What We Are Doing:

This week we resumed homeschooling. Teaching our kids at home has not always come naturally to us but we are slowly learning how to do it better. With so many children needing so much attention it is a real challenge to carve out time for their learning while keeping up with everything else life demands. There is always someone who needs help in a subject and even with four of us here supporting eight kids it can get tough especially during math or English.

You can watch our math class here:

I forgot to mention that Sam, who just completed his first year of nursing at Asia-Pacific International University, is spending his break helping us teach the kids. All of them absolutely adore him and see him as the pinnacle of greatness. In their eyes, he can do no wrong.

The best part is they truly listen to him and love learning from him. He also speaks their language far better than my wife and I ever could. He worked hard this past year with no time for soccer or video games and hearing him talk about the sacrifices he is making right now makes me incredibly proud.

If anyone would like to support him in achieving his dream of being a nurse you can go here or click on the picture:

Every day begins with homeschool. We work hard to keep the kids focused and on track, making sure they are doing what they need to do, but it is not always easy.

Some days, like today, a few of them decide they are not going to cooperate. No matter what we offer, whether it is English, crafts, or other activities, they have made up their minds. They are simply not going to participate.

Days like these are the hardest. They leave us feeling drained and discouraged, like we are fighting a losing battle. But even in the struggle, we are reminded that consistency, love, and patience matter most. Even though they are hard to give!

On Tuesdays, we have been a bit inconsistent, but we have gone before and are planning to go again to a slum area nearby to witness to the kids there. Another family we met invited us to join them, and we were happy to say yes.

Their family is a lot like ours. They took in their kids at a younger age, and their children match well with ours in both age and energy. The only difference is that they do not speak much Thai, which actually makes us a perfect fit to team up. They bring creativity and fun, and we bring boots on the ground. Together, it just works and we all have fun together.

Playing musical chairs with kids from the church and a hard place

Even more than that, it has been a gift to have the kind of community we have been longing for over the past year. We continue to make strides in that area, and I am especially excited because Grace International School is offering a basketball workout camp for kids and teens, and the best part is it is completely free.

Today we went to Lanna Care for Animals Foundation to see if we could find a new dog or maybe even two. While we were there, we saw a few cobras slithering around outside in the area where the kids usually play. That moment made it clear that we are willing to go through the pain of losing a dog again if it means keeping our home safe.

Proverbs 21:13

He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor

Will also cry himself and not be answered.

We had originally planned to get two dogs. Evangeleen has been praying for a mommy dog, a daddy dog, and a baby dog. When we visited the shelter, we actually fell in love with five or six. We still might choose just two, but realistically, it looks like Evangeleen’s prayers will be answered.

Going to the shelter and picking out a dog felt natural and reminded us a lot about our own lives. They collect dogs like Pokémon and we collect people. Many of those dogs come from brokenness and hurt and carry deep trauma, just like everyone in our house. There was a hodgepodge of animals at the shelter and we have a hodgepodge of people in our home. We are ready to welcome more beings who have been abused, forgotten, and neglected.

What We Are Watching:

A great movie for the kids

Using Phonics to teach the kids to read:

What Chitty is Watching:

What are we Listening to: Kind of our house anthem!

Our prayers:

God will provide Sam’s tuition
have to get all the kids mental and physical evaluations
The bank approval for a business bank account we have been waiting for almost a year. (still waiting)
Rachel and Evangeleen to stop fighting all the time(still)

Answers to prayers: