Opportunities

Next week I will start back to teaching English in Nate's Kindergarten. I didn't do any teaching in January because I thought the new teacher would like to get in the swing of things and the kids as well before I show up. Since I've been teaching I've been able to talk to the parents and develop friendships. One of the little boys had a birthday party a couple of weeks ago and the parents were asked to drop off their kids and come back around 5pm for coffee and visiting. It was so neat to sit at a table with all these parents that I see every week and really get to know better. I was there for 2 hrs. just listening and talking about the school, our kids, our jobs, etc. We already have some new play dates. What a chance for me to meet new moms and make new friends!

Until Nate started school last year, it was hard to meet people with kids in our area. It seems like we're surrounded by older people, which is not bad at all! They are the ones who look our for the boys and let Nate & Micah come play in their yards while they (the neighbors) work in their gardens. Our landlord and his wife remember the boys birthdays and there is always a plate of goodies for different holidays sitting in front of our door (it's kinda funny how they want it to be a surprise). So now that Nate is making friends at school it's broadened my social circle as well. Now that sounds weird, "now that Nate is making friends...". He's always had friends, but since his German language skills are much better, the kids are interacting better without the help of the teacher and so I'm guessing that's why the invitations to parties and play dates are more often now. The kids are more confident in their friendships.

Please continue to keep us in prayer.
-Our bi-weekly services are still going on, some weeks stronger than others.
-Danny is still tutoring English and I'm starting back up at the Kindergarten.
-Micah has had a nasty cough and it just won't go away.
-Nate's language skills to develop. He struggles a little with his speech (English & German).

Thanks!

The weekend

The weekend is finally here! Nate is home from Kindergarten, Danny took care of some running around this morning, we've had lunch, and now they are having "quiet time". I do need to get to the grocery store later this afternoon, but it's quiet and so I'm going to blog, maybe read a bit or I may even lay my head down for a few minutes. This doesn't happen often so I may run with it :) We were going to have a family over for dinner but one of their kids is sick. Honestly, Micah has a bad cough and it's probably best if we stay close to home this weekend. I feel like I've been dragging the boys everywhere lately, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to rest. Next weekend is our next church service and the week leading up to it is usually very busy. There have been many opportunities to share Christ in little ways, make new friends in our community, work on friendships over coffee and listening to people tell their stories this past week. I love it!

Here's a little something that happened to me this morning. I picked up Nate from Kindergarten and had to run to the bank too. While I was coming around a corner (walking) I caught the eyes of the lady walking toward me and so I smiled. She seemed to be in her own world and a bit of a scowl on her face. When she saw me smile she did a double take and smiled back.... like she was surprised. So I started thinking about how obvious her surprise was that someone smiled at her. How little effort it was for me to have a smile on my face, yet it seemed to change another persons mood in a split second. Neither of us spoke... just smiled. Do we really walk around like we're angry at the world and everyone around us? As a Christian, do I let the light that represents Jesus in me shine thru? Do I stand out in a crowd because I seem to be content, thankful, or happy with the life God is blessing me? Or do people look at me and say that I look like everyone else-- who is walking around with no hope?

Just something to think about as you go into your weekend. Smile at someone today. It could change their whole day.

-krista-

Micah

Here's our firecracker! Everyone says it, but till you've lived it you don't truly appreciate the phrase "they are like night and day". haha. These boys are from the same parents, being raised in the same country, same household, same everything... but they couldn't be more different! It's amazing how you can love 2 little guys equally. Micah is funny, he's always got something going on and wants you to "Come, see". He loves to chase Nate and be just like him. Micah repeats everything you say (at the moment) and loves to pray before meals and bed. When Danny or I say, "let's pray guys..." we can't hardly finish that phrase without Micah saying, "Dewr Loard....fuud....amen!" (Dear Lord...food...amen!).

Nathaniel

Nathan is such a joy to our family. We have devotions every night before bed and he is usually full of questions, but also usually has his own version of how something might've happened ;) haha. Nathan had a friend over today and just listening to them talk in German was like music to my ears. He's come such a long way from the 9 week old baby we brought with us to Austria 4 1/2 yrs. ago. We were new parents, in a new country, with a new language, new culture, new... everything. He was a blessing to have because he was such a laid back, easy going baby. Nothing bothered him and he was so happy (yes, I know.. he's his father's son). I thank God for that precious little boy.

