tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54705286415209718362012-02-16T15:18:42.946+07:00tales of life with three boys (or four if you count my husband) and a girlnataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.comBlogger881100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-27524702297492267612012-02-12T23:37:00.003+07:002012-02-13T00:09:28.259+07:00

Christmas has come and gone and we are already 1 1/2 months into the new year but I did want to share about last December. The month flew by (seems like each month does that these days) but I really really really enjoyed the Christmas season this year. I always get into the Christmas mood early. It's such a beautiful season and celebration and when I think of Christmas I get all warm and fuzzy

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-36088013355551127472011-12-22T20:00:00.001+07:002011-12-22T20:00:47.319+07:00

I am always utterly astounded at the immense amount of wisdom and knowledge that is available to me at the click of a button via the internet. I seriously have a hard time remembering how I did it prior to www. Now, whenever I need help figuring out how many cups is one stick of butter or want to take a tour of the Forbidden City or am curious about what Oregon looks like I google it. Need a

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-44778394523126943032011-12-07T22:29:00.003+07:002011-12-07T22:46:21.730+07:00

He was soooo excited about this gift! The whole gang at breakfastWe had pancakes - his favorite!

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-43496641175490166272011-12-07T21:29:00.004+07:002011-12-07T22:29:20.816+07:00

Typical Elliot smileAll dressed up for action on a recent rainy dayTaking Alana for a rideLittle watermelon plantsBeing sillyMy little man turned 4 in November! It has been such fun to see his personality blossom in the past year. He has learned to be more assertive ('I'm talking right now, Dylan, and you keep interrupting!') - very much needed with his super - talker, active older brother and

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-86146392338817258462011-10-25T21:26:00.004+07:002011-10-25T21:36:19.321+07:00

I can't believe our little girl is 61/2 months old already! It blows my mind to see how much they grow and change in just 6 months from a tiny newborn - so dependent on you and vulnerable - to this little bundle of personality and energy who can sit and crawl and lifts your spirits with her exuberant, glowing smile! Having all boys was fun and special but adding this little girl to our family has

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-89172995328260313322011-09-27T14:38:00.004+07:002011-10-08T09:54:05.549+07:00

Our little adventurer turned two on September 8th and this year celebrating his life was extra special considering that we almost lost him just days before. And all due to him biting his tongue. It seemed like just a little thing then but turned into a life threatening situation within 24 h. I will never forget holding Ayden's limp little body in my arms, all color drained from him. David took

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-60317595911761432092011-08-18T12:13:00.004+07:002011-08-18T16:20:51.362+07:00

The brothers and the sister Brotherly love Science Fun: Erupting volcanoes Had a classic conversation with Dylan recently while driving in our brand new-to-us van: D: 'When I grow up I want to be a scientist and study the insides of wheels and tires. And I will still live with you and in Laos. But I will drive my own car. I will buy another car.' M: 'How are you going to buy that car?' D:'I'll

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-48410211723619076642011-06-02T21:07:00.003+07:002011-06-02T21:47:44.858+07:00

Finally home and fast asleep again. Sleeping in the rack of the luggage cart at the airport.Her first bed - a cardboard box in my parents' house.She slept well in it though. It's been two months now since Alana joined our lives! I am thrilled to be the mom of this little girl and she delights me already in so many ways.I love the way she smacks her lips after nursing, the way she plays with her

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-55451841188770885042011-03-07T21:54:00.000+07:002011-03-07T21:55:56.519+07:00

How do you deal with disappointment? That feeling of sadness and grief when someone you love fails you? When they don't meet your expectations or keep repeating the same mistake? Or just not live up to the potential you see in them?How do you restore your trust in that someone?What if that someone is you? When you feel like a disappointment to others? A few weeks ago I was disappointed in someone

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-55070409326241132242011-02-11T22:01:00.003+07:002011-02-13T21:31:21.771+07:00

Elliot turned three on November 10th! He is such a special little guy and it's been such a joy to watch his own unique personality develop and grow over these three years. He is fun loving and cheerful but with a very stubborn streak, loves animals and his brothers but is not too fond of large crowds. He's developing into a little artist, taking pictures and enjoys beauty.He has a great sense of

