He's 9 - Where did the time go...

We had a wonderful time celebrating William's birthday this year. This summer we were able to find (& hide even through the move) an archery set that is just right for beginners. William is thrilled with it! We had company in town visiting, so we celebrated on Friday evening which also made it possible to use the archery set for the first time on Saturday. On his actual birthday, we cancelled homeschool and just did "whatever William wanted" games and activities all day. At home group in the evening, the fellowship surprised him with a cake and singing. They also prayed for him and his new year. I am still in awe at God's wonderful blessing of a son. He is a treasure and a joy. AT

Don't Quote Me....

...but I think I am becoming a cat person. I NEVER thought I would say that, and yet the words are out. I know it is still a bit early...we'll see when the "new" wears off, but for now we are very happy with the newest member of the Travis Family. For those of you that did not read it on Facebook, yes, we rescued a street kitty again. (You might remember we did this last year with very sad results. Click Here for the story.) I know cats have their issues, and we will have to address jumping on furniture, scratching and hair balls, etc. when it occurs in the future, but for now this kitten seems like a wonderful (& super easy) pet for a 7 year old. Truth be told the whole family (even Matt!) is enjoying the new addition. Matt says it is because she acts like a dog. She follows us around the house. She always wants to be in the same room as the family. She is the source of constant laughs as she pounces the fringes of the carpet, climbs in and out of her box and attacks her own tail. However, she has also scared us to death by jumping up onto the balcony railing. We are on the 8th floor! I don't think she would ever consider jumping, but she has a lame back leg. She could fall off....any suggestions?? Today is the first day of fall and our first day of rain in her lifetime. (4 months we think) She was very confused. She likes to nap on the balcony rug, but this morning she would go out and run back in and look at us as if we were doing something mean to her. I confess it was pitiful and comical at the same time. Grace has named her Ginger, but since she does not speak English we mostly call her "Zencefil". She is helping us with transitioning to an ease in communication in a foreign language!! A live in tutor...constant practice!! She has decided to sleep at the foot of Grace's bed. The other night I heard Grace speaking to her in her sleep. I am so glad that Grace has moved to dreaming in a foreign language!! Now, if the rest of us can transition to that level, we'll be doing good! Okay, so I may be turning into a cat lover, but in order to avoid being a "crazy cat lady" I promise to not constantly write about the cat. AT

Candy, Kids, Candy, Kids, Candy & More Kids

The last several days have been a holiday time in our country. It is the celebration known as "Seker Bayrami". I wrote about it last year, you can click here for a few more details. We are living in an area that has a ton of children, so we were quite busy this year compared to last year. Basically, the children are allowed to "trick-or-treat" for 3 days from early in the morning until night. They kiss your hand, wish you a happy holiday and then hold up their bag. It is really cute to see the tiny ones at your door. Some of them were a little afraid of us at first, but since you can go back to the same home each day, they warmed up. They mostly receive wrapped candy, but they also get money (mostly from family) chocolates, cakes, baklava, cookies - anything sweet. We allowed William and Grace go to a few buildings with their friends. They were so excited to participate as children as well as act like big kids and get their hands kissed and pass out candy to others. The holiday is also a time to visit family and friends. We are new so I think that people in our building are still a little unsure of us, but we were blessed to make a few visits, and we invited Matt's new language teacher and his family over for a meal. We are learning so much about this culture and beautiful people. We are honored to have the privilege to be in this place. "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man." Proverbs 3: 3-4 Singing His Sweet Praises!! AT

