Popular

This guy is really popular in our town...

The Gardens

The other day...

The other day we went out to our neighborhood auto stand... we were so very surprised that there were so very many people around.

People around hanging out, way more autos than normal, cars... it was crazy!

Then when we got towards the front of the "action" (if you will) we realized what was going on... it was a holiday celebrating a local idol.

See the little house on a pole with all the fanciness around it?

The surprising thing was that they were giving lunch away for all the folks who were coming up to offer their worship to said idol. 

We were rather surprised & shared with them that we follow & worship Jesus.  

They pretty much said, "Okay... here is some rice anyway."  :)

That is the thing about living here in South Asia... to many people whatever you choose to believe is good for you & fine with me... it has been hard for us to get past this thus far...

Pretty Muffins

Thank you to whomever sent the cute little muffin-cups!

Brad's Birthday!

For Brad's birthday... I got him an authentic South Asia man-wrap/ lungi!

The best thing is that all the men around us wear them... all the time!

Now... Brad has one and the best part...

has been wearing it!

True comfort at its finest :)

Also... for his birthday I was able to make him one of his favorite AR dishes...

pulled pork bbq & potato salad!

10 points

10 points

To the person who can properly guess the contents of these 2 nalgenes!

Yes... Brad's momma is that good a packer :)

Little Kuri

Can you see the pup?

Yes that's him... our tiny little baby pug... next to the actual small sized dog toys...

For years, really years for this girl, I have wanted a small dog of my own. I grew up on a farm with big dogs... but farm dogs are different.  They aren't really pets... they don't play the same or come in the house & sit on your lap... still pets but not the same level I have always wanted...

A year ago, still in AR, we talked about how once we were settled in South Asia we could finally have a pet... a small dog in our family named Kuri... so after the attempted break-in a little while ago we put 

-plan-pug-puppy- into motion.

After finding a local breeder/ dog broker/ "find any dog you want"man we paid our deposit on a pure-bred pug & began the waiting game... with our trip to Tland & the dates of the pups birth we knew we would be waiting a little while... which is okay.  Here in South Asia people have dogs but to get ready for the pup the way we wanted we ordered a few things from America & our friends brought them to us (thanks again!).

So... after about a month or so of waiting we went last wednesday to pick up our new little family member... alas... there were golden retriever pups there but no pug pups... GRs are nice but way to big & furry for my taste...

PuppyMan told us it would be the next day... then the next... with a variety of different reasonings but finally Friday afternoon PuppyMan showed up to our home with a basket.... and in it a tiny overly-sleepy pug puppy... only 34 days old.  A baby.  A drugged baby actually because PuppyMan insisted on giving him his vaccines before giving him to us... 

PuppyMan told us.... he is okay... he will be very boring today... he is very sleepy... just let him sleep it off & then start feeding him this infant rice cereal every few hours... so we did just that...

But 6 hrs in he still wasn't doing well... then the vomiting & diarrhea started... our plump sleepy pup went to skinny & rather shaky by the next morning...

So we went to the vet... he gave him a shot, some meds, different food, then sent us on our way... telling us to return for drips (IV) the next day if he wasn't better.  Kuri did okay... but was still dealing with the same yucky & draining symptoms he had before... he was then real thin & not hardly able to  walk around anymore.  Sunday early afternoon we returned for drips... on the way there our poor little pup just laid in the towel on my lap... he wouldn't even look around anymore...

He fell asleep during his drips then the vet gave him another shot with more in it than the day before... told us to wait a couple of hours then started feeding him again.

Poor little dude never woke up.  Except to cry before he stopped breathing...

It is crazy how attached I became in just a couple of days.  

We really prayed about bringing an animal into our home... would we be able to love & care for it in a way it deserves?  We have looked at this like a15 yr adventure with a new family member and we tried to give little Kuri the best care we could... 

Was it because he was way to young to leave his mamma?

Was it the vaccines?

Was it the stress on his tiny little body?

Was it the vet giving him more than his little body could handle?

We don't know... and are still sad but yet thankful that he is not hurting anymore...
So then I cried... and baked a cake...

PuppyMan was surprised as well... blaming the vet... and says he will give us an older pup in several weeks... so we will see if this adventure continues...

The Gardens... sneak peak

Can you believe it!?!?!

We are so so so very blessed!!!

