Sunday, October 26, 2008

We're Spoiled!

"You don't know what you got 'til it's gone"...and then you buy a new one. We have freedom once more in our suv. Our registration papers came in and we drove, yes, it's true, drove the 2 blocks it takes to get to the school (it's just as quick to walk as it is to drive sometimes...it's the way that the flow of traffic goes that lengthens the drive). It felt really, really good to sit alongside my husband while he was driving in our own car. Three and a half months of other modes of transportation was okay, but this is better. We will continue to have to take ojegs and walk for a while but we're okay with that. Everything here is a step at a time.

Our Sunday was a wonderful one. The entire family hung around after a pancake breakfast and just wrote letters, did homework and Tris worked on his masters. Matt and I ojeg'd it over to the mall for lunch and a bit of shopping...he left printing off a project until today and it's due tomorrow. We ran out of ink and so his 'punishment' for not being prepared was heading to Hypermart with me where we stood in line for 25 minutes to buy 4 packages of fresh strawberries, some writing cards, and a litre of yogurt. It is important for me to remember that Sunday is the majority of the working population's day off, and I think 1/2 of Lippo Karawaci was there! Later we bought ink and Matthew's project (a lovely brochure of Madrid...makes me want to visit!) is complete.

Last night after church we shopped at the "Food Hall" in a ritsy Jakarta mall. We found 3 cans of blackberries (at $3 a can!) and today we enjoyed blackberry/apple pie and vanilla ice cream with the Comries. Rumour has it that expat food may be even more difficult to come by due to government restrictions soon, so I think we'd better stock up on canned blackberries and Crisco shortening. The pie topped off a great late afternoon of field games (bocci, soccer and french cricket) and order-in pizza with the Comries. I much prefer a full Sunday to one that is ONLY lazy and where we are unmotivated to do anything.

Deep moment of the week:
While searching for the HP store, Matthew and I came across an exhibit of photos taken throughout Jakarta. My favourites were 1) of an old fisherman throwing his net out to sea from his old, rickety boat; 2) and old woman sitting in the mud, turning a ceramic bowl (in Jogyakarta). The colours were crisp and clear and their surroundings were pretty intriguing, but it was their faces that caught me. I don't think I've ever looked at a stranger's photograph before and been brought to tears without an obvious reason ie/ there was no blood, no heartache, no distended stomachs, no immediate pull for compassion, . The photos were just raw and beautiful and they are what I am hoping to somehow, someday capture while I am here. God's put a desire in me and I think he must be preparing me, slowly, for something, but I have no idea what He's doing or where He wants me. I'm experiencing emotions that sit at the surface for days on end with no real reason for their existence except that they were triggered by something I saw either while driving, along the side streets of our village, at a beach, or even in a photo in a competition. If/when I get clarification I'll fill you in.

Thanks for reading.

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