A Day

Awhile back, Tsh shared an example of a day in her life.  When I told her how much I liked it, she mentioned that I should do the same thing.  SO, here is a day in my life.  It is probably more mundane that you thought {please tell me you didn’t think I live in a hut and swing from vines?? I only occasionally swing from vines….ahem.}

Here is my day:

4:40am- I wake up to the sound of the mosque. I debate about exercise…but I think, if I strain really hard I can hear rain, so I opt to sit and sip coffee with my Bible instead.  My eye is goopy and it’s hard to open….I think it’s pink eye.  We will have to see…. or not see in this case.

6- I make some baked oatmeal and milk {yes, powdered} and go back to sipping coffee and reading.

7- Everyone is up and we all eat.

After breakfast Britton heads outside to check his traps…he caught something, and he’s happy because I pay him for every.single. one. 

7:15- Chaos ensues as sheets are stripped off of beds, laundry is started, beds and shelves are dusted.   My helper, Abi, is not coming in today because she is helping her friend get ready for her wedding.  I guess that means I have to wash dishes {I know…rough life!}….so I dive in.

7:45- Britton informs me that we are out of bananas {what?} and he needs some to feed his gibbon, George.

7:50-Dave leaves for work.  Normally he rides his motorcycle, but today he is taking our visitors, a newlywed college couple on a vision trip.  They pile into the car, along with Britton, who will get dropped off at the roadside stand down the road to buy bananas and then walk home.

8:10-I finish editing a post and publish it.  Then, quickly check Facebook. Britton is back from buying bananas and George, the gibbon, is satiated.

8:40-We start school together, devotions and reading history aloud.

9am- Older two start on independent work and I sit down with the twins and Hudson to read history and then it’s on to a project and math for Hudson.

10am-The twins and I make a snack as the older three work on language.  We deliver the snack and I notice the cat has killed a gecko and it’s laying on the floor.  Awesome.

11am- I sit down to listen to Hudson read and then on to do a writing lesson with the older two.

11:30-Have to figure out something for lunch…..I boil some eggs for egg salad and cut up some veggies

12:15- Dave returns for lunch with our newlywed guests and we all sit down for a quick lunch. What, more dishes?

1pm-Dave and Ryan head back to the hangar and Jessica and I sit down to chat while the older kids read, finish math, and practice typing.  15 minutes later, I excuse myself and go lay down with the twins to read Make Way for Ducklings and take a quick nap. Older kids read quietly.

2pm- Wake up from nap.  My eye is goopy and closed shut.  Pretty sure that it is pink eye. Laundry, sweeping, check email.  Yep, pretty exciting.

2:30- I read aloud to the older kids {twins still sleeping} and then paint two lines of painted wallpaper on my wall ala Jones Design Company. It’s coming along…

3pm-I probably need to shower since there is a wedding tonight of one of our helper, Abi’s, friends. Hmm.  I take a quick shower and then opt to go to the salon down the road to get my hair washed, dried, and curled.  (yes, completely frivolous, but for $3.00, I will happily let someone else do it!)

3:30-Kids are happily playing, twins still asleep, so I head down to the salon with my ipod loaded with an episode of Downton Abbey (don’t judge).

4:15-I return and all the kids head out to play outside with friends.  I don’t have to make dinner, so I get the card and money ready for the wedding later tonight…I get dressed and put some makeup on.

5:15pm- Dave gets home and I run to the Apotek (little drugstore) to get some eye drops. I point at my goopy eye and tell them that I need something to make it better.  The lady hands me an antibiotic and I also grab some worm medicine for the whole family while I’m there (that is how we roll in the tropics, people!)

5:30-Get everyone ready for the wedding.  We rummage through the clean laundry for appropriate clothes and finally have success.

6:30-We all pile into the car to head to the wedding

6:45-Arrive at the wedding. I feel two things: hot and very,very tall {I’m 5’61/2″ for reference}.

 We try to grab our food and make our way to the few chairs we see in the back…it is quite a feat.  We see Abi and head over to her. Typical Indonesian weddings can be summed up in these words from the movie, A Bug’s Life, “they come, they eat, they leave.” You come, eat some food, then go greet the bride and groom and all their family, drop an envelope in a basket, and then leave.

7:45- We head home, sweaty, tired, and happy.

8:30-Kids are in bed, I am pooped.  Dave and I climb in bed to watch The Mentalist, and I’m asleep before it’s over.

Life is good.  God is good.

