January, Week 1

Tobi and Eli officially started kinder yesterday. After a positive 2 hour visit on Monday (where all three children were sad to leave) Tobi eagerly ditched us at the gate Tuesday morning and ran off with his new found friends. 

Eli went through her usual routine of lots of hugs and kisses before happily venturing off to playground to explore. We were so proud of our little girl on her first day of kinder and celebrated last night by eating out at Pizza Hut.

In a week full of emotional highs and lows, it was so comforting to leave them at their new school so happy and excited to get started.
                                                    
Tobi’s teacher Mr Todd (American) seems quiet and gentle and Eliana’s teacher, Miss Cheryl, was originally from Brisbane but has lived in Chiang Mai for 34 years. She seems absolutely lovely and has been very helpful in giving us lots of useful information already. She has invited Spencer and I to join the class on a Tuesday morning for craft time each week if we’d like to.

Every morning, as the students arrive at school, they have their temperature taken and hands disinfected before going off to play to reduce the spread of sickness. This morning Tobi asked why they had to check his ears for wax!

Tobi and Eli go to kinder from 8.30-12.30 every day. Their snacks and lunch, along with milk and water, are all included so there are no school lunches to prepare the night before! The school’s menu is healthy and includes international dishes. Spencer was invited to join the “big kids” in the dining hall for lunch on Monday when we there for a visit and he very much enjoyed his Japanese miso soup, rice and range of vegetables from the King’s project!

Crossing the 6 lanes of traffic on the way to school.

Until we get a car we have been walking to and from kinder each day. It’s about a ten to fifteen minute stroll there and a little longer on the way home- when the kid’s legs are getting a little bit more tired. While we wait for our coffee machine to arrive, we have been happy to occasionally support our local coffee shop Doi Chaang on the way to kinder!!

Late yesterday afternoon we set off to the Airport Plaza to accomplish a few more tasks from our “to-do” list. Jess and Dave went one way with Spencer and Eli to organise some local sim cards for our phones while I took Tobi shopping for some school shoes that had velcro so that he’d be able to put them on and off himself. After a while Tobi looked up and asked me, “How come everyone is staring at me?”

The attention from the Thai people towards our children has certainly been noticeable. Some times it gets a little too crazy! However the children all cope really well with it and have been extremely friendly in return, but it is certainly impossible for them to have a tantrum without being noticed!! We just do not “blend in”.

The morning after arriving in Chiang Mai, I started experiencing some excruciating jaw/facial pain. I initially thought that I’d displaced my jaw until I realised that my cold must’ve freshened up and turned into a sinus infection. After a couple of days of dosing up on Nurafen, I thought I’d better do something more about it. I asked Jess what to do (she has been so helpful to us) and she told me that I didn’t even need to see a doctor if I wanted antibiotics. She went with me to the pharmacy and I bought a course of antibiotics for 100 baht (just over 3 dollars!) Ahhh I love this place!

I must apologise that we’ve not be able to write individual emails yet. Our internet connection here is currently really slow and we’re trying to sort that out at the moment. Once we get ourselves set up properly and our other computer and router arrives, it should be much easier.

Speaking of our shipment of boxes arriving, we’ve been informed that … most of our freight is currently lost in Singapore somewhere. So we’re still waiting!!!

         

Dave has been jumping on to some of our neighbour’s wireless connections (with permission) to do his work at a faster speed. You can find him in the back garden or sitting out the front of people’s houses on the laptop using the Internet!

Today Michelle, another new recruit for the ZOE team, took us to immigration to organise our residency certificate and the hospital/ doctors for a health check. This is needed as one of the requirements to get our Thai driver’s license. Our ‘health check’ involved a 10 second listen to our heart, our blood pressure being taken and a camping torch being shone into our throats....not exactly comprehensive!

We might try to obtain the licenses tomorrow and begin car hunting next week.

It’s really been a full-on last few days. I can’t believe that the children have settled into their kinder classes so well and that with the help of everyone here, we’ve been able to accomplish so much in under a week. It feels like much longer than that already.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers at this time. It is so comforting to know that we’re being uplifted before God.

We need more courage! Tobi, Eli and I are finding the dogs over here a little bit scary!

