Tower town

One of our favorite places to go right now is this place called Danba. It's really so pretty, and the leaves turn in the fall and it's been sunny every day except one that we've been there, so it's pretty much charmed its way into our hearts. The best thing about DB is that the houses there have these really cool towers that come out of the houses--it's kinda medieval looking, and we think it would be so cool to have kids in a house like that. Can you imagine being a girl growing up in the tower room? Anyway, welike it there.

So, when the road collapsed and they made u

s close the guesthouse, we took an overnight trip to DB. We drove our friend there as a favor to him, and we also stayed in a hotel and took a much needed shower, and just enjoyed being in the sunshine. When we were getting out of our car (we had been there less than a minute), we met some really cool folks who were in their early 20s, and they saw us getting out of the car, saw the white boys, and then took about a bazillion pictures of the boys (totally common). We were chitchatting with them and found out they are dancers, and that they dance sometimes in the hotel where we stay. So, me being a big lover of dance performances, we asked if we could see them dance sometime. Coincidentally, they WERE dancing that night, so we made plans to see the

m. We were excited to have a contact in this place that we really like!

Next we walked around and talked to pretty much everyone in town, it seemed like, as we looked for a place to eat a late lunch/early dinner. We were invited to sit down with some older ladies all dressed in their really cool garb, so we sat and talked and ate popsicles.

After we ate, we went back to the hotel to get ready for the big dance show (we were thinking something kinda like a nightclub performance or the like). Then, both boys bathed, full, and ready to go, we traipsed down to

meet our dancer friends. They took us upstairs to a theater/stage that looked really professional and told us to wait a few minutes. So, we're having to totally adjust our thoughts of what this performance will be like.

About an hour and a half later, the dancing starts...and it's this really awesome show (see the picture to the left). We were so excited about it, we pulled out our video camera to try to record the show for everyone to see. And here's where our cultural experience starts. See, we weren't the only ones invited to the show--there were also some guys who are probably really important who were sitting in the first row. And they came in late and really drunk, and as soon as the show started, they wanted to stand up and start talking and taking video right in front of Johnny as he was videoing. After a few songs, they decided to join the dancers right on stage and dance with them and laugh and have a great time. We were really uncomfortable with the whole experience and left early, but we do hope to see our new friends soon!!

We get to experience new experiences every day, almost, but this was something that we'd never experienced before, and may never experience again. It was a really fun, beautiful trip, and we hope to get to go back in early October during the big national holiday here...

the road collapsed...

We were driving out to the mountains last Monday (we are still here), and I was thinking while we were driving how normal everything seems here now. Things that used to feel so weird are so ordinary. I think we thought we would never get used to them! Such as the delays that happen every time we travel (lots of landslides and road construction), and the odd "semi" trucks that look more like huge blue dump trucks, and the crazy way people pass each other--even if they are on a crazy sharp mountain curve, etc. Anyway, the point is, it's all become somewhat normal--we don't really think twice anymore about the stares and the dirt and everything here.

So, it shouldn't have come as a surprise that we were going to get to have an adventure two days after arriving at the guesthouse. We got everything set up--it's nice because we have room to spread out and put out the crib and mat on the floor for the boys in sorta separate rooms from Johnny and I. And we were in for the week and a half/two weeks that we were supposed to help out here. Our second full day in the guesthouse, the boys and I walked down the mountain--we do that every day for supplies (if I get too many in one run, I can't carry them back up by myself). But our little neighbor saw us leaving and pointed out this area of the road that had a huge crack in it and said, basically, 'be really careful--walk fast and get back in a hurry!' So we did. We just got our daily drinks, fruit, and yogurt and got back up the mountain. Next thing, the power went out because the village officials were concerned about the power line that was in the middle of this cracked road. Not to0 unusual, and the boys and I like playing outside anyway, so we went for a while to play with the dog that's downstairs, and suddenly, a crowd had gathered at the road--also not too unusual here. BUT then the crack got bigger as the road fell down the mountain...

