Currently Reading State of Fear By Michael Crichton see related

Dear friends and family,

It has been a long time since we have updated you.   Things have been quite busy around here since the birth of our little Layla and the end of school.  We are doing well though and would like to share a few highlights from our lives at this point.

Praise:  We are now credit card debt free!!!!!  We are so excited.  The Lord has finally allowed us to pay off our remaining credit card debt thanks to a generous gift and summer school income!  This is a huge burden lifted from our shoulders.  It has been a desire of ours to be debt free for years now and we are finally one step closer to that goal.  Now, we just need to finish off our school and house loans.  (Please pray with us that our current renters will want to buy our house at the end of this year’s lease.  They expressed interest in that possibility when they moved in.)

Stacy:  I am busy with my two girls, but enjoying them immensely.   When Layla stopped crying, due to the colic in the early months, she started smiling and she hasn’t stopped.  She is a lot of fun and Kylie is really growing into a great and loving older sister.  She wants to love on and play with her little sister all the time, but is still learning how to do that without hurting her.  I am trying to learn how to be a patient and loving mother and working on discipline and potty training.  These are the years I wish we had gotten that manual that should come with every child. 

I am also tutoring for the summer months and then will have to start working on my master’s degree in the fall.  Please pray for me as I am still working on finding the right school with the program I want and also figuring out financing.  I am hoping to find a program where I can take the six credits I need and then wait until I have a little more money and time to set aside to finish it.  (I have to have six credits of graduate work completed by September of 2009 in order to keep my certification, so I really have to take those first six credits.)  I have found a school that I think has all I am looking for, I just have to apply, and therefore be accepted, and make sure Ohio will accept credits from that university.  I am looking forward to working on this degree, though.  I am going to be working on a degree in Exceptional Education (aka Special Education).  This is an area that God has given me a burden for since High School.  I resisted majoring in it in College, but God placed me in a school for Special Learners any way and has also put me in a position to use my experience to help a few students here in Bangkok.  It is my desire to get my master’s in Exceptional Education and help ICS develop a program for those in their midst that need individual help.

George:  This summer I have been teaching summer school.  It has been an interesting experience because it only goes for half a day and I have my kids for 4 hours each day.  The cool thing is, that I have been able to do some activities that I don’t normally get to do during PE.  Last week we went bowling, and by the end of the week everyone had improved on their games.  My class only has 4 students so that makes it hard to teach team sports. 

Once summer school is done we are looking forward to some R&R and will be going down to the beach with some friends (the Haydens) for 5 days.  It will be nice to get out of Bangkok for that time and recharge for the new school year.

I am eagerly waiting for next soccer season because we have a pretty good team returning and should surprise some people.  But also, and more importantly, the relationships that are being built are priceless.  God has already allowed me to have an impact at least two of my players lives and seeing things that they have written to me has really touched me in ways I can’t express.  God has been good.  I was meeting with a student 3 times a week the second half of the school year and to see how God has softened his hard exterior and allowed him to open up to me has been truly a miracle.  Please pray for him as he doesn’t have a father figure in his life and, as I continue to work with him, pray that I will know what to say and how to help.

On a personal note, I am loving my family.  I have two beautiful daughters and a beautiful wife.  I love coming home and having Kylie come running up to me saying “Daddy, Daddy!!” and giving me a big hug.  Layla is growing up fast and will be crawling soon.  Kids certainly are a blessing.

Kylie:  I am a full fledged two and half year old.  I am becoming more and more independent and am learning to use the big potty, no more diapers for me! (Well except at nap and night time)  I like to help mommy cook and play with my little sister (I love to make her laugh).  I am also learning more and more words.   I like to surprise mommy and daddy with a new word or two every day, just to see them smile in surprise and complement my intelligence.  Mommy thinks I’m brilliant since I already know most of my ABC’s and can name one or more objects that start with that letter.  I love to sing the ABC song and there is a fun computer game that I play with the letters, too.  My two favorite letters are “E” for Elephant, because I LOVE elephants, especially when we pass one on the road, and “M” for monkey, because I like Curious George and remember the monkeys from Monkey Island (which we visited over Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma.  “Monkey . . . Here Monkey . . . .”  They wouldn’t come out for our banana’s even though we called and called.  We finally found them on the other side of the island.) 

I have also just learned to ride my tricycle, peddling the wheels all by myself, and am riding it everywhere.  I especially like to chase Toby with it.  It makes me laugh, though I’m not sure he finds it so funny.   I am really looking forward to having Daddy home for the next month and to my friends coming back in August.  All but one of my closest friends went to America for the summer.  I miss them terribly and ask mommy every day if we are going to see Simon, Asher and Noelle today.  She says Noelle will be back in about four weeks but we won’t see Simon and Asher for a long time because they went back to America to live.  That makes me sad but mommy says I will meet new friends when the new teachers come and there is always Kenna just down the street, and when Noelle comes back she will be living right around the corner.  That makes me excited because Kenna and Noelle are my best friends.  We will also be going to the beach with the Hayden girls.  I have been getting to know them better recently too!

