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Eli Blue Abbott

That’s our new sons name.  He was born on September 8th at 1:30 in the morning.  He is strong and healthy and weighed in at about 7.5 pounds.  Because of his size a caesarean was necessary.  Prang just couldn’t manage to get him out by her self.  She is doing well and is back home after three days in the hospital.  I am adjusting to this new change in my life and I’m not sure if it has completely hit me yet.

I am having driver problems with my computer.  So everyone is going to have to wait on the pictures.  I’m hoping it’s just my memory card and not my camera.  But don’t worry I will get some up soon enough.

July 27th

These are just a few of the really good photos our friend Kevin LJ took for us when up in the village.  Click here to see all of them.  We also did some video of rice planing and of the rice mill.  We took up about ten gallons of some organic fertilizer that I have been making for them to use on their rice crops.  It’s still in the experimental process but I am learning heaps all the time.  I’m still keeping busy with Im Jai House and mentoring teenagers.  We’ve gotten lots of new landscaping work in the last month and it’s keeping me and the boys busy.  We also have a new member in our house.

His name is Tinglee.  He is 17 years old who we originally knew from Im Jai House.  Though he hasn’t been living there for a few years I have still been mentoring him.  He has ben with us for at least a month now and is adjusting well.  He grew up with Park who already lives with us.  They both go to a dramatic arts school.  He is a very talented musician and is studying the violin.  He is on my soccer team and also works the landscaping business with me.  A very smart, talented and hard working teenager.  We are pleased to have him apart of our family.

Back Home

We’ve been back for more than two weeks now.  So this post is by far over due.  Especially since I didn’t write one post while I was in the States. 

We had an extended trip of two months.  Upon arrival at LAX, Immigration granted  Prang a six month visa instead of a one month which is what we thought we were going to get.  Next time she applies for a visa she will be given a ten year, multiple entry visa.  The thing is that may not happen.  Prang is very content with being in Thailand and was glad she visited but has no real desire to go back.  This is here home.  As is it mine now too.

I have been busy since the day I got back.  Organizing and running a soccer tournament at Im Jai House, re-newing my visa, building an area for raising chickens, catching up loose ends on the landscaping service, hanging out with teenage boys, laying pavers under our car park, and of course trying my hardest to get 18 guys together to practice soccer before our tournament begins.  Everyone wants to play but no one wants to practice.

We are planning a trip to the mountains here soon.  We will visit family, hang out with friends in the church, check up on the rice mill, help plant rice and I will hopefully be bringing some natural fertilizer that I am going to be making here next week with a friend.  I am trying to perfect how to make it so I can teach people in the village how to do it themselves.  For now I am still in the learning process. 

So though I don’t have a real concrete, day to day job.  I still can’t seem to find enough time in the day to do all the things I want.  Writing on this blog is one of them.  It’s the one that gets put at the end of the list.  I want to try harder and update this thing on a more regular basis.  For those of you who care, just keep nagging me by leaving comments about how boring it is to keep seeing the same old thing all the time. 

Just as I am about to send this I just got some knew news.  Prang and I have been asked to take in the other four teenage orphan boys that I mentor.  Where they are staying wont be available to them any more and they may not have any where else to go.  So as of now we are just talking and praying about it.  Prang and I both have a long history with them and know them all very well.  It will just be a lot all at once.  We aren’t worried about space or money or anything other than can we take them all on at one time.  Be praying for us.  I think we may have until the end of the month.

Click here or go to my “photo gallery” link to see some pictures of our time in America.

Going to America

Most everyone should already know that Prang, Abigail and I will be going to the States.  Yes, Prang finally got her visa after three tries.  We will be arriving into LAX on Monday, March 23.  Which is today.  Actually we will be leaving for the Chiang Mai Air Port in an hour.  That means I need to get something to eat now.  We will be in San Diego from the 23rd through April 1st.  Then we will drive to Arizona and visit family for two weeks and then be back in San Diego from April 15th through April 22nd.  It will be a short four week trip but thats all the Consulate here in Chiang Mai would give her.  Actually we don’t even know what date she will have to leave the States until she passes through Immigration in LAX and they stamp her visa.  It will be weird as Abby and me go through the American line and have to wait for Prang on the other side will she goes through Immigration.  On the way back to Thailand it will be the same thing for me.  Abby gets free passage both wats as she is a dual citizen.  It would be nice if Prang and I were too.  Anyways I hope we have enough time to visit with everyone and if not than you will just have to fly out to Thailand to visit us.  And if there is anyone in San Diego who would like to loan us a car that would be awesome.  Then we could be free to go and see everyone and everything we want.  See everyone soon.

Burmese Teak Wood

This past weekend we took a trip up to the village.  Baan and Lu who are staying with us while Adam and Cindy are gone went with us along with Wayland, Prangs two brothers, Prangs mom and another friend. Total we had ten people plus the top of the truck brimming over. We had so much stuff I had install another rack on the truck. It was very rainny and muddy and we had to use four wheel drive to get in. This always makes us feel gratefull for buying a four wheel drive. Plus I think it’s fun. We went not just to see the fam and the church but also to wire our friends new house. A very nice wood house made completely from teak wood from Burma. Very nice hard teak wood that can probably last for some twenty years plus. On another note. This week we should have everything put together for Prangs visa and we can then go in for an interview sometime this next week. So we should know soon if we will be coming to the states or not. We are planning for October 9th. We’ll keep everyone posted.  Clik here or just go to the Most Recent Photos link to the left to see more pics.

Rice Planting

We went and helped out a couple of Faith Full Heart homes just north of Chiang Mai plant rice.  We took along the boys living with us as well as a couple of Adam and Cindy’s kids.  We had fun playing in the mud and water as well as cathing crabs, shrimp, fish and snails.  That night when we went home Prang cooked up the crabs for dinner.  We ate so much we got sick.  I think we have all had enough crab for now.  Click here or go to the photos link to see more pictures.