2.26.2013

oh, say can you....

Almost two years in, and this place still surprises me.  If it's not the cows in the road, the people pooping on the side of the road, or piles and piles of trash, then it's something else that equally catches me by surprise when I least expect it.  You can't avoid it.  Surprises are bound to creep up on you occasionally, but those aren't the ones I'm referring to in this post.  Today I'm talking all about those that you bring on yourself and Jason Marlin is a glutton for punishment when it comes to this!

A few weeks ago, Jason received an invitation to speak at an event, celebrating "National Language Day!"  I know, I know... we'd never heard of it either.  What was his speech supposed to be about?  His language.  Jason is a smart guy.  He has lots of knowledge about many things, but English?  Let's just say he hardly makes it through a day without a double negative and don't dare ask him to name the parts of speech.  

But in true "Jason fashion," he gracefully accepted and showed up having no idea what he was going to say, but assuring me "that [he] had this under control!"  Turns out, this event was being put on by a theater group who thought it would be fun to celebrate languages by having a panel of speakers who possess different languages... all of whom share the commonality of English.  

Jason gets the program off to a start by doing an improv speech about "how our souls meet when we find someone who shares our heart language" and a lot of other junk stuff that really seemed to get the crowd going.  For a moment, I thought he was going to start preaching.

Almost an hour later, the panel had completed their task and returned to their seats.  I had long since lost interest and had reverted to my iPhone along with the boys.  I heard them announce a quick movie was going to be played, but Facebook seemed more captivating.  And then Jason turned to say, "How do we get ourselves into these things?"  I quickly reminded him that HE was responsible for our attendance at this event and I would take no responsibility.  Little did he know, his fun was just beginning.

At the conclusion of the movie, Jason turns again and says with great distress, "You have to help me!"  Help you?  With what?  "Sing."  Sing what?  "The National Anthem."  

In my perusal  of Facebook, I apparently missed an upcoming part of the program.  At the conclusion of the movie, we (or someone) was going to sing the National Anthem from each country represented.  

It started with the Indian National Anthem.  30-40 people proudly sang together, in unison, a song that was near and dear to their hearts.  It was followed by a beautiful version of an African national anthem.  And then, THEN it was our Jason's turn.

He begged me.  Pleaded for me to join him at the front of the room.  I tried to pull myself out of that chair, but it was too late.  I had entered "the 5th grade giggles on the church pew" state.  I was at a mix of laughing and crying, shaking violently at the thought of what was about to go down.  Jason was about to sing our National Anthem alone... SOLO.  

But that wasn't happening just yet.  Because you can't sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" without knowing the WORDS!  So he asked just one more question... "Can you tell me how it starts?"  With a few words, he was off to represent all of America in a room full of strangers.  

I couldn't even look up.  I had lost all the control that I ever possessed.  At this point, even my five-year-old was telling me to "get it together."  But I just couldn't stop laughing (and crying!)  And then he starts....

"Oh, say can you SING?"

I wanted to help him.  I really did.  But when he missed the VERY first line, that was all she wrote!  I was seconds away from howling out loud.  I was best left to hide my face behind a five-year-old that thought I had lost my marbles.

After a line or two, he stopped.  He wanted so bad for it to end, but it's not Indian culture to let you give up.  He pleaded, assuring them he wasn't a very good singer.  And they encouraged him. They cheered him on to continue, despite the fact that it was going to get worse!  

He CLOSED his eyes and picked up where he left off.  He skipped quite a few lines, repeated the ones he knew in place of them, and prayed that he would find "the land of the free and the home of the brave" sooner than he did!  Finally it came to an end.

My laughter didn't stop quite so abruptly.  In fact, it's almost a week later, and I still find myself snickering about his solo!  But I have to give him props.  It's a tough song.  And he's among some great company in butchering it-- Christina Aguilera, Michael Bolton, Roseanne Barr. 