Layla:  I am growing really fast, at least that’s what everyone tells me, but I’m pretty sure, that’s what I’m supposed to do.  I am almost sitting up on my own, I just get a little tipsy if I don’t have something to keep me from falling side ways, and I love to jump in my Jolly Jumper, which a good friend loaned us.  My favorite thing to do though is to smile and I do it almost constantly.  I really draw a lot of attention from the Thai’s.  Mommy sometimes gets frustrated because she can’t just walk through a store and get things accomplished as fast as she would like, sometimes she can’t even reach what she needs on the shelves, because I’m always stopping traffic.  Thai people like white skinned babies any way, but I really make them break out the cameras when I smile at them like I do.  Everywhere we walk you can hear, “Ahhhh, baby!! Ohhh, yim, yim, gang!!!”  (Yim means smile and gang means good in Thai.) 

Mommy says it won’t be long and I will be able to keep up with my big sister, but I can hardly wait.  When Kylie is out running in the yard I just can’t help but kick my legs like I’m running with her and giggling, which in turn makes her giggle, which also makes mommy giggle, and we all have fun.

Prayer:   We really need a car.  We are so thankful to our friends who have graciously allowed us to use their car while they are home on furlough.  But, when they return in August we will have to give it back and we are praying that God will miraculously bring in the money for us to buy a car of our own.  Yes, it is true that Taxi’s are available in Bangkok, but they are not reliable (we have had to wait over an hour for a taxi to arrive on more than one occasion and if it is raining, it’s not uncommon for them to say there are none available at all.), safe (most taxi drivers think they are driving for NASCAR and none of them have seat belts) or convenient (two kids, all their gear, groceries and one mom, hmm.), and therefore we are dreading the possibility of going back to that system of transportation.  Please pray with us that the money for a vehicle (the best we have found are between the price range of 6 to 10 thousand dollars) will come in.  We trust that God knows what is best for us and we are willing to wait for that, but if you feel God working in your heart to give toward this goal, please contact Debbie Jones at Shawnee Hills Baptist Church (debbie@shbcfamily.com) and she can give you donor information and forms.  Or you can call the church at 937-675-4121.

Thanks for all your prayers and support.

In His Hands,

The Webers in Thailand

Praises

Air conditioner:  As most of you know we have been praying for a new and bigger air conditioner for our home.  We have been wanting this so we could take down the partition separating the living and dining rooms to make a larger open area for our singles ministry.  We had talked to our Landlords about the possibility of getting a bigger air-con and about taking down the wall and they said it was fine and even offered to give us a free months rent if we did.  We appreciated the offer of a free month but when we were pricing units big enough for our space the free month would only cover about half and we didn’t have the other half, so we just kept praying that God would provide the other half.  Last month, our friends were moving to a new house and wanted to sell their big air conditioner.  We were so amazed at God’s provision, because what they were asking for there two year old air con was exactly what we pay a month in rent, so our month of free rent would cover the cost we would just have to pay to have it installed!  So, we now have the bigger unit in and the wall taken down.  We had our first singles get together with the new improvements last week and it was sooooo nice to have the larger unit to keep the room cool even during “Hot Season” and the extra space for people to spread out but not feel separated by the wall.  Conversations flowed through the entire downstairs area of the house.(0:

Car:  We are so excited to have a car.  It’s not permanent but it is a temporary answer to the car situation.  Some of our friends who are missionaries with YWAM are going home for a four month furlough and have offered us the use of their car while they are gone!!  Yeah!!!  They are even leaving a car seat with it and another friend is loaning us another seat, so both girls will have car seats.  Oh what freedom and safety we will enjoy, even if it is temporary.(0: 

Layla’s Colic:  Some of you know that Layla has had colic.  It has not been a struggle but we are happy to report that it seems to be getting better.  A couple of doses of Gripe Water a day and the elimination of dairy from my diet seem to be helping.  This last week she has only cried a few hours a day and has even given us some times of awake time filled with smiles and coos!  She still wants to be held a lot and therefore cries when she gets put down, but her big sister used to be the same way.(0:

