Why is Wyatt feeling tortured?

Dear family and friends,

We did miss a few opportunities this weekend due to the fact that we were just tired. It's going to be year of picking and choosing like never before. I don't like that I can't do it all, but it's a good spiritual exercise now isn't it?

By God's grace, we were successful in getting Wyatt to the orthodontist yesterday. Hopefully he will be out of his braces in June. We walked past Tiffany's as we got off the bus stop and Wyatt didn't offer to buy me anything. Can you believe it?

We rode the bus both ways, then walked to Harrod's where I bought the children a huge playmobile set that was on 50% off. Possibly our only purchase ever to be made there and I can still hardly believe I got such a good price. Wyatt was more than happy to tote the large ackward box a little more than mile home, on foot.

Today Kate is going to take the bus to go and babysit for the afternoon. Wyatt is going to be her escort, both are excited as this will be their first solo outing. I am putting them on the bus, they will have a cell phone, and then they have about 8 blocks to conquer. Wyatt does not know yet that I'm going to slip him some quid so he can get a McDonald's hamburger on the way home.

Ed's hopeful to have a date of delivery today...the phone is still an opportunity of being cheerful despite confusion and little progress.

Tonight we head to the Royal Automobile Club. Wyatt is convinced that we are going to get to drive Porche's and Ferreri's and feels tortured that Edward's wife is going rather than his son.

As always...God is good!
Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

What is so exciting?

Dear family and friends,

We were finally able to go to the British Museum today, it was our third try! Unfortunately we weren't there that long, fortunately we get to go back and now know how to get there.

There were a few things that just blew my mind:

The yummy pita's that didn't begin to fill my family's sweet tummies. Don't they look delicious though?

This was on a palace wall in NINEVEH...did you read that correctly? NINEVEH...are you thinking Jonah? This really blew my mind.

I took a picture of the description so I would get this correct, "This is the beginning of the inscription which was carved on the pair of human headed winged bulls which flanked the entrance to the throneroom of the king. It included the most detailed surviving account of the attribute sent by king HEZEKIAH." All that little scratching behind Jefferson's head...701 B.C.

Children in front of pieces of the Parthenon. Did you know that it was standing intact until the late 1600's when it became a tragedy of war?

Wyatt and Kate trying to be taller than me, Wyatt's about there. They are standing in front of the East Pediment (triangular gable ends to Greek temples...you know the top part of the upside down v that makes the roof) to the Parthenon. Never mind I'm just going to post the description and save us both time.

They were darling and funny, right there in front of the east pediment, although it did end with one of those "we are not in a park" discussions.

We barely skimmed the surface.

I had planned a picnic, but we got going so late, that we went ahead and ate before we left. We were all so tired this morning that Ed decided to let us sleep. We also have a fourteen year old who is growing and needing more sleep than he normally does. We peeled him out of bed at 10:30. His seven year old brother commented, "It's not that he's growing Mommy, it's all of that Math you've been making him do."

We ate the sandwiches and threw some yummy bars in the backpack. If we'd actually picnicked I would have added fruit, vegetable sticks, maybe crackers. I forgot all of that and not very far into our trek, not only did I have hungry children, but a hungry husband. So, like any good planner, out we marched to the hotdog stand just outside of the museum. 7 pounds and 3 hotdogs later, complete with sausage and grilled onions I might add, we were in for round 2.

A few issues with round two so we decided to stop while we were ahead and finish up an errand on the way home. On the way out one little one realized their hat was gone...well that little issue ended up including tracing our steps through the parts of the museum we'd viewed, asking questions continuously of all museum staff that we could find, consulting both cloakrooms, and a final 10 minute run back to the museum when they called us after we'd left to say that they had found it.

You know we've been studying and talking about irritations. There was a lot of victory today, to God be the glory. I hope that sweet child always remembers running back with their mother through London streets to retrieve their favorite hat. Daddy was making an important purchase for our family so the running came down to me...funny huh! I was SO GRATEFUL for the training God has had me doing as this time last year I would have died...physically and spiritually. Isn't our God good to prepare us for what He calls us to do!

