Preschool Dropout

Preschool dropout. No graduation day for him!

Check out that face. It screams, "Who needs school?!" 

Thomas is officially a preschool dropout.  For a month, the poor guy cried from the time he woke up and heard the word school until he got home from school. Our neighbors made sure to tell us they thought we were causing him too much "misery."  So since I am home most of the time and we are heading back to the states for six months, we figured it was pointless to force it right now.  So, the big guy is back home with mommy (has been for a while), and while I am not getting nearly as much done as I should be (?), he is a happy fella and the neighbors assured us we made the right decision. :)  

Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!

Thanksgiving celebration is always a fun and interesting time around here.  The last few years we have had Macedonians over for our traditional meal of giant, wild, poultry, also known as, The Turkey, stuffing (try explaining that one in another language, "What's this?" Stuffing. Bread, seasonings, turkey juice.... After which an awkward silence commences as they add some to their plate), green bean casserole ("What's a casserole?" We just add a bunch of yummy things to the green beans and bake 'em. Awkward silence commences as they add add some to their plate), sweet potato casserole ("What's a sweet potato? It's a sweet potato, then we add a bunch of yummy stuff to it and bake it. "Is it dessert?" Nope.  Awkward silence commences as they add some to their plate.), cranberry sauce (Candied cranberries? It's sweet? Yep. More awkward silence...), mashed potatoes and gravy (finally familiarity), rolls (which are very similar to the Macedonian kifli, but are far too small to eat with a meal. "Where's the loaf of white bread?" and "Why does this butter have honey in it?") It is a cultural experience for all of our people as we welcome them into our home and world of food. They always eat and enjoy it but still find it very odd, but I mean, really, Thanksgiving food is a little odd. What we can't explain, we blame on the pilgrims and indians and chalk it up to tradition, which is a concept they can understand, and once again, we are all on the same page and all is right with the world.

This year, we joined some other Americans who live in town and work as professors at one of the local universities for our meal, and we invited our baptized believers.  It was a blast.  Thomas and Kate got to play with the other kiddos. The food was delicious, and the fellowship was precious. We are thankful. (My apologies on the complete lack of pictures of the big event.)

On Friday, we got up and prepared to go be even more thankful with our Macedonian family, also known as, our team.  We headed to Prilep to meet up with everyone. Friday night we watched football and got way too little sleep. I blame it on the cheese dip.  Saturday morning, the guys went and played their annual football game. After they shoveled the football field from the horse droppings, they had a big ole time in some good ole fashioned American fun.

The cheerleader. Cutie face!

Brian looks for an open receiver. 

Both teams joined together for a picture.

His biggest fans.

The ladies got all the yummies ready, and we sat down to enjoy our delicious meal, where we didn't have to explain what anything was (though there was an odd colored pumpkin pie ;0)), and we could just enjoy the food and fellowship. It was a blast and we are so grateful for the opportunity we had to share this holiday with our precious family here.  God is so good and kind to us.

The One with More Heart Tests

After all of the heart drama last week, we had a few days at home and then headed back to Skopje for Brian to have a follow-up exam. Since this wasn't an emergency trip, we took our time and enjoyed God's beautiful creation all the way up.  It was cloudy and overcast which oddly enough is mine and Brian's favorite kind weather. The leaves were changing, and the colors were magnificent! Bright oranges and yellows with hints of red were scattered throughout the mountain-side. What an amazing artist is our great God.

I love how he uses His creation to remind me of how great He is. So powerful. So mighty. So gracious and kind. So in control.  This particular day, as we stopped on the side of the mountain roads to take some pictures and just praise God for His fingertips of grace in our life, I was reminded once again that 'in Him all things hold all together.'  He is sovereign over His creation. He is sovereign over us.  And He is the good Shepherd patiently leading us through the valleys and mountain tops with cords of kindness and bands of love.

