Fresh Perspective

We have much to be thankful for at this time of year.  As the school year wraps up, Darron and I are proud of how well our boys have done this year.  Not only continuing on this whole journey of cross cultural living, but also for the two older boys, their first year in “real school”.  It has been a joy to watch them thrive and grow and adjust and grapple with teachers and students.  Aubrey will return to high school next year.  It will be Andrew’s last year in middle school.  The younger boys and I will press on in homeschool, hopefully for ONE MORE year. : )  My heart is open to how the Lord leads.  We rejoiced when Andrew was given the huge honor by Mr. Lott (the band teacher) to play a piece featuring him on the piano, with the band accompanying him.  This piece, The River Flows, has been very instrumental in Andrew’s life.  Aubrey is doing things on the French Horn, that according to Mr. Lott he should not be able to do yet.  S...

There is a new diagnosis in Sentani, Papua.  It stands for “Funky Viral Thing”.  I am qualified to write about this FVT, 569.v dx and code because I have just spent the last 5 days studying it, intensely.  It can present in many different ways and can mimic nasty tropical diseases like: malaria, dengue fever, typhoid, and worse.  If you are a mother with an active brain and a house hold of sick children struck with this FVT, then yes, you can imagine much worse.  It can drive the mother to great research, pulling out random text books, texting friends, emailing doctors and causing her to question all sound judgment.  Make sure you follow up on the mother and her sanity.  Really, she is at much more risk then those struck with FVT (usually young children).  She suffers from lack of sleep, lack of trust in the outcome of her children, and overwork (the passing of meds, wiping fevered brows, bathing the fevering child, research, pushing fluids, extra...

It has been 10 days since my man left.  I started really missing him on day 4.  That is not good.  There are still 2 more days until his return. And I have felt the rawness of it for 6 days now. I am sobered to think the loneliness I feel is just a fraction of the loss a widow would feel. Or a divorced person.  Or someone still in a relationship, who has lost their hope in love.  They say, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”. It is true but I would add, “Absence grows old”.  People marvel at how STRONG I am.  I marvel at the strength that God grants. Darron did not choose to be gone this long.  He is diligent about planning his schedule long in advance.  Breaking up the times to short stints.  But Indonesia is not a country respectful of long range planners.  Nor is the school.  Darron really desired to be at Aubrey’s 8th grade graduation, which was announced 2 months ago…..long after Darron’s planning session.  So he h...

It may be humid and hot enough that sweat rolls down your back….but there are still ways to cool off and have fun. A highlight for young boys is when Mom has to defrost the freezer. All hands appear for this chore.  It’s always more fun when friends are around.  I think in this case, the pictures will tell more then words.  We shared this memory with the Webb boys, during their 10 day stay with us.  The floors get swathed with towels, as the boys run in and out the doors, reloading their ammunition bowls.  Wet tile, is very slick.  Hearing their squeals and plans of icy revenge always make this task more tolerable.

I got a clinic call last Sunday asking if I would be willing to see Zac that morning at our home.  Zac is a 9 year old x-patriot boy.  2 days prior a boil like spot had painfully started at the entrance to his right nostril.  Sunday morning he had awoken with swelling down to his lip and swelling under his eyes.  I was concerned even before they arrived, knowing that there was a potential for infection to spread to the brain, because of the region this was in.  I knew that we needed to treat it aggressively and quickly.  When he arrived, I was surprised and alarmed at the swelling.  However, I was somewhat relieved that the pustule had come to a head and it was draining.  We decided to start him on Keflex 250 mg 3 X a day and to continue using an antihistamine.  I really expected that within 24 hours the swelling would be significantly better.  I wanted to add in a second antibiotic, but had no idea which one.  I felt so frustrated ...

Saturday night we had our last drama meet of the year. Sometimes it is overwhelming to feed all these teen boys.  So this week, I had Aubrey and Andrew make the supper.  It was a beautiful solution.  I wasn’t worn out and they had a better appreciation of how much work it takes to put a meal on the table for that many friends.  To end on a grand note many of the boys spent the night.  They promised me that they would go to bed at midnight.  Many fun memories with the drama team and friends. : –)  We have exciting news for next year and that is a drama class is starting in high school.  So we will see how that impacts our group and what we end up doing….. Monday evening was our first night to have the two older Webb boys for 10 days.  Their parents have meetings to attend in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  Also, Josh needed to stay as his parents needed to be gone overnight.  I’m not sure where the sign is hanging, but it reads, “Boy’s Welc...

The day dawned with a rainstorm.  It was short.  Soon the tropical sun, beat upon the glistening grass.  Today would be simmering hot for Field Day.   The whole family piled into the car by 7:10.  Darron too, even though he would need to go and check in at the airport and then return to the school.  We proudly watched Aubrey and Andrew compete and place in most events.  I had fed them a big breakfast which did not settle to well with the  great exertion (sorry guys).  Jacob and Nathaniel, patiently waiting and watched.  We teased them that the home school children were not allowed to compete, because the school knew that the home school children would win all the events.  That settled well. What didn’t settle well, is when Aubrey and Andrew were invited to spend the afternoon at a friends.  Instead of going grocery shopping with me, for our once a month…..BIG SHOP.  Yet, Jacob and Nathaniel had to go.  Normal...