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-47443823317969828682011-01-19T09:18:00.004+07:002011-01-19T21:31:56.878+07:00

'Why don't they want to go to prison? Why are they sad?'Dylan's question was prompted by Richard Scarry's 'The Great Pie Robbery' when at the end of the third story, the jewel thieves are put into prison. So we had a conversation about prisons and judges and why prisons are considered a punishment. I was recently thinking about Jesus' words at the beginning of his ministry while driving to the

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-79282931912729978062010-12-04T00:09:00.002+07:002010-12-05T21:24:40.563+07:00

I have been cranky and irritable and impatient these last few weeks. Sure, I blame it on my baby hormones. But maybe, just maybe, could it be an attitude issue?Attitude is something I talk a lot about with my four year old. 'You need to change your attitude.' And it's true, at least once a day, on a normal day, he does. But God has been nudging me and today He made me fall over. When I started

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-4976594113484141452010-11-10T20:11:00.002+07:002010-11-10T20:50:57.299+07:00

Most people think I'm very laid - backed and relaxed but I think it's just because I'm pretty private when it comes to my feelings and thoughts about personal stuff. I totally enjoy heated discussions about general topics but my personal life I tend to keep to myself and I've had to learn to at least share some of it with David. It does not come natural to me. But boy, if I would start sharing

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-42288461701190519062010-11-05T22:05:00.004+07:002010-11-05T22:41:07.834+07:00

This week we met with local friends who have two boys, ages two and five. They run a center in a village outside of the city that takes in people who need help in a specific area of their lives and they too follow Jesus. They shared how they have to report to the local authority on a monthly basis, noting down who is staying with them and where everyone is from. Recently, they were given new

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-18225183739801700322010-10-15T20:07:00.004+07:002010-10-16T14:29:59.273+07:00

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-88664376776739218102010-10-15T19:15:00.003+07:002010-10-15T20:07:08.732+07:00

Long overdue here are pictures of Ayden's first birthday! He is such an independent and adventurous little guy and so different from his brothers. Before he could even walk he would wander outside and explore our yard. He figured out how to get up and down those stairs and climb on chairs and tables and all before he could even stand. BUT he did learn to stand at around 8 months and started

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-21960534807510497672010-10-14T21:05:00.004+07:002010-10-15T19:13:52.050+07:00

This is what the plant looks like, it's kind of like a cactus. The green things are the ripening dragonfruits. When they are ripe they are a bright pink color. The inside looks kind of like a kiwi fruit, but the flesh is white or red. The ripening dragonfruitThis is the flower that blooms and then turns into the fruit.BlossomingFirst budsThe first time I ate this fruit was after coming to this

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-36352055819432326962010-08-18T21:17:00.002+07:002010-08-18T22:07:31.439+07:00

One of my favorite stories in one of the kids' schoolbooks is "A chair for my mother" by Vera B. Williams. It's the story of a girl who lives in an apartment with her mom and grandmother. But the apartment burns down in a fire and they lose everything. Eventually, they move into a new apartment and at that point the whole neighborhood and family rallies around and everyone brings something for

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-30551730859102259142010-04-27T20:34:00.004+07:002010-05-01T14:23:53.471+07:00

We have been in our new home for almost a month now! Our last days and weeks in our old home passed in a whirlwind and I was so glad when everything was finally packed and we got into our truck for the long trip down, happy knowing I would not have to make the return trip anytime soon! :) And it's not because I don't like the trip or driving up North, it's just a VERY LONG drive to make with

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-85767122518649312612010-03-27T23:43:00.002+07:002010-03-27T23:45:41.269+07:00

I realized I made a mistake concerning the number of homes we have lived in so far: It will actually be Dylan's 4th home, Elliot's 3rd and Ayden's 2nd!

