August 30, 2011

Show and Tell

I honestly just erased an extremely long post that droned on and on about life stuff......and I got seriously bored with myself. My problem is that this blog has ruined me. I find myself writing blog posts in my mind all the time so I end up getting myself into a rut.

Not knowing where to start when I want to write about:

Garrett and how much happier he is this year. His amazing teachers including the one that was on House Hunters International. How he dropped football for soccer which here means he dropped football to take up football. Confusing, right? And he tells me that he loves me every morning before he leaves for school. I am so happy to have my boy back!

My new job as Bible study coordinator at our church and the very large shoes I have to fill. Metaphorically speaking, of course. Lynda and Sondra, if you happen to be reading this, I honestly think you have very cute feet and darling shoes. I'm just a tad bit intimidated to be following in your footsteps!

How I have self-diagnosed the pain in my heel as Plantar Fasciitis. Nice. That means no more flat as a board cute sandals for me. I have to wear shoes with cushion aka Ugly Shoes. Not to imply that if any of you wear cushiony sandals that they are all ugly. I think my issue is that they add another inch and I don't like that. Because clearly going from 5'11" to 6' makes a huge difference in a country where everyone is 5'4".

My impression after reading "The Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother". I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would and it certainly made me think. There is probably a little "Tiger Mom" in all of us, it just may not manifest itself in demanding straight A's and incredible musical talent. It could be sports or looks or social standing or, dare I say, spirituality. I can't wait to talk about it with my "Whatever Floats Your Boat Book Club". And yes, that is actually the name of our book club. If you could see the list of books we're reading, you would totally understand why the name is so appropriate.

The list goes on and on but I'll spare you any more of my random commentary. Instead, I will leave you with a few of my favorite pics from our quick stop in Scotland and London on our way back to Singapore.

Garrett....

and Nathan at the ruins of St. Andrews cathedral.
$5 to the first person who can guess where we did a
bunch of shopping for the boys this summer!

Scot and Garrett watching a foursome tee off at St. Andrews golf
course. Scot was in HEAVEN walking around that place. We took
loads of pictures there. What I love about this is the group of guys to
the left. They were from New York and were so excited to be playing
on this course, the mecca for golfers, that they were high fiving each
other and taking video.....I was so happy for them.

Life with boys and all things remotely alluding to
bodily functions. Especially if etched in stone that
is hundreds of years old outside the astute institute of
St. Andrews. There's a good chance Kate and Wills have
stood under this sign. Wonder if they giggled?

Be still my heart. How has this happened so quickly?
Won't be long before Scot is the short one in this picture.

We took a great Beatles tour around Liverpool. This was by far
my favorite stop on the tour.

Wonder how many tourists were flattened by buses
before they decided to clearly mark which way to look?

One of my favorite nights in London. We got tickets at the last
minute to a play. The play has been showing in this theater for over
45 years. We were so horribly underdressed for a night at the
theater but it was fun all the same!

Then we went out for pie. Steak and mushroom pie that was AH-mazing.

As was the fish and chips we ate several times on our trip.

Buckingham Palace. Nobody was out kissing on the balcony
the day we were there. Bummer.

I had to laugh because we were in London just in time for the riots. That in itself isn't funny, but the fact that Nathan wore a black hoody and was convinced that someone was going to mistake him for a rioter was pretty funny to me. I'm not sure how many rioters had their moms, dads, and big brothers with them when they went out looting.

Just a quick note before I wrap things up. In preparing for this new year of Bible studies at our church, I have been extremely humbled by the enormity of a job that I feel so unequipped for. There is much I don't know and I was starting to stress about that when I realized that the less I know, the more He has to show.

I think that's my goal for this year in Singapore. I don't want there to be so much of me that He doesn't show.

In my conversation. In my actions. In my thoughts.

I pray this year is an epic Show and Tell kind of year.

August 15, 2011

Chicken Feet Dose of Reality

Hi! My name is Keri and I live in Singapore. Freakishly tall. Two boys and a cute husband. Does it ring a bell? It's been just about forever since I've written anything on this blog.

Actually, there are four posts I wrote and then abandoned this summer. The honest truth is that trying to put into words how it felt to be home was really, really difficult for me. It was wonderful, frustrating, emotional, comfortable, frantic, and unforgettable all rolled up together. Depending on the day, or even the time of day, I could be feeling any one of those emotions. Add in a healthy dose of insecurity that flared up often.....geesh! I'm not sure what my problem was.

If I can ever figure out how to adequately explain what it's like to drop in on your old life when your new life is about as foreign as it can get, then maybe I'll finish one of those posts I started.

Maybe.

We've been home for four days and those days have been filled with catching up with friends and trying to unpack the seven suitcases we brought back with us. And then there's the jet lag to contend with. Oy vey.

It has given me some time to reflect back on the last eight weeks. I didn't realize how few pictures I took of this summer. There are events I have no record of. Or, in one case, I took pictures of doors and scenery and totally omitted taking pictures of the people I was with.

I'm telling you......I was a mess!!

We spent the first part of the summer on the West coast visiting my family.

Where my dad got to hang with his three grandsons...

Where cousins wrestled.....

Where my parents enjoyed having all their grandchildren in one place.....

Where the newest cousin was cuddled....

and kissed....
(It kills me that this sweet little girl will be walking and probably talking
the next time I see her. Who in the world thought putting Singapore so
far away from California would be a good idea? Yes, I know the answer is
God, but I can still be a little annoyed about it!)

Where there was an epic wrestling match between my boys, my brother,
his son, and my dad.

Where I got to celebrate my other brother's birthday.....and meet
his new girlfriend that I absolutely adored. Even if she's about
5'3" and he's 6'8". Normally we'd hold that against her except we
just really like her.

I went back to Baylor to see friends I haven't seen in 20 years.

We took a trip to Dallas where I got to spend time with this amazing lady....

Where we picked blueberries after a day of zip lining with some good friends
that I have no pictures of.

Where we ate the amazing blueberries....

Where the boys learned how to drive a tractor....

Where we ate amazing peach cobbler......

Where we enjoyed the view so much we apparently failed to actually
take pictures of the people!

Where the boys got to mix it up with a real live Air Force Colonel.

There was the 11th annual Girl's Weekend with these friends minus two that
couldn't come.

Where the kids had fun catching up.....

Where these burgers were devoured!

We went to our favorite beach......

With a favorite friend and her family.

And there was still time for Mexican food and good conversation
with my sister (the gorgeous one on the far right) and these friends...

and these friends.

There were so many people I never got to see. Running into someone for a quick chat outside the doors of Target or in the hallway of church just doesn't do it for me. I'm a sit down and let's get to the nitty gritty of what life has been dishing up kind of girl. That part of all this is the hardest for me.

The dance between letting go and holding on. I need lessons because I'm awkward and gangly in handling it all.

I was reminiscing about the whole summer with Singapore friends here. It's funny that in our group there were those that couldn't wait to come back and others who came back kicking and screaming. For the first couple of days I felt like I was here physically but still in the states mentally.

And then I went grocery shopping today.....

Yep....I'm back in Singapore.

Honestly? I am happy to be here. That is a very, very good thing......but doesn't mean I'm going to be buying any of those bad boys any time soon!
 

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