A-mazing Time Down South

Long before we knew what the past few months would look like, we planned a trip down south to attend a wedding of a really close friend and spend a few days with friends back from our days on "the farm" as well as try to get in a trip to an Indian beach which was our first! 

Then life got a little crazy, I got a lot pregnant, and we had no idea how badly we would need that little getaway. Nor how truly amazing it would turn out to be! 

Our hosts were so incredibly hospitable and we had a blast just chatting with them, watching our kids play, meeting new friends, and touring a new to us part of India. 

We are so grateful for the way the body of Christ works together to uplift and encourage one another! We can't wait to "pay it forward" so come see us! ;) 

*Real BEEF at the Hard Rock Cafe! What?!? And super sweet friends! 

*Picture compliments of Melissa. :)

*Really fun exploring the rocky grounds at this tourist attraction. 

24 Weeks 5 Days

Kamden's Ever Maturing Heart Part 2

This morning, surrounded by new and old friends, the girls were watching some old VBS music videos. When a special song came on that Kamden just loved and made up motions to with me and made me do it over and over, Jason said "Kamden! It's your song!" She then just glares at us and says "it's not my song anymore!" Well, ok, then! Someone is embarrassed. Well, we didn't say a word, went on about our day, flew home, and when we got home about 10 hours later, she comes up to me completely on her own and says "I'm sorry for saying it wasn't our song anymore."  My. Heart. Burst. Because she was CONVICTED! She felt guilty and came to make it right! I told her it was Ok and that I was just proud of her for letting God work in her heart! 

Then, a few hours later, she comes to show me her freshly brushed teeth. Well, I like to check them but she really struggles with fear over some of the smallest things! She was afraid it would hurt or that I was going to pull her new loose tooth. So, very out of character, she says, "Can I pray first?" Are you kidding me? Of course! I reminded her that after praying for help to be brave it became her own choice whether or not she chose to be brave. Sadly, this time she didn't and she got in a little bit of trouble for fighting me so badly over barely even touching her teeth. But once again, I was so proud of her for choosing to PRAY in a time of fear! It's not always that she even lets me pray for her when she's having a difficult time. So I was so very proud of the growth I saw in her life today! 

First (hopefully, only) surgery in South Asia

This post's purpose is two fold:

Just to remember the events of yesterday and to entertain those of you who enjoy getting a laugh from other people's misery. ;) ie. embarrassing moments. 

First off, we took the girls for their yearly check up about a month ago and the pediatrician said Kamden's ear was full of wax and we should go to an ENT to have it removed. Well, it's not like we were in the middle of a move or anything. So, it took a few weeks. 

Finally, Jason was headed to the cap so we sent Kamden in just to have a quick fix... so we thought. The doc sent her back with tons of meds saying her middle ears were so full of fluid that we barely escaped surgery. She took antibiotics for a week and we went back in for a follow-up. At that time, the doctor looked in her ears and said it had gone way too far and that she needed surgery as soon as possible. As a mom, I was like, "What?!?!?" She's never complained. We've never had problems with ears. We have no clue what you're talking about. But after thinking in through, checking with a few medical consultants, and praying through the night, we decided to go ahead with the surgery. 

We took her in and, of course, Waite about two hours past the time of surgery. The only problem was that she was so hungry! But we survived. 

Well, one sad thing about the culture here is that people often make promises they can't keep, especially to children. If she said she was hungry, they responded with "you can have a chocolate!" When they snatched her "Dolphie" out of her hands and ripped her out of my arms, they told her there would be a new stuffed animal waiting for her. None of which was true. 

Well, with Kamden's seizure history, I had demanded I see the anesthesiologist before surgery. That never happened. So as they ripped her (literally without warning) from my arms, I said "I told you I needed to speak to the anesthesiologist!"  So, I did and then I said "can I please go in until she is asleep?!?" I had asked numerous times, and everyone said no. But the doctor said, "oh. You want to?@ Well, yes! They made me change clothes, which I did at record speed, and rushed in and she was, sadly, already asleep. So I just sat outside alone and prayed and waited. The doc invited me in to see the fluid he was removing. Then I waited some more. It wasn't a lengthy procedure at all- tubes and adenoids. 

