Picture of the Week: Not-so-wise Owl

I confess. I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to animal knowledge. I'd love to play you in a game of animal trivia. Do you know the largest rodent? The fastest insect? The only animals that will hunt you just for fun? Yep, I do. Chalk it up to lots of "Wild America" viewings with my sister, a dad who loves to be out in nature (and always finds the coolest stuff) and lots of visits to the zoo (in any city we are in!).

While here, I have been spotting birds and butterflies just outside my window that I had only seen on TV before. I have been learning the names for the squirrel-chipmunk thing that squeaks, the "Komli-Buchi" fuzzy caterpillar that will leave you itching if you brush up against it and the sneakiness of monkeys.

I have also learned some cultural views of animals. For instance, if you are in traffic and someone does something really stupid, you should yell "OWL!". It's like calling him an idiot. People here think we are being sarcastic by putting owls on our school curriculum.

If a gecko falls on your head (from his perch on the ceiling) it's considered good luck.

When a grasshopper lands on you, it's a sign of wealth.

My friends can't believe all our kid books with pigs in them. They aren't cute farm animals. They are disgusting.

Monkeys are a nuisance, like a pigeon and thief in one. Not fun cute little oddities.

And in my friend's neighborhood, they discovered a cobra family. Rather than killing it, most of the neighbors now (thinking it a good sign from the gods) offer it food and pray it.

So, next time you think you know it all (even about animals), just remember people in another country might not give a hoot. 

Isabella: Three Months

Let's just say it. Isabella is the cutest baby you have ever seen. Perhaps tying baby Lydia and baby Molly, ok, I'll give you that. 









Well, of those cute Stock babies, she is the smiley-est, the easiest to put to sleep and the biggest. Here is a sample Isabella-day. She wakes up at a pleasant hour (8-ish), smiles at me while I change her diaper and dress her in a SIX MONTH onesie, eats, hangs out cooing, talking and watching her sisters, fusses for about 3 seconds and takes a nap. Repeat about 3 times and there you have it, an Isabella-day.  






Just thought you'd like to know. This 3-month-old is beautiful (like her name means), a joy (like her middle name) and (I just can't help myself) a product of good Stock. 

Picture of the Week: Elephant-Head god

It's that time of year again. You can hear the drums beating. The lights are strung around town. Everyone's doorsteps are painted and idols line the street. Yep, it's the annual Ganesha Festival.

Hindus, devout and nominal, buy a Ganesha idol. Some are just trinket size, while others must be hauled on a truck bed. The idol is then carried home for worship. Food is offered, chants are sung and the worshiper pleads this "god" to remove their obstacles. A few days later, Ganesha is submerged in water (symbolically washing away the devotees sins...at least for a while). You see, this god is the "remover of obstacles". After all, his head was chopped off by his jealous father. Then replaced with an elephant head. What an over-comer!

I can laugh about how ridiculous this is at times. It seems downright silly to my kids that people would worship a hunk of clay shaped into an elephant-man and dunk it in their bathtub. Yet, I can't help but also grieve the seriousness of it all. This is reality. My neighbor invited me to the pooja at her apartment. It is all over the newspaper. Their are sales and special events for this festival. I can hear the drums right now. This is not some distant picture in a religion textbook of the "natives" worshiping a stone. This is here. Now. Modern civilization all around me.

Picture of the Week: Sick

It's a fact of life no matter where you live. People get sick. It just happens. I don't know why it feels harder here. It just does. 

Last week, Brian came home from  traveling. I was excited to have him back, not just to pitch in with the kids, but to start our "regular life"...routine, schedule. Instead of jumping back in, though, Brian was sick. It was a cold that turned into a sinus infection with a lingering fever and constant headache...combined with a rather unfortunate veggie burger incident. He slept, took antibiotics and about a week later he was (is) back to normal. 

Lydia made Daddy a get well card. While Brian was sick, Lydia learned how to make an "S". Great for words like "sick", "sorry", and "somebody help!". Also great for the "Stock" Household. Normal life with sickness, getting better and a practicing our handwriting. 

