Abe

I ordered a book for Abraham and it finally arrived. His cousin Hyrum's favourite book is called Strategic Practices During WW2, Hyrum even dressed up like a character in the book for school. I used the book as collateral to get Abe up and ready for school early, and then gave it to him on his way out the door after telling him is was Hyrum's favourite book! I read a tiny bit and thought it seemed a little dry for a 4th grader. Despite reading frequently Abe was only on page 19 this morning when I took a closer look. I must have ordered the wrong book because he's reading a college text book! (The kind you would never read unless your professor was the one who wrote the book.) He admires Hyrum so much he would try desperately to read a book recommended by him. I'm curious to see what the real book is and if he'll finish this first one. 

The second event that happened this week- Abe began selling homemade bread to neighbours. He makes it for our family every week and is getting quite good. (It's delicious.) In one evening he made and delivered 6 extra loaves earning $44! After quick calculations he said, "I only need to sell 10k loaves to pay for my mission!" 

So thankful for this boy and his willingness to work hard.

Tick Tock

This week's email is less about daily living and a victory lap for wrapping up a project. 

I just uploaded a printed materials project I've been working on since last October! (100 hours) So excited to have it done and hope that the printing goes flawless. I'l include just a few of the items we put together... I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to learn how to use InDesign. I'll think twice before volunteering next year, but maybe the project will take less time now that I have a basic knowledge of the tools.

Print deadlines are REAL! And as I have just hit mine, the last week has been a blur. 

A short photo essay.

  
     

I found this slide show Abe made for school. Kinda loved it. He is a lucky boy.

A lot of baby Odessa going around.

New splash pad at Marina Barrage.

We had the most amazing night flying kites.

A huge storm rolled in and then right over us.

This guy turned 7!

Hand-me-down boots loved by their new owner.

She starts school in 6 months!

And Moses, again.

This is what "working from home" looks like.

Writing

Mary has been sewing all week, working on personal progress and an entry to the school art show.

Abe began making bread again and he's REALLY good at it. I wish he loved making it as much as he liked eating it. His bread doesn't last more than a day or two.

Maeser isn't concerned with anything but his birthday which everyone knows is in 12 days!

Moses busted his lip up last night. He hit the grate in front of our gate so hard that there are black streaks on his two front teeth that I can't brush off! (paint chips?) As he tripped he was yelling, "I run so fast!" and now he walks like a duck with  a protruding upper lip. He also love to give kisses and surprise hugs. There's no way he won't be spoiled.

Scout. Scout. Adorable, loves animals. Pretend or otherwise. Probably the easiest to please and the fastest to anger. Almost like having a 5 year-old teenager.

This week I was released as Primary president and then called as 1st counsellor to the new President. Our stake was reorganised, again, last Sunday and we are now a part of a "super" ward meaning about the same size as a regular Utah congregation. How great it is to have more adults than children attending! As I met with the new president this week and moved toys, books, manuals, singing time supplies from one building to another, I realised that the relief I felt in a new calling was fleeting. Her very first questions were: "How many of the children are foreigners?" (ALL but 5) and "How reverent are they?"  (Um... they're children. We have good and bad days.)

I had to repent quickly as I felt like being counsellor would be more difficult than being in charge! If anyone should know how demanding her job is, it would be me. And I had two amazing women for counsellors! I quickly decided to be that kind of person. She has been the primary president in a ward where sometimes there are NO primary children, and yet she comes every week prepared to have a lesson and singing time. That takes a lot of faith! 

Dan made a trip to Bangkok and brought back some favourite foods and has consistently been home before bedtime this week. Friday night was my favourite- we went running while Dallin watched the children.

Pictures are of Mary's sewing project this week, my window washer, Abe has the best friends who show up in time to help finish his chores.

January 13, 2019

Christmas, New Years, hosting parents and grandparents, winter break, a quick trip to Manila to see Dan's parents and to visit the temple and now school starts back up tomorrow which forces us to get back to routines and thus writing. 

The highlight of the season was having family for the holidays. We loved being home for the break and doing things in town that we don't do very often. We visited the zoo, Gardens by the Bay, the marina, Dan's office, La Pa Sat, the Dragon Kiln and had all kinds of food (Korean, Indian, Singaporean, Italian, German, American and Chinese) but forgot to get Dim Sum before they left.

