Faces and Places (part 6 if you're counting!)

Today we'll start out in Princeton, West Virginia, where we spent a brief weekend in April. This location happens to be a Mexican restaurant! Thanks Kevin and Sue for your hospitality! Next, we visited New Bern, North Carolina, where John's sister Leah lives. The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed lots of time outside, including along this lakeshore.

We couldn't pass up the opportunity to have some authentic North Carolina barbeque--tangy, vinegary, and YUMMY!

Hush puppies are pretty tasty, too! (And what IS Clara Anne doing there in the back?!)

The azaleas were in bloom and everywhere we went I meant to get pictures...finally the last morning we took some family shots in front of these beautiful blooms. The cousins had such fun together!

It was great to spend some time with Kyle and Leah again. Thanks for opening your home to us! We really had a great time!

And . . . several hours later, we arrived in Laurens, South Carolina to visit some who are near and dear to our hearts since they visited us in Asia last year. We had a great reunion meal together at a fun seafood restaurant.

Precious ladies. Not sure why Chloe wanted to be in the picture and then didn't smile! Also at this meal I learned that you are supposed to spread sweetened butter on hush puppies, that makes them even tastier. Yum and double yum!

Josh and Dianna lead the flock there in Laurens; it was so great to visit with them and their sweet boys. Josh had just returned from Lousiville and the Together for the Gospel conference that day, and to top it all off, it was his birthday! We sang and ate birthday cake before parting for the evening.

Still in Laurens, we reconnected with some friends that we met in 2007, now serving there...so good to see you Eric and Courtney!

Dianna and me, the final evening. I wish we had had more time to spend together! At this point our friendship has to take place through cyberspace. But that's better than nothing! We're thankful for the time we got to spend in Laurens. So good to be with you all!

This is our life...but not for long

It only seemed right, after spending hours upon hours (I didn't add them, that might have been discouraging) over about 7,000 miles on the road in 7 weeks, that I should include some pictures of the girls in their carseats. Carseats were a new experience for my girls, since they are non-existent in Asia. Since we don't have our own car, there really wouldn't be any practical way to carry a seat around as we go from taxi to taxi.

Plus, we also spend a lot of time on our bikes, with girls sitting in a (somewhat precarious) metal seat where it is up to them to hold on. Christin is usually strapped into a baby carrier, but the bigger girls have to just sit tight and hold on.

So I'm thankful they took to their carseats as easily as they did. We talked it up: new, Special seats with FLOWERS on them! How pretty! How fun! Cupholders on the side! Yippee!! And the girls did fine in them. Though note in the picture above...there were some crabby moments. That's only to be expected on long road trips! John and I were often talking so we had lots of "quiet time" for the girls and they actually napped quite well in the seats. PTL!

Probably one of the biggest difficulties was that Christin was in the middle and therefore able to pester each sister equally--an Equal Pestering Opportunity. She was fond of snatching toys, crayons, or whatever from her sisters and then smirking naughtily. Good thing she was within my reach if I twisted around in my seat--she certainly received her share of punishments as we drove 7,000 miles!

All in all the girls did great in their seats and were excellent travelers. It got to the point where a trip of 4-5 hours was no big deal! They're experts now. PTL for His traveling mercies--we never had a breakdown, never had an issue with the car, and arrived at our destinations safely every time. That is a significant grace we are very thankful for! But I have a feeling the girls won't be sorry to say goodbye to the carseats when the time comes. And perhaps, neither will I!

And some more...faces and places!

Hope you aren't tired of this little mini-series yet, but I've taken more than 2000 pictures since we've been in the States; so . . . lots more to share! These pictures date back from our time staying near Richmond, Virginia. (Some of you will recognize this location.) Can we just all thank the Lord together again for blue skies??!!

Silly girls!

Sweet Christin, had to do whatever Clara Anne and Chloe were doing.

We were delighted to find a hillside with three crosses (actually, we saw this on hillsides in numerous places around America! Always an encouragement!) and Clara Anne was the first one to "run to the cross" and embrace it. The picture at the top is my favorite of her.

Not to be outdone, Chloe and Christin joined in. (I'm quite sure Christin had no idea what she was doing!)

Can I also get an "amen" for green grass?! Shout it out!

A beautiful evening in a beautiful place with some of my favorite beautiful faces. Thank you, Lord!

