Last Day of School

Bulgarian school has come to an end for the year. We made it! It was a great year--far better than we expected, and while there were some hard days, we watched as God provided amazing and patient teachers, the Bulgarian language, and friends for our kids. We have so much to be thankful for. 

Kate finished her 3rd grade year in the top 6 of her class. She had all 5s and 6s which are the highest marks here. I'm not one to brag on my children (well, maybe I am), but I couldn't be prouder of her. I am seriously amazed at all she accomplished this year. Passing science tests and mastering math word problems in a new language like it was nothing. And she finished 3rd grade with a couple of close friends. Again, we give God all the glory for this. We asked. He answered. He gives good gifts. He is faithful!

And Thomas... Well, he's definitely learned some Bulgarian and made lots of friends. 

He had a little end of the year program where he got to sing all the new songs he had learned through the year. 

And then they had a dance party. HA! 

We're super proud of him. He hung in there and continued to push through some language barriers, made some friends and shook his groove thing every day in class (according to his teacher). He cracks me up. We will be spending time this summer trying to make sure he continues to learn Bulgarian. We're praying he will soon be fluent in this language. 

As for Isaiah, he just wants to go to preschool. We are on the hunt for a good school for him for the fall. The public preschools are beyond full so we are looking for a private one even though those can be pretty pricey. He wants to learn Bulgarian too. Can you tell from that face?

But he's still pretty happy as long as there is a golf club or light saber in his hand. 

Kate is still doing gymnastics. We never get to go in the gym to see her practice, but this day, her coach made an exception and let us come in for a few minutes. She is doing great and loving it. 

So cute.  

God continues to provide for our family here in so many ways: giving us things that we enjoy, friends, language, laughter (language and laughter often go together), and so much more. We are so thankful to Him for every good gift. Thanks for praying with us for the kids and school. And now, to enjoy summer!

Birthdays in Bulgaria

It's been a while since I have even thought about sitting down to write. There's plenty to report, just not much time to do the actual reporting. I thought I would try and get back in the habit of documenting our life as a family overseas with a birthday blog. We passed our one-year-in-Bulgaria mark last week (YAY!), and therefore, every member of our family has celebrated a birthday in our new home. Birthday traditions are something we try and hold to every where we are. So no matter whether we are in Macedonia, SE Asia, America, or Bulgaria, our kids know what their birthday morning will look like. It always involves streamers everywhere, balloons, a birthday banner, and birthday pancakes. The kids love this and so matter what is going on or where we are, we try and make it happen.

In the last year Kate went from being great and 8 to being great and 9. It may not rhyme but she's still the greatest Kate I've ever known. 

She celebrated with an American Girl "party" that wasn't supposed to be a party but turned into one. She was one happy American-Macedonian-Bulgarian girl. And in just a few months this pretty girl will be 10! I can't even believe it.

Thomas turned 7 and since then has gotten his birthday wish for his two front teeth. I miss that cute toothless smile. It's amazing how things can change in just a few months. He continues to keep us on our toes and makes every day very exciting.

He celebrated with a bowling party and a Star Wars cake. After all, what else would a Jedi want for his birthday cake.

And just last week, Isaiah turned 4! My baby!  This kid has celebrated every single birthday in a different country. Born in America, 1st in Macedonia, 2nd in Thailand, 3rd in America and 4th in Bulgaria. Sheesh! That's a little ridiculous, but he has handled all the transition probably better than anyone else in the family. 

He wanted a Star Wars cake too. I'm guessing the next few birthdays will be spent with me mastering the art of forming light sabers out of icing. We had a long family debate about "May the 4th be Happy." I thought it was cute and I was the cake maker so I got the final word, and although it's not 'exactly' Star Wars, it's in the galaxy ballpark. (Settle down, convention goers.)

A family picture (the sun was shining through the blinds and this is the best we could get).

My big boy wanted his best friend to come over and play the Wii with him. So that's what he got. 

We're so thankful that our kind God not only gave us another special year of birthdays, but that he also gave us special friends with whom we could share these days.