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-60020067857479067302010-03-26T14:38:00.002+07:002010-04-12T00:51:46.651+07:00

NOTE: I began writing this post about 3 weeks ago!    It feels so surreal that Friday next week we will wake up back in the capital. I can't believe this chapter of our lives is closing rapidly and it makes me feel all sentimental. So I thought I'd share some of my realities to ward off the sentimental!A year ago, Dylan was attending the local Pre School but for various reasons we weren't always

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-43543845732354905062010-03-21T22:11:00.002+07:002010-03-21T22:47:01.228+07:00

March ushered in the burning part of the slash and burn agriculture that is practised here and for days the sky was hazy, daylight eerie and the sun blocked from view. It always felt like the day was almost over, even at 10 am, just because the haze was so thick it totally covered the blueness of the sky and light of the sun. Everything is dry and dusty and brown and hot. Yet into this

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-4186009895889875172010-03-04T21:39:00.001+07:002010-03-04T22:01:41.086+07:00

Bedtime stories are the bestbirthday cake

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-19723335724312589162010-03-04T21:13:00.002+07:002010-03-04T21:39:10.363+07:00

I'm four!And I'm five months old! (well, almost 6 months now)One of my good friends had fun with Elliot at the waterfallGrilling the fishOh, fish!

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-32116249399730887642010-03-03T22:02:00.001+07:002010-03-04T21:13:19.185+07:00

Preparing food for our picnic at the waterfallYou may kiss the brideParents of the bride blessing the coupleIn the mountains on a recent trip to the capital in the SouthThree boys in a tub

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-31865074887592073592010-03-03T20:05:00.002+07:002010-03-03T20:53:07.968+07:00

Three little boys do keep me busy! Days just fly by and I find myself racing along without even a minute to catch my breath let alone reflect. A lot has happened and is happening so here are a few highlights:- We attended the wedding of one of our local staff in January. It took us about two hours in our pickup truck, packed full of puking people (the locals are not used to traveling by car) to

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-60979818000474402092010-01-24T21:15:00.004+07:002010-01-24T21:52:51.074+07:00

The first month of this new year is almost over and it seems like all the freshness and excitement that you feel prior to the begin of a new year totally deflates once the new year actually begins.Christmas was busy, as it always seems to be, but special. On the 23rd we had a Christmas party at the Daycare Center and my highlight of that evening was watching a play that was put on by a group of

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-34512709264647019002009-12-10T15:15:00.002+07:002009-12-10T15:25:12.212+07:00

Yesterday I was walking from the postoffice back to our truck and a little old man was walking just a few feet in front of me. He was wearing an old woolen hat and a tattered coat that was much too large for him and as he walked along he scratched his behind. It made me smile and I thought: God loves that man.God created this man in his image just as he created me in his image. Jesus died for

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-60224042710763217272009-11-20T17:17:00.000+07:002009-11-20T17:18:02.020+07:00

anyone know how to upload more than four pictures at one time? this picture is especially for my korean friends in canada - i know you'll appreciate jacob pushing himself into our family picture! :)

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-36359173691952735982009-11-20T16:54:00.001+07:002009-11-20T16:57:15.430+07:00

Hello world, I am two months old! And I am two!

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-72552069878770506882009-11-19T22:53:00.001+07:002009-11-19T22:55:07.311+07:00

Painting with the big boys and Ayden gets to join in! More painting - this time it's a shelf. Ayden - two months old

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-68906052184190808022009-11-18T18:13:00.002+07:002009-11-18T18:28:50.429+07:00

At least in our house! Put up the tree yesterday and had the perfect weather for it - after a hot week it suddenly cooled down and rained yesterday so I had fun putting up decorations, feeling cold and listening to Christmas music. Love this time of year with candles and being able to cuddle without getting all hot and sticky!This is our third week back and the boys have settled in well and have

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-52603124049077398132009-11-07T20:53:00.003+07:002009-11-07T21:38:18.267+07:00

Well, we've been back for a week now. The moment we got off the airplane we felt at home - familiar sights and sounds, familiar weather, familiar faces. Yet at the same time there is the thrill of seeing things as if seeing them for the first time.We have arrived back in my favorite time of year - the days are amazing with beautiful blue skies and pleasant temperatures while the evening cools off

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-76608711899648108272009-10-09T19:30:00.000+07:002009-10-09T19:31:34.158+07:00

Cuddling with Daddy Tiny hands Sharing a hug with his grandma and cousin

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-33093837533396375472009-09-06T18:59:00.002+07:002009-09-06T19:23:51.584+07:00

We have been back in Germany for about three weeks now and are enjoying all the comforts this country has to offer:- Supermarkets where you can be in and out within half an hour including all the groceries you need for the week (although we rarely manage to be in and out that quickly because there is so much to see and choose from!)- Italian ice cream parlors!- Beautiful parks and playgrounds and

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-55478819701430917772009-08-03T20:23:00.002+07:002009-08-03T22:15:06.602+07:00

my father-in-law without his teeth - i'm glad we got to celebtate christmas together!