The children were spoiled with someone to play games and puzzles every day, Grandma Vonda played the piano often and Grandpa Orval spent a lot of time teaching Mary how to use family search and prepare work for the temple. By the time we all left on Mom's birthday, Mary had 5 names ready to take. Three were sisters that Grandpa helped her find and two came from Aunt Tommy Sue. Mary is well prepared to do some work on her own and to teach others.

Mary got to visit the temple for her first time while we were in Manila and can't wait to go again. It's crazy to think that she will only be a Beehive for 1 year!

As we prepared to return to Singapore we got to the airport before I realised I'd left my backpack back at the mission home. Unfortunately we missed our flight but we didn't lose the passports, phone ect. that I was certain would be gone. Such a blessing. (We tried to get the passports to the airport in time by hiring a motorcyclist to drive them across town through traffic and told him we'd pay double if he made it before our flight. It took him 90 minutes to weave through traffic and only cost us $10, amazing.) Dan booked new flights, it was a busy weekend for airlines and we couldn't all get out of Manila on the same day. I returned with Moses the following day and Dan traveled with the other 4 children on Sunday afternoon.

Dan had an uneventful birthday and we celebrated by going to our favourite steakhouse in Singapore. He initially didn't want to do dinner, so Scout and I "decorated" the house and I went to a butcher to buy a steak. I'd only been home 10 minutes when Dan texted to say he though dinner out was a great idea. The next morning, because Dan met me at the restaurant on his way home from work, Scout said, "Dad, you missed your birthday!" Because really, we celebrate our birthdays for the kids right? Decorations are still up for Scout's birthday later this week. (The big 5!)

Life is great. God is good. I feel so blessed to learn more about Christ and how much I depend on Him daily.

Dan's birthday dinner. I kinda love this guy.

Hanging out in the field with grandma and dad while the kids play with remote control cars.

Two very strong and beautiful women in my life.

Big brothers are the best.

Graduate from a stroller to airport wheelchairs. Should have made this change years ago!

The bird park with cousins.

Bus rides and birthday parties.

Highlights, again. Most of our days are routine. 

Mary's party was on Friday night. A party planned, prepared and executed by 12 year old girls is bound to have a lot of food. She planned a Secret Santa Baking Party: lots of cupcakes, pizza, doorbell ditching and games.

Abraham forgot to pick up Maeser after school on Thursday.  Poor Abe, I tried to allow natural consequence be the punishment, after stopping at 4 different homes and having Abe knock on the door, he began crying in the car saying he'd lost Maeser. By the time we found him, Maeser had been waiting in the school office for an hour and then walked himself "home" but stopped at a friends house on the way, Abe was so anxious. Here's hoping he never forgets again.

Mary also graduated, officially, from Primary. In our church culture that is such a big step, bringing new responsibilities and it's crazy to think that she'll start hanging out with 16 and 17 year old girls several times a month. Totally not ready for her to be growing up so fast. 

Dan's making a quick trip to the USA today and hitting the Philippines on the way back on Saturday, I'm glad he'll get to see you. I forgot to make sure he booked our tickets before he left! Mary got her temple recommend and is so excited to go with Caelyn, Juliana and Zerah.

With the two little growing out of naps, we've started adventuring more. We're usually good for a couple days and then everyone is overly tired and we crash and burn for long naps on the third day. On Monday I took the bus on a test route (during their naps) to figure out how to get to the shopping center and back all by bus or trains. Moses is really into cars and I thought he would love it. On Wednesday when I tried again with the children, we immediately got on the wrong bus and it took us an extra 40 minutes to get to the store. I imagined tears and fussy kids but Moses loved every minute of it. We even got all our errands in (post office, hair cut for Moses, playground and picnic).

I tried the bus again on Sunday, leaving early for Ward Council. I've been spoiled and never had to take public transportation to church because I usually have a car full of children. But because I was the only one going early I took the bus. 60 minutes later (the projected time of arrival) I had already missed two bus stops on two different busses and was footing it the rest of the way. I really think I could have made it without any errors, but I mistakenly thought I could get my scripture study done on the way and I kept missing my stops. I was trying to research the amount of effort it would take for a single mom to come to church, by bus, for extra activities. I'm sure if I had to make that trip weekly with children, by myself, then I would rarely come. I imagine I have more faith than that, but arriving childless, out of breath and ready for a shower wasn't a pleasant experience. Not to mention that she would need to take the bus home. Her combined efforts to get to church would double her church block. Some women are unbelievably faithful and strong!

We found time to decorate and demolish a gingerbread house. Photo essay follows. Self explanatory.

Oh, and just a funny moment. I'm sure no one has a closet as pared down as Dan's, haha.