In a few minutes a Navy Captain will be arriving with MEAT from the American Commissary. I never knew meat could be so exciting, on the other hand, Ed's always thought meat was exciting. We are so grateful for their offer...God's provision is so great, in the enormous and minuscule.

Love in Christ,
Dinah for The Troops

Why was one officer's story so special?

Dear family and friends,

We just had our Friday night pizza (1 pound a pizza from our local grocery), a week of school under our belts (great victory this week...taking writing by a storm with those middle two), the flat it clean (the upside of 1200 square feet, doesn't take long to clean with four children in tow), and we are ready for the weekend.

This week was filled with "overseas" moments. I was so grateful for our previous overseas experience and that God has had us focusing on humility and dealing with irritations in a way that pleases Him. You should just expect opportunities to practice when you are studying such things in God's Word.

We still don't have a phone line, Ed spent hours at the bank, I spent hours trying to get our Paypal accounts to work, Ed wrestled with his issued computer, etc, etc, etc.

We also had some fantastic highlights:

On Sunday we had a taste of what it's going to be someday to worship the Lord with the nations people from so many countries. It was one of those moments where you know the Lord is letting you have a minuscule glance.

I had so much fun watching Ed in his civilian clothes, I wonder how long it's going to seem like a sport?

We had SERIOUS victory in school with one particular child and one particular subject...I still can hardly believe it. I've always known it wasn't a concept issue.

A DEAR neighbor who has climbed right into our hearts let me call my mother for an hour and a half. We'd only talked about five minutes in over a month.

Ed had an amazing week at school...truly an experience of a lifetime! We have been very aware that we could have come this far, made all of this effort, and the school be okay. Certainly not the case.

I was able to go with Ed last night to the Royal Air Force Club, The food was fantastic (although we've not eaten outside of London, so far we are not buying this whole food in London is horrible as it just hasn't been our experience), the art mind boggling (laughing out loud last night about a German officer last year who was meticulously looking at all pictures hopeful for a German plane...wrong country buddy...we finally found one, but he was belly up and heading to the ground), but the company just couldn't be beat!

The Polish officer was quotable. In response that Ed was Public Affairs and works with the media he replied, "I just spent a long time in Afghanistan as an artillery officer , I'll face down the Taliban any day, but just don't ever make me face the media."

The Nigerian officer is a delight. His laugh begs you to smile.

The officer from another country, well I will never forget. He shared how he sent his girls to France after high school in order to make a better lives for themselves. He had to proclaim to them, there was nothing left for them in their country, and he sent them away. It's the reason he is so thrilled to be here, to be close to France, to see his girls.

At lunch I had a moment to share all that this Brigadier General had to say with our children. We've discussed for years how people make enormous changes in their lives, their geography, their very being...for their children. It made me think of all the immigrants who brought their children to America, with much danger and sacrifice, to give them something else, something more. It's been very thought provoking.

He also offered the most hysterical, quizzical, and confused face I'd ever seen when we explained to him that we tutor our children at home. "Homeschool" is not a word that is very understood across the nations, we are discovering. I've also never been quizzed and listened to in quite the same way. We can hardly wait to have him in our home, and for our children to meet him.

Next week is going to be quite busy. Hopefully we will get the rest of our belongings, Wyatt broke a bracket on his braces today so the orthodontist adventure begins on Monday, the children and I will be heading to Ed's school on Wednesday to have tea with the other spouses, and have lunch with Daddy. Ed and I have a function one night at the Automobile something or other club, and Kari Ray is going to be my bright Ray of sunshine Monday morning to stop and be in God's Word together at Starbucks. It will be the first time I don Starbucks since we now have Internet in our apartment.

There are so many little things I've been learning...I can't wait to show you my Brussel Sprouts picture, but I won't until I have time to tell you the infamous story!

Love to all...
In Christ Alone,
Dinah for The Troops

How far do you go to pick up the mail?

Dear family and friends,

This is going to have to be short as Starbucks is closing in ten minutes.

What a day...great day and one we'll never forget, although it was local travel, it was quite the trek. The children and I left at 9:30 in order to head to Ikea, the Ray's house, and to pick up the mail at our American mailbox which is an hour away. This may not sound like that big of deal in our American world, but in the world of not having your own car it meant 6 subways, 3 buses, and 8 1/2 hours.

