Our little vacation to Kenting

Earlier this month, Abbey had a week off for fall break. So, since we didn't have time for a break during the summer, we went on vacation! A typhoon tried to muddle with our plans, but we were not scared! The first couple of days were spent in Tainan at Ye-ye and Nai-nai's house and the following two and a half spent in Kenting at the beach. We splashed, we played, we had the beach to ourselves, we ate too much Thai food, and it was great. I tried to remember to take pictures, but well, it turns out that may not be my calling! Hope you enjoy the ones I did remember to take!

VBS 2009

Okay, I know we did this back in July, but I am a little behind in catching you all up to date. Someone had shared all of their pictures from VBS with me, but they also shared a virus that crashed my computer. We had to restore our computer back to the way it was when we brought it home from the store, thus losing every last one of our pictures. I did have these still on the memory card in my camera, I am just sorry that I do not have more of the kids. Oh well, on with the show!

Ethan- Salami Boy

On our last trip to Costco, we splurged on Salami. (Here in Taiwan, it seems that they value it as gold. At least that is the impression I get from the price.) Well, Ethan loves salami and I have to ration him out or it would all be gone in one day. The other day he ate what I gave him and still wanted more. So, he meandered into the kitchen and said, "I can't tell you how much I like salami. I like salami TOO much." And yes, he did score more salami for being cute.

Why all the bridge hate, you ask?

Okay, when Chris heard my last post (sometimes I make him listen to them!), he focused mainly on the fact that I was practicing bridge hate. I told him that it isn't all bridges, but just that one. Here is a snippet of that conversation:

C: "Why that bridge?"

M: "Because it is so long and there is a hump in the middle and you can't see the other side."

C: "It's not that long and besides, the one in Louisiana is longer. Do you hate it?"

M: "No, because that one is flat. When I was a kid, I was at someones house and they had a TV. There was some movie on and the only part I saw was the collapsed bridge and cars driving over the hump and flying out into the air. I was always afraid that the bridge was going to be out and because like three people a day drive the Natchez, I was going to be the first to discover that it was out."

(At this point, Chris is scowling and I am imagining my car flying out into thin air.)

And so you have it. That is why I hate that bridge. Logical? Maybe not. But fears rarely are logical in nature.

Later that night, I was thinking about that bridge and realized that there was a spiritual lesson to be learned from it. You see, I was on one side and really wanted to be on the other side. But the bridge had to be crossed. Once on the bridge, I couldn't see the other side, but had to trust that the other side was still there and trust God that the bridge was going to get me there. Sometimes when God ask us to do something, we have to leave a place where we are comfortable to get there. We really want to do what God is asking, but the uncertainty of the bridge scares us. The other side is your success. But on the bridge, that is where you don't know if you will be a success or a failure. Are you going to make it or go flying off into thin air and crash into the water? But, you have to try. Yes, the bridge could have been out (obviously, it never was!), but I never would have gotten home by just sitting on the other side worrying about the bridge. And you will never be a success just sitting where it is comfortable and worrying about the risk.

Fall is in the air!

So, what do you think of my new look? I am feeling fallish so much that I just want to go out and buy pumpkins and mums and school supplies! And then use the three and make a wacky table arrangement. Here in Taiwan, it doesn't cool down as quickly as it does in the states during fall, but the days get a little shorter and the sun slants in that beguiling fall way and I love it! Why am I so addicted to this time of year? The crunch of leaves (only memories from the States, certain not an experience in the ever so lovely, but ever so green Taiwan), Apple pies, new clothes for school and the hint of a chill in the air just excites me. When I was in college and would head home for a visit, there was this one road that I always took. The little, winding Natchez Trace with its two lanes, 50mph speed limit (who was the drunk that decided on 50?) and gorgeous fall foliage. I can still see in my mind the trees meeting overhead and the afternoon sun peaking through the oranges and yellows and reds of dying leaves. If you live near the Natchez Trace in Northern Mississippi or Alabama, go take a drive. Take one for me and look at the leaves and relax. But when you get to that terminally long bridge near the Florence exit, turn around. I never liked that bridge.

Guess who has started school!

Last month, Abbey started school at Morrison, an American school here in Taiwan. We had originally thought that we would need to home school her, but at the last moment it became possible for her to go to Morrison. She is so excited and you know what, I am so excited for her. She is making new friends, learning to listen to someone other than her parents (which is a bit sketchy at times) and teasing the boys mercilessly! While I am a full supporter of Homeschooling and may still end up homeschooling my children, I am thankful for this opportunity. On a side note, I am also thankful for a clean house that stays that way pretty much all day.

Typhoon Update

Hello everyone! I have had some concerned calls (my parents) and concerned e-mails about how we are faring after the recent typhoon. I am happy to report that we are doing great and did not experience any flooding or mudslides or well, really anything. Here in Kaohsiung, a few trees blew over and we were housebound for about three days because of the rain, wind and basically everything being closed. Mom and Dad Bracken's house did flood on the first floor, but they were not home at the time and are safe and sound. Dad was able to move most of the furniture from the first floor to the second and save it from being ruined. There is a major road construction project on the main road out from their house and most of the people in their neighborhood think that mud was clogging the drainage ditches and caused the back-up of water. All of the people in our church and their houses are fine and we thank God for his protection. I have to honestly say that I had no idea that the typhoon caused so much damage until I saw the report on Yahoo. My dad did not appreciate me laughing off his concern, but it just struck me as funny that my dear father who lives on the gulf cost where a good hurricane can turn everything into toothpicks was worried about us as we sit here in our concrete building. Just think about it for a minute. But we are doing fine and I do appreciate people thinking about us. However, later, if you hear a loud, blood-curdling scream, it is just Abbey getting her booster shot before she goes into first grade. I will just apologize now for the noise.