Faces and Places, part 4

Okay, okay, so the "faces" are only the faces of my family, and the "places" is actually only one place. . . anyone have a guess? And can you find the people in each photo? Can you tell we had fun at this ubiquitous place? This particular one happened to be in North Carolina. Love those blue skies and warm temps!

Learning

Note of explanation: I wrote this post a few months ago, actually before we came back to the States. I ran into internet difficulties and never published it that night. But after traveling all over and sharing some of this story with some of you, I am going to step out on a limb and publish this very personal post tonight. I do so in hope that it will be of benefit to somebody. I am still learning and growing in this area, I have not "arrived" by any stretch of the imagination, but for what it's worth, here it is, as I wrote it that night.

I feel compelled to share something very personal tonight. I would like to share with you all what the Lord has been doing in my life in regards to my attitude toward food.

I was never one of those girls that was overly concerned about weight. I wasn't skinny, but not fat either, pretty happy in general with my body. I honestly spent very little time thinking about issues of weight, eating habits, etc. When John and I were first married, I gained a little weight (cooking for him on a steady basis for the first time!) and then pretty much held steady up until the time I started having children. Even then, gaining weight with my babies didn't bother me, until after Christin was born. By then, a few pounds had hung on after Clara Anne, a few after Chloe, and by the time Christin was born I was up to my highest weight ever. Thankfully, I lost about 22 pounds the first week after she was born, but then seemed to get stuck at that weight.

But I still wasn't concerned. One friend had counseled me, "Give yourself 6 months AFTER you're done nursing to lose any extra" and I figured that was a long time coming, so no worries. Finally Christin was weaned and I decided it was time to change some habits. I even wrote about it on my blog at that point. With being pregnant or nursing for five years continuously, my snacking habits and free-for-all eating style was pretty deeply ingrained. For awhile I tried to be more careful of what I was eating, and even started exercising again, determined to lose the weight. But nothing happened. Stuck at the same weight as the week after Christin was born, I began to give up. "What does it matter anyway?", I reasoned. "Maybe my body just wants to stay this weight."

I wasn't happy about it, though. I knew there were some issues, but I didn't know what to do about them. I didn't feel comfortable in my body, if you know what I mean, I felt too heavy. I shied away from having my picture taken, because I didn't like what I saw. I consoled myself by saying, "Well, it's just the price of having kids. At least I'm healthy and strong and have plenty of energy." And for the most part, that was true; at least, from the outside looking in.

However, over the last few months, things have changed. It started with a terrible bout of the stomach flu just after Thanksgiving. I couldn't eat for about three days and when I finally started eating again, I made a special effort to retrain my stomach to be accustomed to less food. I had lost a bit of weight through the sickness and was determined not to gain it back again. What I didn't realize was that my heart needed changing much more than my body!

Slowly, very slowly and gradually over the last few months, the Lord has been changing my attitude towards food. Early on in the retraining process, I was very tempted to snack and give into my cravings, especially for sweets. Of course, it was December and I was in the thick of cookie baking and holiday hospitality. I remember one week where I had a stash of deliciously soft sugar cookies available and I was fighting, literally mentally fighting, with my desire to eat them. At that time, the Lord really helped me to see clearly how ridiculous, and yet compelling, is the call of my stomach. I remember thinking, "I don't want to be controlled by a sugar cookie! How silly! It's just a bit of flour and sugar. I don't have to eat it! Lord, help me master this desire for it!"

As time has gone on, the Lord has been so gracious to show me, bit by bit, how I had made food into an idol in my heart. Yes, an idol, something that I valued more than Him. Something that I looked to for satisfaction and sustenance, more than Him. He did this in a very gentle way, so as not to overwhelm or discourage me, but it seems like over the past month especially, He has been revealing to me lies that I had been believing about the way I thought about food and specifically my eating habits.

So now we come to the heart of what I wanted to share with you. A few days ago during my quiet time, the Lord nudged me to write down in a list the lies that I had been believing--just put them down in black and white, giving more fortitude to fight when those attitudes would crop up in my heart again. Each of these lies were shown to me personally. I am not judging anyone else or telling you what you need to think about food. Rather, I post them in spirit of sharing a wonderful testimony and hope it will encourage you, too. As well, I'm sure the Lord will be adding to this list as I grow in this area! But here's where I am tonight.