Thanks for praying with us through the last year we've spent here in Bulgaria. It's had it's fair share of hard days, but God has given us SO many more wonderful days. We're so thankful for all we have learned, for new friends, for a good school for our kiddos, for the falling leaves, for the snow we've seen fall and melt, for the blooming flowers and green grass... and for SO. Much. More. We know every one of these sweet moments is a gift and we are thankful to our Father, the Giver of it all! 

"Home" for Christmas

One of my favorite Christmas songs is I'll be Home for Christmas. It wasn't always my favorite, but ever since we spent our first Christmas far from familiar, it has been a favorite. By favorite, I mean like that wretched Christmas Shoes songs. It brings tears to my eyes and makes me feel all sad and weepy instead of jolly and joyous, and yet I can't stop listening to it. The line "If only in my dreams" is the line that rings loud in my ears because it's our reality. For a lot of years, we haven't been "home" for Christmas. It's been only in our dreams. And somehow it doesn't seem to matter how many years we've spent away from home, it's never easy and never fun. I suppose we have gotten used to the sting of it. I normally don't even cry anymore when we Skype and everyone is there around the tree or table...  everyone except for us. And I miss so much every year. I miss my dad's beautiful white Santa beard and hearing him tell stories of all of the kids who thought he was the real deal. I miss my momma's cooking and my siblings laughter. We laugh a lot when we're together. I miss seeing my nieces and nephews play with my kids. They're best friends. I miss my in-laws trying to figure out the clues on their gifts. I miss the smell of both mom's homes. I miss my mother-in-love's cooking. I am so thankful for all that I have to miss. I am so thankful for a wonderful family back home who loves and supports us so well.

As we find ourselves in yet another new home, with a new Christmas tree by a new window looking over a new street in a new country, there is a time of reflection. There are always the questions: Is it worth it? Does it matter? Why us? Is there even that big of a need? And the Lord simply whispers, Yes.

We have spent the last few days preparing bags of goodies for friends, neighbors, store-clerks, and teachers and filling backpacks with supplies for those sleeping in the cold, and the Lord has allowed us to have some great conversations. Last night, upon delivering a small gift of sweets to our seamstress friend who is an atheist, I had a long and hard spiritual conversation with her. She laughed in my face when I told her about the Savior who came to save the world. This is why the answer is Yes. For her. And for so many others. It matters that we are here. There have been other good conversations this week--not good in that people are awakening to the truth, but good in that God is shaking us to our core and reminding us of how incredibly lost those are around whom we live.

So, we make our home right here on this hard concrete ground. We will plant our feet and keep pushing back the darkness with words of truth and light. The Lord reminded me of this word that the former IMB president wrote to us several years ago:

But a look at the nativity scene serves to remind us that EVERYONE in it, (including the out-of-time-and-place trio from the East) has a good reason to be homesick. Not one of them was "at home." But neither is anyone among them depicted as being sad! I think that is because each of them was serving a larger purpose in the Father's great plan...and so are you!

I love this. No one is depicted as being sad. They were worshipping. They were obeying with joy. They were full of awe and wonder of the great things God had done. They were expectantly awaiting all that He would do in this little baby. They were full of love with hearts on fire. They were serving their purpose to bring glory to the Father. This is Christmas! 

So we have made every effort to make ourselves at home right here where God has us and to set our eyes on Him and our eternal home. We are striving every day to count it all joy that He would allow us the privilege of proclaiming truth and light to this beautiful people. 

We pray that you are counting it all joy. No matter where you are, we're all longing for home, our eternal home, and whatever pain or grief you are feeling this season, we pray that you will remember that Jesus came to be God with us, our Emmanuel. Count it all joy... He is sufficient.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!

Try Something New: Bulgarian School

Here's another new one. Bulgarian school.

