As you can tell...

As you can tell from the pictures my time here has been pretty good. The school is huge and as I look out my window I can see the apartment complex next to us "Parkland." It is also the word we use to tell taxi drivers when they take us home. I am really excited to say that I love it here. From stepping off the plane it has been a completely different feel than N.Africa. I have grown so fond of it actually in just the 5 days since I landed. Taxi drivers actually use meters and most of the taxis around here are hot pink, which I think is just awesome! Our school is big and it just so happens I am on the fourth floor of my school and apartment complex. So that is nice, no elevators I am going to be fit by the time I leave here that is for sure. There are about 15 new people. We have been going on various shopping trips and getting to know one another. It is amazing to hear everyone's stories of how the Lord has brought them here and what he has done in their lives. I am so blessed. There are a couple of teachers who are just starting their first year of teaching. It is nice to have that under my belt. Takes a lot of pressure off. One of our new guys had never thought about coming overseas before, but this is where the Lord wanted him. It definitly takes a lot of faith to stay in a place that is so above your comfort zone.

So far the best thing I have done was Sunday night. Amy and I went to a Thai church. Some of her friends were visiting from Michigan and had hooked up with this church. So we got to go. It was great. I had been praying for the Lord to bring me to a Thai church. There are plenty of English-speaking churches but in order for me to get the full experience I really felt that I needed to be in with the people. I think we are going this Sunday.

The funny thing is I am actually really excited about learning Thai. I want to start now. They are such friendly people and really do cater to foreigners quite a bit. I am impressed also with how much American stuff you can get here. It is pretty much the same, only a little different.

So far my elephant sighting is up to 6. I have yet to take a picture with one but I am hoping to very soon. Life in Thailand is sure to be more exciting as each day goes along!

More on Bangkok...

This is my apartment-floor four! Actually mine is the middle door. It is a really nice apartment. I haven't taken any pictures inside yet because I wanted to be able to finish it up first. The other pictures are of my school. Amy is my next door neighbor. She teaches fourth grade. We went on quite the adventure. Stay tuned for a new blog coming soon!!!!!

More pics

Here are a few pictures around where I live. Well on our way from Central the mall here. Hot pink taxis are everywhere. I know some to my students would have loved them. I also took a picture of the new movies coming out. Yeah for movies. Central not only has a movie theater but also a water park on the top floor. Crazy!

Some pics of Bangkok!

Diana, Amy and I in the back of the school van. It holds like 15 people, or more. One of our many shopping trips this past week!

What this year holds...

I just got done making my apartment look great. Well pretty much. It is a little bare at the moment but I will fix that once I get my budget set up and decide how much money I can spend. Today has been a very much reflective Tawnya kind of day. I didn't really feel much like hanging out with anyone, although it is only 11:00 in the morning but you know whatever. I did want to concentrate on what it is I want to accomplish in the next year. Although my contract is for two years, goals are better to make one year at a time. So as I reflect, pray and seek there is a lot I feel the Lord wants for me and my life. First of all I want to know from a Biblical standpoint what a wife and mother looks like. Not just what our society has allowed us to believe but truly what the Lord says about that union. I think I also need to get a little healthier this year. It might be pretty easy to do since I have to go up four flights of stairs every time I go to my apartment! Good Times! So far I think just obeying and relying on the Lord. What else is there? This blog might be just a bunch of rambling but it makes sense to me.

Missouri and other thoughts

It has been quite the adventure the past couple of weeks. Saying good-bye in Cali and then venturing on to Missouri. I didn't realize just how much I had to do until I was in the midst of it. So many people to see and talk with. It is a little bit overwhelming until I step back and realize that any time even if it is just a small amount is important. Michigan was quite the trip and it is a little sad to me to think how my Grandma is doing right now. Then I remember everything that I can about her and know that I have had really good times. I got to see a lot of family this past week and it reminded me that those are the people that I was around when I was growing up. Although the Lord has called me to Thailand it doesn't take away from the fact that He put those people in my path to help me along the way. More to come...

Fourth of July...

This was the image taken last night at the beach where I was supposed to be watching the fireworks over the ocean. Instead there was just fog. Fog so thick that you couldn't see anything. The whole night I was pretty bummed and even today I have been pretty non-excited about this whole not seeing the fireworks thing. I have been at the library for a little while now and thinking about this just now the Lord has brought a revelation. So here is the thing, last night all I wanted to see was the fireworks and if I could have somehow just seen through the fog I would have been able to take a look at what was on the other side. Instead though I was so preoccupied with the fact that I couldn't see the fireworks that I just complained. When in reality there is nothing that I could do about it. So you are wondering where are you going with this. Even now as I write this I am not sure I totally know. Here is the thing though with moving to another country I just want to be there, I don't want to have to go through the fogs of saying good-bye and leaving because that is the hardest part. But I have to, in order to see what the Lord has for me I have to get through these next two weeks. In the end there are going to be amazing fireworks but I have to wait it out on the beach and get ready to go through some pretty hard changes. I heard on the radio Philippians 1:6 quoted, "being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." What I lack right now is confidence. Yes I know that God is in control of everything and yet I sometimes just forget to give him the control. I forget that I have confidence in Him. I am worried about people losing touch with me and not making an impact the way that I should. But I can't get lost in the fog. I have to press on and remember that beyond the fog is a light, the light of Jesus Christ. My job right now is to share that and let His light shine. If I get stuck on the beach with everyone else that can't see through the fog then what am I helping? So I press on because He will complete the work He has for me and I don't have to do it on my own...

Bowling fun!!!

Last night I was able to go bowling with fun people! As I was stopping by the grocery store I ran into two different people that I knew. It is amazing how the Lord allows those little meetings as encouragements along our way. As I left both of those conversations I realized that in a few weeks I will not be able to do that. I remember the first time that I ran into someone at the grocery store that I actually knew and was white when I was in Egypt. It was such a great feeling but it also happened for the first time 3 months before I was supposed to leave. Not that it really matters but that is sort of my way of knowing that I have been in a place for awhile. If I am able to run into people that I know on a continual basis outside of the normal work and church lifestyle. It might not make much sense to anyone else but it does to me. So basically all this rambling to say I am going to miss that. Not saying that the Lord will not allow that to happen because He can, but just there won't be as many people to run into at first.

I also love bowling although I realized how much harder it is for families to do fun stuff like that. I am thankful for my singleness at times much more than I realize. Yet there is also this craving that I have to be that family that takes their kids bowling...

Packing

In a few minutes I am going to go home and once again go through the mountain of stuff I have piled in my room. How do I get to the point where every time I move I realize how much stuff I have. Letting go of it is so hard and yet it is just material. Some of it does have more meaning but in the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter. So as I look to the future I get rid of the past and what might have seemed great to keep 2 years ago, really truly just needs to be let go.