Of course, I had asked multiple times to be sure I was there when she woke up, but when they came to get me, I could hear her crying. Thankfully, the next day when we talked about it, she said that everything was blurry and when she could finally see, she saw MOMMY! Yay for that! 

Well, here comes the embarrassing part! I had gone in to get her, picked her up, was carrying her out of the OR while she cried, soothing her, and what happens? My pants fall DOWN!!!!! Yes, there for all the medical staff to see (they're all walking out behind me!) So I'm grabbing my drawers, holding Kamden, walking, pregnant. It was a sight. I just said "sorry"! And kept moving. Lol! 

When I told Jason, I was laughing so hard! Could only happen to me! A very pregnant me.  I showed Jason about how far it felt like they had fallen and he said he couldn't see anything... But they were down pretty far so I'm not sure how anyone could have been spared.  

Anyway, our day droned on and none of us really ate anything so on the way home we grabbed McD, not to be boring, of course, Jason drove into a hole, I spilled the drinks all over the car, dropped water bottles in the dirt, and we finally made it home.  

Would you believe that Kamden woke up ready to start back to school the next day! 

And that was the adventure of surgery in South Asia! 

Memories

It happens just like that... When you least expect it. Kamden was playing hairstylist on me today so I was browsing pics on the iPad, and all the memories came flooding back. I honestly stopped to wonder how I could have been smiling so big in those pics when my entire world was being turned upside down.  And then it hit me, that smile was there because the love between true friends doesn't change with distance. And it was like somehow I knew it was going to be ok. And I knew that God's plan for us was not to harm us but for good.  I'm so incredibly thankful for the paths I've tread. It's just that sometimes that gratitude shows itself in huge cheesy grins and other times in tears. 

Just a few pics for memory's sake. 

-The 4 Cokes

Integrity 7/20/14

My heart burst this morning when I was sitting alone reading from Proverbs (my favorite book of the Bible, yet, everyday that I read from it I notice a little bit more how wise I'm not). 

Today, while I was reading, Kiley woke up and often if they're sitting around while I'm reading, I'll offer to read out loud and they love it. So, today I did just that. 

I got to a verse in Proverbs 20 that says, "The one who lives with integrity is righteous; his children who come after him will be happy." (Proverbs 20:7 HCSB)

And, Kiley thought on it for a minute and said "I think that's daddy!" My heart melted and beamed simultaneously. Because it's true. Their daddy is an example of integrity to them. 

It was a sweet, spontaneous time around the Word as a family as Kamden woke up and joined us and Daddy too. And we were able to discuss more from God's Word about being rich (one of Kamden's most recent questions is "Are we rich?" Or "Were we richer before we moved?" It's on her mind a lot. I try to remind her that, yes, monetarily we are richer than most of the world, but aside from that and far more important, we are rich because our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills! But, today, from Proverbs, the topic came up again. 

"There is gold and a multitude of jewels, but knowledgeable lips are a rare treasure." (Proverbs 20:15 HCSB)

Want to be rich, Kamden? Speak knowledge from your mouth. It's far better than anything money can buy. 

I'm so proud of these two ladies. Everyday. But so much more as they walk thru transition once again and do it with grace (while their mommy does not). 

Kamden's Ever Maturing Heart 7/13/14

Kamden prayed the sweetest prayer tonight about living in M and moving to N. Something like thank you so much for the friends we made in Meerut and for letting us live here. And help us to still enjoy living in India! 

I just love those girls and their sweet hearts! 

The Game of Life

Oh. My. Word. The game of life is too funny with these two girls and my crazy husband. The real game and the board game. 

We played tonight and personalities shone! Kamden can't sit still during a game yet usually ends up winning. Explain that. And Kiley is a little day dreamer explaining in detail all the parts of the card she drew and naming the pets etc. It's too sweet.

