You know how it goes: once your youngest turns one, people start wondering when number X is coming. Well, we decided it was time to add our number four: meet TruffCrunch.

Our kids are delighted that we bought one of the half-beagle puppies from the home we’re living in. We told them a few days after we moved here, after we had spent a few days watching the puppies to see which one we/the kids liked best.

So now I’ve added puppy-training to my weeks. TruffCrunch seems to be pretty agreeable, and I think it’s going well so far, even better now that 3 of the other puppies have gone to their new homes.

Thursday, July 30th, we finished packing up our belongings, and the moving company came to load the truck for our move from Phnom Penh to Ban Lung, Ratanakiri. It was a busy day, and our children were very thrilled to watch hours of What’s in the Bible With Buck Denver.

The men STUFFED all our belongings into (onto) one truck. It was piled high and then they added boards to the end of the truck to make it longer. When I saw the final product I thought that if the move was going to make me cry, that would have been the appropriate time for it. I could just imagine the truck tipping and all our stuff spread all over the road.

Thursday night we stayed in the CMA guesthouse (with our moving truck parked outside). It was appropriate, since we spent out first night in Cambodia at the same guesthouse. The movers left about 4AM the next day, and we followed around 7. It was a good drive and we passed the truck in the early afternoon and arrived at the house a few hours before they did.

This year we are house sitting for some Khmer-American missionaries who are in the States on home leave. It was so nice to move into a furnished home, not having to worry about finding sheets or dishes our first night. The family’s house helper prepared us a welcome sign and supper. The kids were thrilled to be greeted by 5 puppies and one kitten (who resembles Gollem: see photo below). The property came with 7 dogs (though 3 of the puppies are gone now), 5 cats (we only really see two of them), 2 turkeys, chickens, fish, a turtle, some black pigeons….it’s a child’s paradise (did I mention there is a tree house?).

By our 5th day here, the older two children had both fallen into the fish pond. Becca thought it was the best thing ever. Isaiah was scared to death until we made him get back in to help him realize he could stand. (Just in case you’re worried, there is a gate around the pond to keep Anna out, but it’s hard not to fall in when you’re leaning way over the water.)

We’re had a very smooth transition to Ratanakiri, partly because we get to house sit and didn’t have to set up everything from scratch. We’re so thankful that the Lord prepared this transition for us. Surprisingly, Anna had a very rough first 2 days. Then it took two weeks for her to get back to her happy normal self. (She also had a boat-load of teeth coming in.)

We are very thankful for the house helper, Om Tuu. She’s become a good friend already and we’re able to talk in Khmer a lot each day.

What have we been doing since then? It took us a few days to unpack and find places for all our stuff. We had some house projects to do, and we’re working on finding the new (next) normal. Josh has been working on finishing up a Khmer language project for the school he attended in Phnom Penh. It includes recordings comparing similar sounds. This morning Josh started with his new language tutor. He’ll study five mornings a week. I’ve been attending a ladies Bible study on Tuesday afternoons and plan to start with a language tutor soon. The kids have also started school, which is simply a 20-40 minute reading lesson each day. Our schedule is already becoming full…Tuesday afternoon Khmer ladies Bible study, Wednesday morning missionary men’s breakfast, Wednesday evening Khmer men’s Bible study, Thursday night one of the Khmer pastors is meeting with Josh to encourage Josh, Saturday night missionary fellowship, and Sunday church.

Moving up here away from the capitol city is like a breath of fresh air. (Our kids actually have GRASS to play on.) Sure, we don’t have a lot of the conveniences of the city, but I’ll take Ratanakiri any day over Phnom Penh. We’re thankful to the Lord for the many ways He paved our way to move up here. We’re looking forward to the next several months of language study.

Sometime before Christmas, we started going to Sun Heng II Restaurant every Sunday after church. Originally the restaurant was close to our home, but in February it moved to be in a better location (better for their business, not better for us!). It was still on our way home from church, so we continued to be loyal customers. We loved the Khmer food and in the new location they started making really delicious smoothies. (My favorite was mango, passion fruit, strawberry and Josh always had strawberry and banana. They also had blueberries.)

Our children loved the owner’s family and the staff. The owner always gave the kids treats after our meal. Becca said it was better than Chick-fil-A, since they treated our family so well. Becca really wanted to give the family Bibles, so we gave them all the Two Ways to Live tract in Khmer. Becca continues to pray each night that they will come to love Jesus.

For almost our first whole year in Cambodia I didn’t have any close friends. Let me explain. When you live in a foreign country, you’re almost instantaneously friends with any other Christian expats. You bond because you are both foreigners. You feel comfortable getting together with people you’ve only met once and sharing life experiences, because you’re all in the same boat. But no one really needed my friendship.

A month and a half before we left Phnom Penh, Ayra and her family moved into a villa across from us to house-sit for their mission’s regional director while Ayra’s husband waited for an appointment for a visa. Ayra has been in Cambodia for 11 years. She came as a single missionary and is now married to a Khmer man. They have two girls (2 years old and 4 months).

Ayra and I became quick friends in part because we both needed a friend. I think that’s what made the difference for me. I wasn’t trying to figure out how I fit into another person’s world–I just fit. I was blessed by Ayra’s vast knowledge of Khmer culture and wish I had had more time to pick her brain. For now, I’m thankful for the weeks I had to get to know Ayra and for how we encouraged each other.

Quick update on our move: we had a good move to Ratanakiri. The first 2 days, Anna had a hard time adjusting. Becca and Isaiah are having a blast…and who wouldn’t: the home we’re house-sitting came with 5 half-beagle puppies and a wonderful helper whom the kids love.