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  • http://simplemom.net Tsh @ SimpleMom.net

    Joy, I love, love, LOVE this. I’m so glad you wrote this! I’ve been thinking a lot about you lately, friend, so this just gives me an even clearer picture of your life. Thank you.

    • http://simplemom.net Tsh @ SimpleMom.net

      And also, your hair looks really pretty in that picture.

  • Myra @ My Blessed Life

    I LOVE this post! You have been on my mind a lot lately. Miss you and praying for you! xoxo

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=522424461 Jenny Cooke

    Mundane? Hardly! Here I lay in my bed with computer in lap at 7:22 am and shortly I will get dressed to take my little one to school, then come back and get ready for work. Go to work, come home, go to bed. THAT is mundane. You, my friend, are wildly exciting. Plus, you have gorgeous hair.

  • Helen Gullett

    Hi Grace,

    I always enjoy reading your posts. And this one is what I love. Expecting life to be different in the different country is sometimes not what I expected but here I am in a different country and soon to go back to my country and that country will be new to my husband and kids.

    I have a lot of things in my mind what can I do to prepare myself and my family to live overseas, or how is life gonna be when we get there?

    Reading you post help me to see things from differen agle.

    Thank you for sharing your experiences and this post is trully a blessing!

  • Tricia

    Love it!
    When I was in Indo, as a 5’11″ whitey, I felt really tall, lol!
    I’d love to read more “day in the life” posts!
    How big is a gibbon?

  • http://twitter.com/StefLayton Stef Layton

    hmm, weighing … hair salon, worms. hair salon, worms. I dunno Joy — you’re hair looks pretty Charlie’s Angels FAB in that photo … worms?! Considering we have rats in good ole Disney World – and my son had worms when he was 2 (thank you kitty, that sandbox wasn’t a liter box) … I’m saying you’ve got it made! Salon, maid, fresh bananas, nap time … I’m coming to think you’re spoiled. =)

    (thank you for not killing any chickens or snakes today)

  • Katy A

    That was great! I hope the pink eye is cleared up! That can be so horrible! We dealt with it here, not long ago! :) Your hair looks absolutely gorgeous in that photo above! Definitely a steal for $3! :o )

  • kelly B

    It’s always fun to see other’s “typical” day…. but to see in the life of a missionary family living overseas is anything but mundane!

    And totally NOT judging about watching Downton Abbey or the Mentalist… those are our favorites, too!!

  • Mindym5

    Actually, I have mean to do this all the time. Because we have such different schedules each year with the kids after school stuff, I want to do posts of each day of the week just so I can remember.
    I LOVED reading this! I also really LOVE that you can drop your son off at a road side stand and it’s safe enough for him to walk back home alone. Also, I USED to get up at 5AM for devotion time and I’ve been terrible at it for a few years now. God is really talking to me about getting back to being intentional about things again. I have a partially written post about it waiting to be finished and posted.
    Thanks for sharing!!!

  • Anonymous

    this was so fun!
    i loved reading it! :)
    and you are so very beautiful, girl!

  • http://rachelmariemartin.blogspot.com/ Rachel @ finding joy

    Beautiful post, Joy! So fun to see a day in your life….and yes, I would pay for those traps as well. ;)

  • KimmyA

    Wow your life actually sounds pretty fascinating to this stay at home mom in OH. Aside from the disgusting rat it seems pretty normal too;) Your wallpaper is coming along really well too:) Hope your eye is feeling better and none of the kids get it…not fun!!! I would be getting my hair done everyday at the salon if it cost $3!!:) Thank you for sharing!!!! I need to check out Downtown Abby..I have heard a lot about it recently:)

  • http://www.thesimplehomemaker.com/ Christy, The Simple Homemaker

    Fantastic! Thank you for sharing! I think Britton is awesome, by the way! And I love this glimpse into your life. You get more done in a day than I do in 15 minutes…ack! I mean you get more done in 15 minutes than I do in a day. I think I put my batteries in backward this morning. Keep ‘em coming!

  • Ruth@gracelaced

    I so enjoyed reading about your day. Did you know I have the exact same walls (by the same method) in my bathroom? :) Do you find that now that you littlests are a bit older, you are spending less time in the discipline process?–I ask because when i wrote my day-in-the-life post, it seemed like a lot of my day was consumed with correction and working through attitude issues among the boys. Obviously…there is so much more in a day, and you cannot possibly go into every detail! Thanks for sharing, friend!