The children are going pretty well (all things considered) but behaviorally and emotionally find it quite challenging at times. Little Spencer has no words to express to us how he’s feeling which is really hard. He is particularly clingy when I’m around. Whilst the older two have been using their imaginations to create new games with limited objects, I think he’s really missing having ‘toys’ to play with.

Dave is a frustrated with how difficult it has been to do his work , given the internet issues. When our freight arrives he thinks this will be rectified.

I am feeling exhausted and a bit out of control but trying to be hopeful. It has been difficult with the children. I’ll be honest there’s been times when they are so upset and tired and cranky that there’s not a lot we can do to help them. I feel like it’s been the most challenging time we’ve experienced as a family with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.




The other day when I was getting the children ready to go out to our local shops to meet some Aussie friends for dinner, I told Eliana that they could play at the indoor play ground when we got there. She looked up from what she was doing and asked whether Bella (her cousin) was going to be meeting us there too. I mumbled a ‘no’ and went and had a cry with Dave. The children love their new home, kinder and their new friends but I’m not sure when the reality of the distance separating us from everyone we love will sink in.

Andie :)

We Arrived: A Brief Summary So Far!

After an exhausting flight on Thursday to KL, we finally arrived in Chiang Mai on Friday morning to a big crowd waiting and cheering for us at the airport.  The ZOE children weren’t there, as they were at school, but just about all the missionaries, staff, bible students etc were.

Tobi and Eli enjoyed the second (shorter) plane ride much more than the one the previous day.  They  coped really well with all the attention in Malaysia and Thailand.  The three children certainly stand out and get continuous points, stares, touches and high fives.  They’ve all done really well being friendly in these situations and have surprised us with their coping skills of the “celebrity status” they attract.

We couldn’t remember the house very clearly from our visit in July last year but it is so lovely. We arrived to a fridge full of food plus a massive basket of cleaning products, snacks etc. WOW! 

The missionaries have been so generous, dropping around with meals, which have been so yummy, and they’ve drawn up a roster to drive us around till we get a car.  The kids are enjoying not having the constraints of car seats- not sure how they’ll cope being strapped down once again!!!! And it is so much quicker to get in the car and go anywhere LOL!

God has definitely blessed us with the use of this house so we will be grateful for as long as we’re here.  Funnily though, as great as the house is, we were shocked to discover that there’s no hot water in the kitchen!  One of the first things I did was to go and buy a kettle to boil water for washing up. 

We’ve had a few encounters with mini beasts so far… a huge ant was in our bed the first night, a big lizard thing jumped out at me as I put rubbish in the outdoor bin and then today we went to mop the floor and a huge nest of ants and larvae looking things all starting crawling out of the hollow mop handle… and I’m talking a LOT! We both screamed (Dave jumped onto the couch to escape them) and thankfully I had just bought insect spray about an hour earlier and a vacuum yesterday so between a WHOLE can of spray and the vac, we managed to kill them before they infested the rest of the house.  Ewwwwwwwww! We spent the next hour or so mopping and cleaning up. It’s still gives me the shivers just recounting it!

The children’s kinder is directly opposite our house but unfortunately across a busy road. Probably too hard to walk there by myself but with 2 adults we were able to walk there on Saturday to show the kids (and pass a coffee shop hee hee).  As we looked through the gates, the guard opened them and let us in so unbelievably Tobi and Eli got to go and have a big play in the playground without anyone else there, see the pool and look at the photos outside each of the classrooms etc. It was a great experience and they’re both really keen to start so we’ll go down tomorrow probably and see the principal to arrange it.  Dave started crying when he saw how happy they were.  We’ve shared a lot of tears but know without a doubt this is where we’re meant to be. 

Yesterday Jess took me shopping to buy some items for the house while Dave took the kids for a swim.  The pool near our house has a shallow area which is roped off. They all had a wonderful afternoon cooling off in the water.  It’s pretty warm here- comparable to the summer in Melbourne but apparently it’s winter…? 

The kids are doing well to survive without any toys besides what they had in their hand luggage.  The big boxes from the items we’ve bought for the house have become many imaginary things now and we’ve got lots of empty water bottles (as we can’t drink the tap water), which make good skittles! We have bought the kids a little table and chairs and someone has leant them a pop up tent that’s making a great little cubby house.