LIES I Believed about food, eating, and weight issues (in no particular order)


1.I should never waste food, even if I'm already full. I.e. There's only one left, I might as well finish it. Or, the girls didn't finish their tasty bit of whatever, I'll just finish that up. Lie! Eating more than I need is never right. A bit of something can be wrapped up, the girl's food can be thrown out; give them less to start with the next time.


2. If I'm hungry, I can't wait for the next meal! Lie! I will not die if I have a rumbly tummy until my next meal, probably only an hour or two away. Let's face it, my entire life is made up of only a few more hours until the next meal!



3. Bites, Licks, and Tastes don't count toward daily food intake. Lie! This was a bad habit, being hungry as I prepared dinner I'd often munch a bit. I'd then sit down for dinner realizing I wasn't really hungry anymore, but eat anyway.



4. Food that no one sees me eat doesn't count. Lie! It's still food that I'm consuming! And nothing is hidden from God!




5. I shouldn't have to be interrupted while eating. Lie! I don't know why I ever believed this one, as a mother of three small children, but I found that after serving everyone else and finally sitting down to my portion, if I would be asked again for something, there was anger in my heart. I wanted the "right" to eat in peace myself. But that is elevating my selfish desire for food above my family relationships! What a lie!

6. I deserve to always eat things I really enjoy. Lie! You would think that living in a foreign culture I would not have believed this one either, but in fact, the Lord showed me one day when my helper added ginger (which I don't like very much) to everything instead of leeks (which we were out of), I was not only irritated but angry at her since I had been "good" all morning and was eagerly awaiting lunch. In truth, it is not my "right" to eat my favorite foods all the time! That doesn't demonstrate a heart of thankfulness for what I am given!

7. If someone else made the food, I should eat more than I need to show them I really like it; that will please them! Lie! I can express appreciation in other ways that don't involve indulging myself.



8. It will make me feel better to eat a little more. Lie! This is seeking my satisfaction in food, something that can never truly satisfy. The Lord is my portion!




9. It will make someone else feel better if I eat a little more. Lie! This is related to #7, it's easy to overeat in a social setting but I should never use another person's urging to eat more (so common in this culture) to excuse my own lack of self-control.



10. I should always clean my plate. Lie! Not if I'm already full! Better, to avoid wasting, put less on my plate to begin with!




11. I don't get the chance to eat this special food very often, so I can eat more than I need and indulge myself. Lie! This is a particular temptation of expat life since usually we are eating local food. But again, indulging myself never pleases God! And, there will always be more special food! The Pizza Ranch is not going to close its doors. The Outback and TGI Friday's will still be there the next time. There'll be another Starbucks another time. And even if there isn't....it's just food! There are more important things in life!



12. Who cares? It's a celebration! Lie! This one is tempting because we humans love to celebrate with food. But there's always a celebration...birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, the list goes on and on! Pretty soon every week there's an event in which it's "ok" to overeat!



13. Indulging my appetite just a little doesn't matter. Lie! Just one more cookie, just a bit more of that tasty food, it doesn't matter--except that indulgence is never glorifying to God.



14. Those little changes don't really make a difference anyway. Lie! Changing a coke for a glass of water, avoiding those snacks, eating a smaller portion of dessert--it can add up and make a big difference!




15. I'm stuck at the same weight anyway, why be self-controlled in my eating? Lie! That is looking for a certain result from eating; putting my trust in my ability to control and get a certain cause and effect rather than doing what is right and trusting God for the result.




16. I can't just have a cup of coffee alone! I need something sweet with it! Lie! I found that though I always craved a sweet treat with coffee, it was actually pretty rare that I took the time to enjoy the two together. And what I was craving was usually not just something sweet, it was the hope of being refreshed and encouraged by a mid-morning snack; again, looking to food to satisfy that need, rather than the Lord.




17. Exercise is too difficult to fit into my life. Lie! I make time for other things that I think are important. I just need to be a better steward of my time.




18. I need a little something sweet at the end of a meal. Lie! I can be satisfied with the food I've eaten, not always just craving something more.




19. Overeating occasionally doesn't really equal the sin of gluttony. Lie! This is just something I told myself in order to justify my desires.



