Living the Dream

In more ways than I can count, our life here is an adventure, unpredictable even at times. Thankfully, Baxter and I both thrive in this kind of environment, and have learned to appreciate and enjoy the random as well as the ridiculous.

This past week I had one of those experiences, that was not entirely random, but on some levels, pretty ridiculous. A good friend of mine and I went shopping, and while out and about she suggested we stop by to see her photographer husband who was doing a shoot nearby. This particular friend is tons of fun, and thrives on spontaneity. So we stop by this little make up shop where her husband is photographing this lovely young lady for an advertisement for the shop, when my friend suggests to the owner/make up artist that she practice on me - clearly, because I am a foreigner.

So next thing I know, not only am in the chair with all kinds of lotions, powders, and potions being applied to my face . . . but the owner asked if we could take some pictures of me! Now, you have to know, it is Baxter and I's not so secret ambition to be featured on advertisements here in our city. There is a brand of potato chips that has this red-headed American child dressed as an angel on their package (makes sense, right?), which led us to decide we could have no greater ambition for not only our future children but for ourselves as well.  If you are one of about 30 foreigners in a town of about half a million and you cause a stir most of the time anyways, why not go big? Billboards, sides of buses - we can only dream.

What I thought was going to be a few fun pictures of the local white girl, turned into a full on 3 hour photo shoot with three different "looks". Daytime, nighttime, and what Baxter and I named the alien/peacock look. It was actually tons of fun, and was a boost that I needed on that particular day. Below are some of the pictures, and yes, I have decided to include some of my personal favorites that understandably won't be used for the advertisements. But the last two she WILL be using, which is so funny to me. First stop, make up store wall . . . next stop - BILLBOARDS!!

I get a kick out of this one, because clearly, the pose is awkward. They painted my nails to match this wrap thingy I'm wearing that incidentally, you  can't see.

  

The oh-so-classic and yet entirely ridiculous, hide behind the leaf pose. 

Natural, right?

And these are the two that will be displayed in her shop. I decided to overlook some of the airbrushing, during which my cheeks were made to look a tad fuller, and a mole on my nose was cropped out. No hard feelings as long as it lands me at most a bus, and at least a bag of potato chips. Livin' the dream my friends!

Nine. Where do they go?

Well. I feel like I say this every month, but it's hard to believe that we recently passed the 9 month mark of living here. Absolute insanity if you ask me. There are days when I don't remember a life that wasn't full of noodles and street signs I can't read, and when our life in the States feels like some odd parallel universe.

Regardless, I can't remember any other season in my life where growth was so challenging and so simultaneously sweet. I recently helped throw a baby shower for two sweet mamas-to-be here, one of which is a friend and co-worker of ours who I've got to see at the various stages of her pregnancy. While oohing and ahhing over tiny baby clothes, and seeing their little ones rolling around in their bellies, I couldn't help but marvel at the unbelievable miracle God brings about in 9 short (says the one who is NOT pregnant!) months.

I got misty eyed thinking about all the ways God has pieced us together in a similar fashion as He has created life for us here. In the early months, we absolutely were the aliens on the screen . . . in very few ways representing what we were to become. And slowly, but so faithfully, God has breathed into us, giving us movement, voice, and growth so that we can survive here. I love thinking about how when babies are born, they are equipped with all that they need - hearts that beat in life and love, tiny eyes that increasingly understand the faces around them, vocal cords that give sound to their needs and cries . . . all of these things that He has been so faithful to place in us in our development here as well.

And yet, just like a newborn baby, our growth is far from over, our development far from done. But what I love about these nine months, is that the God who has nurtured and sustained us, will continue to do so. As our levels of need changes, He still is the source. He still is life. He rejoices with each step and toddle we make, and weeps with us when we skin our knees. He is such a gracious Father, and I am so grateful for these early months of seemingly unseen but necessary growth.

There was this one time . . .

That Team Bentley apparently went on vacation. It was so fast and wonderful that I've found myself wondering if it even happened . . . but according to pictures on my computer, it did, and it was fantastic. We spent a week walking every inch of Singapore, exploring and eating our way through Bali, learning the ins and outs of our friends new home in Indonesia, and talking through life from sun up to sun down. It was absolutely blissful.