It was a priceless moment.  A moment where I should have pulled out my video camera and captured it forever.  But ALL I could do was laugh.  And cry.  And laugh.  

I walk on the safe side of life.  I like predictable, easy, safe situations.  But I wouldn't trade one minute of the experiences that Jason gets us into... especially when the laughter is at his expense!  

So as I close, let me leave you with those famous words that ALL Americans should know!  Don't worry Jason-  you'll get 'em next time!  



Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

2.22.2013

five on friday

1.  Jason's birthday was February 4th.  My parents were in town, so we ended up at the new Marriott Hotel that just opened in our city for dinner alone.  While we were eating dinner the manager stopped to chat with us and before I knew it, we were holding a key to a complimentary room and our dinner was on the hotel!  Don't you love when things like that happen!


2.  Our luck in India isn't always that good, though.  Receiving quality haircuts has been a roller coaster for us.  I finally found someone for the boys and I that I am comfortable with.  Unfortunately, he was out of town when we went to get haircuts yesterday.  So I reluctantly gave in and let another guy cut Jack's.  Oh my....  I usually stand close by to ensure that nothing drastic happens, but not yesterday.  When Jack came back, he was sporting this on his neck:


What do you call this?  An "M"?  Batman? Now the question is, do I shave it all the same length, or just let him sport this look until it gets a little longer and then repair the damage?  The crazy thing is Jack likes it!

3.  I lost my creative side for quite some time after we first moved to India.  I still haven't totally regained it, but I'm working on it.  I feel certain that a visit to Hobby Lobby would greatly encourage me.  Nonetheless, I set out to make something for our guest bedroom wall a few months ago.  And I landed on this:


I saw something like this on Pinterest, and it seemed easy enough.  "Easy" and "Non-Time Consuming" are NOT the same thing!  I must have traced states for a week... okay- it was just one night, but it felt like forever!



Once I finished tracing states, cutting them out, and putting the puzzle together, I was read to stick them on to my fabric!


After stitching around 50 states, I took the piece to be framed!


And for a little something extra, I added a heart to the places we love the most!  

4.  Although my creativity hasn't been put into action much lately, I still have a million ideas running through my head that I might do "one day!"  One of those has been pillows for my couch.  When my mom was here recently, I threw out my idea to her and put her to work.  Don't you LOVE them?  

(She made the khaki one.  I bought the blue one for $2 in India!)



5.  Speaking of my parents--- I sure do miss those people!  So thankful for the times they get to come to India!  Wish it was way more often...

2.20.2013

Thailand- Chang Mai (Tigers and Elephants)

(In December, our family took the most wonderful trip to Thailand.  On the first leg of the trip, we stayed in Bangkok.  You can read about that here.  After  Bangkok, we headed to Chang Mai.  Here's a look at the fun we had in Chang Mai.)

Chang Mai has a much different feel from Bangkok.  Bangkok is a metropolis... humming with businesses, crowds, and all the things you'd find in a large city.  So we were surprised when we rolled in to Chang Mai.  It was MUCH slower than we expected!  We enjoyed great food and shopping in Bangkok-- the luxuries we had been missing.  We experienced some of those same things in Chang Mai, but it quickly proved to be all the EXPERIENCES!

We rented scooters for traveling.  After a little research we ventured out to explore.   What we found was a road that contained enough entertainment to keep us busy for quite a while!  There were tiger camps, elephant camps, insect zoos, extreme sports park, and plenty more.  We couldn't do it all, but what we did do was such an experience.

