Finally some pictures...

Sunset over the MeKong, beautiful isnt it!




Me and Anakin




Tim, Gong and me




Simanie (Tu Fye), Tui, and I




This is from the storm we had the other night, it was so bad it snapped a tree in half!!



So thats it for now, I will post more soon (I hope ha ha)

Let it rain...

So this week has been interesting, not only has it rained ALOT last night we had a storm to rival any tornado I have seen! The way the wind was blowing it snapped a tree in half, knocked things off the roof, the power was out... it was crazy and I will have to admit I was a little scared.
I was here by myself with the boys and a few of their friends so we tried to read a story - I thought I was A.D.D. you try having 4 kids in a crazy storm, no one pays attention to anything.
I think there will be permanant wax stains all over the house (try keeping a 9yr old away from candles, its a battle to lose...) ha ha.

Timmy is still sick, tho he is much better than he was. We went to the Dr. and got him some drugs. He keeps drinking water and telling me "Meykin (thats how he pronounces my name), doter tell me to eat water..." and then he will change it up sometimes and say that he has to drink it hot or really cold or something like that... he is funny. He gets frustrated with me sometimes and he will just look at me and tell me to go away... I think that is his new favorite sentence lol.

Anakin fell asleep in my room last night - he didnt want to be by himself. We are working out an arrangment... he doesnt do what I say, no cartoon network. I WIN! HA. Is that evil? :/ Anyway, he is a smart kid with a smart mouth and sometimes he needs to learn.
I think he likes me more now than he did before, he keeps asking me if I am going to stay or when I am leaving, told me he will miss me when I am gone. Pretty good feeling, if I do say so myself.

I love these boys I really do - they both have good hearts. They are children so they can be a pain, but I suppose I could have been to my parents too... tho I doubt it he he.

This week past week or so has kind of been a personal breakthrough week for me. I have come to terms with alot of personal issues and I am learning once again to be selfish ha! Seriously tho, I cant find happiness in another human, I cant find it in constantly changing my surroundings - its inside myself... and I think i discovered it.

Anyway I am going to play some ball this afternoon and so I am going to take a nap now while Tim is down.

See ya on the FLIPSIDE... ha haLAME

So this week has been interesting, not only has it rained ALOT last night we had a storm to rival any tornado I have seen! The way the wind was blowing it snapped a tree in half, knocked things off the roof, the power was out... it was crazy and I will have to admit I was a little scared.
I was here by myself with the boys and a few of their friends so we tried to read a story - I thought I was A.D.D. you try having 4 kids in a crazy storm, no one pays attention to anything.
I think there will be permanant wax stains all over the house (try keeping a 9yr old away from candles, its a battle to lose...) ha ha.

Timmy is still sick, tho he is much better than he was. We went to the Dr. and got him some drugs. He keeps drinking water and telling me "Meykin (thats how he pronounces my name), doter tell me to eat water..." and then he will change it up sometimes and say that he has to drink it hot or really cold or something like that... he is funny. He gets frustrated with me sometimes and he will just look at me and tell me to go away... I think that is his new favorite sentence lol.

Anakin fell asleep in my room last night - he didnt want to be by himself. We are working out an arrangment... he doesnt do what I say, no cartoon network. I WIN! HA. Is that evil? :/ Anyway, he is a smart kid with a smart mouth and sometimes he needs to learn.
I think he likes me more now than he did before, he keeps asking me if I am going to stay or when I am leaving, told me he will miss me when I am gone. Pretty good feeling, if I do say so myself.

I love these boys I really do - they both have good hearts. They are children so they can be a pain, but I suppose I could have been to my parents too... tho I doubt it he he.

This week past week or so has kind of been a personal breakthrough week for me. I have come to terms with alot of personal issues and I am learning once again to be selfish ha! Seriously tho, I cant find happiness in another human, I cant find it in constantly changing my surroundings - its inside myself... and I think i discovered it.

Anyway I am going to play some ball this afternoon and so I am going to take a nap now while Tim is down.

See ya on the FLIPSIDE... ha haLAME

2 Months and counting....

So, for Arkansas its the 23rd (or now the 24th since its after midnight for ya'll).. and well, that makes it exactly two months since I left! Crazy stuff huh?!
In a sense time has gone pretty quickly... I've adapted to my routine (which is pretty much a whole lot of nothing lol) and well its gone ok so far.

