So here goes... in attempted chronological order. 27 wonderful memories from my 27th year!
This actually happened exactly 5 days before my 27th birthday. (What can I say? It was a great birthday week!) Even though I didn't get to see the National Championship game in person, it was an incredible moment for this Auburn Alumna! It sure was nice to be a National Champion Auburn Tiger for most of my 27th year!
2. Living in Thailand
Just 3 days after my birthday last year, we packed up and moved to Thailand! It seemed so crazy to me then, but now I am really proud of myself (and my husband) for taking this amazing opportunity. We had a precious little apartment in Chiang Mai, Thailand for 3 and 1/2 months of last year and we learned so much during that time. I have a deep love for Thailand, Thai people, and Thai culture thanks to that experience! And if you count the 6 weeks we spent overseas in Nov/Dec - then we lived overseas in Thailand and India for about 5 months of last year!
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| Rusty pointing up at our tiny Thai apartment! |
3. Learning Thai
This is another experience that seemed really daunting at the time, but I am so glad we dove in! While living in Thailand, we took Thai lessons once a week from an awesome teacher, Khruu Jai. While we still have a lot to learn (and I'm sure we butcher the tones most of the time,) it thrills my heart to be able to speak to the Thai people in their language! I'm proud to say that I can introduce myself, answer basic questions, and get around the market place in Thai now! I'm looking forward to learning more!
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| With Kruu Jai after a Thai lesson |
4. Playing with Tigers
Truly a "once in a lifetime" experience! I don't know many people who have snuggled up with a 300 lb tiger! These are truly majestic animals! For those of you wondering - no - she was not sedated or chained, and yes - she had all her claws and teeth! I was really happy to see that these tigers were very well cared for. This was Rusty's Valentine's Day gift to me last year. What a DATE!
5. Riding Elephants
Another great experience in Thailand! This was our "fun day" during our 2nd trip to Thailand this year. We drove out to a Karen Elephant Camp and took an hour long ride through the woods/jungle on these incredible creatures! I was THRILLED when our guide slid down and asked if I wanted to ride on the elephant's head! It was a lot of fun, but there's not much to hold on to. It's a wonder I didn't go tumbling off!
6. Volunteering at Viengping
The 2 hours we spent on Thursdays at Viengping Children's Home was a weekly highlight of my time in Thailand. We usually volunteered in the "Suwadee" room with the two year olds, and we quickly fell in love with these sweet babies! It was so hard to say goodbye!
7. Finally meeting P. Rapee & Pastor Banya
This amazing couple has been a part of Rusty's life since 2007, and he had talked about them for almost as long as I've known him. He really has loved them since he met them, and when I met them, I completely understood why! P. Rapee is so full of life, love, and energy. Her husband Banya is one of the sweetest, funniest men I've met! We now say that they are our Thai family. We know these two will be in our life for years to come!
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| Banya, Rusty, me & P. Rapee - our very first picture together. |
