P.S. My New Hair (for Rachel and Miriam)

I've been wanting this hair for 18 months...

Pulling Pictures Out of the Recent Archives

The Himalayas. We saw these with Mamaw and Papaw from the highest point in our city.

The Taj Mahal. It needs no introduction.

Tourist trap, albeit a beautiful one.

G jumping down the path leading to the Red Fort.

Taking it all in and feeling that there's too much to ponder.

Wearing protective red slippers out of respect for the Taj.

"C'mon, boys. Stick close."

Living history.

Bummin' Around

At a nearby park.

Guest Post from C.

We're in Thailand. We're living in an awesome resort with a pool that we swam in. We made new friends named Creed (who's 6 1/2), Kean (who's 12), Quinn (who is 6 turning 7), and Caden (who is 6). We went to a store called Carrefour and got goggles, sunscreen, bug spray, swim trunks and suits, snacks, and Diet Cokes (that I can't drink because it's got too much caffeine).

A few days ago we went to the zoo. We saw hippos and tigers. We also saw meerkats that looked like Timon from The Lion King. One had lost an arm and he only had one arm left. We saw bunnies and one goat standing up on the table, looking like he was the king of all of them. And Grace thought that there was land, but it was really water with some kind of moss on it, and she fully dived on her stomach into it. She screamed and cried but Ivan and I saved her.

We've had a blast here so far.

p.s. Love you guys and I think Paul McCartney (Papa's puppy) is super cute.

p.p.s. You guys are the best and I wouldn't like any other grandparents except for you all. Love you. Bye.

~Caleb

The Pool Where We're Staying

G with her new best friend.

Playing.

Watch out, now. Here he comes.

Smile...Mommy's taking another picture.

This boy loves the water.

Dead Man's Float.

Thai kids and white kids--and I mean white.

Our New (Temporary) Pad

We've been able to shift from a hotel (where our kids had to sleep in a room across the hall--not exactly ideal) to a resort-type place outside the city a bit. It's run by believers from England and it's super family-friendly. They provide three meals a day (with plenty of fruits and veggies) in the dining hall, a laundry service, and taxis if needed. The grounds are beautiful with a pool (clean and modern!) and palm trees. There's even a soccer field. Well, needless to say, our kids are ecstatic. No more going out to eat for three meals a day and having to walk the malls and parks because there's no room to hang out in our hotel rooms.

The individual cottages are all made of wood, old fashioned, and on stilts. The minute the kids walked in our room (yes, we are all in one large-ish room) they said, "Wait! What's that familiar smell? Why does this place seem familiar?" And I told them it was because it sort-of seems like a loft room at Alpine Lodge, only with pretty Thai details. It's woodsy and sort-of British too. Anyway, pictures are to soon to follow. Our kids will get to swim (the main thing they care about) and there are many other like-minded individuals and families here. The boys have already made 'best friends' with other little boys. C said, "I like all the Americans here!"

The biggest thing, though, is that this place was totally booked yesterday. We asked them if there was any room in the inn, so to speak, and that our hotel stay was up and we didn't know where to go, and that we still had to be in Thailand for 10 more days. They said they'd try to work something out. Well at the last minute, they moved some people around and gave us this room. It was the greatest thing. We're thankful and humbled, as usual, by the Lord's mercy and care for his kids.