thefreunds.life

We're back and getting settled in the US of A. It's challenging as expected, intermingled with the joys of being reunited with dear friends and family while missing our Thai community and way of life.

Now that we have arrived home safely to the Midwest, here's an overview of our time in Australia, highlighted by our time with our friends - and their parents - who generously hosted over the course of several weeks. We were sad to leave... but of course quickly surrounded by the love of our family and friends stateside.

I wrote this blog 10 days ago, while we were still in Indonesia. We are fully into our Australian section of the trip, but I'll wait to share those stories in a future blog. Here's the remainder of our time in Indonesia... Enjoy!

There is so much ground to cover. Let's see if I can give an overview yet capture some of the moments of the past couple of weeks.

Some photos and a blog that was in the making for the while, while we're based on the islands of Indonesia.

The final days are upon us, full of massages given, trips with the outreach team, and thankfully, some quiet, intentional moments to try to prepare for our departure. Thanks for joining us on this journey. I can't believe that this will be my last blog post while physically being in Thailand. I plan to blog as we travel and transition home, but this is the final sign-off from Thailand. How bizarre.

Less than two weeks to go before we head out for travel and eventually Chicago, I share about my last outing with the Outreach team and more.

A review of the impending changes and how I'm handling it. An excursion and a peek into everyday community living.

A flurry of remaining Christmas parties, a quick getaway trip, and now we're back to everyday volunteer life. Read on...

The lead up to Christmas continues, and we get a few more Christmas parties on our belt, and a few more tired volunteers.

This is a special time of year, and it is especially so for this community. We are wrapped up in the thick of it, and I share all that we have been up to this past week.

We celebrate John's birthday in a few different ways, and Hands of Hope had their annual design workshop.

A review of the coming's and going's this week.

A short blog, highlighting a few patients outside of our everyday.

An exciting week with a holiday, and some of the everyday sprinkled in, too.

Zoom into life about me and zoom out to life back home, too. 

This blog will be posted in the coming month for GSV as well. I think the title shares enough of the subject, although the death was not recent, and I share the joy of her life as well.

Finally, a blog that has a little more joy in it. Read on to hear more about our coming's and going's in recent weeks.

The sky is crying in Thailand. Find out why, and other updates from our week. Disclaimer: I wrote this blog a week ago, so imagine it was a week ago & it will feel more current.

Yay - a blog posted in more frequency than the recent usual. I share about how I'm balancing time for our remaining months - or rather, how I don't sometimes. And a few other updates & glimpses.

A few thoughts on living more simply and some 'newsy' updates.

Another potential blog title was: In gratitude. For all of our friends and family back home. How I enjoyed the time stateside, which I attempt to share about in this blog.

A few thoughts on reflection and self-care after our first full week in Nongkhai. I'm trying to give myself some time for my 'spirit to catch up with me' (Isn't that a lovely phrase that someone shared with us a year ago?). 

A reflection of the past year and what I have learned so far.

I'm preparing to go home, to leave this community for a few weeks, and continuing to reflect on the past 11 months in Thailand.

What I am looking forward to and preparing for in the coming month or two (or as close as the weekend), a memorial at Hands of Hope, and letting go of control - all that and more in this week's blog.

A review of the week in the midst of the rainy season, with some highs & lows - and a few photos from our outing with the patients.

It's a quick review of the past week, as we continue to process the change of the new building.

I share about some of the books I have read this week, a brief review of my week, and guess what? Some photos of the sky, but if that's not your thing, there are some other photos too.

Volunteers past come for a visit, interspersed with the new building opening - that's the news the past two weeks.