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-43147242610655879082009-08-03T19:56:00.002+07:002009-08-03T20:22:37.007+07:00

It's been a weird week yet again. In the midst of debriefings and short term teams and saying good bye to two interns, David's mom called us at 5 am last Wednesday with the news that David's Dad had passed away that night. In spite of his age (he would have turned 82 this year) and his health, which hadn't been good lately, it was still somewhat unexpected. We did know that he probably didn't

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-86488746128919890822009-07-23T22:20:00.003+07:002009-07-23T22:48:34.373+07:00

We just came back from the hospital about two hours ago. The hospital was built by the Chinese and now has a cooperation with the German government who has funded training and some equipment (like a fancy new ultrasound machine which we have tested ourselves). So far, every visit there has been an experience - the rooms are dirty, the toilets stink, cockroaches run around everywhere, the family

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-62763825100271015122009-07-21T12:56:00.002+07:002009-07-21T14:11:22.556+07:00

After a few more mornings of Dylan procrastinating at the school gate and not wanting to go in and a few mornings on which he just refused to stay at school we made the decision to keep Dylan home next year. I went right to work researching various Pre School homeschooling curriculums and have now ordered a bunch of stuff which I am looking forward to receiving and unpacking once we get to

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-41830420023971795132009-07-06T20:26:00.002+07:002009-07-06T20:49:46.806+07:00

There are a number of things I love about this country:1. Addressing others as big sister, big brother, little brother, little sister, aunt or uncle. To me it creates a sense of belonging and familiarity even with strangers. And it's fun to see how it's the normal way of calling someone, even if that someone is your customer in the bank.2. Seeing people wear pyjamas and fuzzy bunny slippers as

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-38441192633123791332009-07-03T20:18:00.000+07:002009-07-03T20:20:32.021+07:00

hello

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-78401420180180952062009-06-26T20:00:00.003+07:002009-06-26T20:31:37.047+07:00

We've been enjoying a few days off. Drove down South on Monday and crossed the border and are staying at a nice family friendly resort with pool. And doing a lot of shopping! Our main reason for coming was to bring down the huge amount of excess luggage which our Korean friends had to leave behind when they flew down here. So now all they have is here and they are all set to leave for Canada next

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-29367560832268982532009-06-08T16:47:00.000+07:002009-06-08T17:00:58.328+07:00

Dylan is three years and three months old now and has been challenging in many ways. His favorite response is "No" to everything we want him to do (except when it comes to eating ice cream), his favorite toy is whatever Elliot is playing with at any given time of the day and he loves doing what we explicitly told him NOT to do just seconds before.Friends of ours had a Baby boy three months ago

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-63761026548199937062009-05-23T16:23:00.003+07:002009-05-23T16:45:17.057+07:00

We spent Thursday and Friday talking with the parents of one of our Day Care Center kids. The mom had asked us to talk to her husband who had left her two months ago. She wanted him back and wanted to know why he had left and if he was intending on coming back.So first we met with her to hear her side of the story and then asked him to come to hear his side.On Friday we had to sadly realize that

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-34882089684271084322009-05-19T19:48:00.003+07:002009-05-19T21:55:15.263+07:00

Elliot paintingLook at me!Porch picnicDylan bumped his head and needed something to cool it.