First Week of School 2010-2011

Praise the Lord, I think I can stamp the first week of school as a success. We held our smiles and excitement most of the time. I believe we are really enjoying our new curriculum. I was nervous about the Language Arts program, but it seems to be a lot of fun and yet challenging. It is a classical approach. For now, I seem to be able to manipulate it to work well with the kids' learning styles, my teaching style and our time available. We are continuing with our same Bible studies and Math-U-See. We added back Answers in Genesis' "God's Design For" series for our science. The big hit this year so far is our new "Mystery of History" curriculum. They love listening to the audio lessons, creating flash cards to study for tests, looking at old and new worlds maps, etc. To tell you the truth, I am learning right along with them!! The kids are also very excited to be taking piano lessons again. William still really wants to play the guitar. Maybe we can move to that in a year or so. Our new fellowship seems to be full of very talented musicians who love children. W&G enjoy sitting with all the teens and taking turns playing the recorder, clarinet, saz, guitar, etc. It's always a big jam session before we start meetings. We are blessed to have a young lady coming to our home for 2 hours each day to help us with language. It seems to work best if we try to accomplish one activity (an hour to an hour & 15 min.) and then let the kids work with our Rosetta Stone computer curriculum while I have a little time alone with our tutor. Of course there are always "kinks" in the day/week....a neighbor stops by, Matt is at the house, Matt brings a friend home for lunch, and this week Thursday & Friday were local holidays so kids were ringing the bell for candy all day (we let W&G go with their new friends - what memories!)!! In the end, all the "i"s were dotted and "t"s crossed. One of the reasons we are homeschooling is for the "kinks". We want to be flexible. Our WHOLE family is here to love and serve. Now, just 35 more weeks to go!! His Mercies are New Every Morning! AT

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Our last apartment was located on a major street. When we first moved in, I was afraid I was going to be constantly bothered by the street noises, but I was very surprised by the quality of our front windows. We actually really grew to love our location and our home. We lived above a barber shop and an office supply store. Just down from us were a glass shop and a remodeling store. One day we noticed some children from the remodeling store had a baby chick in a cage. We just assumed that supper would be in a month or so; however, they assured us that the chicken was a pet. As time went by, they let the "pet" out of its cage and it began to roam up and down our sidewalk. At times, it would wonder into the barber shop and get booted out. The office store children would feed it, but it would never really go beyond our building....I assumed that was because of the neighborhood cat that sat at the baklava shop. The chicken was fun to watch, and we enjoyed its distraction from the craziness of life around us. One of our last days in the apartment, I looked out my window to see the chicken in the street. She had never before, to my knowledge, tested those waters. She had always been content to simply stay on the sidewalk. So, why that day did she gather the courage? Why did the chicken cross the road? Interesting question, right? Last week, we camped in a tent for 7 days with new local friends. I experienced many firsts on the trip!! Overall it was a wonderful experience, but one night mid-trip I had a rough moment. I was trying to get to sleep, but I was hot in my clothes, had had too many cups of çay, couldn't get a breeze, everyone was snoring (allergies!), and I was EXHAUSTED and just wanted to be somewhere else!! I started to cry and was asking myself, "Why did I even cross this road?" Everyone would have understood that I had just moved, my language isn't good enough yet, overall I'm a wimp of a camper....and it's summer - who camps in summer!! I did the only thing I knew to do, (getting in the van and driving back 12 hours wouldn't have worked out!) I began to pray. God is so faithful to remind us of His love. I am thankful He never leaves us, and He is always there to comfort us. The Spirit brought Psalm 62 to my heart. "Find rest oh my soul in God alone. My hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation. He is my fortress. I will not be shaken." I sang the Psalm over and over until eventually I went to sleep. Why do we cross some roads? I think sometimes it might just be for the experience and the adventure. I also think that in our journey of life God has several mountains for us to climb, valleys for us to walk through and roads that we must cross. As we are traveling, He is teaching and molding us. It is also our opportunity to be a part of what He is doing around the world. So, what happened to the chicken? Did she become dinner? Did she finally cross the road and move on to greener pastures (well, a city park was just across the street!)? I will never know, but I do know that I can make it through 7 days in a tent, and I can and will make it through the new leg of the journey that the Father has us on for this season of our life.
Finding Rest in Him, AT
PS: Interesting: As I have been reading lately, I have noticed a pattern that joy and contentment are often found in connection with trail and suffering. (1 Peter 4:12-19; James 1:2-18; Luke 15; Isaiah 12; 52:7-10) This is something that I am praying through as I also have a few areas that I am asking for healing and freedom. Interesting road to walk: content in trail & suffering and yet fully expecting and believing in healing and freedom. Discussion is welcome!

Ants, Ants, Ants...and 2 Roaches!!

