Back Out Again

We had meetings back in Java a couple weeks after being back in Aceh - our national partners (Jos & Yuli) came for some of them too & we did official stuff like signing contracts, meeting with our foundation, etc., lots of fun. Here we are ready to fly out of Aceh...

Here's 'Jah dreamin' his way to Bandung on a bus.
Our final meeting, back down in Jakarta...whew!

During the evenings we had fun going out in the big capital city of Jakarta...we enjoyed staying with J's former dorm parents, John & April. They watched 'Jah the 1st nite & we made a run to the local Carrefour (supermarket) & found some Valentine's chocolate (kitkats!) & great laughs...

This little restaurant advertises "Chicken & Joy" - now that's a sidedish!

And while Elissa was looking for a brush to clean out Elijah's bottles, she came across a baby carrier brand, "Lusty Bunny" - what in the world?!

A Conglomeration of Things...

So here's a set of random photos & a video w/ no relation really.

So here's E in her jammies enjoying the world's largest ziplocs - Jeff, you da man!
These last 2 pix were taken off our front porch. This guy's an electrician w/ mad climbing skills! Notice our ever improving office in the background :)

Valentine's!

Well, we're in Medan again which is why we can post so easily...but before we talk about that, I (Elissa) have to brag on J's awesome efforts for Valentine's this year.
I should start off by saying J is most definitely not a morning person but I totally am & love breakfast at that. J got up special for me & made an amazing breakfast for us :)
Check out this spread....freshly cut pears, eggs & french toast & bajigur (fav Indo drink of ours)
J cut out little hearts from my french toast & put an egg in the middle - my 2 favorite bfast foods, I could hardly believe it.

For lunch I'd made sugar cookies w/ a message for him...& finally got to use our red food coloring, in water of course ;)

Dinner was green curry, J's fav & he surprised me with an ice cream cake he'd made...
Check this thing out...oreo mixed w/ chocolate sweetened condensed milk layer, vanilla ice cream, repeat again & a melted chocolate bar & peanut butter for the topping. I crave the sweet things in life & often can't find 'em in Indo so J made this for me, what a guy.

Final surprise was that while J made the cake he stuck (plastic covered) notes throughout it w/ sweet words for me, what an amazing Valentine's, thank you J!

Posyandu "Health Center"

Pretty soon after we got back to Aceh we found out that once a month in our neighborhood women & children are invited to come to the local health center to be weighed & given vitamins. This was an interesting experience for Elissa & little E as our some of our neighbors were seeing him for the 1st time...evidently before we got there they had a health lesson (notice the material in front of the lady holding 'Jah)

And here he is getting weighed Indo style:

We're pretty sure he's the only white baby in Calang which makes him a star anywhere he goes..

Hanging Out

This is a typical scene about twice a day (sometimes more, sometimes less) when Elijah gets a bath Indo style. This means he sits in his chair & we shower him off & use a little Johnson & Johnson (yes, it's made it here). We're just finishing up getting our bathroom done, complete w/ tile & paint (still had touchups to do when this pix was taken)...a far cry from the grey cement room it was when we 1st arrived :)

Here's Jah & J hanging out while J works on the computer in the room that serves as Jah's nursery & our work area @ home.

These 2 videos show what typical cafes look like where folks hang out & eat mostly rice or noodles, fish or chicken & fresh fruit juices!

Fun Sleeping Poses...

Not sure how this is comfortable but it doesn't seem to bother little E!

Here he is holding the blanket Grandma J made for him..perfect lightweight fabric for the tropics!

We found him the other night like this:

And here he's fallen asleep holding his first book (thanks Grandma D!) - we didn't stage these pix we promise!

Here he's fallen asleep while E cleans the house...

Last but not least, this is his own doing...he falls asleep easier when he's pulled his diaper cloth, blanket or whatever over his face....reminds us of Grandpa J (Kakek) :)

"Ular" aka Snake!