At one point, Kiley had to give everyone a compliment. When she got to Jason, he ripped off his shirt and flexed his muscles. She didn't skip a beat, "Daddy! I love you... Just the way you are!" I thought I was going to lose it! Too funny! 

Today, tho, these girls have had eyes only for their mommy! And that melts my heart. Kiley told me tonight "I can't even explain how much I love you!" Who gets this lucky?!?!  She's the same little girl who told me when she was just tiny "Have you ever loved someone so much you wanted to squeeze them till it hurts?" Yes, Kiley, I certainly have!  And, don't tell her or even speak around her about teenagers not wanting to be around their parents. At the ripe old age of 8, she becomes angry and says that will never happen! ;) 

I am so blessed by this game of Life! 

*NOT part of the instructions. Just Kamden being Kamden. ;) 

When the Power is Out 7/13/14

*Working by the light of the computer screen. 

(Written in our former city) 

It comes and goes. The power, that is. We just came home from two weeks away to a home with no electricity, no water due to no electricity, and a bone-dry inverter also due to no electricity! 

Lately, the power has been out at least 12 hours out of a 24 hour period. That doesn't allow the inverter time to charge back up when it is on causing the power to go out in full some of the time! 

I am not one to take a cold shower just to cool off but I've been doing it everyday! Today, I just stood under the water till the power came back on! (Water is back on most of the time now although the power isn't high enough to run the washing machine so our clothes are a little piled up.) 

For some reason, monsoon still hasn't hit. People are stressing it. I'm stressing it. It's hot! But, ya know. AFTER I go through all the thoughts of "ITS SO HOT and WE'RE GONNA SUFFOCATE and PLEASE COME BACK ON!" My mind does eventually turn to the people who deal with this all. the. time. They don't cool back off when the power comes on. They don't have power. And you know what? It's probably the least of their worries. They've got far too many other things to worry about than whether or not the power is on. Like, will their crops survive this year so they can feed their family? Or where will their next meal even come from?  

People have it so bad. And, sadly, if doesn't stop there. They don't even have a clue what else they're missing. They live this life in darkness. And they'll be living the next one in utter darkness. No escape. 

Thing 1 & Thing 2

Pregnancy Update: 

I went for an ultrasound appointment at exactly 18 weeks. Before I get anyone's hopes up, yes, I DID see one of the genders for sure, but I am NOT revealing in case I get a chance to see the other at my next appointment.  

For now, I am calling them, appropriately Thing 1 & Thing 2. They are "bunking" in my uterus. Meaning they are both on the back wall, one high, one low. The low one is thing one, the high, thing two. 

Thing two beats Thing one in size barely at every check up and at week 18 is measuring 19 weeks 1 day while thing one measures 18 weeks 5 days. So they are coming right along. :) 

I had the best ultrasound tech ever! She was amazing and so informative. She LOVED teaching us about the babies. We saw the four chambers of the heart, the aorta, four fingers and a thumb, precious little feet, and we got 3D face shots! She even let me leave to grab a bite to eat in hopes that Thing Two would show it's face a little better. It didn't help much. 

So, the update is that all seems well. I have another checkup very soon and hope to see if I can figure out what baby number one is! 

For now, here are some 3D shots. They're not super because I took a picture of them using my phone. 

*Top Row: Thing One

Bottom Row: Thing Two (blurry) 

Of Fevers, and Lice, and Everything Nice

When I moved overseas, I quickly had the privelege of helping a friend pick nits because she had come in contact with the dreaded, the unspeakable, the unbearable... Lice epidemic! Da da da! 

A few weeks ago, when we were going through the roaches and the fires and the trials, I boldly told God, "There are two things I simply can not handle: lice and bedbugs!" 

Well, He showed me!!!! We had just arrived at our yearly retreat in Nepal at a beautiful resort with a few hundred of our colleagues and their families... 

I started to put Kamden's hair in a pony tail and what do I see? You already know!  Try telling your girls they have to stay home from class and their friends during the only week out of the year that they see them. Try telling them they have to miss swim time when Kiley's one goal was to swim the length of the pool to get a green bracelet to spend the week in the deep end. It wasn't easy. 

