Josiah's been saying this one for quite a while...
Randomly, when he calls out to one of us, he'll say "Michael." Naturally, he learned this because that's what I do. Occasionally, he'll throw in "Honey" since that's also what I call him. Even better, he doesn't only use those names to call Daddy...he'll call me "Michael" as well. So funny. I try not to laugh, because I know it just encourages it, but sometimes I can't help it.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
A Thai Clinic
When we come to Thailand, we like to get all of our medical/dental appointments taken care of. The quality is good. The prices are fantastic.
Yesterday, I went to a small clinic suggested by a colleague to see a dermatologist. I've had this pesky spot of skin cancer (detected almost 2 yrs ago) on my forehead that need to be removed one way or another. I was excited about the referral because my colleague said it was run by Aussies (always nice to have English-speakers) and cost next to nothing. Double win!
I arrived. It was definitely small! Instead of filling out pages of new patient forms, I filled out a credit-card sized piece of paper written in Thai. I managed to write my name, birth date, and phone number. Guess that's all they needed!
I waited about 5 minutes with one other patient in the "waiting room." I was then escorted to a small office by a nurse who spoke great English. Whew! I was a little afraid up to that point. Behind the desk was a Thai man. Not even sure he was a doctor. Running through my mind: "Where are the Aussies?!?" I told him my issue. He looked at my spot through a magnifying glass the size of my head. He said, "It's difficult to tell what kind it is. We'll have to take a biopsy of it. But not until tomorrow. That's when the doctor (making me believe he wasn't one!!) will be in. You must come before noon." Ok, that's fine. Thanks for looking at my head anyway...!?
As I stood up to walk out, he said, "Oh, and you'll still need to pay the consultation fee at the front desk." For real?! All you did was tell me to come back tomorrow!! I would have been more upset, except that it only cost $2. Ok, sure, take my $2 for your expertise. :)
I went back today and took Malachi with me. I mommy-diagnosed him with eczema on his sweet little cheeks a few months ago. After the REAL dermatologist (Western..but not sure he was Australian. Who cares; he spoke English!) looked at it, he confirmed my diagnosis. He prescribed some cream, and that was that. Then he took the giant magnifying glass and looked at my spot. He wasn't too concerned. He asked some questions about it..if it changed, etc., and after replying "no," he said it's not so urgent. So, I'll wait until I get back to the States. No big deal.
Malachi's consultation + mine + 2 meds for him = $6. Yet another reason we love Thailand. :)
Yesterday, I went to a small clinic suggested by a colleague to see a dermatologist. I've had this pesky spot of skin cancer (detected almost 2 yrs ago) on my forehead that need to be removed one way or another. I was excited about the referral because my colleague said it was run by Aussies (always nice to have English-speakers) and cost next to nothing. Double win!
I arrived. It was definitely small! Instead of filling out pages of new patient forms, I filled out a credit-card sized piece of paper written in Thai. I managed to write my name, birth date, and phone number. Guess that's all they needed!
I waited about 5 minutes with one other patient in the "waiting room." I was then escorted to a small office by a nurse who spoke great English. Whew! I was a little afraid up to that point. Behind the desk was a Thai man. Not even sure he was a doctor. Running through my mind: "Where are the Aussies?!?" I told him my issue. He looked at my spot through a magnifying glass the size of my head. He said, "It's difficult to tell what kind it is. We'll have to take a biopsy of it. But not until tomorrow. That's when the doctor (making me believe he wasn't one!!) will be in. You must come before noon." Ok, that's fine. Thanks for looking at my head anyway...!?
As I stood up to walk out, he said, "Oh, and you'll still need to pay the consultation fee at the front desk." For real?! All you did was tell me to come back tomorrow!! I would have been more upset, except that it only cost $2. Ok, sure, take my $2 for your expertise. :)
I went back today and took Malachi with me. I mommy-diagnosed him with eczema on his sweet little cheeks a few months ago. After the REAL dermatologist (Western..but not sure he was Australian. Who cares; he spoke English!) looked at it, he confirmed my diagnosis. He prescribed some cream, and that was that. Then he took the giant magnifying glass and looked at my spot. He wasn't too concerned. He asked some questions about it..if it changed, etc., and after replying "no," he said it's not so urgent. So, I'll wait until I get back to the States. No big deal.
Malachi's consultation + mine + 2 meds for him = $6. Yet another reason we love Thailand. :)
Sunday, January 15, 2012
From the Land of Thai
I write this from Thailand. Please don't be jealous; it's been way more work than rest!
