The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

We have been back in the US for almost 5 months now (which is crazy!). Some days I feel like we have been back forever and some days I feel like it was just yesterday that we were in Indonesia. A lot has happened since we have moved back (to say the least)! We had a wonderful summer with family that we had missed oh so much and we didn't have another future "goodbye" for another year hovering over our heads the whole time. Erik got a PE teaching job in Salem, Oregon and we moved here at the end of July. When we got back to the States,we had no idea if Erik would have a job or where we would be living - so that added some fun to the summer ;). AND of course, we brought our wonderful son, William, into this beautiful world at the end of August. So, yeah, it was an eventful summer!

We have had the joy of reuniting with family and friends over the past 5 months and naturally, they ask us a lot of questions about our time in Indonesia, and our feelings about being back in the States. The most popular question seems to be "do you miss it there [Indonesia]?". Well, it takes a lot more than a simple "yes" or "no" to answer that question. The answer I find myself giving the most often is, "it's a day by day thing". What I mean by that is, some days, yes, I miss it so much. And other days, I am so loving America that it would take awhile to tell you something I miss about about it there. 

Well, today I miss Indonesia. I miss my friends. I miss my kiddos. I miss the culture. But what I really miss is the simplicity of life in Indonesia. This is my favorite time of the year. College football, fall weather, sweaters and boots, warm foods and drinks, holiday parties, fall and Christmas decor, Christmas music ... The list could go on for awhile. And these are all things that I didn't get to enjoy fully in Indonesia. This morning I spent awhile on Pinterest looking at Christmas decorations. In our 4 years of marriage,  I haven't had a house to decorate and I am pretty excited about it. As I was looking at all of the ideas on Pinterest I began to get a little stressed. When am I going to have the time to make all the DIY crafts I want to? When am I going to have time to go and buy the things I "need"? How am I going to pay for these things? Is my house going to be as "cute" as my friends'? And then it hit me, I miss Indonesia. It was nearly impossible to worry about those things there. We didn't have craft stores, or Christmas tree farms. There is no such thing as fall or thanksgiving in Jakarta. And it is 90+ degrees there, so decorating an apartment in Christmas stuff didn't seem so necessary. Don't get me wrong, I did decorate our apartment for Christmas in Jakarta and I loved doing so. But, what I didn't do was spend hours shopping for decorations, making crafts, or agonizing over if my apartment looked better than my neighbors. I don't think looking on Pinterest for ideas is wrong in any way and I don't think spending a few hours on crafts is bad either. I think it's so fun! 

This morning I was convicted though. Being thrown back into my comfort zone of America where it's so easy to covet and get wrapped up in worldliness was one of my biggest fears in coming back to the States. I know myself. It was hard for me in Indonesia, and I knew it was going to be even tougher here. And I was right. This morning as I browsed Pinterest and the ideas I saw were things I could actually find in stores nearby or make, I began to want it all. I wanted all the decorations, all the crafts, I want to host the best parties, and have the cutest house. I know I am not supposed to care about those things. But I do. I know in my heart what really matters. Thanksgiving is about family and remembering all of the things we have to be thankful for. Christmas is about Jesus - how he came to this world, full of grace and love, to save me. And here I am, already caught up in what America has made these things about. We make these holidays about parties, decorations, and food, and we post all about it on social media so everyone can see. 

My prayer this holiday season, as I settle back into life in America, is that I wouldn't get caught up in everything. Am I excited about getting a real Christmas tree? You bet. Do I plan to decorate my house in Christmas stuff and have friends over to celebrate? Yes, I do. But what I pray, is that I can take the time and remember what Jesus did for me. I pray that I remember to thank God everyday for all of the things he has blessed me with. I resolve not to compare my house and the things I have to others.

I am thankful for my 3 years in Indonesia for so many reasons, but this is probably the main one. I am thankful that Indonesia showed me what matters. America tries to trick me. It tries to tell me I need more. That my house isn't decorated enough and that I must get all my decorations from places like Target (as opposed to Goodwill or Walmart.). And America tells me that to be a good wife, mom, woman, etc. I must meet certain requirements. Jesus tells me none of these things. Jesus tells me I am loved for who I am. Jesus tells me to spend time worrying about if I am loving Him and others well, not about the silly things I continue to spend my time worrying about. 