Dave was disappointed today when he discovered that our new rice cooker/ steamer is faulty and we have to return it to the shop- thankfully people have been bringing rice with all the meals so there’s been no shortage, but still!!

It’s really feeling like home now so I imagine when all our shipment of stuff arrives, it will even more so.

We’re enjoying the food and all ate out at the food court the other night for a couple of dollars!!! Tobi has decided that every day we all have to try something new.  So tonight at dinner Jess (who works at ZOE and is staying with us for a couple of weeks) ate broccoli for the first time!!!  The kids have really warmed to “Aunty Jess” and she is very patient with them. 

It’s been so full on…I can’t explain it.  Surreal, so exhausting, busy, overwhelming, emotional-mixed feelings of missing family and yet feeling so loved here too. It’s been so wonderful to have Jess here in our house and know that she’s done this and understands what we’re grappling with.  She is such a great person to have around.

Well as the adventure continues we’ll keep you updated.  Thanks for your emails and Facebook messages, it really means a lot.  For now though “Sawatdee” (goodbye).

Christmas Letter~ Andie

Suksan Wan Christmas! Which means, “Merry Christmas” in Thai.  

Last year when we sent our Christmas letter, we had no idea that the year ahead would be so life changing.  Now as we write, we sit in a different house, just weeks away from heading out on a huge adventure to Chiang Mai.

As most of you would know, we are leaving in January to begin some volunteer work at ZOE Children’s Home in Thailand. 

The journey to get to this point has been a bumpy ride of faith and trust.  We are excited to be able to go and do this as a family and we look forward to seeing how it all turns out.

My role will initially be to support Dave and settle the children into our new home, the culture and their kindergarten.  Then as time passes, I will hopefully be able to take on some small tasks whereby I can either work from home or with Dave.

2009 has felt like an eventful year.  The children’s activities have kept us occupied.  It’s been a joy to walk alongside them as they’ve enjoyed a variety of activities from kindergarten, music, swimming, dance, visits to the library and play-dates with friends and cousins.

Some of the highlights for the year included celebrating our ten-year wedding anniversary, going to Thailand in July, planning and celebrating the children’s birthdays (Tobi’s gingerbread man party, Eliana’s ladybird tea party and Spencer’s rubber duck party) as well as watching the children’s development and many achievements.         Here’s a brief update on their year:

Tobi had an absolutely wonderful kinder experience. It fulfilled everything we’d hoped it would and more.  He made some really special friends and he had such a capable teacher who knew her students well.  Her creatively led the class through an array of rich learning tasks.  Tobi brought home a beautiful portfolio of his work each term, which will be a treasured reminder of his first year of ‘formal’ education.  He participated in various special days and a Christmas concert as well as learning to write his name.

We are also so proud of him in the area of swimming.  His first lesson, earlier in the year, was a huge challenge for him but over the months Tobi has developed so much more confidence and strength within himself.  He’s particularly enjoyed swimming lessons this term with his cousin Bella! 

Eliana participated in two terms of Mainly Music earlier in the year but in the second half of the year she began dance lessons.  We weren’t sure how she’d cope being the youngest in her class but she amazed us with her eagerness to participate and socialise with the older girls; some of whom she knew from mother’s group or Tobi’s kinder class.  

The highlight of her ‘dancing’ experience was the end of year concert.  She performed in two concerts, two items in each (one ballet and one tap item).  It was very cute and we were so proud of the way she conducted herself performing in front of a couple of hundred people.  

Eli also began swimming lessons this year.  She completed two terms of child-parent classes (with me) and then progressed to independent swimming classes this term.  She’s done such a great job under the instruction of her teacher and she amazes me each week with her progress.

Little Spencer is … well … not so little any more!  He has grown at a rapid pace.  He finally began crawling about 10 and a half months after being sure he wasn’t ever going to!! Actually it was a blessing in disguise as he started crawling pretty much right after we’d packed and moved house.  Spencer continues to delight us with his happy personality although he is getting a bit cheekier and more willful. This is taking a bit of getting used to after being the perfect child for 12 months LOL!