Shortly after we arrived E had quite the surprise while in the kitchen...a snake had somehow gotten in. Here's a series of video clips from the time she was waiting for J to get home to help (top) 'til he caught it (below) - here's to life in Indo!

J put together a homemade snake catcher from PVC pipe & rope. E got to learn something new about him, he was in a "Snake Club" @ his int'l school growing up...who would've known?!

Felt a little Steve Irwinish when J was able to catch it...

And finally taking it out to let it loose (far!) away from our home! Of course our neighbor kids thought this rocked ;)

First Days Back

Here's little E hanging out in his new chair in a friend's car @ the airport right after we arrived...

We fly into Aceh via a town named Meulaboh. We stopped for lunch before heading home - here's a clip:

This is Pak Hamit (& fam below), J's closest friend from here in Calang. His Mom was well known as an excellent midwife before she was taken by the tsunami. Her influence lives on in her son who loves to tell stories of women giving birth & who also loves to hold babies!


Here's a couple video clips from their visit. Even though we were in the midst of unpacking, culturally it's important for them to stop by soon after we got back to greet us, meet Elijah, etc. They're so fabulous! :)

In this 2nd clip the discussion's about how Elijah doesn't have any hair. Evidently it's important (or @ least valued) for babies to be born with hair as we've gotten all kinds of advice on how to make his hair grow more quickly. Problem with Elijah is his genes, Elissa didn't really have any hair 'til she was 2!

Here's another friend named Hengki working here from another island in Indonesia...
And last but certainly not least, our beloved teammates Jos & Yuli!

Flying into Aceh

Might be hard to read but the sign in the upper left corner says "Ruang Merokok - Smoking Room" - a place in the waiting room before boarding...the funny or ironic(?) thing is that there's no roof/top so the smoke just bellows out (kinda like in the smoking section of a restaurant I guess). Most Indonesian men smoke thanks to great advertising from the West.
Here's J getting the carseat set in the back of the Cessna.


Here's a video from when we were getting ready to take off from Medan to Aceh...


Here's a final video that shows what it looks like flying into Aceh...
We all arrived safely & Elijah enjoyed hanging out on the tarmac while we loaded up our stuff.

Medan Transport

This is what's called an "ojek" - a motorbike w/ a sidecar for passengers...

After a hot, dusty ride we pulled out the water bottles (no such thing as drinking from the faucet here!)
And later some ice cream....nothing like this in Calang :)

Lounging...

So on our way into Aceh we stopped @ the biggest city on the island, Medan & were blessed w/ this fabulous find...a little fold up chair for bathing babies....& keeping loungin' hot ones cool w/ the great mesh fabric :)

Since we're on the lounging theme, here's a pix from the guesthouse we stayed @ while in Medan...

Medan

So from Jakarta we flew to Medan where we spent a couple days getting supplies not available in Aceh. We found a great stroller @ the mall which we were waiting to get as a gift from Mom J's good friend Nell. Thx so much Aunt Nell, we love it!
It fits inside a backpack - perfect for traveling!

And here we are using it @ a nearby park there in Medan...
Hard to see in the pix in the park but this sign is saying "No sellers allowed" w/ them right beneath the sign...kinda funny.

Also a thx goes out to the Stables for passing on their boys' floor mat play area - saw one in the baby store in Medan (same place we found the stroller) the playmat was $60, unbelievable!

Heading to Sumatra

We finallly were ready to leave Bandung as a fam but stopped through Jakarta & Medan on our way back into Aceh. We took the train from Bandung to Jakarta.


Here's a video clip from an afternoon in Jakarta, the capital city which evidently never sleeps...

Dinner with Family & Friends

Before we all 3 left Bandung for Aceh, our homestay family hosted a yummy meal - kinda like a "steamboat" dinner for those that are familiar w/ that term :)So Elijah enjoyed being held by all...


Here's the ladies all together...


We really enjoyed spending time again here!