Johanna Turns Fifteen!

Family and cousins were in attendance at grandma and grandpa's house singing "happy birthday" over cupcakes made by Mom and Aunt Kristin.

Maggie pushes Josiah on the swing outside the house where we're staying near Akron.

Maggie and Josiah made a game called "Twisty Tubes" that they're playing here.

Hot days outside, internet, and air conditioning result in some group screen time.

Happy Birthday Johanna!

Ohio COVID Quarantine Scenes

The kids have enjoyed playing lots of Monopoly during quarantine.  

They served us a private meal with a window seat on the screened-in-porch for our 20th Anniversary!

The property where we are staying has lots of wildlife.  Here's a deer with one of her two fawns.

We're grateful to the C&MA Central District for furnishing us a van to drive.  We drove it to church our first day out of quarantine.  

And here are the kids with their masks and a friend who showed up to worship as well.  

It was good to be back together again and out of quarantine!

Historic Mongolian Flight in the News

I was just reading the news from Mongolia and learned about an evacuation flight to the USA.  The first ever direct flight from Ulaanbaatar to USA happened this week.  Mongolian Airlines landed one of their fleet of seven jets in Seattle.  It was loaded with masks for the Navajo Reservations, and returned with about 200 Mongolian nationals who were stranded in America and wanted to return to their country.  Mongolia's borders are still closed.  Here's the link to the whole story: https://news.mn/en/793139/  The really big news is that they plan next year to establish a regular flight to the US.  This would be a game-changer those of us who live there.

Happy Father's Day

We've got one week in quarantine down after traveling back to America to reunite with our girls.

Here we are before taking a walk around the peaceful property where we're staying.

The kids made this creative card for Father's Day which was sweeter almost that Renee's signature cinnamon rolls.

The girls played settlers on the covered porch while it rained and thundered outside.

Josiah and I helped here and there.  Here he is studying up on more lego designs. 

Josiah's Happy 8th Birthday

Spider man theme streamers and new toy.

With the white chocolate cake his mom made him. 

Clara is excited as well.

Don't forget your party hat!

Excited for the end of school and soon return to America...

Made this a pretty special 8th birthday.

Welcome Back to Ohio Graduated

After graduating Friday, Maggie and her sisters made it back home the the US Saturday evening.

To a nice welcome from their grandparents, aunt and uncle.

It was a big day.  We were all tired but great and grateful to be together again.  

Sunday they were rested and ready for playing outside.

Clara trying out the newly hung swings on a beautiful spring day.

Maggie Graduates from Black Forest Academy

Though we weren't able to attend, thank God we got to watch online live.

We just barely got internet hooked up in time arriving in Ohio the night before,

Tassel on the left, our adult alumnus daughter graduates with high honors,  

With her dorm sisters.

And sisters Johanna and Lydia

Walking into the ceremony.

Taking pictures via TV screen much less embarrassing for students I'm sure.  

Josiah, Angel, and Clara

Playing while their parents talk at our departing meal at the Lee home.

MBA Coaches Training Continues

Fire In Ulaanbaatar

Sunday afternoon, black smoke colored the skyline over Peace Avenue.

A few moments later, the smoke darkened.  

Our building is the green peak-roofed one on the right in the foreground. 

But fortunately, the fire was further down the street.

It turned out to be coming from the historic State Department Store, opened in 1924!

Thank God about 30 minutes later, smoke began to dissipate.  

Police and fire crews were putting our the final smolders.  

It was the 6th floor of tourist souvenirs that burned.  

No word yet on what caused the fire, or whether fatalities occurred.

Childrens's Day in the Lock-Down

 Our friends joined us to the National Park outside Ulaanbaatar.

There were many people there, surprisingly.  Cotton candy and bubbles were for sale.

Afterward, we went for dinner at a favorite nearby restaurant.

Josiah went outside to play with his new bubble maker toy.

Clara enjoys the fun as well. 

Happy Children's Day, every June 1st in Mongolia! 

Inspiring Church Service

One of the beauties of the World Wide Web is the ability to travel (sort of) to experience places, even churches, where you've never been.  Maybe for you that means seeing and reading, perhaps praying for Mongolia from wherever you visit this journal, this web log of ours.  Thanks for dropping by!

Today I visited a church (virtually of course) in my own home state of Washington, that I had never heard of, in a town I couldn't place on a map.  I learned of it from a book that was suggested to me, which was written by the pastor of that church.  He happens to be the son of my favorite theologian, Eugene Peterson, who was born in another small town in our state: Stanwood, Washington.

Anyway I thought I would share this message of Home, the Hope of Heaven, and the need we all need for Justice and Grace.  The music and worship is what drew me to stay for the service of the proclamation of the Word of God.  I hope someone out there enjoys it as much as I did.

You can simply click here to see and hear.  Blessings!

German Mountain Sunset on School Year

The girls in Germany trekked up a nearby mountain to mark a significant event.

School is almost out and soon their dorm sisterhood will be separated by space and time zones. 

Mongolian Traditional Script Class

My friend Jonathan joined me in class last week.

He knows the vertical script quite well since he lived in Inner Mongolia.

Here we are after learning the traditional script numbers 1-9.

Here I am on the last day of class for the year, with some of the calligraphy script I had to learn to read with Tserma Teacher.  The poem behind us is like a poem of eternal blessing.  

Girls in Germany Celebrate Staff and Sisters

Birthdays are celebrated with fanfare at their dorm.

Maggie (above) celebrates their dorm mother Cheryl on her birthday.

For those with birthdays in summer, like Lydia , they celebrate a little early.

Maggie crowns her as princess of quick thinking, among other things.  

Getting Close to the End of School

Mrs B, alias Mom helps Josiah with a school project.

We're on the home stretch, and making them both stand the test. 

I think we could safely call the COVID-19 2020 school year a stress test for all!