Thank you, for taking to time to read my thoughts today. I hope it has encouraged you. I hope that if you see me throughout this holiday season we can, together, remember what really matters. I hope that as women, we can work together to care less about our houses, hosting parties, and the kind of pictures we post online. I hope that we can all remember what matters. Let's kick the "American holiday dream" to the curb and enjoy "the most wonderful time of the year" for all the right reasons! :) 

Bye for now <3

Sites of Kemang

Erik took some time this morning to take a few pictures around Kemang. We have lots of pictures of all the places we have traveled but only a few of the area we have spent our days over the last 3 years.

The following pictures show some things I will truly miss {like the culture and the people} and some things I will definitely not miss {like the trash and the smells} ...

Looking out toward the southwest side of Jakarta from the 1st floor of our school

Sites along a road that we have walked many a time

Bajaj - I will miss and I will not miss these 3 wheeled vehicles. They have provided lots of laughs as we have putted along with 3 people crammed in the back and they have provided a dry ride home when there were no taxi's in site. Sadly, they also provide the air in Jakarta with a lot of pollution. 

A nearby mosque. I will not miss the call the prayer, but I hope I always remember how lost many of the people of this city are. God is here in Jakarta and he is always working.

Sewage water :/  

Skyscrapers overlooking the older part of the city

That green and white bus is called a Kopaja - it is the public transportation bus

Trash that has been burnt, or that is waiting to be burnt. Will not miss.

Sidewalks are often left incomplete or they are so poorly made that they end up looking like this

A food cart serving soto ayam aka chicken soup. Erik I never really braved the street food, but I will miss them - nothing like it in the US. 

Our school and apartment in the back there

This guy saw Erik taking pictures, and wanted one with him.
I am truly going to miss the people of this place. They may not plan things the way we think makes the most sense, but they are genuinely kind and they are beautifully made. 

You're the God of this City 
You're the King of these people 
You're the Lord of this nation 
You are 

You're the Light in this darkness 
You're the Hope to the hopeless 
You're the Peace to the restless 
You are 

There is no one like our God 

For greater things have yet to come 
And greater things are still to be done in this City 
Greater thing have yet to come 
And greater things are still to be done in this City 

An {almost} Empty Apartment

It's hard to believe that in a little over 48 hours from now, things in our apartment will be getting packed up in boxes and shipped in a small crate to the Northwest. I know when I sit in an almost empty apartment in a few days it will really hit me that we are leaving. I can't really predict the emotions I will feel, but I know myself well enough to know that I will probably be giddy with excitement thinking about the next time I open those boxes being in America in our new home {wherever that may be}. I will also probably shed some tears thinking about the many memories Erik and I have made in this place. We have lived in this apartment for 2 years now- the longest we have ever lived in any building together - so leaving it will be hard for this homebody. Of course, there are things about the apartment that drive me crazy like having the smallest kitchen ever, the smells that come up from the sinks and tubs, power and internet that goes off and on when it wants, and the fact that we have to take a elevator 24 floors up/down to go anywhere. But it has been our home and I have loved making it our place. As I sit here on my couch and look at our empty walls and when I open a drawer that used to be full and is now empty - I can't help but get a little sentimental. I am going to miss this little apartment we have called home - maybe more than I thought I would.

I will also miss many more things about living here in Jakarta. If I tried to list everything that I will miss about this place it would take me awhile and I am sure I would miss some things. I know what I will miss most of all is relationships. I have said it many times, but I was really unprepared for the deep friendships that I have made here. The people I work with, the people at our church, and the people I have been introduced to through other means (softball, other friends, etc.) are friendships that I will miss greatly. There is something about sharing an experience like living overseas that is so special. So, the thought of going back to a place in America where I potentially have to start over making friends doesn't thrill me - it actually scares me a little. I am thankful, though, for the friendships we do have back in the States and I am so excited to be closer to our friends and family - maybe we will even be in the same state as some of them! :) But, even with the hope of being near to some of our friends and family, leaving the friendships I have made here is going to be one of the hardest things I have had to do. Thank the Lord I don't believe this will be last time I will see them (even in this life)! And of course, not only we become friends with our co-workers, we have also become friends with the students. Leaving them behind (and maybe not seeing them again) is going to be tough.