The kids started Bulgarian national school today. Homeschool is going great. Really great. Of all the things I feel like I am failing at right now, homeschool isn't one of them. I'm so thankful for that. It's all God!!! I'm grateful for the time I have had to invest in my kids through this transition to Bulgaria, but we recently decided to look into Bulgarian school for a few reasons. One reason being that I have got to learn this language if we are going to plant our lives here, and study time is non-existent with things as they are. Another reason that I will share (though there are many more) is that our kids are begging for friends. They want to go to school, and they desperately want to learn the language so they can have friends here. And what is the best way for them to learn the language, the culture and make friends? Throw them in the deep end. 

Our plan was to look into a few schools for the kids to possibly start after Christmas, and take some time, a little more time, and pray. But when we went to visit the school that is a stone’s throw from our apartment, the director, who was very nice, said if we wanted our kids in that school, then we must put them in now. She can’t guarantee that there will be an open slot for the kids if we wait, but she also promised that they would do everything they could to make this a good transition. So we got the documents in order on Monday, met their teachers and got their books Tuesday, and they started this morning. 

My brave babies. They amaze me!

It went GREAT!!! They love their teachers and each made a few friends. Kate said, "I basically hung out with ALL the girls." But she has a "best friend" who sat beside her and helped her throughout the day. So good!!! She said she understood everything, and while her class did English, her teacher had her translate all of the English into Bulgarian. Kate hung in there and got the job done with only a little help from her teacher. Amazing! 

Thomas had a great day as well. He likes his teacher, got to play in the gym and in the snow with his new friends and while he has no idea what anybody's name is, he says he made friends. Ha. 

So 'Try Something New: Bulgarian School' was a rousing success, and for today, and hopefully many days to come we have thumbs up all around!

We are so thankful for how God went before us today, for how He gave patient teachers and new friends. We are thankful that Kate's 2 years of Macedonian school are helping her with the language here. We are thankful that they are looking forward to going back tomorrow. Yes! We praise the Lord for this and so much more. He is good!

We know there will be hard days. Different culture. Different style of learning and discipline. Different. There will be days when different may feel really bad or really scary, but we are trusting that the Lord has led in this and that this is for the good of our whole family and our long term witness here. We will give Him all the glory as we watch Him provide for our every need in every place, every day. 

Try Something New: Boza

"Try Something New" is back. It may not be quite as exciting as our Try Something New: SE Asia Edition, but Bulgaria may have a few surprises up its sleeve for our taste buds and sense of adventure. We regularly think we know how things are going to go here in Bulgaria because we lived in its cousin country for 9 years. Same cultures, similar language, same cuisine... or so we thought. There are far more differences between the two than I ever realized and why wouldn't there be? I mean, why would anything be easy?! No. Not when God still has so much to teach us, so many more ways to humble us. So instead of getting frustrated, we've decided to embrace it.

For starters: BOZA! Not bozO. Boza. We have tried boza in Macedonia before, and well, we were far from impressed--like exercising our gag reflux not impressed. But we heard that Bulgarian boza is different. It is thicker and sweeter, but still, it's a fermented wheat drink.... Your mouth is watering now, isn't it?!

So to truly embrace our host country's cuisine and have a little family fun, we decided to pour a glass, and toast to new adventures. Watch the video to see reactions. 

Isaiah's reaction is my favorite and may or may not mimic my own. Poor kid. I think he really thought it was chocolate milk. Kate said she liked it on camera. So once the camera was turned off, I called her bluff and told her to go ahead and finish her cup off and I would pour her some more. That's when the truth came out. We may not be the biggest fans, but we definitely had a great time trying something new. 

Cheers! 

Here is a link with more info on boza, and if you really want to try it for yourself, come on over and we'll film your reaction to this fermented yeast drink. 

Obedience in the Mundane

We are still here and still plugging away at language and life in Sofia. We feel like most days are complete chaos where no effort at a real schedule can be kept, but we also know that is life overseas. Living takes longer. Throw in kids, language, kids' language, homeschool, Brian's IT job, meeting new people and practicing our language, and as Kate said, "we have to eat" and y'all.... Life is hectic. We hit the ground running every morning and don't stop until late at night when language books are put away and we can look at the news to see if America has imploded yet. Most days I don't think we're gonna make it, and by 10 AM, I'm ready to fall back into bed in complete exhaustion, and yet every day, all day long in every moment, His mercies are new, His grace is sufficient and His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses.

