Scenic Route

I do believe the last statistic I read was that Spokane has received 53+ inches of snow during the month of December! I believe it! Isn't it amazing? ...and yes, beautiful. I have been able to take a good walk almost every day and snapped these pictures

I've been blessed to spend Christmas 2008 in Spokane, WA--USA!! (Thanks to the generousity of Randy :) After flying halfway around the world, I met up with my sister, Carol, in the Seattle airport where we both came to a complete halt due to weather and canceled flights. Long story short, we made it (with a lot of Divine Intervention--thank you to all who were praying :) The pictures capture the Joy & Chaos of our visit so far--we had a full hearth of stockings!

Sawadee is the meet 'n greet phrase in Thailand and is always accompanied by folded hands and a bow. I thought it would be interesting to have a cultural exchange of airline attendants; say, do a secret switch of a crew of Asian flight attendants (who always smile and speak softly--oh, and are gorgeous) with a crew of North American ones. Hmm. Neither would know what hit them. Anyway... For those of you in the deep freeze back in the US, thought you might like a glimpse of our time out last week :) This time we went to Phuket Island in Thailand; a little piece of heaven! We left Mongolia at -25 F and basked in Phuket's 85-90's. Ahh...The beach was pristine (the picture of our feet is in the ocean, not the pool!) and the resort stunning--we had a private patio with an outdoor shower (yes, we had one inside, too)--all for less than the average Best Western back in US. I think Randy's smile says it all, don't you? Oh, and the brushes below are hawked to beach sl...

Look to the Lord and His strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done. Ps 105:4-5 I love Thanksgiving. No gifts, no hype; just family, friends, and lots of good food. Here in Mongolia friends are extra precious as family is so far away. We don't take clean water, hot water, electricity or internet for granted either. So today I would like to offer the sweet offering of Thanksgiving for all of the above and for all of the below, too. (Except for the last picture--I am thankful that I do not have to buy my meat from the back of a SUV, even if my meat started out there :) Friends Hubby (and pumpkin cheesecake!) Church family news from home :) Yuk Thanksgiving is a time of quiet reflection upon the past and an annual reminder that God has, again, been ever so faithful. The solid and simple things of life are brought into clear focus, so much so that everything else fades into insignificance . Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life Chuck Swindoll

Today I went to the grand opening of the New Life Quilting Centre here in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Selenge (in picture #2) began this work 5 years ago in an effort to help Mongolian women find a creative outlet for relaxation as well as create community for them. Selenge, as a single mom herself, has also tried to help other single moms earn income (and self-respect) through the art of quilting. From humble beginnings in a yukky basement apartment (where the toilets above would often overflow into the Centre's space) to this wonderful new location, the Centre is a success in every way. The day drew a good crowd of foreign as well as local women--and TV cameras! I think the pictures speak for themselves! Below is the the Centre's workshop--looks like one of Santa's, eh? A better woman would have left her own stuff out...but not me! It's been so long since I shared my stuff, I cannot resist. Here are just a few of the projects I worked on in the past few months, several ...