Since then

I will not let my blog die.

There. I said it. I have been a little busy lately. And blogging didn't seem like a huge priority for a while. Then, it got kinda long. No "picture of the week" for like...16 weeks. You come back has to be epic right? I mean, I can't just post a picture of a cow on the street (boring!) and expect all 5 of my followers to repost this on their social media preferences right?

Ok, so no to "epic", but yes to a blog recap. Since my last post:

We went to America.
Lydia was a bumblebee in a ballet recital (courtesy of my dear friend, and ballet instructor, Tennyson).

Isabella Joy Stock was born. Her name means "consecrated to the Lord" and "beautiful"...which she is.

Molly became a big sister. She calls Isabella "B-Bella".

We got to reconnect with family and friends.

We had Thanksgiving. In June. Just go with it.

We had fun.

 PopPop retired. And he's a whole lot more fun.

Lydia was in a bike parade. It was fourth of July, in case you couldn't guess by the decor.

We moved back to Asia.
Sweet Molly turned two. Also, I cut her hair. I keep getting compliments on it. I tell everyone if they would just sit in front of me and wiggle their head while I try to cut, it would turn out the same.

We reconnected with friends again.

Taylor came! And I took horrible pictures of her. Despite my lack of photographic skill, she was awesome to have here.

And I blogged. Epic or not, The Stock Household is still here!

Thoughts before leaving [home]

It's 8:53 pm, our time. We leave for the airport at midnight and then just a quick little 36 hours later we'll be in America. I have so many thoughts and prayers bouncing around right now: Go to sleep Molly. Did we pack the girls enough clothes? I'm gonna miss mango season here! Friends' faces and voices, here and there. Family. What will our seats be on the plane?

I have thought and written much about living in two worlds. This paradoxical home and not-home feeling is very tangible when you are leaving home and going home spanning a 9.5 hour time difference. I am not saying anything new. I'm just saying it again. It's hard. It's exhausting and real and probably (no, not probably...but yes!) good for me. 

This God we serve, He is good. He knows what's best for us. He knows my hurts, my fears and worries. He knows the feeling of guilt I have for leaving this place and the probable criticism and self-righteousness I'll feel in America's opulence. 

Oh, but He is good. And He holds me. Not only will He [maybe] get us good seats on the plane, and [maybe] give me a safe delivery of our 3rd little girl, and [maybe] make melatonin work wonders on my children. He will be with us. He will [definitely] be with us. And in His presence, I am home. 

Picture of the Week: Ballet and Belly

On her last day of ballet class for the season, all the girls got to wear a costume borrowed from their teacher's collection. (This teacher knows how to make a little girl's day!)

Here's our beautiful ballerina.




And my belly made the picture.
Yep, there it is. 

Picture of the Week: Bests

It's difficult to say Lydia has a best friend...especially on a team with 8 girls all under the age of 7. And well, she's four. "Best" could mean whoever is into singing "Frozen" songs with her, who will share her toys or ice cream, or who has the best pool. Let's face it, four-year-olds don't really hide their friendship-standards. 

But if we had to say who her best friend is, I would say Lily. Lydia would say that too. 

And if there is anyone who is more different than Lydia, personality-wise, how she processes things, humor and interests...it might be Lily. These four-year-olds don't take ballet together anymore (soccer is more Lily's thing, while Lydia can't bear the thought of running around and possibly bumping into other people!), but Lily is willing to dress up and dance around the house with Lydia. Lydia is also considering the career path of "swim animal doctor" (Lily's future profession) just so they can go to college together.

And no, not everything is a metaphor, but these two remind me of their mommies. Maggie and I are just about as different in our personalities, our processing and interests...yet we give each other grace. OK, mostly Maggie gives....but here's the thing about true grace and true friendship: it's beautiful. It's not just letting the other person be different. It's not just tolerating. It's loving each other and being sharpened. 

So, let's just say these little gals give each other grace, they love each other and if there is some giggling under the table...it's probably Lily and Lydia pretending they are princess zoo-keepers hiding from sea monsters. 