We had mailed two dishpacks to our post office box back in December as we were quickly outgrowing our bags. So today we took four rolling suitcases and brought all our extras back, along with a new rolling grocery cart full of Ikea goodies. Remember we only have half of our household goods and I've been filling in a few holes like bowls, plates, and tupperware.

The children were FANTASTIC! I got so tickled at Jefferson on up and what troopers they were. Jefferson had the pink LLBean bag and did a "lovely" job.

We came home quite tired and full of victory to dinner in the crockpot. We ate off our new 69pence bowls and plates. Nice to not eat on plastic...a small treat in life.

Edward comes home tomorrow...we can hardly wait. I know that sounds silly as he's only been gone since Wednesday, but all the more being in a new place, we are really excited Daddy's coming home.

I can hardly wait to tell him about Jefferson's question on the tube tonight...from left field might I add, "Mommy, I know the baby looks like the Mommy because the baby comes out of the Mommy, but how in the world does the baby get to look like the Daddy?"

Love in Christ,
Dinah for the Troops

Why do you go to Starbucks?

Dear family and friends,

Just a quick update...we did move in on Monday although only half of our belongings that are coming are here. Little disappointing, but by HIS grace, we handled it well. Always a great reminder that they are just things!

Yesterday Ed and I celebrated our 19th anniversary. About eleven he announced that he was taking Mommy out on a date and the unpacking would wait. It did, and we had a marvelous time. We ended up at a little place called Bumbles. You can literally see the wall to the Buckingham palace gardens from their front door. Hard to believe this is where we live. We also ran a few errands trying to get a little of the never ending accomplished: light bulbs, new pin for Ed's watch band, milk, ect.

The children and I have also been back on top of finishing us Les Miserables. I'd forgotten how much we love it, how could I forget so quickly? Yesterday Marius proclaimed his love, today he lost her again. Poor Marius, it's really some hard going these days.

Ed left for Germany this morning at 3:30 A.M....BLAH! He had a great attitude and I missed Linda Whitlow DEARLY as she took such great care of him in Hawaii.

My treat of the morning was meeting with Kari Ray! What a bright "Ray" of sunshine she is. So much fun to have a sweet friend already. It was good to be in His Word with a friend just sharing where God has had me this last week. Can I just say I love Matthew 13?

I'm sitting here at Starbucks as we don't have Internet until next week. So grateful that Starbucks is willing to serve me on so many levels. I need to send off one more email and run upstairs for taco's. Melanee Kate was fixing them for me. Daddy proclaimed the children do all the normal housework while he's gone so I can get everything else accomplished. The taco shells at our local grocery are $5.00. So grateful to the Lord that I brought my own!

Love to all...In Christ Alone,
Dinah for The Troops

Are The Thomas Troops really going to be settled?

Dear family and friends,

So here I sit on a Sunday afternoon. We had a wonderful morning of worship at All Soul's with a trip on the way home to our "favorite" Irish pub (Mc-Donald's). The children announced they had not eaten at McDonald's since Alaska...depravity at its finest.

I want to get these pictures up and running. I've been working on them for days (a moment here, a moment there) and still don't feel like I'm doing this justice. Either way, here they come.

We are going to read aloud this afternoon as we are back on top of reading Les Miserables. Only four hundred pages left to go. Marius and Cosette finally spoke and declared what had been embedded in their hearts just yesterday afternoon.

We're also packing up our family for the 21st time since the 15th of October. Tomorrow is the big day! Early in the morning a van that Edward has hired will be coming to pick up all of our suitcases and odd's and ends. I will travel over with the girls and Jefferson by tube. Walking to church a child and I mused at the fact that we've never moved by subway!

Tomorrow night I will dreamily sleep in our own bed...in the meantime I am so grateful for all that God has done in our lives and hearts during this leg of our journey in life. So, until August, we are settled. It's such a great reminder to me that this is a quick moment, our time here on this side of heaven. The only place where we will permanently reside...