So we had all sorts of folks coming into the guesthouse telling us to evacuate--it wasn't safe. Too many landslides. We had to get everyone out, including ourselves . Picture a really well dressed woman standing in front of our bar and saying over and over again, "you have to get out. It isn't safe. You can't stay. It isn't safe." So we stayed two nights with our friends. It's defini

tely something different than we have ever experienced before!

And they absolutely won't let the guesthouse open, since there's too much danger of foreigners being caught in a landslide.

Notice the electric pole--it used to be in the middle of the road, and even though it's hard to see, it has completely fallen over!

The picture below was taken the day after the collapse (the guesthouse is the cute house on the left). All the dirt showing under the houses used to be road--I wish we had a before picture but we don't. They aren't letting anyone open the guesthouse for a while. We took the opportunity to take our friend

up north 4 hours and spent the night in one of our areas--that was really fun, but it will be fodder for another post.

Since all the excitement happened, we have been shuffling around from friends' apartments to hotels. And while we have been enjoying our time here, it is about time for us to get home and get showers and clean clothes and into different rooms to sleep.

Classes should start next Monday or the one after, and it sounds nice to be in a routine--our poor boys are really tired and we think they're ready for a bit of normalcy again...

It really is always an adventure around here--even just when I think everything seems normal...

on to the hostel

We have a bit spotty internet here where we live, but we made a purchase yesterday that helps our internet work--we can now do facebook AND blogger. I wish we could promise to keep up better with our blogging, but...

We leave tomorrow to go for a week and a half to the mountains. We delayed the trip a day #1 because the roads are bad between our city and the one we're traveling to, and #2 because Jace had some sort of virus yesterday that gave him a fever and really upset stomach. So, we get to travel all together (if the roads had been open, Johnny would have traveled today), which is a huge plus since that means we can all ride in a car together--and we can pack Luke's bike and Jace's pack 'n play. Simple and yet so significant for 1-2 weeks in the mountains!! We may even stop at Starbucks on the way out for a little treat to kick off the potentially 8 hour road trip! We have done really well this past month and a half eating at home and saving our treat money :).

So, we will be helping our friends who run a hostel--I think the business itself is running really smoothly at this point, but it's just nice to have more than one person out there managing (and/or go-fering in our case).

Life in the mountains is simple. No coffee (except what we bring from the big city, which has already been packed), no butter as we know it in the west, definitely no cheese, and it's kinda hit or miss on what meat is available. So, we're taking some simple things like this for me to cook while we're there. We will be living on the side of a mountain, and it's a good hike for me--much less for Little men, so the fewer the trips down the mountain, the better (for them, of course). I try to look at the whole experience as training for our dream of living out in the mountains someday :)!

Something really special about the mountains is that when we're there, we don't live in a high rise apartment building. We live in a place where the boys can open the door and be right outside--hence the want for Luke's bike to go with us. That is such a treat for me as a mom--simple pleasures!

We often say how much we wish everyone could see where we travel. We feel like we get to see some really beautiful places that have yet to be touched by many humans, much less westerners. We want to make it our goal to try to give snapshots into our life out there...

We'll write from the mountains!

blankets

Johnny just finished school at Southwestern. Yay!!


Well, Luke's dinosaur blanket is finished, and I have started another blanket (I really am obsessed with my sewing machine). But really, the reason I just have to make it is for our little girl that we hope and pray the Lord will bring into our lives. We have been praying so long about adopting a child for our family, and we really feel like we are getting the green light to pursue adopting in Thailand, which is probably CRAZY since it is supposed to be so HARD to adopt from Thailand. And I am still guarding my heart like mad because I know it is quite possible that it won't work out for Thailand. But it's always been our heart to be connected to a country where trafficking is just outrageous. Now we are just asking the Lord to show us the next step...(and if we never get a girl, I will use either use the blanket for myself or give it to the next girl born in our city in Asia...).

I think our next option, if Thailand doesn't work out, is Ethiopia. So we are totally not opposed to Africa...

We are just over 6 weeks away from leaving to go back "home," and we are so hoping that over the next couple of years, we might be able to actually be with our people, living with them and serving them and loving them up close rather than from afar...

Shannon for all of us!

just found out...