We arrived the 3rd (MUCH earlier than planned) because Malachi's visa expired. We had to leave China to get a new one, and we need to be here for our conference anyway, so we just came early. The past 2 weeks have crawled and flown all at once.
The search for our hotel was excruciating. We needed one with some space; not only for the kids to have some breathing room to play, but also enough rooms for everyone to have their own space to sleep. We have trained our kids to sleep alone in a quiet, dark space. This always comes back to haunt us when we leave our home. I usually want to give in and let them sleep with us, but we've tried. They don't sleep. They don't equate it to bed time. So, we have to get creative. Josiah is in a pack n' play in one side of the bathroom. Malachi is...should I reveal this?....on a shelf in the closet. :) I promise it's soft for him, and he can't fall off! There just wasn't any other place quiet or dark enough to put him.
However, that means he's in our room. Which means we hear everything he does. We're not used to this! I wouldn't call him a good sleeper (compared to Josiah, anyway), so he's still trying to get the hang of sleeping at night. This has caused some pretty sleepless nights for Mom and Dad. We (mostly I) take naps almost every day to catch up. I've never been able to fall asleep so fast in my life, and in some pretty uncomfortable positions.
During the day, we go for walks through the winding streets that make up this city. I was hoping Malachi would do well sleeping in the carrier. Not so much. He'll take a short nap, but then wake up and want to see the world. So, our trips are limited as a family. We take turns taking Josiah out.
Eating great food here is always a highlight. Since it's so focused on Western tourists, there are lots of Western restaurants. After our first meal out, though, we had to put an end to it. It included a very cranky toddler and a baby who had the biggest poop explosion of his life, and wailed the entire time we cleaned him--and everything else--up. So we now order in from a nifty delivery service. After doing the math, we happily realized we're actually saving money on delivery versus paying for taxis to and from. Sweet!
And, to wrap it all up, 3/4 of us are sick again. Michael survived the last virus. This time, it's a cold/bronchial thing. Malachi started it, and is really struggling to get over it. Michael got a touch of it, now it's hitting Josiah. Sheesh. The kids will basically be immune to the world in a few years.
Amidst the trials of "vacationing" with little ones, it's still been nice to be in warm weather. Actually having the option of leaving our abode has been awesome. We're soaking it up as much as possible.
Some colleagues/friends are starting to trickle in, so we're excited to reunite with them! Then our conference will start and we'll get to be with our whole company, worship (haven't done this corporately since we left the US!!), attend seminars, and share stories. Such a blessed time!
We arrived the 3rd (MUCH earlier than planned) because Malachi's visa expired. We had to leave China to get a new one, and we need to be here for our conference anyway, so we just came early. The past 2 weeks have crawled and flown all at once.
The search for our hotel was excruciating. We needed one with some space; not only for the kids to have some breathing room to play, but also enough rooms for everyone to have their own space to sleep. We have trained our kids to sleep alone in a quiet, dark space. This always comes back to haunt us when we leave our home. I usually want to give in and let them sleep with us, but we've tried. They don't sleep. They don't equate it to bed time. So, we have to get creative. Josiah is in a pack n' play in one side of the bathroom. Malachi is...should I reveal this?....on a shelf in the closet. :) I promise it's soft for him, and he can't fall off! There just wasn't any other place quiet or dark enough to put him.
However, that means he's in our room. Which means we hear everything he does. We're not used to this! I wouldn't call him a good sleeper (compared to Josiah, anyway), so he's still trying to get the hang of sleeping at night. This has caused some pretty sleepless nights for Mom and Dad. We (mostly I) take naps almost every day to catch up. I've never been able to fall asleep so fast in my life, and in some pretty uncomfortable positions.
During the day, we go for walks through the winding streets that make up this city. I was hoping Malachi would do well sleeping in the carrier. Not so much. He'll take a short nap, but then wake up and want to see the world. So, our trips are limited as a family. We take turns taking Josiah out.
Eating great food here is always a highlight. Since it's so focused on Western tourists, there are lots of Western restaurants. After our first meal out, though, we had to put an end to it. It included a very cranky toddler and a baby who had the biggest poop explosion of his life, and wailed the entire time we cleaned him--and everything else--up. So we now order in from a nifty delivery service. After doing the math, we happily realized we're actually saving money on delivery versus paying for taxis to and from. Sweet!
And, to wrap it all up, 3/4 of us are sick again. Michael survived the last virus. This time, it's a cold/bronchial thing. Malachi started it, and is really struggling to get over it. Michael got a touch of it, now it's hitting Josiah. Sheesh. The kids will basically be immune to the world in a few years.