Spring Break/Songkron:  This past week and half of this week to come has been Spring Break and this week Songkron which is a very big holiday throughout all of Asia.  It is a great time, it’s like a week long (really people celebrate for most of the month, but the official dates this year are April 12-16) water fight.  There are lots of water guns, hose fights and buckets of water being dumped on passers by.  Pretty much, if you don’t want to get wet, don’t go out.(0:  Most people go away for Songkron, but we decided to stay home and put our money into some home improvements we have been wanting to do.  Since we got the air conditioner there are two large areas that around the house that are missing paint, the locations of the former air-con and the wall we took down, so we are going to re-paint.  We also needed to get a bed for Kylie.  She has been sleeping on a queen size bed that was bought used for when we have company come through, but now that we need to fit a crib in the room for Layla, we need to downsize to fit both beds in the room.  So, Kylie has a brand new bunk bed to sleep in.  We are also hoping to get new curtains to replace the nasty seventies (Not a fun retro seventies, but a tacky, yellow and brown stripped pleated) style curtains that are here now. (They remind me of the yellow curtains that were in the church I grew up in.)  Kylie, Layla and I have really enjoyed having Daddy home for the week.  We are going to be sad when he has to go back to work, but are looking forward to summer, which will bring the visit of grandparents, a trip to Dolphin Bay, discovering new parts of Bangkok in our borrowed car and lots more quality time with Daddy.

Here are a couple of recent videos and pictures for your viewing enjoyment.  If you want to see more, you can go to the following links: http://www.facebook.com/video/?id=823303543, http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=823303543&ref=pb

fast

When Layla Jean Weber decided she was going to come meet this world, she did it in a hurry.  With Kylie I was in the hospital 19 hours before she was born, so I figured I would have plenty of time to get to the hospital with this one.  I had a friend that had her baby two weeks ago who was afraid she wouldn't make it if she had to wait on a Taxi so her husband signed out the school vehicle to have on standby for when she went into labor.  George thought that was a good idea and followed suit.  I was happy to not have to worry about a taxi, but didn't really think it was necessary.  As it turned out, it was a GOOOD thing he did.  From the time I first started feeling contractions, right around 11:00 Wed. night to the time she was born 2:26 AM Thursday morning was a total of 3 1/2 hours.  It can take 45 minutes or more to wait for a taxi and then it's at least 20 minutes to the hospital (that's going fast).  So, thank God, George did sign out the van and had it on hand AND that it happened in the middle of the night when we didn't have traffic to worry about.  We walked into the hospital aroun 1:00 and I was dialated to a 9.  I asked for an epidural because the contractions were coming so hard and so fast, so they hurried to get the anisthiseologist but told me there wouldn't really be time for a real epidural, just a block.  I was okay with anything that would help.  I was also informed my doctor would not be able to make it, she was too far away, so her on call doctor would be delivering for me.  Things went so fast, George barely made it up stairs after parking the van and they were preping me to push.  The doctor walked in, nodded his head and they started me pushing.  Three pushes later, Layla was here.  Whew!!!  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have a delivery that fast.  But, next time maybe I will be a little more prepared, and maybe not wait so long to head to the hospital.  (I was so afraid of doing what we did last time, which was go to the hospital and then be sent home. I didn't want to get people up to come watch Kylie if we were just going to be sent home, so I waited the recommended 1 hour to make sure contractions didn't stop.  Yeah, not a chance I don't think there was really even a break in contractions from the time they started to the time I delivered, there were peaks and lows, but no real end.) 

Layla . . . Doing well.  No Jaundice, she is the same blood type so, yeah! She weighed 3,390 grams (around 7.5 lbs) and was 51 cm (about 20 in.) long.  She is eating like a champ and other than her afternoon boughts with gas is sleeping well.  Last night she only woke up once between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM.

Kylie . . . is very proud of her new sister and wants very badly to play with her and talk with her.  She is learning how to be gentle and how to get close without being on top of her sister.  She is showing some mild signs of jealousy and the retesting of boundries to get some grasp at normality, but over all is doing well.

Stacy . . . also, doing well.  Physically healing MUCH better after this one than the first one. (It took a good couple of weeks to feel like walking very far after Kylie was born.)  Tired and a little sore, as to be expected and dealing with a few post partum mood swings, poor George, but over all feeling good. 

George . . . home for a week paternity leave and trying to remember all this little baby stuff.  He much prefers to deal with Kylie the familiar and far less fragile, but he is a good and proud new daddy and is enjoying being a dad again.

We have been out a few times already, church on Sunday, grocery shopping on Monday and the school and bank today.  We have been getting lots of disaproving looks, but oh well, we are used to that by now.(0:  (Thais are very superstitious and into their traditions, so when we let Kylie play in the rain, they all scold us and tell us she is going to get sick.  In this case, I and the baby should not leave the house for a month.  I should not wash my hair during that time, but should eat one chicken and sit in the steam room every day.  No, thanks, I like my American bred freedom.  Many of the Thai girls at the school said they had never seen a baby so young.)