Since an emotional goodbye and reentry into our corner of the world, life has been hectic to say the least. Thankfully, it has been a delightful kind of hectic, but the kind that has found me on the couch today with a cold and counting the remaining hours of daylight until an acceptable hour for bed time. I'll try and follow up with more details of life this past week, but for now, here's some pictures from one of our favorite vacations with some of our favorite friends.

Singapore skyline

Love this . . . love Bali . . .love them.

One of the Hindu temples we explored

Looking like goobers but proving to our mother's that we ARE careful when riding motorcycles all around paradise!

Delicious meal, delightful company!

If You Need Us . . .

We'll be meeting friends here . . .

Singapore!!

 Who live here . . . 

Would you hate me if I said we were also making a pit stop here?

Yeah, I would too.

Celebrating Seven

YEARS that is - since Mr. Bentley and I's first date . . . or the origin of Team Bentley. My dear, dear boy asked me out for Valentine's Day in 2004, and although I did my best to convince myself it was "just as friends", thankfully he had other ideas. Although I still give him a hard time about waiting through the 1 1/2 hour restaurant wait, appetizer, dinner, dessert, AND paying the check - it was a conversation worth the wait.

All that to say, each year we celebrate Valentine's Day as not just a holiday but as the start of something wonderful. And this year's celebration was exactly that - wonderful! We decided to picnic at the park and pick up our favorite restaurant.

Gives "Chnese take out" a whole new meaning, right? HA!

Enjoying the view . . . both the lake and that smokin' hot guy!

We had a wonderful afternoon together, and I'd say after seven years we still got it babe! Because my husband loves me so well, he treated me to something I've been trying to get up the guts to try here - a massage!

What's funny though, is that I went in thinking I had asked for a body massage. (Haven't quite covered the spa terminology in class yet!) But none-the-less my $5, 1 1/2 hour facial massage I did receive was FANTASTIC! I lost count after the about the 4th tingly, lotiony substance that was rubbed into my face, and I think I had two different kinds of masks at various points - one heating and one cooling of course. All this in addition to the facial, scalp, neck and arm massage that was a part of the experience.

The whole time I was wishing for a third eye so I could watch what was going on - but thankfully I caught on and was able to ask about 15 minutes in that a full body massage wasn't actually in the plans. I'm sure the workers got a kick out of my subtle attempts at peeking from underneath my layers of mud and lotion wraps! The whole experience was a great reminder for me of how tricky language can be - you're never exactly sure you're getting what you asked for, but that an open and adventurous spirit is never disappointed!

Here's to you BBB - may we never lose our joy in one another or willingness for the adventure!

Discovery of the Day

At a local shopping area, they randomly sell baskets of carrots, which I never could figure quite why. Strawberries are in season, so I could understand why sellers would bring those to this particularly busy shopping area, but the abundance of carrots has been a mystery to me. UNTIL, my beloved husband noticed that these sellers would PEEL the carrots for you to eat on the spot! SCORE!! You better believe I was one happy rabbit!!

The Year of the Rabbit

Per the events of the week, I thought I would share with you what one might experience when celebrating the New Year in our part of the world.

Purchase fireworks in large quantity, disregarding any prior knowledge of safety or zoning laws. 

While visiting friends, play games in the local park, also disregarding any safety concerns your mother might have.

Drink "surprise" milk tea with students, and be grateful that the "surprise" was a good one. (Smiling optional, peace sign required). 

When visiting the village, oblige your hosts and take a nap as they suggest. It's only polite!

It is also important to play with any and all chunky babies. They may or may not eat money for a snack. This is ok.

Eat your weight in sunflower seeds and milk-flavored candy while trying to figure out the rules of Asian black jack. It's best to decline play, as money is involved, and you haven't the slightest of what's going on.

 

When the 4 foot strand of firecrackers is lit before dinner, try to hide how high you jump, and act like firecrackers to scare away evil spirits is also a normal occurrence at your family events. 

Eat dinner with your host's family, marveling at the thirteen dishes (actually 26, as it was 13 per table) they've prepared representing the 13 lunar months. Be grateful that mamaw got the eyeball from the soup this time, next time it could be you!!

And finally, make sure you watch the Spring Festival Gala. It's only about 6 hours long, but all the big stars are on it - and everyone will be talking about it the next day!


And there you have it my friends - a great week of learning and new experiences! Happy Year of the Rabbit to you!!