Spencer has been busy furniture walking or using his walker.  He LOVES to eat and chase after Tobiah and Eliana as well as dance to music.  He also very much enjoys the water, either swimming in the pool or bath (hence his rubber duck themed party).

So besides being the proud mother of three, I have also loved the opportunities this year to catch up with friends and family. I got to know the mothers in my Marvellous Mums group better and my sister and I kept doing market stalls throughout the year-, which was a real highlight.  I also enjoyed blogging, editing some photos, making and baking things, a bit of sewing (I made each child a quilt and matching bunting for their rooms) and, of course, bargain hunting!

As I now hand this letter over to Dave, I wish you a safe and happy Christmas. Cherish each and every moment and take some time to reflect on the real reason for the season, the birth of Jesus Christ. 

I challenge you to look at Christmas in a different way this year. I believe that real joy and peace comes from a relationship with the one who created us and lasts the whole year.  It is not just the temporary “fix” that we get when we rely on all the other “stuff” around us.

Blessings,

Andrea 

Christmas Letter~ Dave

Hi,

When Spencer turned one this year, I took a moment to reflect on the previous 12 months.  Looking back, I could see myself at the hospital, holding our new baby in my arms.  Our family was complete and I felt so happy!  

At that moment, if you’d told me where we would be just 12 months later … moved out of our home, living at my parents and having condensed our most loved possessions into 16 boxes on their way to Thailand; I would have thought you were a little strange! 

If you then said I would be a going to be a volunteer or be a missionary in Thailand, I would have laughed (very loudly) at you (not with you) and said with confidence “there’s no chance”.

However, here we are! How life changes! 

It’s funny because I have never felt even remotely interested in the activities of missionaries, or overseas aid.  I felt that we were doing our family’s “bit” by sponsoring a child overseas (ironically she lives in Thailand).

I really can’t explain the past 12 months.  All I know is that I have felt a God-given passion rise up from so deep within me, that it has compelled me to act.  

I have become so focused on the children of Thailand, that I am pushing hard to do whatever it takes to get us there next year, so we can start helping at the ZOE Children’s Home.  As much as I would like to say that I have a clever plan, we haven’t yet worked out how the next 12 months will be funded.    

What we do know is that this is a cause we believe in and the experiences we have had over many years in foster care and children’s camps have helped to prepare us for this next step in the journey… however long it is.

Quality Signs has felt the rises and falls of the market and it looks like we are slowly headed back towards the sales figures of previous years.  It has not been an easy year. I have, however, been truly blessed by some great people who work with me and some phenomenal individuals who have been involved with assisting in planning for next year.

Our children have grown up a great deal since last Christmas and each of them continues to develop their own unique personality.  Tobi’s a real thinker and often comes up with some deep and left field topics of conversation and is learning to articulate what’s on his mind or clarify when he is confused about something.  He has a wonderful imagination and sense of humor, which helps to keep our family laughing!

As Andie mentioned, both Tobi and Eli have achieved some significant milestones this year.  Eli loves both her dancing and swimming classes. These seem to be the only times when she is not talking constantly! Mind you we have heard her still talking as she’s jumped into the water but it quickly turns into more of a gurgle!! It really does not matter the day, time or topic.  She is quite the social butterfly and as long as she is pumping out words, she is satisfied!  

Tobi and Eli have become wonderful friends and we love to sneak in on them while they are in the midst of an imaginary game and hear what’s going on.  It’s very amusing.

Spencer is just as Andie described: a very happy boy with music in his bones.  When he hears any song he just starts grooving!

Andrea has been the rock throughout the past 12 months.  She has navigated the move of the house and been instrumental in organising and liaising with the ZOE staff.  Though our schedule has been full with Thailand related appointments, on top of the weekly activities, she still managed to organise the 3 birthday parties for our children; each one themed to the very last detail.  

Andie is a wonderfully gifted mum and we all love having her around to keep the fun in the place!

Yes, it definitely has been a roller coaster of a year.   Though I have struggled with my concerns of how everything is going to work out (and had many teary moments as I think about leaving family and friends) I know that God has not brought us this far to leave us hanging at the last minute.