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-69417960571045379572009-05-19T16:38:00.002+07:002009-05-19T19:47:55.438+07:00

Rainy season is in full swing now which means that the weather is hot and humid with temperatures up to 42 degrees Celsius. It rains almost once daily and in contrast to the last few rainy seasons that I have experienced the rain actually cools down the temperature and brings some relieve.We wanted to have a picnic in our yard for dinner the other day but our plans changed due to the downpour so

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-82011140365498435222009-05-08T16:48:00.003+07:002009-05-08T21:37:28.286+07:00

I met a lady from New Zealand on the street the other day. At the end of our conversation she asked me when the Baby was due. I said in September."Well that's a long way off. Are you having twins?" was her reply, obviously alluding to what she thinks is a big belly..."No, it's my third" was my curt answer.But acutally I'm happy to be looking more and more pregnant! :) Throughout my pregnancies I

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-51361206231707403062009-04-27T14:28:00.002+07:002009-04-27T17:55:44.050+07:00

April has been busy with many visitors and of course Easter! Dylan was on vacation for two weeks (his first day back to Pre School was today ) and we closed the Day Care Center for a week as well. Easter is not celebrated here but each year our holiday coincides with the New Year here. To celebrate New Year there is a big parade during which the main Buddha is carried through town from his usual

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-69530464409654620272009-04-03T20:18:00.002+07:002009-04-03T20:38:36.426+07:00

As mentioned before there is a lot that about this country that leaves my mystified. This includes crazy and partly erratic traffic behavior, drinking way too much beer at all hours of day due to peer pressure, and eating dogs as food.Today we said goodbye to our dear friends from Korea who are presently transitioning on to Canada. We had offered to take them to the airport and so this morning we

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-55479431219271626322009-03-19T20:55:00.002+07:002009-03-19T21:12:52.042+07:00

Life is pretty amazing! Some days are great, other days are horrible, but most days I seem to just plod along, going through routines, taking care of everyday things. Nothing amazing or miraculous about those days and yet every day is a gift and is a miracle in itself.These days the miracle of life takes on a new meaning once again as our third Baby is growing inside of me. What a miracle and

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-53892563111909576712009-03-04T21:31:00.000+07:002009-03-04T21:33:11.403+07:00

The Blues Brothers Happy Birthday to me! Pure joy! Isn't he handsome?

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-1272374222398434522009-03-04T21:16:00.000+07:002009-03-04T21:17:39.801+07:00

Cruising along I'm Superman! Lunchtime at the Day Care Center - doesn't look too excited... And naptime

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-10391733307976673272009-03-04T20:24:00.002+07:002009-03-04T20:40:34.668+07:00

Life has been crazy since the new year started so that I have struggled finding time to update this blog. In January we took over a Day Care Center and that has occupied much of our time - moving to a new location, hiring new staff, trying to SLOWLY change routines and old habits (SLOWLY is the key word in this beautiful country) and taking in new kids.As of next week we will have 30 kids ages 0-

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-11871522197887100762009-01-29T19:30:00.002+07:002009-01-29T19:53:59.323+07:00

Last year, I decided for first time to keep a list of all the books a read in a year. So here it is:1. Cenntenial by James Michener2. Bringing up boys by James Dobson3. All of the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder4. For the Children's Sake by Susan Macaulay Schaeffer5. The urban halo by Craig Greenfield6. Grace - based parenting by Tim Kimmel7. Marley and Me by John

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-42123546349200321742008-12-30T11:28:00.003+07:002008-12-30T13:40:40.401+07:00

Christmas usually passes in a flurry of activities but this year was even more different than any Christmas I have experienced so far.David was still working on December 24th, which is our main holiday, and didn't come home till 10pm that evening. I had spent all of the 23rd shopping in the city and picking up my Parents-in-law with Elliot. We got back at 1 pm on the 24th. I think I have never

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-39891530243107974762008-12-10T19:17:00.002+07:002008-12-10T19:38:19.096+07:00

We've had 13 hour power cuts these last days and whenever the lights come back on in the evening I am so excited! And grateful that we have electricity almost all the time with just random cuts every once in a while. It's amazing how dependent I am on electricity for so many little things and how my daily life gets so disrupted when the power goes off.Other than that we have been dealing with

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-37078638029035894602008-11-19T18:06:00.002+07:002008-11-19T21:09:47.653+07:00

This must be my third attempt at writing. I'm either interrupted by my boys needing something or waking up from naps or from my scattered thoughts that I can't seem to gather and get a hold of these days...Elliot is now one year and 9 days old and is gradually outgrowing his Babyphase. Even though he still refuses to walk or even stand (even though he could) he has become increasingly mobile,

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-68127816227340334902008-11-17T11:44:00.002+07:002008-11-17T14:32:27.441+07:00

Elliot just a few days old with my mom (Sorry, can't turn the picture..)Dylan and Elliot looking at Elliot's new bookHis first taste of birthday cakeI'm one!My Baby turned one last Monday! I can't believe how quickly this year has gone by! It seems like yesterday that he was just a few days old and now he's almost walking and climbing all over the place. Happy Birthday, my little guy!