  I love this picture--a house, in the middle of nowhere, fully intact offering shelter to those who abide in it. What a beautiful, yet imperfect picture, of hiding in the shelter of my God and King. The days that led up to this return trip, I caught myself in times of fear and anxiety.  One night, while folding insane amounts of laundry, I just fell apart over little under-roos, tiny socks, and giant man socks.  How incredibly good has my God been to me.  He is the giver of all of these good gifts. He is the sustainer of it all.  He passed us by, gave us abundant life through Jesus Christ and He hides us in His shelter--the shelter of the Most High God. God calmed my fears every single time one of them crept up on me, and He did it with such grace and kindness.  When I felt like I was in the middle of nowhere with no idea of where we were going next, He offered me shelter, a place where I could abide safely and peacefully. Sweet grace.

We arrived in Skopje, enjoyed lunch and coffee with some friends, but Brian started feeling weak and tired so we headed to the place where we would be staying for the next few nights.  Brian rested and we waited for his appointment that night.  His appointment went well, and the doctor seemed confident that He was fine, but she couldn't explain why he was still in pain and why he was still feeling so weak.  She decided to have him wear the holter monitor for 24 hours. We weren't able to get the monitor until two days later. So we decided we would just enjoy the next day together, as a family. It was just what we needed.

We took the kids to the zoo, and had a good time chatting it up with some monkeys. I love monkeys!!!

We had such a good time together. AND while we were in Skopje, we were each able to share the full story of God's love with several people. He works all things for His glory and renown!!!  

The next day, Brian got hooked-up to the monitor and got to rock it with style for the next 24 hours.  We finally heard from the doctor last night and she confirmed that from all of the tests she had run, his heart looked healthy and strong. He does have the myocardial bridge, but it seems to, in fact, be benign and is not causing any stress on his heart. Praise the Lord!!! She had put him on some medicine (an ACE inhibitor) that seems to be helping him with the pain and in general, feel better. It has been so good to see him back in the swing of things over the last couple of days. He is back to his old self with tons of energy, and while his old self wears me out most days, I am so thankful to, once again, be running behind him at full speed.  He has hopes to see half the town for coffee today, among other things. I told him, he needed to schedule some rest time, just in case he isn't feeling good. "We'll see," he says. Bless my heart!!! ;0)

Thank you all so much for how you have prayed for us. We have literally felt your prayers as the peace of God has ruled in our hearts and minds. Please continue to pray that this medicine will continue to be effective. We will see a cardiologist once we are back in the states after the new year. Pray that he will confirm all of the good news we have received over the last few days. Praise God for His hand on Brian's life.  To Him be the glory!!!!

Welcome to the Big Show

Kate had a school program on Tuesday night. She did SO good and mommy and daddy were super duper proud of their girl. I even cried a little. Pregnancy hormones are in full swing, people. The theme was Olympics, and I also may or may not have gotten a little teary eyed when they started playing the "Chariots of Fire" theme song... But this blog isn't about my weepiness, it's about our big girl and her great performance.

Look at that little cuteness in her leotard and tights, and, that's right... a PONYTAIL! :)  

She did so good. This girl has got some moves.  

Her class were supposed to be the gymnasts in the program.  There were flips and back bends and dancing and so... much... cuteness!!! It was just too much!

This was their grand finale.  BRAVO!!!!

All of the preschools (which are state run) in Ohrid had several groups perform so it was a long night in our little town theater with a bajillion parents and grandparents and friends and passers-by.  But the show was very impressive and it was worth sitting through.

There were  A LOT of people and poor Thomas was a little overwhelmed by the crowd. Bless him. 

Getting out of the theater was the adventure of a lifetime.  Near to 1000 people and one exit where it's pretty much every man for himself and there is no such thing as the common courtesy of the south. I thought I was used to getting pushed out of the way and never hearing, "Excuse me."  However, that night confirmed that one never really gets used to having their toes stomped on and being body bumped so hard that you would fall over if there wasn't another person so close to you as to break your fall. It was a hot mess and let's just say, in my heart, those pregnancy hormones reared their ugly head once more.  Praise the Lord, He gave me the grace and strength to keep my all too sassy mouth shut. What's funny, is that nobody else seemed bothered by it, which means, for me, it was just the clash of the cultures at its greatest.

So anyway back to the star of the show...  