  • http://www.anordinarymom.com/ ali @ an ordinary mom

    You lost me at 4:40 am… ;)

    I was thinking of doing a similar post one of these days, with a glimpse into one of our crazy busy therapy days, but I’m not quite sure I want to admit how little I actually get done :)

  • Zanetta

    I have a deep appreciation for Britton and his trapping skills. this post makes me stop to think, “Where do I spend my free time?” I’m in a new season with the youngest graduating.

  • Anonymous

    Wow!! I loved seeing your day! And I am so down with the salon and Downton Abbey idea!! I may have to copy you this weekend… heehee :D

  • Jenny

    This is so great to read and though I know you are super busy with the kids, this reminds me to SLOW DOWN and that I don’t need to jump in the car every 5 minutes….that God did not intend ours lives to be so rushed that we don’t have ample time for Him. I sometimes wish I didn’t live in the chaos of a city. Traffic, and fearing for your kids lives every time they walk out of your sight! Many blessings to you today and thanks for sharing!

  • Leslie

    gibbons and gecko’s make a day in your life not even close to mundane….ugh and creature sin traps. Yikes!!!

  • Kiki Rustam

    Thank you for sharing, Joy! Loveeeee this. Growing in Indo, you makes me miss the $3 (used to be $1 back then :P ) hair do & apotek :) though I certainly don’t miss the mice in the house.

  • Linda

    Love your posts Joy–love Downton Abbey, too. Can’t wait to see you soon.

    Love,
    Linda

  • Amy VH

    Love it! :) I love how everything is just a normal day to you…whereas to us, it might be like , “WHOA”.

  • http://twitter.com/LoveGodGreatly Angela

    Ohhh I LOVED having a glimpse into your daily life, Joy! For having pink eye, you’re looking extraordinarily beautiful! And I LOVE Jones Design Co. too!!! By the way, I’d get my hair done every day if it only cost $3!!!!!!! :)

  • http://www.likeawarmcupofcoffee.com Sarah Mae

    Joy, I love you so much. Seriously. You are awesome and I love your writing. :)

  • Thehomespunheart

    Hi Joy, Love your post! :) Your painted wallpaper is turning out lovely! And, I’ve been on a long waiting list for the first season of Downton Abbey so I can see what all of you are enjoying in blog-land! Is there a way to watch online? I would love to get my hair washed and curled for $3! Totally worth it! Have a great weekend, friend!

  • Dayna

    You and your children and so beautiful! Loved this post! Sounds alot like my life except for the exotic animals and $3.00 hairdos. BTW I think I have pink eye too but thankfully found some drops last night from the last time we all had it. :)

  • http://www.reina4jesus.blogspot.com/ Adrienne Reina

    Wow…thank you for sharing your day and the pics…I felt like I was right there with you. Joy you are beautiful inside and out. And wows on the hair salon $3…I’m so there. Forget the Starbucks, doing my hair would be cheaper…lol

  • brooke

    Super post. It’s so fun to see days in the life.

  • http://ourfamilyforhisglory.blogspot.com Our Family for His Glory

    I loved the peek into your life! Your beauty shines inside and our. Thank you for sharing!
    Jessica

  • http://www.fullherlife.com/ Amy

    Hi Joy!
    First of all, nice to meet YOU! :) I’m looking forward to coming back again and getting to know you more… blessings girl! ~ Amy

  • http://www.eightacresofeden.com/ Ann

    I so enjoyed reading about a day in your life Joy and especially those aspects I can identify with. I don’t feel alone in having to deal with snakes and lizards in their day to day life and a gibbon would come in handy right now because we are inundated with bananas. Your comment about Indonesian weddings brought back memories of the one we attended on our missions trip years ago and that is what I recall is exactly what happened! People ate and then everyone left. The food (finest I’ve ever tasted) and being sat next to the bride’s parents as guests of honour because we were from overseas and being greeted by all the guests who we did not know was one of the most surreal experiences of my life.

  • http://thechuppies.blogspot.com/ Kara @ The Chuppies

    This was so fun Joy…
    I loved catching a glimpse of daily life.
    Geckos and gibbons and rats in traps–
    Pretty much just like Oregon–right? :)
    Love,
    K

  • http://www.bbjohnson.blogspot.com/ Brooke

    hey…just recently started reading your blog… i’m also a missionary(in the Philippines) with twin boys…but I only have 4 kiddos. :) your day sounds sooo much like mine…only i’m only beginning homeschooling…my oldest kindergarten…and i’m doing language study for the 2nd time.

  • http://www.thissimplehome.com/ Annette {Simple Mom}

    Yes, Life IS Good! And so is our God!

    The college couple was there with Vision? What’s that?

    I loved this. Thanks for a peek into your day!

  • Jen