And my immediate reaction wasn't pretty. "I TOLD God I could not handle this! We need to just leave. It's pointless for us to sit in this hotel room..." 

But, would you believe that about five minutes in, The Lord spoke to me so clearly... Through lice... And actually used it to ENCOURAGE me rather than discourage? I find it hard to believe myself. 

#1 He quietly whispered to me "Obviously, I happen to think you CAN handle it." Thank you, God, for giving us trials that prove YOU are God and YOU are in control. 

#2 It was like the trial that sent me over the edge... In a good way. It's been a long season. One that's led to many questions, wonderings, asking God what's next. And, for some reason, it took lice for me to go "ok! So He DOES want us here afterall!" 

It's so difficult to explain how I began the week DIScouraged. Encountered lice. And somehow left ENcouraged. But it's true. It happened. And so these days, I'm thankful for... Lice. Yep, you heard me right. 

Just a couple side notes: 

-after missing two days of classes I put my foot down and said we would definitely have it under control so the girls could enjoy class the following day, and five minutes later Kiley says, "I don't feel good!" She was blessed with the bug going around and had a fever of 102 and felt horrible. So, we stayed back yet again. But, ya know, she kept saying, "sometimes it's fun to be sick!" 

-While washing everyone's hair, Kamden says "Do I have lice?" Kiley said "You had one" (because when I saw it, I put it in a bag to confirm it was what I thought it was). Kamden got so excited and said "Can I keep it as a PET?!?!?" How can you not love her! 

-There were some major things to be thankful for throughout: 1) there were nurses available who were awesome in finding the right shampoos to use. 2) we were at a hotel where we could wash & dry clothes easily 3) our home is empty for two full weeks which means the problem should be resolved and make the cleaning aspect easier there when we get there 4) somehow, by the grace of God, only Kamden got it! 

-Also, though my attitude improved tremendously through this episode, I definitely had to continue to remind myself to have the same attitude the next time this happens whether God speaks to me through it again or not. Because it's bound to happen.  We are combining two cultures: one that says lice is an absolute no-go (I'm on that team, btw!) and the other that just lives with it. And if we're going to build close relationships at all, then we're bound to face similar trials again. 

-We are alive, we are well (for the most part), we are together, we are loved by the God of the universe. For what more could we ask? 

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18 HCSB)

Perspective- June 28

Jason Coke is BACK! Jason is the KING of finding the best hotels for the lowest price. But the last few places we've stayed have made me wonder if he's lost his touch! 

Not today! We are staying in a gem of a hotel/guest house. Beautiful little swimming pool out front. And when we asked the pool times, they said "Our house is your house. You may use as you please!" WHAT?!? No swimming caps necessary!!! 

The place is decked out in white furniture and the shower is amazing. The staff, tho, is my favorite thing. So hospitable. And breakfast was perfect! Fresh mangoes, toast with jam, omelettes, and paranthas. All ready upon our arrival. No hour long wait time. 

The funny thing is that last night, I was commenting on how amazing this place is, but how someone who has never been to India and never seen the array of places we've stayed may not see what we see. I said, "they would see..." And Jason blurts out "that thing behind you?" And I turned around to find a bunch of wires sticking out of the wall right above my head! It cracked us up and brought on a discussion about perspective. 

Too funny! For now, we're more than thankful to have a comfortable place to stay while we search for houses. 

And, for now, attitudes are much improved since yesterday. Shwew. Good thing! 

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Almost a week ago I posted about laughter on Facebook: 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10154464888925107&id=550455106

Little did I know God would hear my cry and give me a day filled with my favorite thing: Laughter! 

We had the awesome privelege of being invited by two of our closest friends to their family's house about an hour from here. 

Immediately upon arriving, their aunties welcomed us with heartfelt, deep belly laughter. And, no, we didn't have something hanging out of our noses. ;) It was pure, sweet joy! And it was greatly appreciated! 