Picture of the Week: She Came in through the Bathroom Window

Two nights ago, Brian and I brutally (and gleefully) killed 6 mosquitoes hanging out in our apartment. 

Since moving here we have acquired Mr. Miagi swat reflexes, a bug-zapper racket (best Father's Day present ever!) and a joyful vengeance for mosquito-death. 

We do not have A/C so we keep our windows open. Yes, we have screens. But then there's the bathroom window situation. And honestly, it kinda hurts my heart to show this picture here. This is a freshly-cleaned (yes) window-vent in our bathroom. [When my mom visited here her need-to-clean instincts drove her to scrub this vent...scrub with no avail...it just always looks dirty. That's how many things are here.] There is no way to seal these completely. I mean, I guess duct-tape could work, but then...you have no vent. 

On the other side of those grimy slates is a large tunnel-like vent shared by all in the building. Where does it vent? The parking garage of course! And in that parking garage is a little canal of standing water. Standing water + tropical climate = little hatching dengue-fever-carrying mosquitoes just looking for a vertical tunnel, unsealed vents and dinner. 

So, here's to nightly mosquito-hunts, racket in hand and vengeance in our hearts! 

  

Picture of the Week: Beautiful

Brian really doesn't like it when I use all the "good pictures" on the blog and leave no unseen ones for our monthly update (which is due out any day now). Sorry, sweetie. I just had to post this.

Isn't she beautiful? She is in love with dresses and lip gloss. Her preferred hair style is this two braid thing that I can't do so well...but she loves it because she has no other hair stylist as of yet. This girl though is truly beautiful when she smiles. Here she is riding a horse confidently and joyfully,...and well, just look at her. 

Picture of the Week: Save your butter for pancakes.

Here's the setup: 
That morning we had visited a park outside the city. Just like every park here it had a few idols and temples. The main one was a bull statue. Morning worshipers had covered it with ghee (purified butter) and then stuck money to it. Lydia and I talked about what a waste of butter that was. 
Also important to the story: 
We have this pair of magnetic dress up dolls from my dad. Their names are Abby and Emma. Frequently (and I do mean frequently) Lydia and I play with them. We are usually Abby and Emma's moms and they have playdates, go to the park, etc. Mostly, it involves changing their outfits. On this particular occasion I am Abby's mom and Lydia is Emma's. They are having a lovely playdate.  

And the story: 
Emma [played by Lydia]: Would you like to come to church with us?
Abby [played by me]: No. We can't. Our family worships pigeons. 
Emma's Mom [also played by Lydia]: No!! You can't do that. Jesus is the real God. 
Abby's Mom [me]: What?! That's not true. We worship a pigeon statue and put butter on it. It's great. 
EM: Don't do that. Save your butter for pancakes. Come, worship Jesus.
AM: Why?
EM: Well, He loves you and cares for you. He's really powerful. And you don't have to put butter on Him.
[by now I have caught on that this is a fantastic teaching moment and I am playing along seeing what Lydia knows...it's amazing]
AM: oh, well that sounds nice but aren't my pigeons gods?
EM: No. Pigeons are not gods. They are birds. God made them. 
AM: So, I can come to your church and learn about Jesus?
EM: Yes, there is a sermon, singing songs and sometimes there is kids' time. We have chai and samosas too. 
AM: Really?
EM: Yes, and if you believe in Jesus you get to go to Heaven.
AM: Heaven? What's that like?
EM: It has shiny streets and lots of food that God makes...only good food. 
AM: Is there butter?
EM: Yes, but we can eat it. And Jesus is there and He can snuggle you. But you have to wait till you die.
AM: Oh, so when I die I can go to heaven?
EM: Yep. Or Hell. That's for pretend-god-believers. 
AM: What's that like?
EM: It's sad. The sun goes down there. It's very dark and sad. 
AM: Wow. Well, Heaven and Jesus sound a lot better. Can I come to church with you?
EM: Sure! 
AM: What am I gonna do with all this butter though?
EM: Let's make pancakes!