But, even though the goodbyes are going to be tough and I don't like thinking about it - I am also sitting here rejoicing and praising God. The peace that we feel about going home is so encouraging. And there are so many things we are looking forward to like being near family and friends, yummy food, fresh air, driving a car, normal grocery stores, fresh air {worth mentioning twice}, watching football games at a normal time of day, a dishwasher and a dryer ... just to name a few. I can't wait until I can call my mom anytime of the day and not have to subtract 14 hours to figure out what she is doing at the time. I can't wait to spend more time with my nephews. I can't wait to make another place our home for however long God has us there. And I can't wait to meet my son and be able to have the blessing of family and friends being so close.

Living in Jakarta has been life changing. It has been wonderful and it has been down right hard. We have grown so much as a couple and as individuals. We are different than we were 3 years ago and even though saying goodbye to Jakarta is going to be hard, we are ready. We are excited for what God has for us next. Please pray for us as Erik is still seeking a job and we aren't totally sure where we will be living yet. Erik has had a couple interviews, but we still don't have anything solid. We are praying we know by July sometime so we can move into a place by the end of July/beginning of August. Also, be praying for us as we experience all the different emotions like I mentioned above. We are so excited and ready to be home, but saying goodbye is going to be hard so please pray as we will be having many goodbyes over the next few weeks {we head home June 14}.


The song "Never Once" by Matt Redman has been on repeat in my head and heart {hence the picture at the beginning} as we come to the close of this chapter of our lives, and start an exciting new one - I hope it encourages you as much as it does me!

Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Bye for now <3

Travel Blessings

This post is mainly for me so I can look back in the years to come and remember all of the places Erik & I were able to visit while we lived in Indo. And I thought my "followers" may enjoy a recap as well. We have truly been blessed to be able to have the means to travel to all of these wonderful places and we will look back on these trips and be so thankful for the things we saw and who we were able to see them with. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Year One
Trip 1 {August 2011}: Bali

Our first trip to Bali we packed everything in. I remember being so thrilled to see the blue sky and just relax and not think about work. We went with Chris and Katie and also met up with our friend Kaitlyn a few times. 

Highlights: Seeing the Indian ocean for the first time, making the first of many wonderful CAKE memories (favorite of the trip: Katie and I laughing hysterically at our husbands attempting to catch a gecko-aka klotok), McDonald's delivered poolside, bike riding through Ubud, snorkeling for the first time, and many romantic dinners at sunset on the beach. 

Trip 2 {November 2011}: Roslin Orphanage in Kupang, West Timur, Indonesia

For this holiday, we had the wonderful opportunity to visit an orphanage with 8 other teachers from our school. We took them supplies they were in need of but spent a majority of the time just hanging out with kiddos and helping around the orphanage. It was one of those wonderful, and yet at the same time, sad experiences. Leaving was super hard, but I am so thankful we were able to go. Indonesian orphans will always have a very special place in my heart.
Highlights: Hanging out with baby Joel (pictured), teaching the kids to sing He Knows My Name and other worship songs, rocking precious babies to sleep, and watching the kiddos fall in love with Erik. 

Trip 3 {December 2011}: Singapore

For our first Christmas holiday (before Christmas itself) we ventured over to the one and only Singapore. It was our first time out of Indonesia, and we were a little bit excited about it. We have visited Singapore 2 more times since then - we LOVE it! For this trip, we were able to meet up many days with our friends Ben and Taryn. I will never forget being able to speak to a waitress in English and have her understand me for the first time in about 5 months.
Highlights: Fresh air, Universal studios, the Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari (even in the rain it was still wonderful), and Chili's!!! 