Someone asked me what the difference in what I expected before I got here and what life here is actually like... I told them I dont have a clue lol.
Before I got here, I wasnt really sure what to expect! I didnt know - I guess maybe I thought it would be this quiant little village where the people were friendly and the cows roamed free. LOL. I dont know! Well, Vientiane is ... short. Thats about the only way to put it. There are tons of people here but when you look out across the city - its short! No buildings. The tallest thing here is a Stupa and by law you cant build any taller than it, so everything remains under 5 stories. The people arent as friendly as I thought they would be... the only thing I was right about is the cow roaming... lol.
I've learned a bit, taken some notes... realized alot of the things I have taken for granted.
Things here are very slow paced, they call it Lao PDR (people dont rush or run) and its SO true! If something gets done its time for a party and another day off.
Its interesting - and very different. Its a beautiful place for a vacation and it makes me feel like I am on South Pacific (the movie) sometimes...
The Mekong is in my back yard and the sun sets directly through my bedroom window - its beautiful, it really is. Like something from a dream...
Sometimes I feel like I am in a dream and that I need to get back to the real world.
Anyway this is just an "I made it, I'm still here... " post.

I miss home, and I miss the people that I love - I think of all of you and pray you are safe and doing well :)

Peace and chicken grease (eww!)

Meg

If you know me....

... you know I have this obscene fear of doctors and dentists (totally not a joke!). So, yesterday we went to Udon (Thailand) so I could go to the dentist, I have to get a crown for one of my teeth... well while sitting in the lobby I started watching what was on TV it was some kind of horror movie and in this movie it has a scene where someone grabs the girl and starts viciously pulling her teeth out of her head... ironic and very disturbing thing to see at a dentists office. Me, having the overactive imagination that I do decided that maybe that video wasnt really on TV but was leading to one of the back rooms... he he. You get the point. VERY disturbing lol.

Anyway I havent really been up to much - just living, thats about all I do :)

la comparaison est facilement faite quand vous avez eu un goût de la perfection...

"...Je sais juste pourquoi vous ne pourriez pas venir avec moi que ce n'était pas votre rêve mais vous ai toujours cru en moi. Je veux venir à la maison, je suis juste à loin d'où vous êtes… Je reviens à la maison"

Hello everyone!
Things here have been very slow and boring the last few days. My uncle is home this weekend for the first time in two weeks, which is good. He is on some medication for his condition - but other than that he is seemingly alright.
Timmy has spent the last few days as "Iron Man", we made him a costume out of paper, trust me its beautiful lol.

I've been working on my piano skills - not that they are that great (which is why I am working on them ha) I think I am getting a little better. I have the option to take lessons but the woman here is from Vietnam and doesnt speak or understand English.

One of my favorite people here, Simanie (or Tu Fie), is trying to teach me a little bit - she is the cook and has taught me some tricks etc... I like her, she is alot of fun. I like people who laugh alot- and tho she is laughing at me most of the time at least she is laughing :)


This past week has been cool, it actually rained quite a bit yesterday - which I hear is out of the norm because its supposed to be the hot season. Oh well, I didnt mind it one bit! I spent most of the day looking out the window... :)

The electricity here at the house is faulty which isnt fun! Its ok when it goes off during the day but its a real pain in the neck when it goes out at night while we are trying to do homework etc... its then that I become the play toy lol.

Anyway I just wanted to update really quick, nothing really new to note.
Hope everyone is enjoying the transition into spring!

Here I am, and I stand so tall just the way I'm supposed to be....

Hello!

Just another boring old update... HA HA.

Today I went to Udon Thani Thailand, mostly just a shopping trip. Last time I was in Udon I saw a man taking a giant dump on a wall... interesting, sick and yet, very true story. LOL. Today, no such luck ha ha.

I've been doing as much as I can to keep myself busy and entertained - tho life here is so slow I am completely bored most of the time.

Last night Soukanh took us to a little Italian restaurant, it was pretty good... I ate mussels which were freakin fantabulous! I have never liked them, but I really enjoyed them this time around (maybe I am maturing in my taste... or maybe they were just more appealing than bugs lol). But overall it was pretty ok ( I do miss me some OG tho!)

I want to give a shout out to Gabe who has been keeping me entertained, constantly reminding me of the things I dont have *sigh* Taco bell and Jaeger - so not cool ;)JK, I appreciate you talking to me tho! For real!

I have talked to a few people from home this week, which is pretty stinkin awesome! :)
I also got myself a Thai phone number (its cheaper to call the US from that than the Lao one) I am pretty excited about that.

Yesterday Anakin told his dad I was a pretty good nanny - that made me feel pretty good, like maybe I was accomplishing what I came here for.
I bought the boys gifts today when we were in Thailand - Anakin a rubics cube (is that how you spell that?) and Timmy a coloring book and a puzzle. Kin likes his so far, I want to see just how far that mind of his can stretch. And Timmy is passed out so he hasnt gotten his yet.
I like them (most of the time lol)
They both have their own personalities and most of the time they fight like crazy! But when they are brothers they really do stick together... most of the time when they are agreeing with each other they are disagreeing with me lol.