After we got out into the fresh cool air, we took the kids out to hot chocolate and dessert to celebrate Kate's awesome performance.

Thomas was one happy little dude.  'Who cares what Kate did! They gave me chocolate!"

Notice Kate's closed mouth smile. This is very Macedonian, and it totally cracks us up that she does this.  Little Makedonka!

I love our little family.  We are so thankful our Kate is so comfortable in her 2nd culture. We love spending our life here.    

The One With the Heart Emergency

Wednesday started like any other day.  Brian got out of bed at Thomas' call for "JUICE!!!" And I scrounged out of bed a few minutes behind him. Sullen and half asleep, I waited for the water to boil so I could make my Nescafe and have a moment of "don't mess with me" before I had to get Kate ready and out the door for preschool. Brian went for a run, we met with Jesus, and then we got to work.  Just a few hours later, Brian started complaining of "feeling weird."  He couldn't really say what was wrong, but he just didn't feel right.  In typical Brian fashion, he tried to shake it off and continue about his business, but he just couldn't seem to function normally. So I sent him to bed.  I had been sick the week before and we both figured he was coming down with what I had. After an atypical three hour nap, he got up, still not feeling good, and decided he finally needed to heed the recommendation of our organization's medical team and go get an EKG. He went to our local private clinic here and they discovered his pulse was low--46.  Even at Brian's fittest, his pulse only ever got down to 49 and Brian would certainly not consider himself in-shape at the moment. So this was a concerning number for the doctor here.  Brian came home and relayed the message that our doctor wanted him to see a cardiologist sooner rather than later. We made plans to go the next morning but it wasn't long after that, when Brian started having chest pains and told me we better go ahead to Skopje to the private heart hospital right away. I had just gotten the kids a bath and Thomas had already fallen asleep for the night. I got everything packed (by packed, I mean I threw clothes from the drying rack into the suitcase without a care of folding or wrinkles). We loaded the car, kids in jammies, Brian in pain and me with an odd peace that could only be from my Jesus, and begin the long dark drive to Skopje.  The trip is only 2.5 hours, but that night it seemed like we crawled at a snail's pace through the dark windy roads and every 2 minutes I thought, we are never going to get there. Brian had already briefed me on arrival in Skopje: directions to the hospital, where to park, what to tell our friends who were meeting us to get our kids.  I asked him why he was telling me so much and he said, "Just in case I pass out."  OK. This. Is. SERIOUS!!!

It was the grace of God (as it always is) that got us to the hospital. With horrible night vision, curvy wet mountain roads, fog, a stick shift, and the stress of the situation, I have no doubt that it was the Lord who made every move for me. I told Brian on our return to Ohrid that I felt completely out of control of myself that night and I believe Jesus, quite literally, took the wheel. :)  He is good.

Where normal Mandy would most likely be in shambles by this point, I felt the pure and complete soothing presence of God. He was a shield all about me, guarding my thoughts from running wild to the "what ifs" and keeping me in His perfect peace.  He is faithful.  As I was praying, which I did for two hours and fifteen minutes of the two and half hour trip, I remember praying a prayer I have never prayed before, "Lord, hold Brian together. Hold him together."  I have prayed for good health for him and the kids. I have asked the Lord to sustain us. I have praised Him for how He daily provides for us and sustains us, but I have never utter the simple yet profound words, "Hold him together." It is Jesus who holds all things together. "...All things were created through Him and for him. And He is before all things and in Him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:16b-17) Praise the Powerful Name of Jesus!  My Jesus was holding my husband, His creation, together. He always has. Words of comfort that could only come from the Holy Spirit in such a time as this, poured over me and made it all ok.