Trip 4 {December 2011}: Borneo

After we came back from Singapore, we celebrated Christmas at home in Jakarta, and then we set off an adventure like no other down a river on the island of Borneo/Kalimantan. We went with Chris & Katie, our friends Sam and Heather and their kiddos, as well some teachers from another SPH school. We sailed down the river for 3 nights and saw lots of orangutans, monkeys, birds, and lots of cool plants. It was definitely an adventure we will never forget!
Highlights: Seeing orangutans up close and personal, playing card games on the boat (jungle speed!!), the breeze from cruising down the river, and lots of great chill time with Chris, Katie, Sam and Heather. One of Erik's favorite memories was taking a jungle shower in the rain! :) 

Trip 5 {April 2012}: Turkey and Greece

This is probably one of our favorite trips. It was so hard to choose just a few pictures because everything we did, saw, and experienced was amazing. We heard from our friend Kailtlyn (who also went on the trip) that a teacher from another SPH campus was going to lead this trip- so we jumped right in on the opportunity! We spent the week following Paul's 2nd missionary journey including places like Istanbul, Antioch, Colossae, Corinth, and Athens.
Highlights: It's so hard to choose just a few but here goes .. feeling the fresh air that was so cold and wonderful it chapped my lips, wearing a sweater and scarf for the first time in 8 months, Turkish food, hearing Dan preach from a passage in the Bible while we are sitting in the place the story actually occurred, did I say fresh air already??, making more memories with Chris & Katie which include "sneaking" out to stick our feet in/swim in the Mediterranean Sea and celebrating Erik's birthday in Greece at a restaurant with a view of the Parthenon, and laughing so hard on the way back to the hotel (for no real reason at all) we were crying.

Year Two
Trip 0 {July 2012}: Narita, Japan

It doesn't really count as a "trip" so that is why I called it 0. But, it is still worth mentioning because we actually got outside of the airport on our way back to Jakarta from the US at the end of the summer. We (with Chris and Katie) explored the city (well one street) of Narita (an outlying city near Tokyo). We enjoyed some yummy Japanese food, I got to drink some Dr. Pepper, and we were able to have a good nights sleep and caught up on jet lag before getting thrown back into the busyness of work.

Trip 1 {August 2012}: Back to Bali again! 

Since we loved Bali so much, we decided to go back again for the Lebaron holiday. This time, we brought more friends! Chris, Katie, Glenn, Gretchen (new friends who had just moved to Jakarta), and our friend Madi (who I knew from Corban who had also just moved to Jakarta). Since we had been to Bali before, we enjoyed a lot of relaxing by the pool. But we were also able to enjoy some things we didn't get to see before like the lake temple. We love sharing new memories with great friends!
Highlights: Relaxing by the pool, yummy food and drinks, enjoying a coconut with Erik at the ocean temple at sunset, a sweaty but memorable trip in the back of a "truck" to Ubud. 

Trip 2 {October 2012}: Vietnam and Singapore 

For this holiday, we explored a new place and revisited Singapore. This trip was especially special because we went with Chris and Katie AND Jordan (Erik's brother)!! Jordan came and visited us for the month of October and he was able to join us and we were thrilled to travel with him! We packed a lot in to our visit. We visited the city of Hanoi, cruised (on a lot nicer boat the the one in Indo) down Halong Bay, and ended our time with a quick visit to Singapore.
Highlights: Getting to travel and explore a new place with family, Halong Bay (everything about it), laughing at the boys singing karaoke on the boat, eating at a rooftop restaurant in Hanoi with Erik and Jordan and laughing so hard, Quiznos and Subway in Singapore!  

Trip 3 {December 2012}: Australia 

This was one of our favorite trips (probably a tie with Turkey/Greece). Again, it was hard to choose just a few pictures because it was all SO amazing. We (along with our favorite travel buddies, Chris and Katie) spent close to 3 weeks exploring this wonderful place. We visited Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. We were blessed in each place to have friends to stay with. We were in Adelaide (with our friends, the Cheeseman's) for Christmas and we were so thankful to be spending the holiday with a family! It was also cool to celebrate Christmas during the "summer".
Highlights: Fresh air and blue sky, seeing the Opera House, lots and lots of yummy food and drinks, the blue mountains, seeing the Stafford's, eating lunch outside a cafe on a cool side street in Melbourne, driving down the Great Ocean Road, Christmas with the Cheeseman's - they made us feel like family, and seeing lots of beautiful beaches. 

