Family is Special January 12, 2013

Our normally outgoing girl was going through a shy stage. It had gotten so bad that she would only go to Andy, me, and two other people. Seeing friends we knew or strangers, it didn’t matter. Ellie would hide into us or shy away from them. With a trip to visit family for Christmas and New Years, I was beginning to dread how Ellie was going to act with family that she hasn’t seen in a long time. Was it going to be like last time, when she would simply look at my brother and cry?

And then 3 days before our trip, Ellie snapped out of the shy stage. She started crawling into our friends’ laps when they visited our home and even let them pick her up. 3 days. What perfect timing, what God timing, that Ellie would be comfortable around friends. Still, the mommy-worries lingered. How would Ellie react with her family that she doesn’t know except through pictures, stories and the occasional phone call. Was our trip going to bring back the shy stage?

There is something special about family though. For when we arrived, you couldn’t tell that we live thousands of miles away. Ellie acted like we see them regularly. One afternoon of shyness and then she was running up and dragging everyone to join her in special activities.

“Let’s play with the doggie, let’s go see the ocean, let’s play together, read me a book.” I want to spend time with you was the message she was sending. No where else could we go and have Ellie go and interact with everyone so quickly. She was even calling both of her great grandmothers by name, even if she was a little intimidated by their age and inability to run around after her. It’s like Ellie understood that these people, her family, were special and not someone she has to be leery of. I think she could sense their love for her and then reciprocated that back.

It was a very special trip and holidays for us that will be remembered for years. The bonds formed on this trip will continue to knit Ellie closer and closer to her family. How were your holidays?

A Surprise Visit September 28, 2012

My mom just left from a spur of the moment visit. She messaged me 2 weeks ago asking if I was home and free the following week. Five days later, she hopped on a plane and came to Thailand. She spent 8 days with us, going about our normal life and spending time with us.

Ellie just ate this time with Nana up. Every naptime and bedtime became a struggle as Ellie wanted to spend every moment possible with her Nana. “More book, more book,” she would implore of Nana as I announced it was bedtime, after giving warnings. After she awoke, she would gleefully run to find Nana either in the guest bedroom or downstairs.

With an abnormal amount of rain during the visit (the most in Bangkok in September in 50 years), we spent plently of time stuck in taxis or at home. That didn’t dampen the mood at all. One evening it took us over 1 ½ hours to go a normal 10 minute drive…it was that flooded and trafficky. No worries for Ellie and Nana, we just sang every children’s song we know over, and over, and over, and over. Those songs became the theme of this visit as Ellie looked for opportunities to sing them, and we had plenty.

The rain, and thus flooding on our street, stopped enough for us to make it to the zoo one morning and tea one afternoon. We went to Vieng Joom On Teahouse on Sukumvit 24. A Moroccan-styled, quiet teahouse that served traditional and house blended teas. Offering a vegetarian spread of sandwiches and scones, everything we ate melted in your mouth with a perfect blend of flavor. Ellie acted very grownup, and even drank her own cup of tea. After finishing our tea, we smelled the different blends of tea. Ellie made sure that we smelled each one at least once. I think we might have a future tea connoisseur here.

We had a great visit. Lots of good memories were made, and pictures taken so Ellie can have a record. But we had to say goodbye, see you again, after only 8 days. This is the tough part of being a missionary. Living half a world away from family. It is a rare treat to have a visit with family, and on such short notice. We treasure the times that we get to see family, even if it is only so often. Definitely not often enough for Ellie. She loves her family and wishes she got to see them regularly. She continues to wander around our home looking for Nana. I just keep explaining that Nana went back into the computer again (Skype).

I guess all those Skype times, phone calls, and pictures of family all over the house really help Ellie connect with her family. She knows who they are and enjoys a special relationship with them, even if they are thousands of miles away.

How do you connect with long distance loved-ones?