Back From An Unintended Hiatus

"Seriously, Mom?! Hijacked by life?  What kind of human are you?"

Seriously, three weeks since I last wrote to you all?  I must have, in the words of Pioneer Woman, "been hijacked by life."  Yes.  Hijacked by life.  That is exactly it.  Over the past three weeks:

:: Huy's 5th birthday happened. I planned my 5-year-old's Superhero Party and Birthday Baptism Bash.  Seriously, a mouthful of a theme, I know.  It sure felt like it, since I basically dreamed and shopped and googled and planned and copied and crafted my way through a week before the 21st (Huy's birthday!)...and despite all of that, I still needed Tan and Koh, Megan and Cassie to save my tail by helping me with the last projects.  It was a blast for everyone, and I was thankful that after all the work of a little kid's b-day party, the end result was fun and celebration.  It was all soooo worth it!

:: Christmas happened.  We tried to keep the gift-giving to ourselves to a minimum (and steering clear from toys...which our kids always seem to have a never-ending supply of).  We stuck to giving worship music, a National Geographic Kids magazine subscription, new clothes (my 7-year old is growing like a weed sprayed with Miracle Grow), and JellyTelly videos (don't you just LOVE them?).  Oh yeah, and we decorated together, made holiday treats together, went to Christmas feasts (American and Thai style, both at the S-clan's house), had a time of bible studies and worship times together...and tried to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus rather than on ourselves.  It is funny how Christmas-time can so easily make us into stressed-out, overfed, unabashedly covetous people.  The point of Christmas is to basically be the antithesis of that!  *off my soapbox...returning to my post*  You're welcome.

:: Vacation happened.  Or, rather, stay-cation happened for a few days and then we left to visit our friend's mountain village about 4 hours away.  After I pried my fingers from the hand-rail near my front seat (those mountain turns almost killed me.  I. Am. Not. A. Fan.)...we enjoyed ourselves for three days as we had our first experience staying with Hill Tribe people here in Northern Thailand.  The whole village believes in Jesus and it was absolutely beautiful to ring in the New Year of 2013 with them. 

:: Homeschool happened.  Run and Huy started Second Grade and Kindergarten today.  Though my school-room is still a gigantic wreck, we started today and the kids were as excited as I was to crack open our new books and dive into this new year.  I promise you, they were actually thrilled.  It is odd.  I am hoping this phenomenon continues through college and I will relish that I spawned kids who actually still like to learn as they grow up.  Did I just type "spawned?"  Ok, maybe they aren't the only odd ones.

:: Lots of other things happened.  Lots of things.  Lots of things that I can't remember right now because I am thinking about all the other things that I need to finish today before the sun sets.  But, now that I have bit the proverbial bullet and written this post to open us all up into 2013 here at Ordinary Life In The Wild...I will leave you all to your resolution list (no, I don't have one this year! freeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom!) and hope to write you soon to keep you up with our crazy little fam. 

Here's to 2013! 

I leave you with Jude 1:2, the Message Version that sounds like you're talking to your Buddy...

"Relax, everything’s going to be all right; rest, everything’s coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!"