Trip 4 {May 2013}: Thailand

Thailand was my favorite Asian country that we visited. I loved the people, the sights, and the food. We traveled with our wonderful friend Lindsey (who I miss SO much) and our friend, Kris, who was visiting from the US- SO fun! This trip we visited Bangkok and Chaing Mai. We visited lots of interesting temples, ate lots of yummy food, sweated A LOT, and relaxed at our awesome hotel.
Highlights: Eating street food and enjoying coconut ice cream on Khao San Road in Bangkok, LOTS of laughing, beautiful sunsets, relaxing by our pool, our sweet hotel receptionist, and riding an elephant for the first time! 

Trip 5 {May 2013}: Bali & Yogyakarta 

Later in May, we had a long weekend so the girls took a trip to Bali to celebrate 2 of the girls who were getting married and also to say "see ya later" to some girls who were moving back to the US. While we were at the beach, Erik, Chris, and Glenn traveled to Yogyakarta to hike an active volcano! We both loved our time with our friends! :)
Highlights (for me): Bike riding (again) with matching shirts, movie marathons in the hotel, breakfast by the beach, relaxing by the pool, and a fun, yummy, "fancy" dinner out. 

Year Three
Trip 1 {August 2013}: Lombok, Indonesia

 Surprise! We actually didn't visit Bali again this time for the Lebaron holiday ... but pretty much. Lombok is an island off of Bali that we had heard many people say is a nicer, less crowded version of Bali- and they were right! After visiting, we were bummed we hadn't found this hidden gem of a place before! This time we traveled with Chris, Katie, Glenn, Gretchen, and Mike and Meg (friends from Oregon who had just moved to Jakarta). We spent a lot of time relaxing by our huge pool, laying out on the beach, snorkeling (a much better experience than before), and of course had lots of yummy food and drinks.
Highlights: Our hotel, snorkeling - we saw lots of cool fish and coral - the water was so blue, cramming 8 people + a driver + suitcases into a 8 passenger car with very little trunk space, and getting my tan on! 

Trip 2 {October 2013}: Tokyo
 

This trip was very special to us because it was the first trip that we actually took just us. Not that we don't love traveling with friends, but we were excited to get our of Jakarta just ourselves and enjoy our most favorite place- Disneyland!! Other than visiting Disney (which is what we did for 3 of the days), we explored the city of Tokyo (which I loved). The city was so organized and clean - and the food was delicious!
Highlights: Sipping a Chai Tea Latte outside while wearing a sweater, the weather, Disney (everything about it), Fantasmic, and getting to spend some quality time with my favorite person on earth. 

Trip 3 {December 2013}: Thailand, again

When trying to decide where to go for this Christmas holiday, we had a lot of options, but decided to return to Thailand! We did some of the same things (in Bangkok) but also had lots of new adventures like staying in a Bungalow in the mountains, visiting beautiful waterfalls, riding elephants, rafting down a river, and exploring the quaint city of Chaing Mai on our own motor bike. This time we traveled with Mike, Meg, Stephen, and Madi.
Highlights: Ummm riding an elephant bare back, view from our bungalow porch, sweating a lot less than when we visited in May, and a breakfast date every morning  in Chiang Mai with just my hubby and me.

Trip 4 {April 2014}: Paris

Another one of our favorite trips that will be hard to top. We were blessed with the opportunity to lead/chaperon a trip of grade 8-11 art students to Paris. Even though we were "working", it was still a great break and we were able to see so many places and we enjoyed spending time with each other and the students.
Highlights: Eiffel Tower, Versailles, Monet's Garden, the weather, the blue sky, the food, Disneyland, and hanging out with some pretty cool students! :) 

We have also spent time exploring our area over the years. We love exploring Jakarta and the surrounding areas and have come to love many things about this place we have called home for the past 3 years. 

Pictures from Bandung, Lippo Karawaci county club (we spent a few 3 day weekends there just relaxing), and Kemang. 

Phew! If you're still with me- glad you hung in there! I am overwhelmed with thankfulness as I reflect on all of the wonderful places we have been blessed to see throughout our time here. Traveling will definitely be something we will both miss about living overseas and we will always treasure this special time in our lives. Thank you Lord!