Just us

We had a sad amount of snow this week, but it was actually enough for the boys to sled down our driveway (it goes down into the garage-- toward the house, not the street). Danny spent the time chatting with his brother, David on the phone (and they say I talk too much) haha.

Exploring the backyard with snow on everything

Micah-- to eat or not to eat?

...to eat!

A sandbox is fun year 'round

I guess I forgot this one during our apple harvest.

Painfully fun...

So earlier this week we got a little snow and Micah was itching to go outside while Danny shoveled the driveway. Micah isn't a big fan of gloves because he likes to really be able to touch and feel everything, the gloves are a hinderance. So he decided he didn't need them while touching, playing, and eating snow. I think the pictures explain how he's come to realize that there's something to be said for wearing gloves and getting to play longer without any pain :) Poor buddy.

Catan and it's scenarios...

Danny really, really likes a board game called Catan. We discovered it years ago while getting to know a family that had been stationed in Germany. We were guests in their home and enjoyed playing it. So when we moved to Austria Danny began to collect different scenarios. It's actually hard to find in the U.S. and expensive. It's okay here in price and it was great for our German language studies. Danny has translated many of the rules (they come with little books, not a page or leaflet... books!). So we are slowly converting people to it. haha. So this past weekend we were invited over to friends house for lunch with the expectation of bringing some of the scenarios so we could play. It was lots of fun. So I took pictures of our fun day ( I'm really enjoying playing with my new camera).

Oh, Texas....

We finally found some frozen potato shapes that taste like tatter-tots. They are shaped like letters in the alphabet and Danny found these stuck together. Aww.... we miss you Texas. haha. So to our family and friends in Texas. We love you, pray for you, and think of you very often.

Bringing in the new year....

So we brought the New Year in with Micah being very sick. He slept most of the day off and on. Last night he had high fever, we brought it down with a lukewarm bath and some medicine and he did well to keep drinking fluids too. In the middle of the night it got really high, so at 3am Micah & I were taking a shower. Afterwards, he wanted to 'cuttle' (cuddle) as he says it and so I got the laptop out and we watched Full House on DVD for a little while. He's been teething really bad, I think his molars are coming in... but what doesn't help is he's also got a bit of a cold that Danny woke up with on Christmas morning. Danny has had a nasty cough and runny nose. Nathan is a little under the weather. He's had a little cough, but not much else. I, however, am still feeling good... let's pray it stays that way! So it's quite pathetic in our house right now. But I'm sure we're on the mends. It just has to get better from here.... right???

But before all this nastiness began I got a couple of snap shots of the most handsomest little boys you'll ever see!

-Krista-

Welcome, 2009!

Happy New Year!

There are many people that will be making resolutions or 'goals' today and a few friends have written about them already on blogs. There are always things that we want to get done, but experience has proven to me that there is no difference saying it today or mid-July. haha! I think there's less disappointment if you don't do it today :) Some of my friends have written about what the last year brought them-whether it was joy or sorrow. It's been great to read how people have seen God pull them thru when they just didn't know how life was going to turn out. Many people struggled with finding or losing jobs, family issues, death of a family member (some, though sad, were expected... others were shocked to their core), or joy in the birth of a baby, accomplishments, graduations, moving to a new city, state, country, house, etc. The list could go on, but I'm sure you get the point.

I don't feel like rehashing everything that has happened to us this past year (you can always re-read everything I've posted-haha!). But I do want to tell you that my God is faithful. My computer dictionary defines faithful as "loyal, constant, steadfast". I have to admit those are 3 words I use to define what I expect out of my friendships/relationships too. Sadly, I've not been all those things to the people in my life the way I should be. But I am so grateful that I can say, whole-heartedly, that God is the only One who has never strayed from that definition. So no matter what 2008 (or any other year) brought to our lives--the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Our God was faithful.

Now with that kind of a record... we confidently believe 2009 will have just as much excitement, nerve-racking moments, joys, sorrows, surprises, disappointments, laughter, and even tears. But...

Our God will be faithful.

So when you get a chance, pray for us. I know when God brings any of you to my mind I stop and ask God to bless you, protect you, strengthen you in whatever you may be doing.

-Krista-