We had 13 bags heading to London along with carryons. It was a crazy moment as we did this with my sweet parents at the Denver airport 21 months ago. I was so grateful to be traveling WITH my sweet Ed this time that the luggage didn't phase me. Relieved to get it all in the bags after mailing two large boxes in order to get everything to London.




We spent four nights in London before we headed to Rome. We didn't arrive til almost sunset and then spent the next five hours roaming through Rome. It was majestic. This picture is in front of the Pantheon. This was about fifteen minutes after Jefferson announced he wanted to be an archaeologist and he thinks we should retire in Rome.


An Aggie took our picture here in front of the Trevi fountain. It's always amazing when you travel who God puts in your path. We even had a mutual college friend.




We loved the Egyptian section. The highlight for the boys being the 4000 year old mummies...his and hers to be exact. Wyatt did such a fantastic job on this trip making sure no one got lost, always counting us and being the caboose. It's exciting to see how he's maturing and learning to be a protector is one way we are watching.


The Vatican museum not only has an amazing collection, but the building and grounds are fantastic in and of themselves. The only time I'd been there was by myself 10 years ago. In that moment of having three young ones I was grateful to have an adventure by myself. This time I was so grateful to have them with me!



We thought the little guy looked like a commercial, although he is certainly not for sale. We were eating pizza right in front of the Coliseum. We had lengthy conversations over at least a weeks time about this historical site.



This is up on Palestine Hill above the forum. Rome is known for many things including history, architect, food, ambiance, and gelato...but being with our children was hands down the best!



The Shaw's were so sweet to jump into this Thomas adventure! We met the Shaw's over 13 years ago when Ed and John were Air Force Interns at the Pentagon. We've lived in the same town THREE times which is a God thing considering Ed is PA and John is Space. We are so grateful for iron in our lives...




We had two nights on the ship that were formal. This night Ed evacuated our room and let the girls take over. It was so much fun! I can hardly believe that these children are so grown. When we first met the Shaw's Caroline was still sleeping in diapers, Wyatt was not walking, Rachel had that binky going double time, Melanee Kate was growing inside, and Tim and Jefferson were distant dreams.

Caroline and Rachel in Tunisia walking through amazing old and winding streets. These girls also had a great time bartering. Caroline had had her first bartering experience last year in Thailand. Rachel jumped right in there.

Caroline in Carthage...the ruins were breathtaking. The thing that was mind boggling is the ruins we experienced were 2000 years old Roman ruins. When the Romans showed up they obliterated Carthage and their 2000 year old civilization and then built up. I wonder if those Eygptian mummies, that we saw in Rome, had ever travelled to Carthage in Africa....same time period. Just wondering...


Do you think heaven will be filled with column's and arches? Maybe?


We did a little rug shopping in Tunisia. This was particularly fun to watch Tonia as she'd done quite a bit of rug shopping for the two of us several years ago. I was so grateful to all be together this time! Please notice Miss Melanee Kate...oh how she has always loved Col (Lt.Col/Maj./Capt.) Shaw.

This is my sweet husband buying me jewelry! At this point I think Ed would have bought me jewelry just to get this man to leave him alone. It would have been worth the money to end this man's pursuit.

Melanee Kate so desired to ride this camel. She loves to care for horses out at her grandparents and she was very excited to see the differences in riding a horse and a camel. Please notice the gentleman who was leading her on his cell phone. Whoever he was talking to had this mans attention which bought MKate a longer ride.

Parenting in Malta...

Most of my pictures of Caroline involve her camera. We had more fun taking pictures and she does such a great job. Tim and Jefferson were having the greatest time riding artillery shells. These boys can play war just about anywhere, and they did. You should have seen the creations they made one day in Italy out of straws, toothpicks, and empty sugar packets.

What a fine crew we have here...God is so good to give me a friend like Tonia Shaw. We are so alike in many ways and yet so different in others. Our similarities bind us, and our differences broaden and stretch us both. Thank you Tonia for being my friend. May we always love, serve, and ponder our creator!

Now is that an awesome picture or what! Ed's training in photography from the USAF does come in handy...of course willing subjects help.

