'Tis The Season

Today we went shopping for Christmas decorations!!!

I've been looking forward to it for so long, but Chris assured me that it wouldn't be as good unless we waited until after thanksgiving. So we did, and it was great :) 

I actually bought these fabric batik [traditional Indonesian art] ornaments at a little bazaar on the way home from school last week. When I got them we didn't have a tree, so I hung them on every knob/handle I could find in the house. These are just a few. . .

We managed to get all of our shopping done at two stores, and paid less than expected for everything which made me happy! I had tried to lower my Christmas expectations in case we wouldn't be able to have a tree at all, so I was thrilled that we found one, and for a good deal. 
While this is the first time either of us haven't had a REAL tree that smells like pine :[ 
. . .we're thankful that we found this one, and are already enjoying the Christmas cheer it brings to our little apartment :]  We're still looking for the right angel topper.

Stealing a kiss

. . .and then there's chris ;]

We decorated with Christmas music in the background, and had ourselves a great time! 


AND. . . if you stuck with me this long and are still reading. . .
LOOK WHAT WE GOT!

And it came with a cute handyman!


*more details to come*

PTL and Merry Christmas to us!

Hubby turns 23!

Good morning birthday boy! 

I wanted him to wake up to something exciting, and he'd been asking for bacon for quite some time.

It was fun to spoil him for breakfast :)

After breakfast, we got to spend several hours of uninterrupted time together {and how great it was!} After just kickin' it for the late morning and early afternoon, we headed out with friends to a new mall {mall's are all the rage here} where we heard we could go bowling! Neither of us are pros, but we love to go anyways. . .

We were all hungry by the time we got there, and got excited about Hard Rock Cafe Jakarta! Cool right?! Not so much. We were the loser "bules" (white people) who were seated, and then left right before they came to take our order because it was too expensive. . . $18 for a cheeseburger? We didn't think so. So what did we do?? Go to A&W of course and get delicious burgers, fries, and rootbeer floats for less than $10 for both of us combined 

{steal of a deal if you ask me}

Is your mouth watering??? It will be soon :]

After dinner we found the bowling alley, and it was as "American" as you could get {minus the smoky haze. . .plus!} We had a blast bowling gutter balls, and being the only bules in the place! We did so bad that we all decided we HAVE to go back again ;] 

Sorry no actual bowling pictures. . .really bad lighting!

After we finished our game and a half that we crammed into an hour slot, we headed back to our apartment for cake! {no, we're not disclosing our scores}

The picture below is with the cake still in the crock pot. Yep, you heard me. . . crock pot!!! Our lack of oven was not gonna stop me from making Chris a cake on his birthday! I made Wacky Cake {a favorite from his mom's kitchen, and now a favorite of mine as well} which doesn't have eggs, milk, or butter {pretty wacky} Not to toot my own horn, but it really did turn out fantastic! Suuuuper moist!

 Final Product

Interesting fact: we learned from Taryn that in Australia you don't make a wish while blowing out the candles, but during the short amount of time between when the knife breaks the surface of the cake, and when it hits the plate below. . . silly Australian's ;]

The End 

Love you birthday boy!

My Side of the Story. . .

Matthew 25:40, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

Going in to this trip to West Timor, I (Chris) felt dry, overloaded, and quite honestly, stressed out of my mind.  Enough so, that I contemplated staying home so that I could “properly” do my job as a teacher the next week.  However, after a short visit to the Orphanage our first day in Timor, I realized that the surrounding terrain was the only thing that was dry. 

         I think that it is humorous how horribly wrong we get things when we attempt to decide what is best for us, what would bring us the most joy, or how to best “recharge” our batteries.  The more attempts I make to focus on me, in the vain hope that this “self-focus” is just what I need to be able to “better serve” my Lord, I find out time and time again that the less I focus on myself, and the more I actually focus on serving Him, the more refreshed and recharged I feel. 

         This trip was no different.  This blog post is not meant to describe an emotional “high” that often times comes from a missions trip, or a week at summer camp, that fades once the real world creeps back in.  What God did in, and through me over those three short days, I know I will not soon forget, in the many days to come.  I felt so incredibly blessed and humbled to be able to share the love that I was blessed with throughout my childhood, and am still blessed with today.  My dad always took the time to play, to get down on my level, to enter my world, to show me that he loved me.  Those memories in my childhood mean so much to me, and even today stand as solid proof that I am loved by my father in such a way that goes far beyond the words “I love you son.” My heart broke for these kids thinking about how these little boys had no man in their life to get down on their level, to enter their world, to show them that they were worth it, that they were loved.  As I mentioned already, it was a tremendous blessing to be able to be that figure for some of these kids, if only for a few short days, to show them that someone cared, that someone loved them.  Any time I would sit down, or enter a room, I would have one or two kids who would stop what they were doing, simply to sit as close to me as possible.  Huddling to my body as if the 90 degree Timor heat was as cold as the winters in Narnia, “always winter, and never Christmas.” They huddled close, obviously not for heat, indicated by my damp shirt and shiny forehead, but for the warmth that could warm a little cold heart from years of neglect.  I would put my arm around them, and hold them as close as I possibly could, looking down to meet little eyes that somehow said thank you. 

         I did my very best to enter their world, because of the father who entered my world, and our heavenly Father who entered our world.  I know it was not my love, nor did I ever want to convey my love, but the love of the Father pouring through me.  My job was to present Him with a willing heart, and He did the rest through His immeasurable grace and limitless love.  I cannot heal the pain that these kids face as they go to bed every night wondering why their father and mother did not want them, or the pain that they will face in their future as they struggle to become men without a strong father figure as a guide.  But, for a few short days, I could help share the love of a Father who has never neglected them, and has wanted them since before they were born, to rest in His arms.  For a few days . . .

         Returning home, I felt more recharged than I could remember feeling in a long time.  It is funny how when going to pour oneself out to others, it leaves more empty space for God to pour into us.  If we are never pouring out, than God has no room to fill us anew with a source of love that is in very nature God himself. 

         Please continue to pray for these children and Katie and I hope to return there next November.  Well, that’s my side of the story.  God bless.

Off to West Timor!

Hello all!

Quick prayer request and update. . .

Chris and I, along with eight other teachers from school are headed to West Timor tomorrow on a quick trip to visit an orphanage. Indonesia has a four-day holiday so we don't have school until Wednesday of next week. We're going there to offer support, friendship, and 10 boxes worth of clothing, shoes, toys, and several guitars. Our music teacher and his wife took guitars there a year ago and have received feedback that the kids loved them! From what we hear, they do a lot of singing there. . .nothing sweeter than hearing little voices sing out praise! 

Our flight leaves tomorrow morning around 6:00 and we'll get back sometime Monday. 

Please keep us in your prayers as we travel, and spend time with the kids there, as well as helping out the adults who run the facility. Besides pray and organize boxes, I don't feel like we've been able to prepare for this trip because we've been so involved in our lesson plans and November has come out of nowhere! Pray that God can use our willing hearts for whatever is needed most, because at this point we feel very unsure about what we'll actually do there. Pray that what we do can make more than just a four-day impact. The kids will love the attention and company no matter what, but I'd love for our group to help them in the long-run too. 

Here's a visual image of where we're going:

I just googled Roslin Orphanage and found out they have a website! Check it out HERE!

I just might do some more research myself!

Thank you everyone for your prayerful support! We'll let ya know how it goes sometime next week!

Love from Indo!