What I find interesting is that the girls recognized it right away as well and within minutes felt right at home. 

We really didn't do anything more than visit and laugh. And that was all it took to make it a much needed really great day! 

At one point in the day, Kamden ran a quick errand with Shelly (our friend's sister who has become a fast friend as well) and she came back in with a drum around her neck tapping out a beat. That was all it took to get those aunties roaring with laughter! Kamden then decided she would dance and whoever she tagged had to dance as well. It took a little persuading but soon enough just about everyone had taken their turn. 

We were encouraged to spend the night and tho we had some things going on here and Jason wasn't feeling so well, how could we say no? And we were glad we did! It was an atmosphere that was hard to leave. So we stuck around through the evening just enjoying the company and eventually everyone drifted off to sleep before heading back home this morning. 

One thing I found really neat as I was resting on a cot in the middle of the day in the middle of the living room was how much this place and this family reminded me of my own extended family and the many childhood memories spent at my Aunt Norma's. The room was crowded with people most of the day: some playing cards, some resting, children playing quietly, the aunties working hard at something delicious in the kitchen, the warmth of the summer heat, and the peacefulness and feeling of belonging that swept over you almost immediately upon entering- no matter who you were- family or not. 

I'm incredibly grateful for the day of relaxation and family that we had yesterday. What a neat feeling to be taken back in my memory to a small country home halfway around the world where I spent many of my childhood summer days. 

Thank you, God, for family- real or not...

And, Thank you, God, for laughter! 

*Here, Kamden told us she would dance only if we all put our fingers to our lips to keep from laughing! ;) 

Movie Day!

I'm trying to write more these days. Not just the big stuff, but the day to day, too. 

This summer, the girls & I made a list of summer goals (small as they may be) that we wanted to accomplish this summer. The list included: going to the park we like, game day, movie day, water park, memorize some verses, and a couple of other schooling type goals too. 

Well, often they beg for it to be movie day so today I obliged. The plan was to have an American Girl Doll Movie marathon. So they set out immediately after breakfast in my bedroom (only place with some good AC) and I set out to spend the morning in complete peace. 

I must admit, 9 hours of screen time in one day is a little concerning for me, and I'm positive that someone reading this will have a very strong opinion about it, but it's putting a huge smile on their faces. And mine too! It's like a mini-spiritual retreat for me happened this morning!

So, at the midpoint of each movie, I get them a little snack (we call it intermission-which is a Legit happening here in India in the movie theatres). Then between each movie (to help my self esteem a little), we have an interval where we have a dance party to a song or two and then they rush back in for the next feature presentation. 

It's been an incredibly relaxing day and I'm gonna praise God for it!!!!!! 

I also got to spend some good time with Soni Didi today in John chapter 3 talking about being born again. She totally got it. She shared her story with me and committed to sharing it with two others this week. Pray that she would be faithful to do so! 

Well, the only thing left on my afternoon agenda is to fix lunch and try to catch the end of movie day! 

The Summer of Grace

To be quite honest, it's been quite the summer. I won't go into detail, it's just been one of those seasons. 

So, my saving grace has been that these girls get along exceptionally well lately (with the normal occasional bickering like what I just broke up a second ago)! 

But, seriously, there's no glamour to their little lives right now. No summer days at the park. No soccer teams or gymnastics class, or Wednesday night choir with Ms. Dee or Mrs. Vicki. No Pinterest crafts or snacks from this Mommy. No ice cream dates or really much of anything that involves getting outside. So, when I say that their little friendship is my saving grace, I really mean that. It is one of the major things I spend time praising God for every day. 

So, I figured to remember this season of grace in my own life, I should put it into a quick blog. And why not today, when I got to experience a little bit of a lovely salon put on by Kiley and then filled in by Kamden when it was Kiley's turn to be pampered. 

I just enjoyed my manicure, facial, and hairstyle and then went on my merry little way while they worked out the rest. :) 

Thank you, God, for these blessings. For the light in the darkness. And for the reminder of your love for me.