We started off at Tiger Kingdom.  There were tigers for viewing, but the best part was you could actually get in the pen with them!  There were four different sizes you could choose from, but because of Max's size, we were only allowed with the babies.  Truth be known, I'd of picked the babies anyways!  I saw the big ones--- I had no desire to be enclosed WITH them!  Before entering, we washed our hands, changed shoes, and had a quick safety briefing.

 photo IMG_3147-3_zps0cfea75d.jpg

Max tolerated the event, but I don't see him pursuing "tiger training."

 photo IMG_3150-3_zpse8db99d9.jpg

Jason, however, was the "Tiger Whisperer!"  This guy crawled all over him!

 photo IMG_3158-3_zpsc3ccf95c.jpg

 photo IMG_3167-3_zps4f673370.jpg

We tried to catch a quick picture with all of us, but Jason and I were the only ones ready for the shot.

 photo IMG_3172-2_zps16355ec2.jpg

This guy LOVES an animal.  Big or small- doesn't matter!  He can't get enough!

 photo IMG_3176-2_zpsb56896ac.jpg

You know one day these things will do some damage.  I'm glad I got to see them when they were small.  (By the way, this is not my hand.  This is the trainer.  I'm not brave enough to expose the teeth of any tiger... even a baby!)

 photo IMG_3180-2_zps280a523d.jpg

Jack examined him from head to toe.

 photo IMG_3182-2_zps460b9d24.jpg

 photo IMG_3196-2_zps6e11ada9.jpg

AND--- they grow up!

 photo IMG_3201-2_zps756a6c00.jpg

I caught this guy just as he was about to yawn.

 photo IMG_3198-2_zps41affd6c.jpg

The end of that yawn looks awfully ferocious, don't you think?  Did I mention I don't have any desire to get the cage with him?

 photo IMG_3199-2_zps186d4f91.jpg

And even cats play with sticks!

 photo IMG_3200-2_zps61354faf.jpg

I LOVED the tigers.  They are such mysterious, beautiful animals, but they are not my favorite.  My heart still lies with the ear-flapping, trunk-swinging giants.  And the elephants of Thailand did things I'd never seen done before!

They have an entire camp of just elephants- the Maesa Elephant Camp.  There were so many elephants.  I couldn't get enough.  They offer rides through the camp, but you might remember we already did that in India just prior to this trip.  But they were still full of new surprises.

 photo IMG_3209-2_zpse17b0a56.jpg

We watched a show after we arrived.  The elephants did a variety of things from play soccer, to throw darts, to.... are you ready for this?  PAINT!  They painted with paintbrushes and multiple colors.  I was impressed.

 photo IMG_3235-2_zpscc0897d2.jpg

 photo IMG_3236-2_zps4570939a.jpg

 photo IMG_3239-2_zpse8ae2554.jpg

 photo IMG_3245-2_zps67a1274b.jpg

The paintings were for sale after the show, but they like them... A LOT!  We went home without one.

We found the nursery, where a momma and her baby were staying.

 photo IMG_3247-2_zpsfb62890d.jpg

 It is safe to say that babies of all kinds will try to get out of enclosures over time!

 photo IMG_3250-2_zps66faebcf.jpg

She tried hard, but alas, she was unsuccessful!

 photo IMG_3251-2_zps99cfceb3.jpg


That baby pulled at my heart strings, but a bigger animal found the way to my heart!  As we were walking, we stopped to feed a few bigger elephants.  The trainers had the elephants hug us...

 photo IMG_3213-2_zps05c09dac.jpg

they put hats on us...

 photo IMG_3224-2_zps76ac096a.jpg

And then it happened...  I. WAS. KISSED. BY. AN. ELEPHANT.  Not once, but TWICE!  Eat your heart out!

 photo IMG_3228-2_zps4f775978.jpg

I've gotta be honest.  I'd compare it to putting the end of the strongest vacuum cleaner you can find on your cheek and having it suck the life out of your face.  But hey... no pain, no gain!  I'd do it all over again!

We spent a few more days in Thailand before heading back to India, but I've yet to tell you about my favorite adventure yet.  Check back in a few days for the Thailand conclusion!





2.17.2013

weird, socially-awkward, unaccepted outsider.

I worried about MANY things before we moved to India.  Would I miss my job?  Could I live without beef? Would our house have air-conditioning?  But my biggest concern probably centered around my children.