We made it to the hospital, and while Brian was still in a good amount of pain, he was conscience. Thank you, Father!  He went on inside the hospital and I waited outside for our friends and teammates to arrive to take the kids to their house for the night.  Once I got inside the hospital, they had already drawn blood, completed another EKG and were waiting on the doctor to come in and do an echo-cardio-gram.  (I'm grateful for my heart history as I knew most of what was going on.)  The doctor discovered that Brian's heart was enlarged and his pulse was down to 43.  She also saw an anomaly on the echo that led her to call for the opinion of another doctor.  They agreed that they needed to do an angiogram (cardiac catherization) and that they should keep him overnight to monitor him.  We walked through the maze of the hospital, which like walking from the new world, back to the days of communism, back to the new world.  Once they ushered Brian back through the doors of the new world, the road ended for me. They brought me a bag full of all of his belongings and sent me home.  Brian said they couldn't find any hospital pajamas to fit him. They were all too small. So they gave him a gown and it was like a mini-skirt. They said they had never had patient as big as he is. So he rocked the mini-gown in a room with 5 other 60-plus year old men for the night. It was surely picture worthy.

I went to our friends' house, where they so graciously gave me a big hug and gave up their bed for me. The Body of Christ is an incredible thing and I am so thankful for how the Lord used the precious Boohers to bless me, love on me and care for my kids. The next morning, they gave me coffee, fed me and let me take a hot shower. They reassured me several times that they would take care of the kids all day. And they did just that.  Ira told me the kids didn't even ask for me.  That's a good thing... I think.

I spent the cold rainy day at the hospital. When I got there, the receptionist and nurses conspired together to break the rules so I could go in and sit with my man.  This was a BIG no-no. But once again God supplies all of our needs, and He knew I needed to see him.  I got to sit with Brian and his five roommates for most of the morning.  I am so thankful that we got to sit together and laugh at the funny old men in his room. I saw things that I am pretty sure I am not old enough to see, and I am pretty sure I breathed in some things that are the very reason we get vaccinated.  No, it wasn't quite that bad, but we did get a good laugh at the excitement of a non-private room... in the Balkans... in a heart hospital.... where modesty has never existed and people have been smoking since the discovery of tobacco.

I had to leave the hospital around lunch time to go feed myself and this baby, and quite frankly Brian and I really did start getting a little worried about all that I was inhaling. So he sent me on my way. The hospital gave a me a number to call to check in on him and see if they had done the angiogram yet. Brian had to wait most of the day for them to finally take him back for the procedure.  Poor thing.

At 4:00 they finally took him back. Brian said that although the table he had to lay on was big, it had been customized for the overall shorter height of Macedonians.  Therefore he had to put his head at the edge of the table and lay on his left arm since it was hanging off. I thought that was hysterical. He's really not that big, people.  Anyway, they finished up the procedure, assured him that his arteries were perfectly clear and his heart looked healthy other than this anomaly they had seen the day before.  Turns out he has what is called a myocardial bridge, which can be deadly, but his seems to be benign.  The doctors seem to think that this is what is causing his pain since his heart is enlarged and it is hitting this "bridge." After several hours of waiting for signatures and stamps (stamps on documents are UBER-important here), an appointment was made for follow-up. The doctors still seem unsure as to what to do with this bridge along with his enlarged heart.  While Brian would like you all to think he is perfectly fine, he is not completely out of the woods yet. But my God is God of the woods!!!  We go back this week for more info and will hopefully get all of our questions answered. Please be praying for that and pray that this will not require surgery.

Brian and I left the hospital with grateful hearts. Tired, emotional and physically, but so thankful to our great God who holds all things together by the power of His word.  He held my Brian together just like He always has, and He is the great physician we can trust to heal Brian.

My role now is to try and keep Brian's stress level at a minimum. It is no secret that he has been under a tremendous amount of stress over the last couple of months, and there is much more that could potentially cause stress in the coming months. Please be praying that the peace of God will reign in his heart and mind in Christ Jesus.  

Thank you all for how you prayed for us and encouraged us over the last week.  Once again I am so thankful for the body of Christ and I am thankful that we are not alone in this fight.  To God be the glory. Great things he has done!

The Party

In Macedonia, birthday parties up until 4-5 years old are pretty much about the adults in the child's life.  But since this year, Kate turned five and since she has plenty of friends from her preschool, we decided to have a joint party at an Igroteka (indoor play-place).  It was ALL about the kids, which is just how I like it!

Macedonians also sing Happy Birthday (in English, mind you), light and blow out the candle three times. It's really funny. Thomas was like, "Enough people!"