...my (Shannon's) best local friend back in CD believed while she was studying in Thailand. Hallelujah. But in the same email, I found out she has moved across the land and she won't be living in CD. she has a burden for the people that were affected by the earthquake, and wants to be in that area (she actually had a burden for them before she believed and went to that area before the EQ, so it's just all that much better that she's there. But I'm sad to think I won't get to hang out with her anymore. Selfish, I know, but true.

Anyway, we got to go up to Hannibal MO to talk at Hannibal LaGrange college and had such a good time visiting two of John's brothers and their wife and girlfriend! And then we got an extra treat, in that we got to stop by OBU and talk to one of Johnny's professors who may bring a group from OBU to backpack (they actually have a class that's a backpacking class...)! We hope that happens!!!

So we had a great weekend and got to spend some time together as a family, which we haven't been able to do much this semester :).

Signing off...

America!!

We have been in America for 4 months now, and we are loving it!! Our lives pretty much consist of Johnny going to school and Shannon (me) staying at home with the boys. We are starting to get excited about going home, but we're going to enjoy every second of our time here before we go back!! We LOVE playing in the yard in our house here, and we enjoy every minute of the blue skies and sunshine!! What blessings!

We had a couple of visitors last weekend and had such a blast with them that we didn't want the weekend to be over!! John's family drove down from Tulsa and played with us at the park and hung out with us at our house, too. I think they probably each had to look for eggs at least a dozen times. And, of course, the Easter bunny visited as well--leaving tons of gifts and candy in his wake. Luke has officially christened Easter his "favorite," even more than Christmas. Although we feel like he will prefer Christmas in about 2 months...

I have been a bit obsessed with my sewing machine. I started by making a blanket for my brother and sister-in-law's new baby, and then kept going with one for Jace, and then I have been working for months now on Luke's blanket (he requested one since Jace got one). He wanted a dinosaur blanket, and I maybe bit off a bit more than I can chew, but it's been fun! I am getting to the end stages of the blanket and will save the hand sewing for when we get back overseas (sans sewing machine). I already have an idea for another couple of blankets for the children we dream of adopting...

John is working hard, and will have 15 more hours for his masters' degree at the end of the semester. His classes definitely bring up some interesting discussion, even at the dinner table!

Jace is getting more and more personality every day. He is more of a Mama's boy than Jace ever was, but he is so friendly, too!! He blows kisses when I say "bye" and loves to play ball and put little things in boxes (and take them out). He is strong!

I dream of writing a bit of a book for the boys, but I'm not sure when or how that will ever get done. The only time I have to do anything like that is after the boys are in bed, but that only consists of a couple of hours before I have to crash after an exhausting day!

We hope to get to spend time with friends in Tulsa in May, Texas in June and then return to Asia with a business visa. We are hearing all sorts of exciting projects and such happening while we're gone which makes it even more exciting to think about going back. The Father has been so good to us, and we are excited to see what He has next for our family!

November has been quite the month so far!!!

Well, from Luke turning 4 (he had a "backward party"--anything to dress up) to traveling to where we hope will be our home in the future, we have had a big month!! A great month. Luke had his birthday party, where he requested pumpkin cake and ice cream, and had lots of his friends over to our house for games, eating, and dressing up funny. It was so much fun!

Then, Shannon got to travel

4 days down to see a friend who is from Tulsa, as well, but is currently on this side of the world--it's so cool to hear what the Father is doing in and through old friends!! And she got to visit one of the premier places in this country--everyone wants to visit LJ city--it's famous for how cool and old it is! It really is so beautiful, so Shannon enjoyed just being in such a nice place, enjoying the company AND the surroundings.

A few days after the visit to LJ, we left to visit the city that we are all hoping to base treks out of in the future. And while we were there, some people offered to let us rent their house. We are hoping and pr-ing that it will work out. The thought of actually rubbing shoulders with our people appeals to us on so many levels. We feel earnest about seeking the Father's face over the next few months, that the higher-ups will be open to us being there in the future...

Anyway, we are back home now and starting to get ready to return to the states. We are scheduling our time and thinking about visiting people and just loving being there for a few months. Now if only I can decide if it's worth packing and taking Luke's train tracks and trains with us (they are his favorite toy right now...). We'd love any advice!

For now...