Grandpa

For those of you who have been praying, my Grandfather passed away sometime early Monday morning.  Thankfully he is now truly home and we are all thankful for that.  Please continue to pray for my family and for me as we deal with the loss on our side.  Thank you for praying, the last thing I wanted was for his death to be drawn out and painful.  (To my family, I am there in heart and spirit, I know you know that, but it helps to say it.)

Sigh . . .

I am finally happily home with my feet up, trying to reduce the swelling in my feet from my day.  This has been an adventure day.  I had a doctor's appointment.  Doesn't seem like a very remarkable thing right??  Well . . .   Let's start with backing up to my last doctor's appointment.  After waiting for an hour and a half, I finally went up to check to see how much more time before I could get in to see the doctor.  I was told there were still seven other people a head of me waiting to get in.  Seeing as it was already after six o'clock and I had Kylie with me, I rescheduled the appointment for today.  This time deciding to leave Kylie behind with George. 

Today it rained in Bangkok, again, not incredibly news worthy, but the problem with rain in Bangkok when you don't own your own vehicle, is that the number of available taxi's reduces exponentially.  After two hours of calling three taxi companies, personally chasing down four taxi's and borrowing a friends car to get me at least to the school where Kylie and George could connect, I finally found a taxi that would take me downtown Bangkok at 4:00 PM (most of the taxi drivers looked down at their clocks and shook their heads when I asked for a ride).  Amazingly I arrived at my appointment only 10 minutes late . . . so I could sit and wait two hours to get in to my doctor.  During my fifteen minute appointment I found out everything is good.  The baby is healthy and the Doctor even took a few minutes to give me advice for helping Kylie adjust to the new baby.  (She is so sweet!)

Finally, around seven o'clock, I got my bill paid, picked up a sandwich for the road and headed down to the taxi stand.  As I added my name to the list for a taxi the guard says, "Just so you know there are about fifteen people a head of you."  "Okay," I think, "I'll sit here and eat my sandwich and then hopefully there will be a taxi available."  By the time I had finished my sandwich, (I didn't rush it by the way, I enjoyed the opportunity to eat with out the rush or distraction of Kylie.) only one of the fifteen people a head of me had been placed in a taxi.  I thought I heard something about an accident some where, so I decided to lump the wait and take matters into my own hands.  I asked for directions to the BTS (The "Sky Train" much like the ones in Chicago),  The guard looked at me in my nine months of pregnancy and says, "It's over 200 meters to the BTS, can you walk?"  I smile and nod yes, I'm a strong American woman, 200 meters is no big deal.(0:  So, I get directions and walk in the drizzling rain to the nearest BTS station, hoping that by getting at least most of the way home on the BTS, I can surely get a taxi from On Nut (The end of the line and closest station to our house) to Bangna easier than sitting there, waiting who knows how long for one at the hospital.  This little fifteen minute appointment had already taken four to five hours of my day in waiting time, it was time for action. 

So, feeling proud of myself that I was taking matters into my own hands and being independent, I got to On Nut and walk down to the street only to stair in dismay at the HUGE line for taxi's at the bottom of the station.  Forty five minutes later, I finally got a taxi and traveled the last 20 minutes home.  Good grief!!! 

I kept thinking, if I only had a car!!  I was thankful though, that I didn't have Kylie through the majority of the ordeal and for the sweet little Thai girl that shared her umbrella with me while we waited at On Nut for a taxi. 

Kylie is now in bed and George is enjoying his Super Bowl Party at a friend's house (The local cable station is replaying the game so all the ICS people who had to work during the live broadcast are over at the Ford's to watch the replay on cable.  Some how he managed to avoid finding out who won!  Amazing.)  And I, am sitting here with my feet up, thankful that I was able to talk my doctor out of the once a week visits and convince her to let me wait until the 18th instead.(0:  The good news . . . Hopefully I will only have one or two more visits and then I can go a year between these exciting adventures to the hospital. 

Sorry this is so long, I just thought some of you might find it interesting to spend a day rainy day in Bangkok.  It is so different than anything I ever encountered in the US.  I hope all of you are having wonderful days and enjoying the ease of living in the US, even if it is FREEZING!!

P.S. Update on my Grandfather.  He is conscious and able to recognize family members, but he still has blood on the brain and they don't expect him to ever go home.  He may make it into a nursing home, if he makes it that long, they just don't know.  The good news is though I doubt I will ever be able to see him again in person, especially if we don't go home for the summer, I will hopefully be able to give him a message over the phone for him to hear, even if he can't respond.  Thank you to those of you who are praying!