I'm finally caught up on blogging to at least 2011. I did get side-tracked on a couple of posts, and I'm sure there will be a few more thrown in throughout 2011. But for now I'm back for a post about our life in our community.
We added some new items to our New Year's Eve party this year. Actually this time in 2009 I was home by myself so I'm sure everything we did was new to Pawn and Hope. We've never all rang in the New Year together. We started off with mixing our own sodas. Earlier in the month I had made homemade cream soda, but it seemed to be too expensive the way I did it. Thailand has flavored syrups for sale cheap, and the cream soda syrup is green. It's not like A&W or White Rock cream soda, but when it's all you have or care to pay for it's not too bad.
The homemade spring rolls from our neighbors have become something I look forward to. They gave them to us for the first time in 2009, and I hope it remains a tradition. Our neighbors are from the Isaan region, and whenever we miss our Vietnamese food in Mukdahan, we start hoping our neighbors bring over some spring rolls. These did not disappoint! Hope said she knew why we raved about them after she tasted them; we're all hooked. I do have a confession to make though. I had sent Pawn over with some Christmas cookies for them earlier in the week. I knew they usually had a big celebration for the New Year, and I thought they could share the cookies with their friends and family. Unlike my usual gift-giving self, I was secretly hoping for the spring rolls in return. I know it's not keeping with the true meaning of Christmas, but I struggled with it. Maybe I'll do better next time.
We wanted to play some Mexican train with Pawn. She really enjoys playing it, but she was a little on the cool side.
We spent part of New Year's Day with our neighbors down the street. Roger and Linda have been good friends for us. They've invited us to share lots of things with them. This year their whole family was together, and everyone had a good time. We got to experience some British traditions as well. Our world has certainly broadened since we've moved here and gotten involved with our community.
What a way to start off the first Sunday of 2011! We met together for worship and preaching, and I love this picture of Owen playing his guitar right beside his dad. Services were well attended, and everyone felt encouraged for 2011. Expecting great things from God!!!
We added some new items to our New Year's Eve party this year. Actually this time in 2009 I was home by myself so I'm sure everything we did was new to Pawn and Hope. We've never all rang in the New Year together. We started off with mixing our own sodas. Earlier in the month I had made homemade cream soda, but it seemed to be too expensive the way I did it. Thailand has flavored syrups for sale cheap, and the cream soda syrup is green. It's not like A&W or White Rock cream soda, but when it's all you have or care to pay for it's not too bad. 
The homemade spring rolls from our neighbors have become something I look forward to. They gave them to us for the first time in 2009, and I hope it remains a tradition. Our neighbors are from the Isaan region, and whenever we miss our Vietnamese food in Mukdahan, we start hoping our neighbors bring over some spring rolls. These did not disappoint! Hope said she knew why we raved about them after she tasted them; we're all hooked. I do have a confession to make though. I had sent Pawn over with some Christmas cookies for them earlier in the week. I knew they usually had a big celebration for the New Year, and I thought they could share the cookies with their friends and family. Unlike my usual gift-giving self, I was secretly hoping for the spring rolls in return. I know it's not keeping with the true meaning of Christmas, but I struggled with it. Maybe I'll do better next time.
We wanted to play some Mexican train with Pawn. She really enjoys playing it, but she was a little on the cool side. 
We spent part of New Year's Day with our neighbors down the street. Roger and Linda have been good friends for us. They've invited us to share lots of things with them. This year their whole family was together, and everyone had a good time. We got to experience some British traditions as well. Our world has certainly broadened since we've moved here and gotten involved with our community.
What a way to start off the first Sunday of 2011! We met together for worship and preaching, and I love this picture of Owen playing his guitar right beside his dad. Services were well attended, and everyone felt encouraged for 2011. Expecting great things from God!!!
