Hair Cuts

This is our last week with with our car and we are getting on the plane in 22 days...so I was trying to be productive this week. On Tuesday I took the kids to get there hair cut for the last time in Singapore....or at least it's Kayla's last time...Elijah's  might need to be cut one more time...we'll wait and see. We have taken them to The Little Red Dot the whole time we have been in Singapore and have always had good results...the kids love it because they ALWAYS get a sucker when they are finished ;) It used to be named Fantastic Sam's and I had gotten the recommendation from a friend in Nairobi who lived in Singapore before she lived in Nairobi (it really is a small world!!). The kids stylists have changed over the years...but it's been nice going to the same location, because they always know what to expect.

Today I went and got my hair cut for the last time in Singapore. You can always tell when I get my hair cut because it is the only time it is straight!!! I have gone to the same stylist for the 3 years we've been here and I really like her! Her name is Angie at Janzten Salon at Centrepoint Mall. I tell her what I want and she does it. If I'm not sure what I want then she makes suggestions. She is very quick, I am in and out in an hour...but she spends at least 30-40 minutes just drying my hair straight! She is always making comments that make me laugh...today she told me she was making my hair big and sexy! So funny! If she thinks this is big then she should have seen my hair in high school :) Angie was also recommended from my friend in Nairobi...hopefully I can pass her name on to other people. I am thankful that I've been able to have the same stylist and that she's not moved on to another location!

Hard Rock Cafe

On Sunday, we took our "last" trip to Hard Rock Cafe'. This has been one of our favorite places to eat while in Singapore...but one of our most expensive options, so we don't eat there very often.

Here are some pictures from our first two trips to Hard Rock in November 2008 and January 2009:

I tried to make the pictures bigger, but then they were too fuzzy. Haven't the kids grown so much???

Pictures from our last trip to Hard Rock Cafe'. Sunday, November 20, 2011:

Trying on Hats...having fun...

Decided not to buy the hats...but we enjoyed our food and our time at  Hard Rock :)

"Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." Psalm 107:8-9

Temporary Quarters

Welcome to our new home...Great World City serviced apartments...
Come in, take a load off, can I get you a cup of coffee? No? Well, let the tour begin....

When you step into the apartment you step into the dining area, to your immediate left is the office area and to your right is the living room. Ignore the mess, we hadn't quite settled in yet when I took the pictures.

This is the master bedroom, it has a chair with an Ottoman and a TV in the room. Kayla is headed to check out the master bathroom.

The TV is situated on the vanity...please ignore the suitcase sitting in front of it.

The office area...which is currently our school area.Also the office area.

The kitchen...the kids are making sure we brought all our food from Regency Park ;)

Elijah's room, which is now Kayla's room. Yep, we've been here 6 days and they've already changed rooms :)

Kayla's room which is now Elijah's room.

The living room, yep, that's my Yankee Candle burning on the table...trying to make it look and smell like home!

The TV cabinet in the living room...Kayla and Elijah's rooms are right next to it.

Just another view, the doorway leads to the guest bathroom and the opposite that the kitchen.

Elijah playing on the playground.

Kayla and Elijah playing.

The small washer and dryer...

The inside of the washer!!

The inside of the dryer...twice the size of the washer.

Where you put the detergent...can you figure out which whole it goes in??

The top of the washer.

And...the top of the dryer...it's so fun trying to learn how to use all the new gadgets ;)
I am thankful that we are staying in a place that is so easy to be in. The housekeeper comes in three days a week to clean, change sheets and towels etc...our apartment is attached to a mall, we can get pretty much anything we need there...which will come in handy very soon. We have sold our car and will be car-less starting Monday...so, it is very convenient that we are attached to the mall.

Our temporary home

Yesterday we set up our Christmas tree.

It doesn't matter that it's 90 degrees outside and doesn't feel like Christmas.

It doesn't matter that it was only November 19.
It doesn't matter that it's the smallest Christmas tree ever.

It doesn't matter that we are in temporary housing.
It doesn't matter that we won't be here for Christmas.
What matters is making the most of our situation and making this "temporary house" our home, for as long as we are here.
That reminds me of Carrie Underwood's song "Temporary Home:"
"This is my temporary home
It's not where I belong.
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through.
This is just a stop, on the way to where I'm going.
I'm not afraid because I know this is my
Temporary Home."

This is our temporary home, just a stop to where we are going...the only thing I am sure of, is that our final destination is Heaven.
I plan to enjoy my time here...making the most of every opportunity...with the candles burning and the Christmas music blaring from my little MP3 player, we decorated for Christmas and had so much fun!

"Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.'" John 14:23

We've moved

This has been a very crazy, busy week!
We have packed up 8 suitcases, 5 backpacks, 700 pounds of air freight and about 7000 pounds of sea shipment! Most of that stuff?? Books :)
I am praising God that everything went smoothly.
We are now mostly settled in our temporary housing or as Kayla said "temporary headquarters!"
We are working on making it home for the 27 days we have left in Singapore.
The kids are excited about being back in Great World City.
I am excited about having a house keeper come in 3 days a week to wash the dishes, vaccuum, mop etc...the only things I have to do? Take care of the kids, school, the laundry and making sure we all eat! I can do it!!!

I will enter His gates with Thanksgiving in my heart!

One of the books I am currently reading is One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It's a pretty deep, philosophical book, you can't just sit and read it...you have to take time to ponder and let the words soak in. I am really thankful for my new friend Andrea, for giving me this book. With everything going on it's been a while since I've been able to run out and shop for books :)
Anyway, I have started my own list of 1000...I'm no where near a thousand, but I am practicing having a thankful heart and finding God in the small moments.

With Thanksgiving being just next week, I want to take a moment to list a few of the things that I am truly thankful for (not necessarily in this order!):

Andrea, for giving me this amazing book!

Jennifer, for giving me another amazing book: Jesus Calling a devotional book.

My husband Matt...because he is an answer to prayer, he loves me with his whole heart, he treats me like a queen, he takes time to care for our children, he spends quality time with our children and he loves them! He packs for me when I can't do it myself, he helps around the house, he helps me keep perspective...When we went to the zoo on Friday, he made sure we all had a great time, making us laugh in these very stressful days...

Kayla, my first born, who loves with her whole heart. She is quick to say "I love you" and quick to obey. She can laugh at herself and is learning to be more independent.

Elijah, my second born, can give the tightest hugs and always makes us laugh. He's not quick to say  "I love you" but he's quick to show that he does. You never know what he is going to say, but it's always interesting ;)

Beautiful sunsets, because they remind me that no matter how bad this day was, tomorrow is a new day, we get to start over, fresh...a new beginning.

Morning cuddles...

RECESS...

Email...

The computer...

Answers to prayer...

Dr. Pepper...

A pool...

Vonage phone...keeps me connected to family and friends in the states...

Internet...so I can get email and use vonage!!!

Bible Study....

IBC Church...

Family...

ALL my friends...near and far...

Matt's job...

Children's laughter...

God. I don't know how people look at creation...the sunsets, the sunrises, the mountains etc and not believe in God...but I do.

I thank Him for all these gifts and so much more.

I am blessed beyond measure.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I'm not perfect, nor do I try to be. But, I am trying to be joyful always, finding God in all things, praying as much as I can, and trying to give thanks in ALL things, not just the good things. I am a work in progress :)