This is the new normal where we feel completely spent. The days are long. The studying is tedious, and the kids are begging for interaction. However, we feel completely confident that while the days are almost more than we can handle, we are exactly where we are supposed to be, doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing. We're living in mundane chaos. Every day is the same version of the chaos from the day before and I can't help but think about the Israelites in the desert. Wandering. Confused. Hot. Tired. And whiney. 

I don't want to be like the whiney Israelites, though that is my tendency. I want His presence to be enough. I want His leadership in the chaos to be sufficient. I want His daily bread to fill me full, and I want to be satisfied in Him. I can't say that every day I succeed in this. It's hard to constantly remember that this call is a privilege, that this adventure, as some like to call it, is serious work that is truly worth it. It's hard to rest in and be found in Him when I can barely complete a coherent sentence to my husband. And yet, this is why our Father is so wonderful. He didn't leave the Israelites in their whiney stubbornness to wander 40 more years. He continued to lead them with a cloud by day and a fire by night, and he continued to provide for them. He has already provided so much for us here. He has moved in ways that are beyond my understanding--like, for instance, getting me through another day, and as I fall into bed, all I can be, should be, must be, is grateful. He has provided the energy to make it through, He showed up and carried me and kept me from losing it on any small people in my house. He is so kind, and I will bless His Name for letting me be on this wild journey with him. 

I will look to Jesus who modeled a joyful, intimate, obedient walk with His Father on this dusty hard ground. He rested in His Father. He took moments to be with His Father away from everything else and He continued to obey Him when misunderstood, attacked, mocked and nailed to a cross. Love makes obedience, even obedience through trials, sweet. And while we have been misunderstood daily because we are language learners, we haven't had to endure anything like our Jesus. 

We feel like we are obeying in staying, in just being here, in pressing on in language, in continuing to pour into and shepherd our children, in pursuing our neighbors and friends with the Truth and Love we have found in Christ. I found this quote the other night while re-reading Elizabeth Elliot's Secure in the Everlasting Arms, and it shot me right to the heart:

"Jesus loved the will of His Father. He embraced the limitations, the necessities, the conditions, the very chains of his humanity as he walked and worked here on earth, fulfilling moment by moment His divine commission and the stern demands of His incarnation. Never was there a word or even a look of complaint."

Never was there a word or even a look of complaint! May I abide so much in Him and He in me that love just overflows to those around me, firstly my husband and my children. May I be more like my Jesus, humbly submitting daily, with joy to the demands of the day, and may I be willing and ready to count it all joy because love really does make obedience sweet.

First Day of School

We started school back in August so we could get ahead of the game a little. The anxiety of homeschool was looming over me, and I decided I just needed to do this thing. We try and make the first day of school a big deal, or we did when they actually went to a school building. We wanted to do something to make the kids feel like this was a big day. So Brian suited them up in their backpacks and walked them around the block only to come right back inside and sit down in their bedrooms. Ha!!

This was a difficult day for me. Don't judge, but the first day of school is supposed to mean a little freedom, a coffee date with my husband, more time to study language, even. So this was slightly challenging. I put my brave face on, and we got through it. Five weeks later, we are old pros. I would still love a coffee date with my husband and a little uninterrupted study time, but I suppose it can wait. 

Whatever my lot... ;)

This was the first day five weeks ago. 

We have a big 1st grader, 3rd grader, and a super cute 3 year old. The school year is going really well so far. We love our curriculum. The kids love all their books, and so far we are not completely losing our minds. I was sure we would, but grace. I actually kind of like, gulp, maybe even love, teaching them and watching their eyes open to new things. What a tremendous gift! It's a gift I wouldn't have had in any other circumstance. It's certainly a gift I wouldn't have wished for, but I am so thankful for this time. It is exactly what our kids needed this year even though it wasn't my number one desire. God is so good to meet our needs and give us what we don't think we want and then soften our hearts into it and show us how it is His good working in our lives. 