Bye for now <3

PS. I left out our trip to China mainly because it wasn't on a school holiday and because I already have a whole blog dedicated to the trip. If you haven't read it - check it out here: Maria's Big House of Hope

The Last Few Months

Well, it's been a while since I have written last and I thought it was time to catch everyone one up on what's been going in the life of the Fry's. It's been a jam packed last few months.

Christmas break was full of relaxing, special time with each other and friends, and a great, memorable trip to Thailand. We decided to spend the first few days of break in Jakarta and we were so glad we did. It was nice to chill at home after a busy few weeks at school. We also got to enjoy a special Christmas Eve service with our sweet church family- and the Trammell's (Chris' parents) were here visiting so we got to see them. On Christmas morning after we celebrated with some small gifts and stockings, we headed to visit Thailand with our friends Mike, Meg, Stephen, and Madi. It was such a fun trip. We saw some beautiful temples, had some yummy food, stayed in the middle of the mountains in a bungalow, and rode some elephants. It was definitely a memorable Christmas!!

{check out tons more pics on Facebook if you haven't seen them already}

After we got back from Thailand, we had a few days to rest and unpack and then Lauren arrived!!! It was such a sweet time with her. She was able to stay here for about a month so she really got to experience life with us which was so special. She spent plenty of time walking around Kemang with us, coming into school to spend time with my students (they really loved her), watched some basketball games, hung out with our friends, and we spent lots of time hanging out together at home. Besides just hanging out in our area, we were able to take a special trip to a nearby(ish) city called Bandung for La's birthday. We stayed in a cute hotel, saw the area, and visited the popular volcano there. It was so much fun- and really memorable. The time Lauren got to spend with us will always have a special place in my heart. I am so thankful she was able to come. What a blessing!!

Thinking back, it really feels like just yesterday Lauren was here. February has flown by! I can NOT believe next week is the last week of the month. We have been crazy busy with lots of different things. School is super busy for Erik especially. A few weeks ago, Erik's basketball team finished up the official season with the league we joined this year. The boys did a great job and ended up placing 5th in the league- which is great considering this is our first year participating in the league- the team has come so far! Even though the official season has ended, the boys (and other sports teams) are still practicing and playing games that are usually organized and put together by Erik (lots of work and details). So, Erik definitely stays busy with planning and organizing all of that stuff and also teaching PE classes on top of that. In Grade 1, we have been busy with reading month (fun special events and dress up days), Valentine's day fun, and other random fun stuff. My kiddos have been 1st grade for more than half of the year now, so they are closer to 2nd grade than they are to Kindergarten anymore, and I can really see their growth! :) Even though we both stay busy with school stuff, and it can be easy to complain about it, we both love our jobs and God is doing awesome things in our school and in the lives of our students and we are so thankful to be a part of it! 

And of course another HUGE part of the last few months has been the amazing fact that I am carrying a human being in my belly! :) :) It is such an exciting time and we still really can't believe it's real. When we saw the little shrimp for the first time, we were both elated. What an awesome thing to experience. We also got to hear the heartbeat and we saw it move around. I am about 13 weeks now, and we love keeping up with how the baby is growing inside of me - right now baby is about the size of a plum. So much fun and an amazing miracle to be a part of! The most fun was telling my kiddos, they were SO excited for me.

As Erik and I begin to think about having a family, and moving back to the States, it is an exciting and sweet time. But at the same time a little scary and sad. It's weird thinking about having less than 4 months left here and if it's anything like the last few months, I have a feeling it's going to fly by. In April, we are going on a trip with the high school art students to Europe (we are SO excited). It will be our last big holiday and we are very much looking forward to it- and how special that we get to spend it with each other and students - in EUROPE! :) We are still praying hard about where God wants us to be when we move back to the States. Erik is in the process now of searching and applying for jobs. So please join us in praying that we would have wisdom and that God would lead us. It's a little scary not knowing exactly where we are going to be, especially since we have a baby to think about. But we are trusting (most of the time, haha) and we are super excited to see what God is going to do. 

Well, I think that's about it for now. Thanks for sticking with me until here - and thanks as always for your prayers, love and encouragement. We love you all! 

Bye for now <3