And perhaps the most destructive lie of all:


20. My eating habits don't have an effect on my spiritual life. Lie! In fact, the opposite is true. I now believe that the Lord would have me shape my eating habits, like everything else, according to His word, believing that the two are intertwined. For example, eating habits are the perfect place to practice self-control and learn to be controlled by the Spirit.



Some final lessons: I have found that indulgence in my eating habits gives a dulling, soporific effect on my spiritual life. It's kind of like saying, "Oh well, a little bit of sin won't hurt anything." Oh yes it will! As the Lord has strengthened me to change some of these habits, and start believing the truth rather than these lies, I have felt so encouraged by the spiritual growth He is bringing about in me! I am experiencing his peace and joy like never before. My mind is less on food and more on Him. For me, it is learning how to be self-controlled in regards to food. The fruit of self-control is then free to spread to other parts of my life--control of my tongue, control of my habits, little disciplines that add up to increased freedom and joy in the Lord.

Now, I've also found that it is equally easy for me to fall off the right path on the other side, namely, "Wow, look at me! I'm so self-controlled!" (PRIDE) Or: "I can do this all by myself! I am a person of self-control and discipline!" (Self-sufficiency and ultimately, pride). So there are dangers, and that's why I'm discovering that this journey with food is a journey of the heart and MUST be Spirit-led. It cannot be judged from the outside, I cannot establish enough "rules" to make it work for me, I simply need to open my heart to the Spirit, pay attention to His voice and His promptings, and then enjoy the freedom and the joy that comes from obeying my Lord in even the "small" things like my eating choices and habits. Legalism is not my goal, being Spirit-led is. Oh Lord help this process! I cannot do it on my own!

The beauty of knowing our Savior is that indeed, He will help. He is an ever-present help and He loves to lead His children. I want to give Him all the glory for what He has done in helping to open my eyes to some of these things. I'm sure I still have much more to learn! But I'm thankful for His grace thus far. The temptation to overindulge in God's good gift of food will not be going away, since food is a part of every day life, but by His grace, my attitude and actions can change. Lord, help me to receive what you give with thankfulness, not greed; with a heart of contentment, not of selfishness; being Spirit-led, not indulging the flesh. May His name be glorified!

Christin Quotables

Location check: we're back in lovely northwest Iowa again! After about 6800 miles, many many hours in the car, two oil changes, NO breakdowns (praise the Lord!), lots of pictures taken, many necks hugged, we are back at my parents' home and have already done the bulk of our unpacking and re-packing.

I'm struck again by the Lord's faithfulness in carrying us through so many miles, so many stops, and so many changes and transitions! We have been guided and protected each bit of the way, and that is a significant grace. We've had lots of great car time to talk, the girls have done relatively well with all of the transitions, and for the most part everyone has stayed healthy.

These next few weeks hold quite a bit of activity, but there's no denying that we're relieved to be back at my parent's and able to unload the car again! The packing and unpacking and repacking and searching for items that couldn't be located easily was probably the most trying part of our travels. I think I'd be happy to never pack a suitcase again! :)

But enough about that! I'll be trying to "catch up" in the next few days/weeks to let you see some more pictures and reflections from our journeys. For tonight, though, here's a few quotes from Christin to provide a little amusement. She's talking tons now!

"Mama, sister fight!" She spoke this to me just moments ago, complaining that her sisters were not letting her get her way.

"Okay, pray. [mumble mumble] daddy, mama, sister, xie xie (thank you in Asianese), [mumble mumble] A-MEN!" It really is cute to hear!

"NO! No stink." in response to asking her if she had a dirty diaper. In reality she just didn't want to stop playing long enough to get her diaper changed!

"Mama, sit! Sit!" while patting the seat next to her and asking me to join her.

"Sister, come! Play!" This works in almost any situation!

And perhaps my favorite:

Christin, can you sing and dance?

"Hah....ah...yah...yah..." all in a very high voice as she twirls around and "sings" her heart out!

We love you Christin! And now you're two! I'll post pictures from her birthday party on April 28 when I get there chronologically (just can't bring myself to post pictures out of order!). So, if I have any readers left out there after my sporadic posting of late, look for some new installments soon!

Faces and Places, part 3

Next stop on the whirlwind tour: Easter festivities in Louisville, Kentucky! The Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Bingham Park was a blast and, of course, over in about 5 minutes. That didn't stop Christin from enjoying a hard-boiled egg though!