Thomas working hard on his handwriting. Did I mention grace?! 

Taking a quick math test. This girl loves her some school. 

Building a train track in his "boo-tee-ful farmer" suit. 

The kids are really doing great, and I'm so happy to be their teacher. They make me look good, because really, most days, I just need coffee. 

Memories from Our Childhood in Ohrid

We just got back from an incredible trip to our beloved Ohrid. When we left we really thought it was a forever goodbye. How would one get from Asia to Ohrid without spending their life savings? We had wept so many tears as we packed up our home there and drove out of that city. We spent 9 years of our life there. We've only been married for 12 (almost 13), and 9 of those were spent growing up, becoming parents, growing up, being humbled, and... growing up in Ohrid. Our babies took their first steps in its buildings and learned to ride their bikes in its streets. This insanely beautiful Balkan gem taught us so much. It tore us apart, built us up, and then tore us apart again. The ups and downs of our time there are too many to count.

We were babies when we arrived on that cold March afternoon all those years ago. We had flown into a small, rundown airport, spent a couple of nights in the capital with people whom would become our mentors, our example to follow, and our dear friends, and then we climbed into a white european mini van and crossed two snow-covered mountain ranges to step out into the clean cool air of our new home. Graffiti covered the outside walls of the building we would call our first temporary home in Ohrid. Our mailbox door at the bottom of the stairs had a large gaping hole in it like it had been pulled apart. Our apartment housed the clothes, eye glasses, pictures, furniture and even liquor of the woman who had lived and died there before her place was to be rented out to two tall, young Americans. Our balcony looked out over the most beautiful lake I had ever seen. I may have been in shock, but I knew we were home.

Our boss, ahem, I mean, friend, because he never liked it when we referred to him as boss, left us in our new place still jet-lagged and told us to meet him at St. Jovan Kaneo church the next morning. He didn't tell us where it was or how to get there but that he would be there waiting on us at his favorite spot in the city. We found it (my husband) and as we stood there and looked out over the naturally clear blue lake and the city, I was overwhelmed. This city was ours, now. We were going to love it. We were going to learn it's language, it's culture, it's people. We were going to make the name of the Lord great in that place. We were going to work our fingers to the bone. We had no idea the work God was going to do in our hearts. We had no idea how much that language, that culture, those people would delve into our hearts and become apart of us. We had no idea how much we would be changed.

We look back on those early days and laugh. We laugh with our friends who were there when we arrived. They probably just laughed at us in those early days. We thought we knew so much. We would have never said that, of course, but we had read the books. We had been through the training. We had seen the model of what we were supposed to do and how we were supposed to do it. "Do A, B and C and you will get the new healthy living active church that never has problems, multiples, and sends out its own church planters within one term." Our training may have been a little faulty in that it diminished the reality of what we were sent out to do to a couple of books and, you know... also, pray. And also, there will be some spiritual warfare, and maybe it will be hard some days, you know, culture shock. Totally normal but just keep doing A, B, and C, and you'll be alright. Laugh out loud.

I know now that that training did the best job possible of preparing me for something I would never have been able to understand had they tried to explain it all. This training was just a little kindergarten sample of the real on-the-job training we would receive when we got our feet deep into the throes of the work. And in this kindergarten training, I may have been the kid eating the glue. I just didn't get it. After 9 years in Ohrid and 11+ years overseas, I still have much to learn. 

Our trip back to Ohrid brought back all of these memories. It reminded me of how much the Lord has grown me. It reminded me that He has been faithful through it all, He has done a work in me, and He isn't finished yet.

During our time back in that gorgeous place that feels like home, where we can fluently speak the language (amen), and where friends are many, we climbed back up to Kaneo, now one of our favorite spots in Ohrid and looked out over the lake. We remembered, and we thanked God for all that He had done and all that He is going to do.

For now, we are changed. For now, there is a church there that God allowed us to see planted. There are more people who know him. Three more were baptized while we were there this past week. 

