Warm Welcomes

We arrived safely in Jakarta, after 36 hours of flying/layovers with an almost two year old who HATES seat belts, and much to our surprise saw a friendly, familiar face upon leaving customs.  I beamed when Wally appeared at the end of the long hallway and welcomed us to Indonesia.  His is a face that offers kindness and a sense of warmth and familiarity.  And with his knowledge of Indonesia and the process we were (and still are) going through to transition here, he was a sight for sore eyes.

From the moment we got off the plane, during which 5 Egyptian Imams helped with our bags/Cade - another story for another day, we have been welcomed with open arms and incredible hospitality.  The MAF crew currently in Salatiga for language school has been more than willing to help in many ways.  Between meals, tours of the town, and a precious little Christmas tree set up in our home, we have truly been blessed by each family and are excited about being a part of the warm welcomes for future arrivals!  

Since we arrived, it's been a whirlwind of excitement.  Meeting our landlord and community leader, buying fruit from the pasar (open fruit and veggie market), hiring two pembantus (house and child care workers), enjoying meals with friends new and old, and celebrating Christmas have been just the tip of the iceberg of activities and fun.  And while we missed celebrating with family, we enjoyed this special Christmas God gave us - our first in Indonesia!

In the days ahead we will continue to make this house our home, venture to "town" without tour guides - eek!, and begin language school.  We are excited to see all the Lord has for us in 2013 as we learn about this place He has brought us!

Flying with a Toddler

The wait is almost over!  We have enjoyed this extra time with family and are excited that in a matter of 5 days, we will be cruising the friendly skies and on our way to Indonesia!  It's been a long journey to get to the point and we are eager to see all that God has in store for us as we begin life overseas.

After 36 hours of flying and hanging out in airports, and after loosing 12 hours of Monday or Tuesday (I'm not sure which), we will arrive in Jakarta!

During those 36 hours, we will be traveling with a toddler - our sweet little Cade-man is almost two and  full of life!  He's constantly running, talking and playing.  In the past, flights have been relatively easy.  When Cade was a little baby, traveling was a series of snuggles, feedings, and the occasional diaper change.  As Cade has grown... he's become... well, a boy.  Boy, oh boy, is he ever a BOY!  And I love that about him!  I am grateful he's a fun-loving, rambunctious little boy.  But for our upcoming flight, his on-the-go attitude frightens me a bit.  I envision him squirming in the seat, frustrated as we ask him to sit still, his "need" to be up and walking the aisle, along with a bit of difficulty falling asleep with a ton of people and opportunities for action at his fingertips.

In order to make this airplane adventure a bit less chaotic and in an effort to keep him sitting and happy as long as possible, we have devised a little plan.  A friend of ours told us that when their kiddos were on long plane rides, they would give each one a little toy/present every couple of hours.  They also made sure to pack snacks that would be easy to pull out and eat (which was especially helpful on international flights when the food wasn't as familiar as the kids liked.)  So here's our list of yummy and fun ways to keep Cade's attention on our 36 hours of flying mayhem (I mean... FUN)!

Toys:
1. Foam Elmo Book
2. Silly Putty
3. Cars Coloring Book and Stickers
4. Legos with Book
5. Pastic Airplane with Tools to FULLY Take Apart! (As the son of a pilot/mechanic, it is important that he learns from a young age how to take apart and put together airplanes - plastic or otherwise!)
6. Duck Hand Puppet

Food:
1. Sugar Free Twizzlers (an item referred to us by a friend who recently traveled with their toddler)
2. Trailmix
3. Teddy Grahams
4. Whole Wheat Goldfish Crackers

We've also contemplated making "Journey Bags" for those sitting in the seats around us.  Filled with some gum, ear plugs, and a few snacks, and armed with a note that says, "We're trying to make this an enjoyable flight for all of us."  Because we ALL know that there are (and perhaps we are or have been) that person who groans when he/she sees the family with baby/toddler/kids board the plan and sit near them.  And we want our flight neighbors to know we are trying to make the flight wonderful for ALL of us!

I'm sure we will get a few more "tools" for our "Flying with a Toddler" tool belt, but I'm hoping this will help keep him happy, fed, and seat-bound active for our journey!  If you have any advice or suggestions for traveling with a toddler, please share them with us, we are eager to make this flight AWESOME for Cade and for us!