Mocha Mousse

Why oh why do we have another dog you may ask...Well, look at that face how could you say no :).

Part of being where you are is investing in the place where you live. We do not know our future but we know where we are at present and being present for this family is having a wee pup as part of the family. Here she is...a solid German short hair, a beautiful silky brown mocha mousse.

I have so much mulling in this old head of mine that I can't seem to find the words to express myself. Being here, not being there, and not knowing if going anywhere is part of the picture anymore. A restlessness picked up again and the intensity of wanting to do and be someone of significance. The boundaries of the future seem limited by being home and even getting this pup signifies a settling of sorts. This word settling is an anathema for me while being at the same time a word of peace. Settling can mean not wanting the better thing or like this pup winding down and finding a place to rest. A friend told me that I was too good to be here in the States...we are much better then a random teacher or a refinery worker she said. That phrase resonates with me because that is what we as MK's have been taught our whole life. Being out there is much better then being here. Really? Does God really have better deals in cross-cultural settings? Does He love you more and bless you better? It isn't truth, and because of that it does not set me free. Honestly it is harder to be here in the US then being in Papua, if harder makes something more significant. Teaching the random class at LC is much more intense, being in a refinery much more of a 'mission field'...does it then matter geography? I think it has much more to do with obedience.
Like Mocha, maybe our attitude is simply wanting to please our Owner and learning how to obey.

Moving in slo-mo

Scott and I went to Costco yesterday to fill the larder and I felt like I was moving under water. How many choices I have to make about bread, meat and yogurt anyway? We are 80% set up..or even more and though the house is getting together my mind hasn't quite found where it needs to settle. I wander the house trying to find the place that feels like home and it's still just our house. We are missing winzig our dog...she made it a home and when our cat came back yesterday from her stay she gained about 10 pounds and looks like a big huge marshmellow. I am not quite sure if she is our cat...We are trying to figure out how to be who we are here in Lynden. The shadows of our former selves echo in these walls but we all have gone through a change and there is a disconnect. We will figure it out sooner then later, it is just transition time.

315 10th street

So...we are in the house and it is about 60% set up thanks to the never ending strengh of my husband. If it was up to me...20% maybe. I am so tired and lethargic all I have done all day is sneak naps when Scott is not looking. It just isn't right to be sleeping while he works so tirelessly...but I could not help it on so many occasions. AND IT IS SO COLD here that makes me curl up in a ball all the more. It is the coldest spring here in I don't know how many years, driving up yesterday it was 53 degrees. Mijo is busy with her summer drama production of Alice in Wonderland...she is the Cheshire cat. Nick is putting the Xbox together of course. Scott will most likely go back to work next week and I will try and finish the last touches of the house. It seems like we never left, it is so surreal in the routine of life that has not deviated at all. Were we there? Are we here? A friend asked me if I wanted to be in Sentani...no, I just don't know where I want to be except sleeping :).

HUGE SIGH

We have arrived here in the US...we are here we are in one piece we are tired..oh so tired. I will write when we are home...or tomorrow or...when I am awake. We are back.

Travel would be great...

if we didn't have to travel. Getting there is wonderful...the process sheesh already. We are waiting in the Jakarta airport with good news and not so good news. Lots of money to pay for extra baggage...HATE THAT>>> BUT we can go straight to Seattle rather then stop in San Fran...this makes for 7 less hours of travel time, one less take off and landing and we get in Seattle at a normal time of 7:30 ish PM on the 16th. This is going to be one very long day, I think we leave Taipei before we arrive :). Can't wait to see you all....REALLY excited about not traveling for awhile.

Kodak moments on Canon

From the top..we always sat this way in the taxi, made silver rings, fed the birds in the bird park, Nick with an iguana, Scott working on his Batik and then the finished product and us at Borobudur.

Yogykarta

We have made our own Batik...silver jewelry ...visited Borobudur...and today the market and the Sultans Palace. It is a great Indonesian city and if you are planning a visit to this side of the world and want to see something other then beaches and such, this is the place to come. As I write this morning from my Hotel room in the patio there is an old Javanese man playing on his traditional instrument and singing. It isn't what you would play on your Ipod at home and to be honest does not even sound pretty, but it is interesting and definitely not MTV. This afternoon I will upload some pictures of our time here so that you can get an idea of what we have explored.

On another note..this is also our last day here in Indonesia. Tomorrow AM early we begin the long flight home. For me this is the fly in all the ointments. As you may know by now I have an unusual fear to flying. I get panicky when we hit turbulence and trust me when I tell you I know logically that my fear is unfounded. Well, not unfounded there have been many airplane accidents...but I know what you are saying. I am so looking forward to getting into my house but not the huge unpacking that will need to happen for us to be in our house. Where are those magical elf's when you need them. So if you think about it...please pray for very uneventful flights all the way home.