Easter in Louisville means the Annual Frankfort Avenue Parade as well. We joined in (after drying off since we got caught in a short cloudburst) and had a great time. Who's this with me, you may ask? A dear sister in Christ, Clara. I had most recently seen her on the other side of the world, it was crazy to see her in Louisville again!

Face painting was an exciting event for all three girls--Clara Anne had a bunny painted on her cheek, her absolute favorite animal.

Our home church, Clifton Baptist, is located on Frankfort Avenue and so participated in the parade.

Lots of kids! They were dressed up to show part of the Easter story.

We asked our good friend Robert to join us at the egg hunt and parade, and then had a wonderful meal together afterwards. Three cheers for chips and salsa!!!

The day was so beautiful, we spent the afternoon at Cave Hill Cemetary, our favorite spot in Louisville. It's quiet, beautiful, peaceful, and very well maintained. The daffodils were out in full array and Clara Anne and Chloe especially enjoyed picking these violets out of the grass.

New game: Pile on Daddy! We had such a wonderful afternoon there.

That evening we had a great time with our hosts, John and Sarah Kimbell. They very graciously offered their basement (and house--I sort of feel like we took over their house!) for our use while we stayed in Louisville. Our kids had a great time, and so did we! Here's proof:

Dinner on the deck!

Sarah and I had many great conversations (and late nights!). Thank you for your friendship, Sarah! We had lots to talk about (always!) and really enjoyed our time together. What a treasure!

The Kimbell family, on Easter Sunday. Location: right outside their home! It's a beautiful home and yard, and everything was so green and pretty by the time we got to Louisville. We were (and still are) soaking it up!

Hope you enjoyed this installment . . . more to come! Stay tuned!

Faces and Places, part 2

Here's another look at some faces and places as we continue our journey across America! Below: my SIL Laurel and I enjoying some Starbucks! Location check: Waterloo, IA on a very warm and sunny week before Easter! Oh yes, there was swinging! Cousin Julian gave it his all!

The faces of this next one you can guess, but the location?? It's true, we let the girls sleep in the closet. They were snug as a bug in a rug in their sleeping bags and we were glad to close the door and turn out the light to let them get a good night of sleep.

You can tell it was a real hardship for them!

[Full disclosure: actually they didn't last the whole night in here. They were a bit close together and Christin woke up several times not really sure where she was, so ended up sleeping next to John and I a few nights. Oh well, it was a good try anyway! The other girls did fine.]

Faces include John's brother Andy and his lovely wife Laurel, and the location is rather special: the deck of their new house! They are proud first-time home owners and are enjoying their great house in a beautiful location. We had a great time visiting them in Waterloo!

Until next time. . .

LIVE! From Rochester, New York

Just a few days ago, we visited the National Museum of Play here in Rochester. It is set up with all sorts of areas that are an imaginative child's delight: an area set up like a miniature theatre, complete with ticket window, tickets, costumes, a red velvet curtain on the stage, and a sound/lighting booth; a grocery store where children can pretend to shop for items, be the baker or the fruit seller at the store, or be the check-out clerk; a historic room with all sorts of items from a colonial kitchen and parlor; and many, many more areas to pretend and play! One of my favorites was a TV studio complete with cameras, a board to report the weather, and an anchorman's desk to do the news. I haven't uploaded my pictures yet from that day, but in the meantime, here's a bit of the news, LIVE from Rochester!

We are visiting with John's sister Beth and her family. It's an important week for them as their oldest, our nephew Joel, had to make a decision this week about where he would go to school. Joel is an exceptional young man and has excelled in academics and music. He was offered several full scholarships to various schools and had to choose by April 30 which one he would attend. That decision has now been made (I won't announce it here since I'm not sure where he has shared it so far!) but we've been excited to be here at such an important juncture. We offered our prayers and support as he was thinking and praying about where to go!

We've had a great week already and have until Monday morning to enjoy our time with this wonderful family. The weather has cooperated and so we've had some fun outside, particularly at Highland Park yesterday seeing acres full of lilacs, pansies, tulips and daffodils. We left spring behind a few weeks ago when we were in the South and had moved into summer, only to travel north to New York and experience spring again!