We have experienced many amazing things in the past few months.  We have felt people’s thoughts and prayers uplifting us and greatly appreciated the generosity and support we’ve received from our close friends and family.  We look forward to sharing more with you in the coming year.

May God richly bless you and the time you spend with your family this Christmas.

David 

Away We Go!

What a day... 

Today while at work, where I have been employed for the last 16 years, I watched as our belongings were picked up by Grace Removals to be shipped to Thailand. 

Ironically “grace” is defined as getting something that you don’t deserve.  

We believe that the children that ZOE help definitely do deserve a chance to reach their full potential, and we are so excited to be taking this opportunity to go and work at this wonderful organisation that helping to make a difference in the lives of orphaned children. 

We can’t wait to meet our boxes in Thailand in January and begin this fantastic work.

What Can I Say?

I believe that we have a responsibility to reflect God's heart to the poor and less fortunate.

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves…defend the rights of the poor and needy." Prov. 31:8-9.

I continue to be amazed at how God is bringing forth His plan for our lives and how He is providing wonderful people to assist us in such practical ways.

As we need to be self funded for the work at ZOE, we have struggled with how we would go about raising finances to support the work we are doing. It just seems so foreign after having always working in paid positions.

Thank you so much to those who have been willing to support us with your finances, your prayers and your practical assistance.

We feel truly grateful and a little overwhelmed at how God is orchestrating everything just as we need it.

I’m reminded of that High School Musical song “We’re all in this together..” LOL but seriously there are so many different aspects to making change happen and making a difference.  Don’t ever think that just because you’re not on the “front line”, that what you’re contributing is not as important.  That is just not true.

By showing your support you’ve become passionate about making a difference in the lives of children. Is it easy? Not always. Is it time-consuming? Yes. Will you be put out of your comfort zone? Probably. Does it come at a cost? Yes. Is it worth it? Most definitely!

Thankfully, we also have an awesome God.

I read somewhere the other day that instead of being discouraged by the size of the task, we should be encouraged by the limitless power of God.  

Thank you for joining us in fighting for this cause.

Blessings,

Andrea 

What's Happening?

Our dear friends

We look in amazement as we see God continually going before us.

Our children have settled in to our ‘temporary’ accommodation.   

Dave’s parents have been more than gracious with us as we seem to have taken over their home!

Our fridge sold, Jake our turtle is in a great new home, our garage sale was really successful and a few items have been sold on ebay too.

With another children’s market this weekend, we expect that another lot of items will be gone! 

We started this website that we will use when we are away to communicate what we are up to . 

We had our first medical consultation last week to discuss all of the necessary vaccines required.  God has really blessed us with this beautiful friend who is a doctor.  She is so capable and thorough. Her care and research in to what we need to do before we go just blows us away.

It also looks likely that David will be taking with him some great leadership training resources that he will be able to use in the Thai business school (that is currently running at the children’s home). We are very thankful for this amazing offer!!

We have also had the provision of more funds come through to us and we are learning (very slowly) not to feel so incredibly awkward as God uses people to help fund this journey.

We have had a few hurdles to clear in the past weeks...

When we went to ship our boxes to Thailand, we were told we needed our visas completed.  In order to get visas we needed a letter from ZOE and in order to get this letter we needed everyone's passport numbers so.... we took a step back and have now just had the children's passports approved and await their arrival.  We can then apply for visas and THEN ship our boxes! 

Our little Spencer has been rather unwell with an ear (and possibly chest) infection.  The doctor was concerned that he may need to be admitted to hospital if he continued not keeping fluids down. He's such a happy one normally but he has been really struggling this week.  We are confident he will bounce back quickly though.

We are so grateful for Dave's parents who have helped with the kindergarten drop-offs and pickups as well as taking Eliana to her swimming etc.  Spencer celebrates his first birthday later this month.

Amongst the continual obstacles that we seem to have to plough through, we know God's hand is on us and that He will continue to be faithful in all He's said He'll do.

What I have said, that I will bring about.  What I have planned, that I will do.

Isaiah 46

With all our love and appreciation for your support,

David and Andrea (Tobiah, Eliana and Spencer)