Whose looking at whom?

We were walking on the beach one evening and all these Muslim women were taking pictures of each other in the setting sun. We had endured a whole day of scantily clad women on the beach and suddenly in the middle of it all there are these modestly clad women. It was refreshing in its distinction. In Papua when we go to the beach or the pool we (women) are wearing board shorts and T-shirts. Bali...well, not as modest and a bit of a shock. Really ladies...do we really have to show so much skin. Enough already, and that it why these women were refreshing. On the other hand...many a Muslim man can be seen walking slowly down the beach gazing at what their women would never ever be able to show in public. It is a strange perspective that unfolds every day on this Bali beach. Near naked western women, fully clad Muslim women, fully protected Balinese woman, and watching eyes everywhere.
We are now in Yogyakarta on the Island of Java. It is an hour plane ride from Bali and a completely different place again. Papua, Bali and now Java...amazing country this Indonesia. We will be making our own Batik tomorrow...we will see how creative this Price family is.

Nasty Monkeys

There are many many temples here...every street corner and market place there is a Hindu temple.

Wherever you walk, every entrance to hotels and stores there are offering to appease the badgering spirit of each place. Talking with some folks who have lived here and long time, I was told that many of these offering when placed at stores or hotels are to cleanse the place from all the evil spirits that us foreigners bring in with us. They want us here but at the same time having to keep the air clean from all the evil we bring with us. Strange how it all works out. ANYWAY... there is a temple here for monkeys and we went to see the imps at play. OK..not so much at play and not so innocent in all their frolicking. Scott was jumped on from the back because they want whatever food we may carry with and Nick was bit...well, attacked with an open mouth. Fortunately, small boy moves quicker then mad monkey. I kept my distance, talked quietly and firmly to all these monkeys with attitudes. This day was full of other interesting events as well. We went to a Bali dance, the volcano and rice paddies, coffee and spice plantation and then finally home. Just a few more days and we will be flying home. As the time gets closer we become more and more ready. Today the boys are putting in their last surf, Mijo and myself may just get our hair done. We also have a lot on our minds...things are brewing.

Boys on the Beach

Of all the things we have done so far I think surfing has counted the most points. Scott had done some in Papua as did Nick, here it is made for surfing and they were having a wonderful time. Mijo attempted...it looks easier then reality. There was some frustration in the water when she attempted to get on the "stupid" board. Me, I am still trying to learn so many different things that to begin something else would just frustrate me with just another thing I don't do well enough to enjoy. It was fun to cheer from the beach and rejoice with every standing moment. We have been looking and shopping and resting and wishing everything would just slow down a bit. I am getting tense just thinking about the the drive up I5 and wondering if we can in anyway settle back in. Hoping that some will come by and tell us we were missed. That my house will wrap us up in the warm memories we left and be that safe place again for all that we will begin again. It looks easy but I think the reality may be different.

You figure it out

When we landed in Timika waiting for our luggage I saw this sign and realized that this is the definition of me. Am I domestic, do I belong here or am I a foreigner...always it seems, but the last one...for sure, it seems I am always a passenger, on the way somewhere.

We have been in Bali for a few days and if there was phrase to describe our stay here it would be be Bali...For Sale! On the way to WaterBom yesterday about 6 taxi drivers asked if we needed a driver, 5-6 people were trying to kidnap us to hear a time share pitch (Don't even get me started on that), every person from every store was pushing their wares and then if we had not had enough, we had people following us asking for our attention for a survey, or service they were trying to sell. As we sat down to watch the sunset we were surrounded by 4 people trying to sell, jewelry, mats, hair braiding and massages. We were supposed to go to a movie but I had about enough. I can't see coming to Bali to take a vacation, right now I am more stressed then I have been in a long time. I hate being rude but it seems that being rude is the only no these sellers listen to. Then on top of all of that there are beggars on the road, prostitutes in the alleys, and idols being worshiped at every street corner...Don't you want to come? Maybe we are not at the right place. yet or not seeing the right thing yet...we are moving away from center city and maybe out of here we will see what Bali is all about.

Freeport Mining Country

We went to see the MINE...and felt like we were in a different country. Seriously I do not have much time to write right now...my battery is very low..I am in a hotspot in a minimart in Bali and we need to get going. We got here...not that impressed yet with Bali...will tell you more in a few.