This may seem very girly and even silly in light of everything a person faces when moving to a different country, but one of the things I really feared when I moved was bugs. What type of bugs would my house have? Would I find them on the food? Would something crawl on me in the night? I am very pleased to report that while in our first city, bugs were really never an issue. During the entire time that we lived in that particular apartment we probably saw 3 bugs....none of which were roaches or anything I would consider "creepy!" We had a few bees fly in, but those are easily swatted and forgotten. However, we have a bit of a mystery brewing at our new apartment. I have now found (& killed!) about a dozen ants and 2 small roaches. The mystery is that I am finding them in what I think are odd places for those particular pests, and I am finding them alone. So...what do I do? How do I take action? Are there millions in the walls just waiting to attack? Hummm...well, what do I know about these insects? 1) They do not live alone. 2) They function as a group. 3) Where there is one there are most likely dozens more. 4) A problem with either of these 2 pests can easily take over a home, and we could end up with a serious problem on our hands! So, why am I writing to you today about bugs and telling you things that you likely already know? Well, God just really makes me smile. It is amazing how He knows us and knows how we think. He is always so good when trying to teach, warn, encourage or correct me to give me a very clear visual picture along with His living Word and powerful voice. Recently, it seems like every time I open His Word I am reading about how I need to "be ready"; I need to prepare; I need to be on alert; I need to be diligent. Also, in our Wednesday night study, we are discussing Jerry Bridges' book, The Pursuit of Holiness. The last 2 weeks the focus has been on personal discipline. What things are "creeping" in my life and distracting me from not just "doing" the things that God has called me to do, but doing things WELL to the glory of the Father? At first, distractful things may look like a single bee, easily swatted and forgotten; however, when a whole colony of ants decides to take my lunch right off the balcony, it will be pretty hard for me to ignore my problem! Proverbs 27:12 say, "The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it." Today, I am evaluating those things that are "creeping in"....laziness, doing just enough to get by, bad/negative attitudes, etc.....and I am making a plan of attack! Lord willing, I will keep my life and my home free from things that creep in....humm...do they sell RAID in this country? "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13 AT

PS: I just remembered that in 2008 I posted a blog about bugs...well really about fear and our need to trust in HIS perfect plan. If you're in a "bug mood", and want to read on, you can click here to go right to the link.

Perspective!

Well, one week later, I think that we are officially "moved'. The movers came 3 hours late, but they were still able to clear everything out and load it on the truck by the time we needed to leave for the airport. We were quite shocked when they showed up with an exposed truck, but we are told that is quite common in this part of the world. We have also been told that the fact that ALL of our furniture is scratched, dented, bent, torn...damaged in some way is also quite common. My flesh wants to be sad and disappointed, but from the beginning of this move I have been determined that in all things I was going to simply turn it over to the Father. Perspective can change your attitude! As they were loading the truck (and the drivers were smoking on my couch as you see in the pictures!), it began to rain. In that moment, when I was really ready to throw up my hands and say, "OH GREAT!", I decided instead to simply praise God for all that HE has provided for us. If it is all ruined, He will provide again. Where is the money going to come from? - HIM! It is amazing how much freedom I am finding from simply holding things loosely. A local friend of mine called to say that the city was crying because we were leaving. Perspective makes you appreciate things in a new way. The movers were incredible to watch. They would strap hundreds of pounds (literally!) to their backs. I was really afraid for them. At one point a mover had a large box on his back and another man added an even heavier box to the top and said, "As the Lord Wills!" He let the mover walked down the 5 flights of stairs alone! Perspective makes you see others differently. Our things arrived in our new city about 48 hours later. On this end, the job of moving was even more difficult in my opinion because they had to haul things up 8 flights of stairs. Also, the hired workers on this end looked like really small old guys! However, they never complained and at one point we overheard them telling the drivers that our apartment was like a palace! Perspective shows things in a new light. This has been an interesting week. We have gone a whole day with no water; everyday with periods of time without electricity (that means no water, too); it does not look like the internet is going to be reliable; our air conditioner is not cooling in this 110-115 degree heat! (and no, I don't mean central air. It's something like a "window unit".); the kids are restless; and I shook a rug off my balcony and the dirt went in a window and onto my still sleeping new neighbor! However, last night, I sat in a room with about a dozen believers. These are people that really know about difficulty and sacrifice. They have given up everything....income, place in society, homes, families, friends, security in life, etc. WOW, perspective!! We will "settle" in. We will learn culture. We will learn language. We will learn how to get by with random utilities. We will learn how to work with a crazy internet connection. We will give Him praise in all things. Perspective! AT