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-91339570811846344862008-11-03T17:14:00.002+07:002008-11-03T21:41:14.388+07:00

It's been a while since I've had the time to update this blog. We were gone for about 10 days in October and attended a conference in the neighboring country. To save money, we decided to drive South to the capital and then take a budget airline to our final destination. The trip usually takes about 8 hours but we always seem to end up taking that much longer!We had planned to leave at 4 am but

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-14459535106885799992008-10-13T11:20:00.003+07:002008-10-13T11:38:31.232+07:00

Read an amazing book this past week called "The Shack". The story is horrible, not horribly written, but just sad. But the main part has given me a totally new view of God - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A new sense of His presence in my daily life. How everything is a gift and how everything is essentially all about relationships. Allowing him into my life and entering into a relationship

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-11331834057166646412008-09-30T18:00:00.002+07:002008-09-30T18:19:09.916+07:00

I have been thinking a lot about solitude lately. Almost every Christian "how to" book on discipleship and your personal Christian walk stresses the importance of solitude. I can't count how many times I have been challenged to incorporate solitude into my life and been given sheets of paper with a description of what to do on a personal retreat: going away by yourself for three days and two

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-41408869721693741682008-09-25T10:47:00.002+07:002008-09-25T11:49:34.649+07:00

Elliot has already outgrown his size 74 clothes and has moved on to size 80. I guess these are European sizes but I'm just so amazed at how he seems to grow overnight. Iwatched Dylan grow a lot more consciously - now there is a lot more to keep me busy.But I am so thankful for both of them! :)Well, gotta go pick up Dylan from Pre School.

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-12268353289118452182008-09-15T10:39:00.002+07:002008-09-15T11:36:37.724+07:00

I'm supposed to be doing the bookkeeping but thought I would spend these moments on something more enjoyable.This morning I went to buy some bread for breakfast and I love driving through town in the early mornings, watching people get ready for the day. Our town is gradually developing from a sleepy little place to a bustling 'city'. You see kids in their graceful school uniforms walking in

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-22859414965655355012008-09-13T23:26:00.003+07:002008-09-13T23:45:30.894+07:00

Well, our first week with our new friends has been full. We ended up having to change around a lot of the schedule, due to David's new teaching schedule. Instead of five nights, he teaches one class in the morning which means that he is gone almost all day on the 3 days that he teaches. But I do prefer that over having to handle 5 nights on my own.The boys being sick and Dylan not going to school

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-71303166005264984822008-09-08T10:40:00.002+07:002008-09-08T11:16:59.655+07:00

Elliot with his grandmother. He really enjoyed her!At the waterfall. The path was partly flooded cause it had been raining so hard and we had to wade through the river to get to the waterfall at the top.Dylan's first day of school with his "school cone", a German tradition.My mom, trying to get Elliot to smile for the photo.

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-39850703738266883322008-09-08T10:24:00.002+07:002008-09-08T10:40:47.890+07:00

The season here is changing from rainy season to cool and dry season and apparently this change causes fevers and colds. At least that's what our helper told me. Dylan and Elliot both have been/are sick this past week and both David and I haven't been feeling 100% well either. Last night at the fellowship many others were sniffling, too.But not only the weather has been changing but a new season

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-61917625231438958732008-08-29T15:14:00.002+07:002008-08-29T15:24:39.128+07:00

I had just finished writing an update for this blog last night when we had a power cut and thus my internet connection was interrupted while uploading some photos I had added. It's all just part of living in this beautiful country!It's been good having my mom here to visit. We've been doing some sightseeing, making good use of our new pickup truck and working on various projects.Elliot is

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-11542637561251971632008-08-17T16:20:00.002+07:002008-08-17T16:35:34.351+07:00

