So, I have to admit that we have been in Thailand for a week and half and I am a little behind in doing this blog. In preparing for this trip, I knew it would be busy, but I didn't realize that in order to keep the troops busy--we always have to be busy. So, that doesn't give me a lot of personal time. Rarely, actually do I have time to relax or choose my own personal activity. We arise in the morning and start right in with school. We, as parents, are rotating who teaches seminary and we try to do that first thing in the morning to start our day out right.
So, whether it is with school or seminary--we jump right in. That would also mean getting right in and getting the dishes done and straightening our little home away from home. (Luckily, Doug is just like me in the fact that neither one of us functions very well with disorder--so we have to get first things done first!) I can't stand dishes in the sink or "stuff" just laying around. So, we have to pick up in order to focus.
We usually try to spend 2-2.5 hours of quality time working with the boys on their school work. Doug will take one and I will take the other. We were schooling together with Tyler and Ashton--but we all think it is more effective to go one on one. So, we are trying that for awhile. The girls have their seminary and then they go to work on their classes. Then depending on what we are doing for the day--we do a lunch and hit the road. On the days that we go to the baby orphanage, we go there first and then come back to school in the afternoon. Those days are usually not as productive because the kids are more restless and want to play/relax as the day goes on. That's okay. We make it work.
It might not sound exhausting, but it really can be. We are always on the go. We kind of have to because we want to take full advantage of being here. It is just a hard line to balance because personal time is important, too. I usually spend my personal time downloading pictures, responding to emails and trying to work out little travel bumps (like when you find out that the airline you have scheduled to transport your family from Barcelona to Tel Aviv has closed its doors and went out of business!!) Just little things like that! Or always remembering in the background that you still haven't reserved a hotel in a certain city or made any travel arrangements after Israel. Those are kind of important but somehow--even though we are all together 24/7, it is hard to talk through those details. So, even my personal time is still focused on what we need to accomplish as a family.
We are doing well though and going strong. I can't believe that it has already been a month since we left Idaho. Time is flying by! I was realizing the other day--that I really need to start thinking about India because that is where we are doing our next project and we have to start malaria medicine a few days before we go. The time seems to pass crazy fast.
Last week, we took the opportunity to go as a family out to dinner and have a little family council. It was good. We visited about what our children thought was going well and what things that we could be better at. It was interesting to hear their perspectives and they were really right on the mark. I have been so proud of my kids and how well they are adjusting to this new lifestyle. We have had very little resistance to going and serving these children. In fact, the only time I have heard a complaint is when Munchie didn't want to stop playing the game he was playing before we left. But even then, he was cute about it.
I have to say, too, that our partners on this trip couldn't be better! We have grown to love the Smiths and are so grateful to share this opportunity with them. They have been great travelling companions. It really is amazing that although, I would consider all four of us adults, as having strong personalities--we make it work. I am sure that at times we probably drive them nuts, but they are good at masking it! :) We really are having a great time and we all try to balance things out. It has been a blessing for our family to be with them and we have truly grown to love each and every one of them as family!
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