The church that we poured our hearts into still holds a piece of our heart and beckons us to keep praying for its growth. We look back on it as Paul looked back on so many churches, and we understand his words a little better. It's in God's hands now. It always was. And He is faithful to continue to grow it. We give Him all the glory. Our Jesus will accomplish His work.

To a Deluxe Apartment in the Sky...

We've moved on up to a deluxe apartment in the sky...

Our own little version of house-hunters international finally came to end almost one whole month ago when we settled on one place. It wasn't our dream place. It wasn't the house with the yard and fruit trees on a cute little backstreet of Sofia, and there was no bathtub. But like all those international house-hunters, you learn you can't get everything you want and sometimes, you have to lay down all those crazy expectations. We did find a great place that we love and that already feels like home. We are on the fifth floor of a sixteen story concrete building. There is a beautiful park and playground outside that is always full of children riding bikes and playing. There is a great little store right at the bottom of our stairs full of fresh fruits, veggies and other daily necessities that makes life so much easier. We are within walking distance of the city center, metros, trams and buses that will take us wherever we need to go in the city. And the apartment itself is so lovely. We are so thrilled the Lord opened the door for us to live here in this great location, and we prayerfully wait to see how He is going to use us and grow us here in this new home.

The moving-in process was chaotic to say the least. If you've ever moved with kiddos, you know it's no easy feat. But moving internationally, with kids, is a special level of chaos that can only make you think of Dante's Inferno at every new box and every new bag of IKEA screws. We had some furniture and belongings shipped from SE Asia, we had 15 suitcases that we brought from the states full of winter boots, coats, homeschool materials, toys and every other thing we could throw in there including American candy for those hard days we knew were on the horizon. And then we descended on IKEA for beds and a few more odds and ends for our new home. 

 

Brian and his helpers put together 4 beds, 3 wardrobes (because only American homes are blessed with closets), 1 loveseat, 1 ottoman, 1 coffee table, 1 tv stand, 2 bookshelves, and 2 chests of drawers. 

1 truck load of boxes that was finally released from customs and delivered,

and with it all, this was our new circle of ...  Well, this was our reality for several days.

And this. 

Where does one put all of this trash? You sneak it through the halls, down the small elevator and to the small little dumpsters outside your building when no one is looking so you don't get yelled at for filling up the dumpster. Brian only got fussed at once, but it was a good verbal lashing. So after that, we made the kids take out the trash because we figured surely they wouldn't yell at the beautiful blonde children. Every time we left the building, we took a load down. We would run by the dumpster and do a dive and dump. Head down! Throw it in and run!

Once the dust and trash started to clear, the kids had fun playing with the boxes. They built houses, chairs, and spaceships with their new brown toys. We should've just skipped IKEA and let our children build our furniture out of all of that cardboard. I could've slept in a cardboard spaceship for a while. I was so tired I could've slept anywhere. 

Today, almost a month later, the kids are playing in their rooms, there are pictures on the walls, our favorite cozy blankets are on our beds, and there is food in the fridge. Through the open windows, I can hear the traffic of Sofia and the sounds of children playing on the playground downstairs. And it truly feels like home. We are so thankful. And all of those things I wanted, like a yard... well, maybe I just don't need them. Maybe God has provided in other ways. Maybe this is where my kids will make some of the best memories of their childhood--not in a private fenced-in backyard, but in a public space where tons of kids come and go every day. Maybe I will make great mom friends here. Maybe God will open up doors for us to see families meet Him, right there, in that public space, with car horns and revving engines in the background. Maybe God will allow us to build deep and meaningful relationships with the neighbors in this giant concrete building. Maybe people will bow their heads in humble surrender right here on my new loveseat.

Maybe we don't get all we wanted or hoped for, but maybe this is the good God has for us and for this neighborhood to know Him for His glory. 

And so today we thank God 

for a great swing

 that's so fun. 

We thank Him for a tree to climb because our babies love climbing trees, and as silly as it may seem, it was one of my prayers. Give them a place to run and trees to climb.

And y'all, He did! How He loves us so!

We thank him for smiles and giggles and new adventures in our new home.

 He is good all the time in every place.