It's been an emotional week for me as the time to say goodbye to our good friends here in Laos came closer and closer. Even though I have had to say goodbye so many times throughout my life it has never gotten easier. But this time was made harder in that Dylan had to say goodbye to his friend, too. I'm not just sad for myself but for Dylan as well. I guess he will get over it fairly quickly, at

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-5070053904971208892008-08-10T15:19:00.002+07:002008-08-10T15:29:09.312+07:00

I've been reading a book on the writings and life of Francis of Assisi and was challenged once again in the issue of simplicity. What does it truly mean to live a simple lifestyle? Simplicity is a value that I do consider to be part of my valuesystem. But in real life how can I put it into practice?The book has challenged me to consider and make a difference between my needs and my wants. That in

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-9876632094860693182008-08-06T21:38:00.003+07:002008-08-06T22:14:49.054+07:00

Found Dylan sleeping like this one day during his naptime. :).FOUR THEETH!It's been a weird week somehow and I have struggled with demotivation and feeling irritated at so many little things that make life here different and at times difficult. I have even thought longingly of Germany, something I would have never thought I would one day say.But I'm feeling reinvigorated!Last week, I went to

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-30273083040431242072008-07-29T14:48:00.002+07:002008-07-29T16:14:07.624+07:00

Our 3 month old puppy Linus caught and ate a duck that made it into our yard last Thursday and somehow his intestinal system could not handle it. He got sick on Friday and got weaker and weaker, not able to keep anything inside of him and this morning I found him lying dead on the lawn.I could never understand people who made a huge fuss over their pets and I feel silly crying over losing him but

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-8693375104248997712008-07-22T21:33:00.002+07:002008-07-22T21:44:09.285+07:00

David has been on his Trekk for two days now and comes back on Thursday. The boys are doing fine but I do miss him. Maybe more now because we've just come back from our time at the beach where we spent all our time together. I enjoyed that.Anyways, I've added the photos from our vacation as a slideshow.Last Sunday we had a guest speaker at our Fellowship who spoke, among other things, of how

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-15083539492322324222008-07-19T23:07:00.000+07:002008-07-19T23:09:36.143+07:00

We just got back today from our vacation at the Beach. Just wanted to post some photos before I head for bed. It was great to just do nothing, hang out, read, and spend time as a family. The boys enjoyed the sand although Elliot took a while to feel comfortable in the ocean. And Dylan had fun with some of the other kids. Elliot in the backpack. We took a few bikerides which was fun! Beautiful

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-29063936423250360282008-07-08T22:26:00.000+07:002008-07-08T22:29:20.172+07:00

Went to visit "an Elelephant", as Dylan calls them, last week with David's English Class. I didn't really get to see them cause my group was too slow getting from the boat to the elephants but at least we got to go on the boat which Elliot loved as well. Amber and Dylan, not quite sure what to think of the elephant. Dylan making new friends. Who's the man? I'm the man! What's up?

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-451390974177598732008-07-08T22:15:00.001+07:002008-07-08T22:16:30.724+07:00

The things you do as a parent! Where's Elliot? There he is!

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-88139983083914763282008-07-08T22:09:00.001+07:002008-07-08T22:14:36.317+07:00

What I love about living here is that there is an amazing array of fruits to be sampled: here is Elliot having just eaten red Dragon Fruit! What's even better is having a helper who cuts up the fruit for us every day and arranges it on a plate for lunch! Dylan loves that, too! New tastes! Mango!

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-80275410841167896022008-07-08T21:34:00.002+07:002008-07-08T21:47:20.484+07:00

Tomorrow at 6 am we leave our house and catch the flight to Bangkok at 8am. We should arrive before 10 am and then either we'll take the train or a public van to Prachuap, South of Bangkok. We have about 5 days at the beach before heading back to Bangkok.I'm looking forward to this trip. This is our first real family vacation so it's doubly exciting!Yesterday we met with a French lady who opened

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-51622448854870262282008-07-04T22:10:00.002+07:002008-07-04T22:31:15.195+07:00

Spent some time reading at my coffeeshop this afternoon after I put the boys down for their naps and David got home from his last day of Summer School! Wahoo!My Online Bible Course at the moment is on the Gospel and how it is the whole Gospel for my whole life, from beginning to end. It doesn't just apply to my first time decision to follow Jesus but it is still relevant to my journey of faith