Clara Anne, Chloe, and Christin have had a great time with their cousins; Anna is 13 and Amanda is 15; they've taken great care of the girls and have had a fun time together. Joel has entertained us all with nightly jazz piano improvisations, what a treat! This is definitely a musical family; we had a sing-fest around the piano a few nights ago and just last night enjoyed leaving the girls here and going to a free concert at the Eastman school of music, hearing their orchestra and chorus perform. I hadn't been to a concert in 7 years (not that I could remember, anyway!) and so I particularly relished that time last night.

So, our journey across America continues. We continue to be so blessed by the people we've been with along the way; we've had some rich times of fellowship and worship together. For those of you who are faithful readers of my blog, if we've been to your place and I haven't talked about it here yet, don't worry . . . I will post pictures and catch up one day! Today I'm on a borrowed computer so don't have access to my photos.

And tonight we're going to see a baseball game; the Minnesota Twins farm team is here in Rochester, so we'll see them play tonight. Fun for everyone!

Until next time. . .

Faces and Places, part 1

I'm starting a new series today to give you all a glimpse of the fun times and beautiful places we've traveled to in the US! It may take me awhile to post all the pics, but here's a start anyway!

[Location check: at this moment we're in Louisville, KY, and will be here until Tuesday morning. This is our eighth stop in our whirlwind tour!] Can you guess where the above picture was taken? :)

Love this one of Clara Anne and Grandpa!

Looking at Grandma's beautiful, artistic memory albums!

Yum. Yogurt is still a favorite, not as convenient as Asian yogurt with the straw, but still yummy!

Reading time with Grandpa.

The picture below is taken at our all time favorite: The Pizza Ranch!!!

Sweet Christin, almost two years old! [She is wearing her new "jammy dress"--all of the girls have new ones that I bought from our favorite consignment store on clearance for just $1!! Yes, they were running a special on clothes that had been in the store for awhile--10 items for $10! I could hardly believe it. Gymboree velvet dresses for $1!!!]

Hope you enjoyed this brief look at faces and places...stay tuned for more coming soon!

Reverse Culture Shock Funnies

We've been back in the States for a few weeks now, and you would think that any "culture shock" moments would be limited to our children, who have never really been here before. Alas, it's not true--John and I have had some moments too! For your enjoyment...

**Upon arriving in the US and landing in the Chicago airport, we needed to go through customs. There were two lines: Resident and Visitor. This gave us serious pause. What are we? John was convinced we were visitors, since we normally live in China but are visiting the US. I was convinced that we were Residents, since we hold US passports. True, we don't "live" here in a strict sense, but we have an address and can even vote in elections. It didn't help that we overheard a customs agent talking with a lady in front of us and when she wasn't sure which line to get in, he asked her where she usually sleeps. We didn't hear her answer but were even more confused. We ended up getting in the Residents line and got through, no problem. But it was confusing! It would have been more clear to give the line titles "US passport holders" and "Passport holders of other nations." Of course, they're not asking for my advice!

**Clara Anne has been the funniest one to watch in terms of reverse culture shock. She is the most aware and the most articulate. At our week-long meeting in Virginia, we were walking to breakfast one morning and she suddenly stopped stock still. "LOOK, Mommy," she said, pointing, "A REAL squirrel!" This apparently made her day. Perhaps it really was the first time she saw a squirrel? We do miss out on wildlife living where we do, in the urban jungle.

**We've been delighting in the blueness of the sky, the beauty of the clouds, and just soaking up all of the natural beauty around us. In our first week back, while we were still in Iowa, Clara Anne exclaimed one day, "Mommy, the sky really IS blue!" We just don't see it very often, it's usually white with pollution/smog where we live!

**My girls all have loved eating breakfast cereal since we've been back. Honey Nut Cheerios, Corn Flakes, even Grape Nuts have been eaten with great delight. But their favorite has to be Froot Loops. They've hardly had cereal in their lives and now to have multiple options (like at our meeting in Virginia where there were probably 15 different cereals to choose from) just seems like a dream come true. Chloe spoke for them all when she said, "Mommy, this is the BEST cereal I've ever tasted!"

**I had forgotten a bit what a fast-paced society America is. It's amazing to us to be able to accomplish so much in each day (i.e. shopping, driving, eating, DRIVE-THRUs!), it's all efficient.