So we booked flights etc for Hong Kong!! YAY! I am super stoked about that trip! There is a slight chance that it may fall through - but I am really hoping it happens!

I have been doing pretty good at studying, which is a surprise to myself because I NEVER studied my whole grade school/high school/college career. LOL Sad but true.
I am pretty proud of myself... its interesting finding out what I know about things tho - I may end up being smarter than I thought lol.

I've decided I am going to record some music... I dont know if I am going to do it here or when I get back to the US but I have written a few songs, and am working on some others and I think that it would be good to do something like that for myself.

Anyway thats todays update. Hope everyone is doing stinkin AWESOME!

Happy Birthday Momma!!

Today is my momma's birthday! She is one of the most incredible people I know (hello she raised me.. and 7 other kids!) LOVE HER!

Anyway today has been another lazy day. This whole week has been lazy! I cant wait till the boys get back in school (is that bad??). Its been fun most of the time but they are wearing me down.
We went down to the beach again yesterday and the water levels had risen which I guess is a good thing. We were supposed to be hunting eggs but the egg hunt turned into a throwing wet sand at Megan game... which was SO much fun. HA, its not fair when there are 4 boys against me. *sigh* But it was kinda fun.

Timmy decided his favorite movie is "Nacho Libre" - he has literally watched it 6x in the last 2 days. I totally forgot that when a 4yr old likes something they repeat it over and over and.... yeah. Its alright tho.
He always trys to find movies in English so I can watch them too which is nice - it dosnt always happen that way, but its ok.

I am down to my goal weight of 115 but I am still working on toning up etc... I've been "up in the gym just workin on my fitness" he he

Last night was SUPER windy - I havent heard wind like that since I lived in Kansas, crazy stuff! It kept me up most of the night.
We were supposed to go to Udon Thani Thailand today to pick up my uncle and go shopping (you cant really buy anything in Laos, we live in the capitol city and you still cant find anything) but my uncle spent the night in the hospital, its the third time in less than two weeks that he has been in the ER, keep him in your thoughts if you will.

Tonight Soukanh, Tui and I are supposed to go out to a new pub thats opening. Should be fun I think.

Next month is the Lao New Year, for 4 or 5 days people run around splashing water on each other and on statues of Buddha- I hear its supposed to be fun. We might go to Hong Kong during that time tho, which would be great!

Anyway, Timmy is down for his nap and I think my bed is calling my name as well. :)

Live food!!!




Lazy day on the Mekong....

Back in the saddle again....

Hello again!
I am going to try to be better about updating (ha ha, yeah right)

The boys have been out of school for the last 5 days or so (and will be till the end of the week), its been different- but I think we are bonding a little better.

Monday Soukanh took all of us to eat on the Mekong river, they have these individual restaurant/boat things that you can eat on while you fish and float down the Mekong - pretty cool if you ask me. The menu was, lets just say... less than desirable! For the app there were fried slugs with lemon grass and leaves, yes I know I have eaten them before but there is a difference between eating them as food and trying something crazy just to say you did it. After that they brought out the main dish - live shrimps. They had to cover the plate so the little guys wouldnt get everywhere. I have a video (I will post it soon) of everyone eating them while they are squirming. I just cant handle the idea of live food - sorry not my thing.
We had a good relaxing float down the river - then came back to the house.
Simanie (she is the cook) LOVES to see me freak out about things that people eat so she went to the market and got some ant larve and cooked that for dinner. My adventurous side has diminished since I was sick last week (not sure what I ate but it didnt agree with me) so I did not try the ant larve- tho I was told by everyone it was super delicious.

I have gone swimming in the Mekong 2x this week, it is directly behind the house so we just walk down to the beach. Since its the dry season the water is very low so its easy to keep track of the boys which is good. Its kinda cool to watch the sunset over the water - the last two nights have been absolutely beautiful!

My attempt at learning Lao has been amusing for everyone. I tend to twist the words somehow and make everything perverse, I dont even know what I am saying - but they tell me... and laugh at me. Its interesting. HA.

My uncle got me a bunch of books so I could study while I am here, the plan is to go to school when I get back to the states so I kind of need to review since I havent been in school in years!

Last week I was sick like I said earlier- I was also a little in the dumps.
My gramps left early last week and I guess maybe I was feeling VERY alone - its tougher than I thought being the only one over the age of 10 who speaks English. My uncle is rarely here so I really dont have many people. This is going to be a test for me, of that I am certian.

Anyway I am going to sign off here. Hope everyone at home is doing well!