 

Notice how Thomas was surrounded by girls--all of Kate's girlfriends from school.  No worries, he had a couple of boys there with him.

After Thomas' three rounds of singing, it was Kate's turn.

Our sweet babies had a good Macedonian birthday and a wild time with their friends.  Yay!  

My Big Three Year Old

My Thomas is THREE! I really, really can't believe it!

He is one crazy wild little man. He keeps us on our toes, keeps us laughing, keeps us from "down-time" and reminds us that we, too, are still a work in progress.  I absolutely love being His mommy. I love throwing balls with him (and telling him 5 times a day "We don't throw things that aren't balls."), playing cars with him, building train tracks with him and "Pow! Pow!ing" (sword fighting) with him.   I love his athleticism (he didn't get that from me). I love to hear him pray. Sometimes, the prayers are soft and sweet, and sometimes, he just plain yells them.  Either way, God hears! I LOVE that he still loves to cuddle with me as much as he did when he was a baby.  I love that he brings me home a rock every time he goes out.  I love his passion, ambition and drive! I could go on and on.  In a nutshell, I LOVE MY BOY! 

He wanted a Lightening McQueen "Kachow!" cake, and it had to be 'ChocOlate!'

His BIG 3 pancake with decorations galore all over the house!!!

Look at that sweet smile!

My Boo Boo, I love you more than you will ever know.  But as much as I love you, your creator loves you infinitely more.  You are His.  There is nothing you can ever do to make Him stop loving you.  My prayer for you this year is that you will grow in knowledge and love for Him. He is your rock and fortress. He is the greatest, truest superhero of them all. He is the champion!  Follow hard after Him my big boy!  I LOVE YOU!

5 Years Old

Sweet new baby Kate, less than two minutes old. If only we had known, then, how much we could love her, how much joy she would bring, how much laughter we would have, and how much the Lord would teach us through her. She is a blessing every single day and I am beyond humbled that I get to be her mommy.

She has basically been all smiles her whole life.

She is still madly in love with her daddy!

The first time she held her baby brother. Precious moment.

Sweet girl! I could watch you laugh all day long!

Birthday pancake. A BIG 5!

Here she is with some of her gifts ready to watch her favorite movie, Tangled, as a family.

 The cake: This year she wanted Rapunzel WITH the tower.  I did the best I could. She liked it and tasted good so that is all that matters, right?! :)

Kate Joy, my precious girl, it has been a pleasure and joy to be your mommy for five whole years. I can't believe it has been that long.  It has flown by. You make every new day so very sweet.  I love your sweet smile and your kind heart.  I love how you can remember just about anything (you certainly didn't get that from me).  I love your desire to learn new things. I love your imagination. I absolutely LOVE hearing you pray every night, and I love your simple faith in the God who created you. Don't ever forget, you are His first. He loves you with an everlasting love. He will never leave you or forsake you.  He is good and kind, and I promise you, no matter what the world tries to tell you, He is enough!!! I pray that you grow deeper in your love for Him this year and that you will always abide in Him.  I pray that you will always walk in His will.  You are His precious girl, created in His image, beautiful!  I love my sweet sweet girl.  Don't you ever forget it!!!!!

What a Privilege

It is a tremendous privilege to get to know these wonderful people and watch the Lord work in their lives.  We "do life" with them.  We share our hearts with each other. Together, we share the love of Christ with those around us who don't yet know.  This is our small group.  Believers no older than 5 years old. Head over heals in love with Jesus. Bold witnesses.  Lovers of the Word of God. These are our partners and family here in Ohrid.  And we are so beyond grateful for each one of them!

Two of them were baptized a few weeks ago.  We met up with believers and seekers from other parts of Macedonia, had a little worship service, listened to testimony of how each of those being baptized had met Jesus, and then rejoiced with them as they stepped into the water to symbolize dying with Christ and being raised with Him to new life.  

So beautiful!

Afterwards, we hung out, ate, and enjoyed true biblical fellowship.

It truly is a blessing to get to be a part of what God is doing in the lives of people in Macedonia. He is faithful and He deserves all the glory and honor!