Amidst the trials of "vacationing" with little ones, it's still been nice to be in warm weather. Actually having the option of leaving our abode has been awesome. We're soaking it up as much as possible.
Some colleagues/friends are starting to trickle in, so we're excited to reunite with them! Then our conference will start and we'll get to be with our whole company, worship (haven't done this corporately since we left the US!!), attend seminars, and share stories. Such a blessed time!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Before I forget...
All season, Josiah has been calling the tree "Christmas treat." I purposely don't correct him because it's so cute.
Also, right now, I'm predicting Malachi is gonna be a firecracker. Josiah was such a laid-back baby, and is very much a laid-back kid. Malachi...uhhh...not so much. During awake time, he does NOT want to be laying down. He either must be in some arms, experiencing life with you, or standing up, looking around. He also hates to sit. Especially in the bumbo. Bummer for Momma! I'm hoping to get the munchkin a walker/exersaucer soon so he can expend some of his energy by himself.
Also, right now, I'm predicting Malachi is gonna be a firecracker. Josiah was such a laid-back baby, and is very much a laid-back kid. Malachi...uhhh...not so much. During awake time, he does NOT want to be laying down. He either must be in some arms, experiencing life with you, or standing up, looking around. He also hates to sit. Especially in the bumbo. Bummer for Momma! I'm hoping to get the munchkin a walker/exersaucer soon so he can expend some of his energy by himself.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Speedy Christmas
Wow. Christmas is over? That was fast. Probably faster than any other year. Ever. It didn't help that 3/4 peeps in our family (Michael escaped) were sick this past week. And I'm not talking a few sniffles here and there. I'm talking both ends kinda sick. Josiah is still trying to recover; poor kid.
I wanted to bake more. I wanted to shop more. I wanted to decorate more. I wanted to make cute Christmas tags. I was looking forward to hosting the team all day on Christmas, making it feel as homey as possible. Instead, I cleaned up messes and did loads upon loads of nasty laundry. But it's ok. We still managed to have some fun. Michael and I took turns escaping the stink house to eat and mingle with the team.
We basically opened all of Josiah's presents for him because he looked like this most of time:
Malachi had fun for the 30 minutes he was awake. :)
And tomorrow I turn 28. I sure don't feel that old. In my head, I still think I'm in my early 20s. Not that I'm afraid of getting older, but it just doesn't seem like I should be getting so close to 30 yet. My 10 year high school reunion is this summer. Wasn't I just walking through the drama-filled hallways a few weeks ago?!
I wanted to bake more. I wanted to shop more. I wanted to decorate more. I wanted to make cute Christmas tags. I was looking forward to hosting the team all day on Christmas, making it feel as homey as possible. Instead, I cleaned up messes and did loads upon loads of nasty laundry. But it's ok. We still managed to have some fun. Michael and I took turns escaping the stink house to eat and mingle with the team.
We basically opened all of Josiah's presents for him because he looked like this most of time:
Malachi had fun for the 30 minutes he was awake. :)
And tomorrow I turn 28. I sure don't feel that old. In my head, I still think I'm in my early 20s. Not that I'm afraid of getting older, but it just doesn't seem like I should be getting so close to 30 yet. My 10 year high school reunion is this summer. Wasn't I just walking through the drama-filled hallways a few weeks ago?!
Friday, December 9, 2011
2 Randoms
1. Michael often refers to Josiah's chubby cheeks. Josiah refers to them as "chubby cheeps." Adorable.
2. When our washing machine completes its cycle, it plays a 10 second happy song. I guess that's better than a buzzer. It reminds me of the mini fridge in one of the places I stayed while in Nigeria. When opened, it would play "Fur Elise."
the end.
2. When our washing machine completes its cycle, it plays a 10 second happy song. I guess that's better than a buzzer. It reminds me of the mini fridge in one of the places I stayed while in Nigeria. When opened, it would play "Fur Elise."
the end.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Success in the Kitchen = Less Stress
Funny that this post follows my last post, the rant about all my failed attempts at making homemade bread. Well, since then, I've had many successes.
I conquered those crescent rolls! I had been killing my yeast all along with water that was too hot. I have also taught my teammates how to make them. From failure to teacher in a week. Haha.
I also made homemade breakfast sausage. Who knew you just had to add some spices to some fatty pork? (I know, that sounds gross. But isn't sausage gooood?!)
