The Tomlinsons: When God works out all the tiny details just to prove he cares.

Day 76:

Today started out slow like any Saturday should. After eating a late breakfast I was checking my email and saw that one of our co-workers was coming through Chiang Mai because her dad has recently been put in hospice. I sent a quick email to ask if she needed anything. About an hour or so later she called to ask if I could print her itinerary and bring it to her at the airport. She was getting in around 2 pm, but her next flight wasn't until almost midnight. I offered to let her hang out at our place instead of the airport and I honestly feel so glad to be able to do something for once. I keep in touch through facebook, email, and voxer. Most of the time, when friends or family are going through hard times, I'm of little use because I'm so far away.

We tidied up a bit and I set up our guest room in case she wanted a nap or needed a shower. Then we headed out to get her stuff printed and picked her up. I was wanting to be an encouragement to her today, but she ended up being such a blessing to me as well! It was nice to get to visit with her. During dinner, she got a phone call, her dad passed away. My heart is aching for my friend right now. One of my biggest fears is being away from family during hard times and I know that at some point I will more than likely have to face that reality. It took everything within me not to buy a plane ticket and ride back to the states with her. Oh, how I wished I could go with her. Isn't it funny how God works and how his timing is so perfect. My friend told me that she was just realizing she'd need to get that paper printed and was trying to figure out to do it. Right at that moment my email reached her. I'm thinking about how I randomly made tortillas and chicken last night even though we are going out of town. It ended up being a quick, easy, yet presentable meal for company. I had no idea when I made all that food that I'd NEED it today, but God knew. He worked out all the tiny details. Thankfully my friend was here when she got the news about her dad and not killing time at the airport. I'm sure my words failed me and I'm sure I had nothing amazing to fix what she's going through, but I was able to give her hugs and pray with her. Tonight I've spent a lot more time doing that, praying. The next few days will be difficult for her, but I am praying that she will exude Christ. That she will have opportunities to share God's love in the midst of everything. As I was chatting with her this evening and we were discussing how hard things seem sometimes and how we feel we fail at the task at hand. I just kept thinking, "They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they'll know we are Christians by our love." I'd ask that you all would join with me to pray for her as she spends the next day and a half traveling, that she'd be overwhelmed by God's love and provision for her.

Kees eating a granola bar and explaining this "panyo" (piano)

Getting the stuff printed and paying our internet bill, I was bored.

The kids both took a great nap! I took a lot of random photos and then...

I called Doug, I had to take this picture because when I got my nails painted I told Doug how excited I was that my nails would be pretty for all our vacation pictures. He acted like my nails wouldn't be seen in any of the photos, so now it's my personal mission to prove him wrong, because he is already disproportionally right, and this time, I MUST win.

Yellow Song Taow

View at the airport. Until I die, this will always be my favorite view in the entire world. Nothing will ever compare (that I can think of). It took us quite a while to get to Thailand. Lots of sweat, tears, prayers, long nights, and hard work. God was so faithful and taught us so much through all of that. When we finally landed here, the first view of Thailand I saw was this one, and I cried. I felt like God answered so many prayers in that moment and I felt like even if God never did another thing for me, I'd die having seen Thailand and that was so much more than I could have asked for. So thankful, he has continued to widen my view and show me so much more of Thailand. But this view will always take me back to that rush of emotion that hit me when we were FINALLY here!

Helping Daddy drive.

After taking my friend to the airport, I came home put Kora to sleep, and then decided I might as well make Doug's birthday cake for tomorrow. Did I ever tell you about the time I made chocolate pudding that tasted like soap? That was last week. Kees didn't seem to mind the odd after taste so we just went with it. I'm guessing the cocoa was the culprit because my cake batter tasted off. I baked the cake anyway. And even if it's the yuckiest cake in the history of the world, it was made with love. It was a chance to make memories with my sweet boy. And I know Doug Tomlinson, and he is the most wonderful man in the world. He will love our crazy cake no matter what. He is unaffected by the chaos around him, which is nice because I'm pretty chaotic and Miss Kora is like a tiny tornado.

Late night cake making. Kees's input is always sprinkles.

He always wants to lick everything and almost can't stand to wait.

I wrote down Kees's thoughts: "I would like to come to your party, it's very yummy. We like to come to the master. (Kees's aside to me: Hee, hee that will be funny). (Then he repeated the part about the master and added, Mary) "We like to come to the master, Mary. To your batter gatter. See Bee. (Okay when he got to this point, I played along for a while and then I said, "you're just talking nonsense and I don't know how to spell all that, cause it's not real words, so he said....) Uh, flowers. We like your crown.