I mean think about it-  my kids were being uprooted from all things familiar to them.  Goodbyes with school classmates, church buddies, and even family members were a constant for us in the last few weeks.  Few things in their physical lives were going to be the same.  We left behind favorite toys, houses where we had made lasting memories together, and comforts that were near and dear to us.

And for what?  I asked myself this too many times.  I was so afraid of what these changes would mean-- how would they affect our boys?  Would they turn out better for it or worse?  These were real fears that I struggled with, even the night before we left.

Prior to this journey, my boys would have been labeled PK's (preacher's kids).  But NOW they carry a new label... MK's (missionary's kids.)  And if we're honest, that carries a variety of negative connotations.  And I knew them all-- "weird, socially-awkward, unaccepted, outsiders that grow up in places other than America."  I worried that when they returned to America, they'd be the odd-man-out, never knowing quite where they fit in.  I feared that they would be changed, for the worse.  

On Saturday, God quietly reminded me of his goodness in taking care of my boys as I sat watching them play at a local park.  As Max tired of the see-saw, a child, small like Max, climbed right on with Jack in an effort to join in the fun.  And Jack... remained on the other seat.  He waited patiently until the unclean little boy without shoes was safely on, before he started the seesaw back in motion.

When the playground lost its luster, we moved to an open field where Jason and Jack passed a Nerf football a time or two.  Before I knew it, we were surrounded by a group of 6 boys (who were most likely slum children) were pleading to play.  Jason gracefully stepped out of the game, but not Jack.  He was the odd-one-out.  He doesn't speak Hindi, and he can't communicate using words.  He was outnumbered 6-1.  He seemed timid at first.  But I kept my eye on him to see what he would do with the situation.  

One of the boys waited patiently beside Jack, wearing tattered clothes, exposing things that would be uncomfortable for the poorest American child.  And Jack-- in all his nine-year-old wisdom,  handed him the football and followed it with a "you can throw the ball" hand motion.  And it was on.  A full fledge game of throw and catch.  Before I knew it they were cheering for each other, giving high fives, and doing whatever it took to understand each other.

And as we were leaving, the boys crowded around our truck to shake hands with Jack and wave goodbye.  As they smiled, waved, and shouted "Bye, Jack," all I could think about was this:  

If this is how "weird, socially-awkward, unaccepted, outsiders that grow up in other places than America" turn out, then count me in!

 photo photo-20_zpsd381c187.jpg
This boy is learning things that take a lifetime for grown men and women to learn.  He's learning to accept people as they are, adapting to new situations as though they are second-nature, and being a "light" in a very dark country.  I know Jack will change many times over in the coming years, but today, I whispered a quiet "thank you" for the reassurance God is giving me.  The Lord offers a very clear promise in His word:

"Yes," said Jesus, "and you won't regret it.  No one who has sacrificed home, spouse, brothers and sisters, parents, children-- whatever-- will lose out.  It will all come back multiplied many times over in your lifetime.  And then the bonus of eternal life!"     Luke 18:29-30 (The Message)

Sweet reminders.  My heart is full, and today, I can set aside all those worries and fears.  

2.05.2013

birthday dance

It's your birthday.  One more year closer to 40.  The day was complete with a cookie cake made with love by the boys, our own rendition of Happy Birthday, a date night, and gifts.

 photo IMG_3534-3_zps4d1bd266.jpg

 photo IMG_3536-3_zps1e410e4b.jpg

 photo IMG_3538-3_zps925b82c3.jpg

 photo IMG_3540-2_zps37d33300.jpg





 photo IMG_3539-2_zps478e8518.jpg














  photo IMG_3543-2_zpsd6d23226.jpg

But  what would a birthday be without a birthday dance?

So here's to your coming year-- may it be the best one ever!  And by all means- don't forget to dance!  It just makes the days more fun!

(Click play to view video.)


Birthday 1 from Sarah Marlin on Vimeo.


Happy birthday, Marlin!  I love you!