Then I decided to tackle lasagna. The entire process took 2 days. Michael had to order the noodles, tomato sauce(I'm too lazy to make that one yet), and mozzarella from an import store. I made ricotta cheese and Italian sausage. It was labor-intensive, and I'm now exhausted, but it was sooo good! And we have lots of leftovers! Hooray!
I don't post these successes to brag. Well, those could be some hidden intentions because I am a sinner after all. But, rather to share how success in the kitchen really boosts my confidence, mood, and attitude. Last year was one disaster after another in the kitchen. After tasting dishes that were burnt, flavorless, or just plain nasty time after time, cooking really took a toll on me. I would then spiral into a "I hate where I am" rant. My poor family had to endure it every time. Michael did his best to encourage me, but I didn't want to be encouraged during those times. I wanted to pout.
Fast forward to this year. I have some basic recipes under my belt. I have better access to import goods. (We order then online and they are shipped to our campus within a day or two. Compare that to last year when we had to wait until we went downtown to the import store. I only went about twice a semester.) I don't have to tackle more than 1 new recipe a week. This cuts down on multiple failures in a row. I found a blog of a woman who has lived here for several years, knows how to cook, and gives tons of tips on how to adapt recipes. I finally learned how to make that stinkin' bread. :)
Through all of these lessons, I have come to realize I didn't really know how to cook in America at all. I could bake some things, yes. But not cook. I relied heavily on canned and pre-made items to form a meal. Here, those items barely exist. (Don't worry, they're trying to emulate the West, so they'll have stores full of cans, boxes, and cancer soon enough.) I'm kind of glad living here has forced me to learn how to cook nearly everything from scratch. I feel like I'm really having to learn about food. I would like to think it's keeping our family healthy, but who knows...we still eat at KFC, McDonald's...and c'mon..we eat a ton of MSG. :)
I think the area of cooking is just one way the Father has decided to bless me this year. He knew I wouldn't be able to handle the stress of that and a newborn. And a toddler. And husband. And..ok..you know how the list goes. I'm thankful he has taken some of the stress off of me in the cooking area. Now, if only I can learn how to handle the failed attempts...
I conquered those crescent rolls! I had been killing my yeast all along with water that was too hot. I have also taught my teammates how to make them. From failure to teacher in a week. Haha.
I also made homemade breakfast sausage. Who knew you just had to add some spices to some fatty pork? (I know, that sounds gross. But isn't sausage gooood?!)
Then I decided to tackle lasagna. The entire process took 2 days. Michael had to order the noodles, tomato sauce(I'm too lazy to make that one yet), and mozzarella from an import store. I made ricotta cheese and Italian sausage. It was labor-intensive, and I'm now exhausted, but it was sooo good! And we have lots of leftovers! Hooray!
I don't post these successes to brag. Well, those could be some hidden intentions because I am a sinner after all. But, rather to share how success in the kitchen really boosts my confidence, mood, and attitude. Last year was one disaster after another in the kitchen. After tasting dishes that were burnt, flavorless, or just plain nasty time after time, cooking really took a toll on me. I would then spiral into a "I hate where I am" rant. My poor family had to endure it every time. Michael did his best to encourage me, but I didn't want to be encouraged during those times. I wanted to pout.
Fast forward to this year. I have some basic recipes under my belt. I have better access to import goods. (We order then online and they are shipped to our campus within a day or two. Compare that to last year when we had to wait until we went downtown to the import store. I only went about twice a semester.) I don't have to tackle more than 1 new recipe a week. This cuts down on multiple failures in a row. I found a blog of a woman who has lived here for several years, knows how to cook, and gives tons of tips on how to adapt recipes. I finally learned how to make that stinkin' bread. :)
Through all of these lessons, I have come to realize I didn't really know how to cook in America at all. I could bake some things, yes. But not cook. I relied heavily on canned and pre-made items to form a meal. Here, those items barely exist. (Don't worry, they're trying to emulate the West, so they'll have stores full of cans, boxes, and cancer soon enough.) I'm kind of glad living here has forced me to learn how to cook nearly everything from scratch. I feel like I'm really having to learn about food. I would like to think it's keeping our family healthy, but who knows...we still eat at KFC, McDonald's...and c'mon..we eat a ton of MSG. :)
I think the area of cooking is just one way the Father has decided to bless me this year. He knew I wouldn't be able to handle the stress of that and a newborn. And a toddler. And husband. And..ok..you know how the list goes. I'm thankful he has taken some of the stress off of me in the cooking area. Now, if only I can learn how to handle the failed attempts...
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