in knots all night long and overall, my digestive system has been giving me problems the last couple weeks. Perhaps because I've begun to eat more Thai food lately. Anyway, that didn't get me off to a good start.

And now, do you know what I'm going to do tomorrow? I'm going to skip out on painting and go buy furniture--without my man! Those of you who know anything about how Dru and I operate know that that's pretty major. I'm a little scared about it but now you really understand how I dislike painting. Pii Ang and Pastor Kiat are going to go buy furniture in a town an hour away and I'm going to go with them if everything works out. Mostly I need kitchen cabinets and a bed. I already have a huge beautiful wooden table with eight huge beautiful chairs that have beautiful flowers engraved--along with living room furniture a plenty with engraving to match. They came with the house.

So if, in your prayers, you could think of me buying furniture and then trying to keep my sanity and my health as we finish painting and then pack up and move over, I would be grateful. I'm so so so thankful to God for the home that He's given us. I wonder if a lot of people we praying for me, that I would get my house with a yard, because I have plenty of house and plenty of yard. If God can do that for me, than He can also keep me sane and happy for the home stretch.

Thanks to Lee and Joyce, Arlin and Kayla, Nomes, Rosa, Heidi, Pii Ang, Bet and his friend whose name I don't remember because I didn't say it over five times after I heard it, Simon, and Mae Wahn. Who did I miss? Well, thanks to you to, whoever you are. Thanks so much for your help.

Here's pictures of the house that Dru took the other day: http://picasaweb.google.com/druseth/NewHouse#

PS If I ever wished my mom could be here, it's now.