**Yikes, FOOD has been a bit of a reverse culture shock. The restaurant portions are gigantic! We are slowly figuring out that all three of our kids can share one kids meal and John and I can share a meal, with everyone feeling satisfied at the end. And it's cheap! We're so used to paying extra for western food but we've been surprised several times at finding very reasonable prices for pretty good food. My girls already love Cracker Barrel! They love the peg game at the table as well as the kids menu with things to color. And, breakfast is served all day so they can eat pancakes even if it's 5pm!

**Also along the food line, we've already stopped at tons of McDonald's on our way, and been pretty impressed with how they've remade their image into more of a cafe style place. On one of our first road trips, we couldn't find a starbucks so stopped for coffee (for me) at McDonald's and were amazed to find the interior with leather armchairs, a flatscreen tv playing fox news, and a beautiful brick fireplace. We've done lots of Mcdonald's stops just for the playplaces, which are huge and FUN! Many have also had outdoor seating near the playplace which is just perfect. Usually it's not crowded and the restrooms are fairly clean, always with a baby changing area as well. That's a blessing! On our trip from Iowa to Louisville a few weeks ago, we stopped at four McD's along the way, once for coffee, once to clean up a child who had just thrown up, after lunch to play at the playplace, and finally by the time we were ready for supper there wasn't much else around, so we finally stopped at one to eat there. Crazy times! They are truly ubiquitous.

**Still getting used to the car seat thing. It takes me several minutes to get everyone buckled in or out! The girls are doing fine though and have not complained about having to sit in their "special seats."

**John had a little trouble figuring out how to "prepay" at gas stations when you just want to fill up the tank, but most places require prepayment. How can you prepay if you don't know how much it will be? At one point he even drove on, looking for a different station that didn't require it because he wasn't sure how to make it work. I think he's got it figured out now though. :) (I have no idea since I am never the one to get the gas!)

**We've already taken a few wrong turns, mostly due to not having specific maps. We discovered when trying to navigate the Raleigh/Durham area that our atlas was printed in 2001. Oops. We did eventually find our way through that tangle of highways/freeways and are mostly traveling on more "known to us" routes the rest of our trip. We'll see! Keep pr for safety on the roads, we've done about 2500 miles and have about 4000 to go!

Thanks to the generous hospitality of the New Prospect folks, we're enjoying a stay at a Hampton Inn near Laurens, SC. That Southern hospitality is famous for a reason! We are looking forward to sharing with their body tonight (after a potluck) and then will hit the road again tomorrow morning and drive back to Louisville, where we'll stay for 9 days and actually unpack our bags for a bit!

And by the way, the picture at the top is from one of those Mickey D's playplaces. Any playground or park is now a "playplace" in my children's vocabulary!

A quick word

Because a bit of news is better than no news, right?

We're doing great, just a little short on sleep. We are currently in Louisville, KY, driving here on Friday after being with John's brother Andy and his wife Laurel in Iowa for a few days. What a fun visit that was! We enjoyed some absolutely gorgeous weather together, playing at parks and eating out on the deck of their brand-new house. We made dumplings together, ate excellent Mexican food, and just generally had a great time. They are now living in a new development on the edge of Iowa farmland and it was such a blessing to me to look out of their big windows to that beautiful view! Lovely.

So far, we're two for two on motion sickness...each travel day we've had a little girl throw up, bummer! We got smart now and have a change of clothes packed for each girl right in the car (not in the luggage) and they each have a bag "for motion discomfort" (haha) right in the pocket in front of them.

Our two days in Louisville have been a wonderful, beautiful whirlwind of seeing old friends, being at our home church, meeting new folks, celebrating Christ's resurrection, and soaking up the gorgeous weather. We simply cannot get enough of blue skies, daffodils, tulips, green grass, dogwood, and great Christian fellowship. The blessings and beauty are almost too much to take in!

Tomorrow morning we're leaving early for Richmond, VA. We need to be there by 4:30 and I anticipate that it will be a beautiful drive. Let's pray for no motion sickness! But our leaving time is quite early, so I've got to get some sleep tonight. The last several nights have been VERY late as we've been catching up with our friends--so edifying and encouraging that we were reluctant to have the conversations end, but eventually one does have to go to bed!

Happy Resurrection Day to all! Though I don't have time to catch up on all the photos today, hope you enjoyed the picture of our family on Easter day! Blessings!