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-58761140350966641022008-07-04T09:30:00.002+07:002008-07-04T09:34:37.959+07:00

Elliot is now crawling around the room and we have to start Baby proofing our house again. He can also sit up on his own. Learned it all in the last few days. It keeps astounding me how much these little guys learn and accomplish in the first year. They say that you will never again learn as much in the same space of time.Kind of depressing! :)I enjoy watching Dylan and Elliot learn on a daily

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-84843868124670560322008-06-30T22:27:00.000+07:002008-06-30T22:28:41.631+07:00

Dylan playing with his cars, one of his favorite things to do. We drew some roads and lakes and rivers onto a piece of scrap wood and he loves it! :) He's pretty good at playing by himself and it's fun to watch him play and hear the 'stories' he makes up. If you look closely you can see Elliot's first two teeth! He has not been sleeping well and taking real short naps during the day since he can

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-54504276017284259542008-06-29T23:44:00.003+07:002008-06-30T00:10:47.731+07:00

I've been griefing for close friends whose fifth pregnancy ended prematurely yesterday. They have been longing for a child for so long now and yet something goes wrong each time. It makes me so angry at God, so helpless, unable to understand and fathom what He has in mind with this - creating life just to take it from us again.My friends want nothing else than finally have a Baby to complete

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-27620922710554313892008-06-26T22:12:00.000+07:002008-06-26T22:14:52.870+07:00

Elliot after his bath Dylan with paint in his face David acting cool If you look closely, you'll see Elliot's first tooth. Wahoo, congratulations, Elliot! :)

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-7944084247228356932008-06-26T21:53:00.002+07:002008-06-26T22:05:14.948+07:00

Elliot has two teeth now and is basically crawling at 71/2 months. I can't believe how fast these months have gone by! I do remember that Dylan's first year just seemed to race by but now with two little guys to fill my days it's gone by so much more quickly. I am so glad to have this privilege of seeing them every day, all day long and watching them grow and learn.These last few days have been a

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-62768270066657209132008-06-18T21:05:00.000+07:002008-06-18T21:08:36.355+07:00

My men: Dylan, David and Elliot. All wearing "adventure hats" as a friend called the hat he gave to David for our recent adventurous trip to Xieng Khouang. It took 6 hours to drive the 400 km along mountain ridges on the windy road that connects the Luang Prabang and Xieng Khouang Provinces. This country is so amazingly beautiful and diverse. I think I will never get enough of the view you have

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-23400725829006473222008-06-12T22:07:00.002+07:002008-06-12T22:15:44.719+07:00

It's amazing how dependent we have become on being online. It's our way of communicating and keeping in touch with our families and friends that are far away. And a way of reconnecting to people that we haven't seen in a while.After many hiccups and being online for a week and then offline again for a week we are happy to be back online again as of this evening. Let's see how long it will last

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-30371819384692694862008-06-05T14:33:00.002+07:002008-06-05T14:50:12.359+07:00

The frog story continues. As I was closing our front door to lock it for the night, something jumps on to ME and then lands on the wall inside our house. Turns out to be the frog. I tried to chase it outside again with a broom and by throwing a pillow at it but it only jumped from the wall to the floor and back to the wall and then sat there, clinging to the wall with huge feet. I didn't dare

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-28144253252638672132008-06-01T20:35:00.002+07:002008-06-01T21:29:28.280+07:00

Day one of six is over. The boys are asleep, I've cleared away most of the mess and remembered to bring the bunnies some food, too. Linus, our dog, pounced on a frog that had ended up on our porch and I've never before heard a frog scream the way he did. Gave me the shivers. Now I'm free to enjoy my evening although I'm too tired to do too much.David arrived in Phongsali safely, it went faster

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5470528641520971836.post-17994192381557369782008-05-29T12:06:00.001+07:002008-05-29T22:53:48.666+07:00

I have come to appreciate connecting with people I know through their blog and I hope this blog will help some of you to connect with me. :)I've just come back from my day (or rather hour) "off" at JOMA, a nice coffeeshop here in in town with comfortable seats and aircon. What more do you need? We have incorporated these times for me to get away for an hour or so into our schedules since last

nataschahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02257558678442648567noreply@blogger.com0