Brad's moms worked so hard compiling goods from our wish-list & the items we left in AR when we moved here and packages from my mom, grandmas & sister!

Check out those goods!

We had an early Christmas for sure!!!  3 suitcases worth!!!  Boom Baby!

To make things even more special these 3 suitcases were delivered by some very sweet friends from AR!  I have been so thankful & blessed by their presence here :)

Then... we would like you to meet our new tiny little guard pug... Kuri!

He has quite the story to go with him so I will post that a bit later!

Not a Bird House

From Thailand

Is Ready!

Ready!  Ready for what you may be asking... well...

This very moment we have friends flying over the ocean who are coming to hang out with us for 10 days!!!  Can you imagine?

Everything around us has changed greatly in the last year...

We have moved... a few times...  Changed jobs... working on a new language... needing & working on making new friends...

I am so ready to see 2 very dear friends of ours from home!

Not only am I ready to see them, hug them, talk with them, hang out with them... I am ready for all what is in store for our future!

Thailand

Is a really beautiful place...

Several folks told us it would be like America to us... and wow it was!

Except the Thai... we don't speak or read Thai!

The place where we stayed seemed to be a sleepy fishing type of village...

Not many tourist at all! 

At night all the fishermen would go out in the boats that were near the beach...

then sleep most of the day.

We were very thankful to have this clam sweet place to rest.

And for friends, of course, to share our time with :)

Between playing on the beach & in the pool we did manage to do a few other things as well...

Monday of our trip we went snorkeling!

Brad was ready to go in his 2 hats/head coverings, long pants, tshirt & 50 sunblock!  :)

Sun protection is important after all...

Safety is important as well...

We took a boat through the canals leading to the ocean...

Fishing equipment along the way

Fishing boat... resting during the daylight hours...

once we got past the canal we headed towards a reef near an island about a 30 minute boat ride away...

We were told to get a good look at this island... knowing that it is an exclusive resort & that we would not touch it :)

A very beautiful place.

As soon as we got to the snorkeling area all these little fish showed up...

just waiting for the bread we were about to throw to attract them :)

This pic was after a few hours in the water... do we look like raisins?

We saw most of the cast from Finding Nemo, several rays, and a good mix of other sea life...

The next day we took a trip into the nearest "big" city...

We heard about an American BBQ place... so we had to check it out :)

Brad's favorite = pulled pork

My favorite = 1/2 rack of ribs!

Just in case you were wondering.... it was very good!

Then after that we had after dinner coffee at Starbucks!!!!

I was so happy!  I used to drink this stuff at least once a week!!!

I was shocked by the prices though...

I was hoping to get & try the special Thai coffee...

but not for $18 for a 1/2 lb!

Don't fret we still had a great coffee experience :)

Oh yum...

The next day we went kayaking!

(i wasn't able to take the camera so you will have to use your imagination here)

This is the first island we kayaked to... Monkey Island.

Yes... it has that name with good reason.

Once we reached the island we were met by a family there to see the monkey via motor boat...

they were throwing bits of food/ treats to the monkeys.... who were sprinting from all sides of the island to reach the motor boat & food as fast as possible!

Well... these monkeys did not wait nicely for their turn... they were jumping onto the boat... climbing on the family who was there to see them & even getting into mom's hair looking for goods....

Thankfully they ignored Brad & I completely... I guess they have come to learn that kayakers don't bring food :)

This is the second island we kayaked to... it... to my knowledge remains nameless.

We got to the beach & walked around collecting shells for a bit then decided to go for a swim...

While we were in the water a rather larger grumpy looking monkey came up and started inspecting our kayak.  

He was lifting up our life jackets & paddles looking for food... knowing that we didn't having anything to interest him we were not too worried... until he got to the ziplock baggie that had our room key & money in it for the kayaks...

Well he immediately picked it up & started chewing on it... making a large hole within seconds...

Brad got to the kayak to send him away & he just looked at Brad... like what?  

Only after splashing & hollering at the monkey a bit did he drop the ziplock & move off... but still sat next to the kayak as if to say... this is my island... I will sit where I want!  :)

We really were very blessed to find this place...

It was probably the most relaxing vacation we have ever had...

There really is something sweet about sitting by the water, swimming, resting, reading... 

It was all good...

Not to mention the goods we got at the grocery!