Again...being with these children was hands down the best part of our trip. Music lessons, tennis, work, and school are daily and worthy pursuits. On the other hand, being together, every once in a while without these responsibilities is a treat.

This is one in a series of hysterical pictures. The guys had surprised us with an afternoon away in the spa, on the ship. In this picture we are reenacting, for the children, the two of us trying to get settled into the ever moving waters of the enormous whirlpool, trying not to touch the Italian men around us. The boat was rocking and rolling at this point and everyone seemed to be quite stable, except us. Unfortunately, at this point, to add to the scenario, we got tickled. We were clinging to each other and the rails and looked more like Lucy and Ethel than anyone on the ship at that particular moment. By the time we were settled we had the whole room in laughter...some with us and some at us. A great highlight that money could never buy. Just one of those fun moments in life that could never be ordered.

The day we spent in Olympia Jefferson picked many wildflowers for me. I still haven't seen our pictures from our small camera which was the main camera I was using that day. At some point I just may have to upload the video of the mothers and children running across the original Olympic field! I need to explain this whole running thing God has had me experiencing anyway.

Christmas Eve...and the only picture that we have of the ten of us. Having just one picture of the ten of us was not my choice by the way. The men looked so handsome! We talked a lot about how we should celebrate Jesus in our nontraditional setting. The most important goal being that we honor, worship, and celebrate Him. Christmas day was a treat...including a great brunch, a four hour walk in Corfu, reading His Word, and Colonel Shaw ending the day reading The Gift of the Magi. He read this to the children on New Years Eve in Alabama five years before and it was requested specifically by the Thomas children.

Another series of pictures that are really funny, but I just choose a great one at the end. When I see this picture it quickly brings me back to a little binky baby who used to LOVE to run in circles in the circular baby bed that we had. Rachel's the only baby who ran so many laps that I finally had to pull her out and pop her in the rectangular pack and play to end her exercise. I giggle every time I think of a roaring four year old or a second grader who only seemed to stop her motion when sleeping or nestling with her Daddy. Rachel, you are doing such a lovely job, by the grace of our God, growing up. I am so pleased with you love. It delights my heart to be with you and you still make me laugh in the strangest of places. Keep loving Him love...

Tim has been taking dancing classes and I have to say he is getting his parents money's worth! Can this baby who sat on my hip for three days straight while his parents had a few nights away really be swinging Mkate around the dance floor? What a great sense of humor he has. It's so much fun to watch his sharp mind in action! I have no doubt Master Timothy, that you are going to be a fine man who loves and serves Jesus with the talents you have been given...

Christmas morning...started off with prayers and Bible reading in our jammies. One present to be shared. You couldn't open your eyes until it was your turn. We had Wyatt go last...

My favorite picture of Kate...this is such a Kate moment! This was taken up on a fortress in Corfu.

John Shaw is the man that Ed has had the most opportunity to run with all these years. The running thing is one of the items God used to catapult us into this relationship. This is their first running picture that I'm aware of...well, except the one we took the day before in Olympia, but it was really only a saunter for these two. Many miles have been pounded out between these four legs and all the while discussing much Air Force doctrine, fiesty wives, precious children, and deep theology. They love to run together while pontificating. What a great receipe...exercising the body, mind, and soul. Thank you John Shaw for being a dear friend to my sweet husband. I thank the Lord for your friendship and know that you are both better husbands, fathers, officers, and followers of Christ because of it.

Doesn't he look European? Edward could have really blended right in if wasn't for the five of us following him. In two days we celebrate our nineteenth anniversay. I can hardly believe it. Twenty years ago this week God made if very clear to me that I would travel around the world to share Jesus. Little did I know...

Lord, may we honor you no matter where we go or what we do. Thank you for this experience of seeing people you love, places you created, and for being together. Being a family is a precious thing...something I pray we always treasure. It sure does take a lot of hard work living with five other sinners, who have to live with a sinner like me. It also makes me see everyday how I need you Lord, how I will always miss the mark on this side of heaven. Thank you for the growth you have brought, the grace you continually give, and the love you bestow. Help us to always share this love with others...

Love in Christ,

Dinah for The Thomas Troops