A Bunch of Burts

This past Sunday our normal routine was changed a bit. My oldest has been taking part in a puppet club at school, and they had a short performance at one of the international churches for thier youth Sunday. (International translates to English services. )

Leah’s puppet is the girl in the middle front. They are singing a country style song about being a Christian called “Ain’t it Grand”

We normally attend a Thai church which is a blessing. I enjoy the ladies there, the kids are making friends (when they break out of their shy-I-don’t-understand-what-they-are-saying-but-can-understand-the-instructions-for-the-game attitude), and I learn new words every week. There is one little girl who I think would like to have Leah for a big sister. She makes sure she sits next to her or me nearly every week.

But there is something about being able to walk into church, make small talk and conversation with the person sitting next to you, understand the announcements, prayer requests and jokes, and best of all for me, to join fully in the corporate worship of singing and praising God.

If I ever had any doubts about why we need to learn Thai and then the regional languages to teach and reach the Thai people, I only need to attend English church to remind me.

The sermon was just what I needed to hear that Sunday (of course, that IS just how God works!) and the chance to sing and concentrate on praising God and not following the words was just delightful.

I was sad to miss our regular church this week as it was my turn to help prepare the lunch meal with some of the other ladies, and I am ready to go back this coming Sunday, but I am thankful for last Sunday, for the worship, for the teaching, for the other people present, for seeing my daughter involved in the service, and having my other children sitting next to me. I enjoy having them listen beside me, and seeing what they are getting from the teaching too.

Leah is the one in the middle with the maroon pony tail holder. The puppets are two-person jobs, she is working the mouth.

Thank you Lord for your Church all over the world. Thank you that no matter where we are, we are one in You, united in Your death, burial and ressurection and our voices all rise to the same unchanging God.

HeavenlyHomeMakers has more things we can all thank God for. What are you thankful for?

Ahh. Christmas Break. I just love those words. No homework, no need to worry if you did a math problem right. Yes, I wish it were Christmas Break everyday! Unfortunately it was not to be. I have to go to school so I can learn new things and be able to get a job when I grow up. It always comes down to that, doesn’t it? To be able to finish paying off college tuition, you have to get a job. To pay rent, get a job. To buy groceries, get a job…………the list just goes on and on.
Well, I got a little bit off track there. I really am here to tell you about our awesome trip to the northeast. It was great, 12 hour car trip there, and 12 hour car trip back. Fortunately, that was not all we did.J We actually spent a week at our friends the Sullivan’s (otherwise known as the ‘Sullys’) house. Many times I forgot that we had to come home to go back to (sniffle sniffle, blowing nose) school. You may ask what we did for a whole week at someone else’s house. Well, we basically did everything possible. Chelsea, the oldest Sully child who is my age, and I went on a bike ride almost everyday while romping around in the woods and building forts. Don’t worry, we did calm and relaxed things as well like listening to Odyssey, eating, and checking e-mail.

Me and Chelsea roasting marshmallows (a treat from the US!)

We had a Christmas party for all the NTM people that were working in the northeast. We all met at a restaurant in town. It was delicious! Until I made a fatal mistake. There was a plate of fried chicken on the table. The girls at my table were full so we took all the left over food to the adults. I saw that piece of chicken on that plate and I wanted it. So I debated with myself. Should I eat it, should I not? Finally, Mr. Eat It won and I quickly grabbed a piece of chicken and popped it into my mouth. I chomped down and realized my mistake. I felt like I was going to gag, so I calmly did not ask the adults any more questions and quickly handed them my plate. Then in the privacy of our own table, grabbed a handful of napkins and spit out what was in my mouth. I looked and saw what I guessed it was. A piece of deep fried squid. The tentacles were even still on it! I lost my appetite after that.

this is our Christmas lunch at church in LaoBada. Can you guess which food we brought? I will give you a hint, they have frosting and sprinkles.

Since we had about 2 weeks of break, we also visited our friends the Culletts and Lynches who live in a different town. We stayed there for 3 days. My friend Abby Cullett and I stayed over at Kristen Lynch’s (they are both older that me) house while my parents and siblings stayed at the Cullet’s house. They have 6 children and they all do school on the computer except the two youngest. That means a lot of computers. So whenever we weren’t doing anything all together, you could here shooting noises and such coming from upstairs. That is because my dad had been introduced to a game that they have. It is called Call of Duty. I’m telling you, it must be addictive because even Sam, who is only 3 years old, plays it, by himself! Our stay there was wonderful. We were there for New Years and boy, did we make some noise! In fact, we were the only ones doing it at all! Their neighbors were probably thinking, it’s those crazy foreigners again! What are they doing now???

Playing New Year’s games at the Culletts.

Well, I can definitely say that I had tons of fun over break and just want to say thank you to everybody who made that possible. That would include my parents and siblings, Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan, Chelsea, Amberly, Drew, Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Cullet, Rachel, Abby, Sarah, Lydia, Zach, Sam, Mr. and Mrs. Lynch, Kristen, and Christopher. THANK YOU!!!!!
I hope that you have enjoyed hearing from the marvelous guest blogger Leah Burt! Hopefully you will be hearing from me again soon!

I had hurriedly carefully prepared and uploaded a lovely, wonderful and heartwarming post about my oldest daughter and how much we are enjoying seeing her grow into a young woman. It had some great pictures from her birthday party and of course I said sweet things about her.

Imagine my surprise when we got back from Isaan and it ubruptly stopped mid-post, mid-sentence even! arrgh.

Not sure what happened, but surely was not user error. Of course not.

I wanted to make sure the rest of the pictures got posted, so here they are.

Isn’t she turning into quite the young lady?

We have entered a new era in a our house. This past Saturday, our dear eldest daughter turned 13!
She had long anticipated becoming a teen ager, and after a month and a half long countdown, she arrived!

Leah had been claiming to be a pre-teen for a while, but when we moved to Thailand, we discovered there is no such desgination. Ages are broken into two basic categories. Kuap–for children, and Bii–for those 13 and older. There is a word for teenager, but it is not used in telling your age.

We look forward to seeing you grow into a beautiful young woman Leah! We love you and all the ways we can see how you are growing up and growing with Christ.

Leah is going to have a busy year this year, we can tell already! She has adjusted well to the life of a junior higher, and has not lost her way or arrived in the wrong class once!

This year, as a 7th grader, she is eligible, for the first time, to play volleyball. She and a friend bravely went out for the team, trying out among the more experienced players of 8-12 graders. There were so many girls who wanted to play this year, that not everyone would be able to on the team. Leah and her friend Allison realized that as 7th graders, they probably did not stand much of a chance to make the cut, and so decided that if they did not make it, they would join the swim team instead.

Zach loves swim team, even in the middle of a rain storm. But what can you expect during rainy season, and hey, he was getting wet anyway, right?