Monday Milestones

In the last week:

Grace discovered how to keep her balance sitting up.
(Gmas notice the extra message for you in this picture!)

Grace is truly eating "people food": she's eating plain yoghurt and rice - not at the same time! She HAS to have a spoon at each meal whether she eats anything or not! She's better with her own spoon but any one will do.

We have traveled by public transport alone and checked out the local hospital outpatients.
Michael had a painfully blocked ear develop over the weekend that needed seeing to. So we got some advice and boldly went on an aventure.
We caught a red songtheaw and told the driver where we wanted to go. He dropped us at the hospital and charged us 45 baht. First hurdle done.
We muddled our way through a multi-stepped system that requires lots of personnel but is surprizingly effective - the service received was much quicker and cheaper than we have received in Canada! Step 2 accomplished.
A songthaew driver hailed us as we walked to the road. After a bit of gesturing and many repetitions and attempts to make our destination clear, we set off.
Upon arriving back at our guest house the driver charged us 60 baht. Hmm... we guess then and later confirmed that actually such a trip should cost 30 baht ($1) and we were supposed to haggle a price before getting on!

We have eaten out every meal so far as prices range from 15 baht ($0.15) to 60 ($2). We usually eat in groups so we can spread the embarrassment of not knowing what or how to order, and to get to know eachother better.

We have arranged and rearranged and rearranged again a mandatory weekend trip to Bangkok to be oriented to services we might later need there. Key to life in Asia: FLEX!


We have begun orientation/training and are learning lots. Not the least, how to juggle a full day's seminars/lectures/activities with a 4 month old and sporradic babysitting. Grace is handling the long days well enough, charming everyone and remaining happy. Thankyou God!

Thursday's Thots

Nothing much has changed for us here in Chiang Mai from the coup. Yesterday we stayed close to "home", and today we've seen a tank or two and a busload of soldiers. And they are not very scarey since they seem to be surrounded with Thais asking to have their pictures taken with the soldiers in front of the tanks!! Nothing else has changed; seems like its business as usual. For this we are thankful.

Michael has tried out different forms of local transport: the back of a motorbike and a songtheaw - a truck with a roof over the back and two benches down the sides. You stick out a fist to get them to stop, hop on and hold on until you get where you're going, press a button on the roof, get off and pay the driver.

It is cheaper to eat out than cook at home so we eat out alot (and we're staying at a guesthouse so no cooking facilities). The food is good and we are enjoying discovering the many meals that are possible for $1-2! (The fruit "shakes" are especially yummy and Grace likes to share them with us)

Today was the official beginning of training/orientation here. We have been glad for the few days to get turned around first! We are still somewhat jetlagged but are able to manage a normal enough day. Thankfully Grace is handling the changes well and is her usual sunny self. All God's goodness to us!

We began today with a retreat of sorts - taking some space to be with God in quietness - a wonderful change from the busy changing times in these last few months! I feel much more ready to face the orientation and all the people we'll be meeting.

Notes From Along the Way

Toronto airport - Goodbyes feel like they ought to be a momentous occasion, especially ones like these. But in the end they somehow defy the attempts to make them special and we...just...left. Not to say that there weren't hugs and last words and tears from goers and senders!
- we make it to the gate only to discover our plane is an hour late. SO we eat supper there: $25 for a drink, sandwich and salad that we shared. Welcome to the world of air travel!
- we are fast tracked through US immigration, customs, and security because Grace chose this time to cry. And, of course, we are pre-borded and even given extra care in flight. Welcome to the world of travel with baby!

JFK airport, New York - we land at terminal 9 and discover our connection is out of terminal 1. So glad for the baby backpack (thankyou Gateway!) and that we didn't have to pick up our luggage! It takes us an hour to discover and get to the right place (we found out at security that we have to get our boarding passes reissued!)- in time to hear our flight was delayed for 20 minutes!
- we note with a bit of surprize that there are two soldiers watching over the first checking of passports and tickets (within 5 minutes we were asked for our tickets and passports 3 times! Once only steps from the last check!). Still, everyone is friendly, and we once again are ushered through the priority lanes so the wait is much shorter than normal.

China Airlines to Anchorage - we are blessed with a semi-empty flight so we can sit together and have an empty seat for Grace (we had actually been assigned seats behind eachother!).
- the aircraft is SO cold we have to keep wrapped in blankets all the time to be comfortable!

Anchorage, Alaska - We have a 45 min layover while they clean the plane. Too bad it isn't longer: they have a nursery room there complete with couches, cribs, toys, kid and baby-friendly bathrooms... A nice oasis of quiet and stillness in the midst of the hustle and bustle of travel.
- the amount of Chinese signs, people, and culture here surprizes me, though after thinking a little, it does make sense that they would be travelling through here fairly often.

China Airlines to Taipei - So much more Chinese is swirling around us. I'm glad Michael is sitting on the aisle as he can catch enough to get us the right choice of whatever is being passed around.

- charitable neigbours switch seats with us so we can keep our three seats together. For which we were all greatful!All enjoying a good book!

- we are served breakfast: a philly steak sandwich! ( The food service is not bad at all. we were fed 5 times between New York and Chiang Mai.)
- time is so bizzare. I don't even know what date to put in my journal as I write about our trip! And my body isn't sure what signals to send to my brain: hungry? sleepy? awake? full? One thing I do know for sure: I'd be drinking a lot more if we were allowed tp bring our own drinks on board.

Taipei, Tiawan - We have a scare about losing the baby backpack. We gate-checked it, but it doesn't appear with the other gate-checked baby gear. A quick prayer it will show up with our other luggage in Thailand and on we go. No time to protest or investigate because after all the delays, next flight on time, and a terminal switch, we are pressed for time.
- we notice another travel weary couple with baby. Investigation proves the hunch that they too are headed for Chiang Mai with the same purpose as us! This chance meeting cheers us and pulls our thinking into the new world waiting for us in Chiang Mai.

China Airlines to Chiang Mai - Grace strikes again: we are bumped up to the mostly empty business class where we have enough floor space for a bassinet we are given for Grace, and thouroughly enjoy all the extras awarded business class travellers. Our new friends and their baby are promoted as well and sit across the aisle from us. Grace and Jeremiah, held by their dads, sit on the seat arms and converse with smiles and wiggles and gurgles across the aisle.
- double bonus: we discover it is a direct flight to Chiang Mai and not through Bangkok like we thought! Hurray for the end of this journey of 25 flying hours!

Chiang Mai, Thailand - We are much relieved to see our baby backpack come snaking along the luggage converyor belt!
- met by a whole pack of SILers, introductions and information swirl around us, welcoming us to our home for the next month. We are staying in a lovely guest house family room not far from the office.
- after a simple lunch, we head for bed -- and sleep for 16 or so hours! Of course, we woke up a number of times, but not for long. Now to explore our new home city and get settled.

All About Grace

Trying hard to master the new skill of rolling over. I did master it in the end!

Grace caught my cold so with strong identification to the misery, I let her suck some fruits and veggies to soothe the sore throat. She was much appreciative! A side effect is that she thinks she's entitled to try all our foods now! During the afternoon at Arran and Kerry's we were sitting at the table talking and snacking on tortilla chips. Grace grabbed my hand each time I had a chip and wanted to eat it. When I took the chips off her she protested and looked up at me with such an appeal, that I got her a cucumber slice to replace the chip. That was good enough for her, thankfully.

Trying out a new skill - eating
Some things are easier than others...

A random grab one morning while being dressed landed her a new catch - her daddy's glasses from right off his nose! Of course, the only sensible thing to do with such a prize was to test out its eatability...

Meeting the Ontario Frasers...
Uncle Arran...

Cousin Benjamin and Aunty Kerry...

Cousin Katrina... was too shy for a photo, but she liked playing with me - and my toys!

A week left in Canada! What to say about that?

Sometimes I think, "Slow Down!"
In the last two weeks we have met with lots of friends to say a quick hello and goodbye, packed yet again, moved on to Toronto, survived a wopping cold/sore throat that Liz had and now Grace has, written a will and done other important paperwork and arrangements, met with a church... and the next week doesn't look much slower!


Sometimes I think, "Amazingly incredible, fantastically unbelievable!"
We are finally on our way! It has been a three year journey of preparations for Michael and six adventure-filled years for me to reach this launching time. We don't quite dare believe the time is now finally! So much to look back on and exclaim over how faithful and awesome our God is; and so much to look forward to as we step out into our new lives.

Sometimes I think, "Let's go!"
Now as the number of days grow smaller and smaller, excitement builds and a smile creeps around our faces as we number the days left. No more thinking regretfully that there isn't enough time for this, that, and the other before we go. Enough of waiting, packing, moving, saying goodbye - let's go! Easy for us who are going, not so fun for those we leave behind.


(for those of you who are itching to know more about Grace:

Grace rolled over - 1 day before her 4 month anniversary)

The Promised Pictures...

Waiting for our turn in picture taking
Do we have to stand this close?!

Michael, Liz and Grace, Christina, Sangi

Waiting for the bride and groom so the party can begin

Getting all cleaned up to look pretty