Wow, amazingly this will be my last blog post from Spain. I really can't believe that this year is coming to an end and I will be headed back to Austin tomorrow! It is such a bittersweet time filled with excitement about coming home and seeing where God leads me and sadness in leaving behind a place that I have come to love as well as the amazing friendship I have been blessed with here. I have an extended family here that will always hold a very special place in my heart! This is especially true for the Smith family who welcomed me into their home with open arms and allowed me to love on their kids. Saying bye to the triplets will be very hard but I know it is not goodbye so I will look forward to when I might see them again.
First off, I would like to say how grateful I am for all of your prayers, love and support as I have been on this amazing adventure. Each of you have had a special part in making this year possible and it has been amazing to see how God uses all of us in different ways to bring glory to His name. I have been so encouraged by all of you and am blessed that each of you are a part of my life.
This has been a year of growth and change, something I think I am learning to embrace. God has revealed a lot to me in this time. He has shown me things about myself I never knew were there and that if He is leading we can do anything. It is such an amazing feeling to follow Him. He has taught me to be bold in my faith....in sharing my faith with others and to follow the path He has set for me. I have learned that, though it may be scary to take a leap of faith there is great peace in knowing that He is holding onto you.
As I head home there is still a lot of change ahead but I am excited to see where God leads me. I am blessed to have the opportunity to return to the Austin Stone Community Church's children's ministry KIDS and continue coaching in the nursery as I did before leaving for Spain. It will be a new service time and team but I look forward to getting to know this team and the families we will be serving. One of the things God has really put on my heart while here is to become more involved with this amazing ministry so in the summer or fall I will hopefully be starting an internship with KIDS. This is something I am very excited about and can't wait to dive into. As of right now I have nanny work lined up through January for sure and am still waiting to see what I will be doing after that point. Hoping to continue nannying but may be looking for work in daycares. I know God will lead me to the the place He wants me so I will continue to look to Him for direction in this.
Prayers are greatly appreciated for safe and uneventful travels tomorrow. Also, for the transition back into life at home. As excited as I am to come home I know there is still a lot of change ahead. Please pray that I continue to seek God in this time and allow Him to lead me no matter where He is taking me.
I so look forward to seeing everyone soon and can't wait to share more about my time in Spain and what God has been doing here!
Much love to all of you!!
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Update........FINALLY!!!! :)
Where to begin.....it has been far to long since I have updated this! I apologize for the slacking. :) Thankfully with facebook I think most of you are pretty well updated with whats been going on here.
Summer here in Spain seemed to come and go quickly and it was a HOT summer! I tend to prefer the heat over the cold but with no central air conditioning and no escape from the heat, even at night, I have a new appreciation for cooler temperatures. We made many trips down to la playa to cool off and the kids liked to say that they were 'going to put their toesies in the water' which in reality meant their entire bodies. All three of them are like little fish but sometimes I think they like the sand more. Michael and Jonathan seem to have a goal each time we are at the beach to cover themselves in sand from head to toe.....they roll in it, they throw it, they want to be buried it and Michael even tried eating it at one point. It is definitely one of their favorite places to go and mine as well. In my off time I spent a lot of time down there. It is such a beautiful, peaceful and calming place where I always feel close to God and reminds me how blessed I am that He has allowed me to be here.
Another thing that the kids really love is artwork. I enjoy seeing each of their little personalities come out during art time. Jonathan can paint and color for hours, we have to make him stop a lot of the time. He can focus on a task that he really enjoys like no other 3 year old I have ever met. Michael on the other hand gets very excited about art time but once he is in his chair he quickly throws together a picture tears it to pieces, getting much enjoyment out of this, and is begging to get out of his seat within about 5 minutes of sitting down. Like Jonathan Sierra has more focus and can sit for a while but she is the meticulous one. Everything is precise and the colors are very specific (purple, pink and red). In the time that she paints one picture Jonathan has painted 5 or 6. They are always very proud of what they have made and their art is taking up more and more wall space almost daily.
As for me I am doing well! My time here has been absolutely amazing and I find myself more thankful each day for having the opportunity to be here. God has been using this year to reveal a lot to me about myself and himself and I feel that I have grown more in my faith than I ever have through this experience. I am truly thankful for all of the support, encouragement and prayers from all of you back home as well as those here in Spain. You all have played a key role in all of this too and for that I am forever grateful!
It is just beginning to hit me this week how little time I have left here and I am realizing just how much I will miss Spain. I have grown to love this place and have made so many amazing friends that it will be very hard to leave in December but I am blessed to know I have an extended family all the way in Spain. With that I am also very excited about heading home and sharing with everyone all that God has been doing here!
Summer here in Spain seemed to come and go quickly and it was a HOT summer! I tend to prefer the heat over the cold but with no central air conditioning and no escape from the heat, even at night, I have a new appreciation for cooler temperatures. We made many trips down to la playa to cool off and the kids liked to say that they were 'going to put their toesies in the water' which in reality meant their entire bodies. All three of them are like little fish but sometimes I think they like the sand more. Michael and Jonathan seem to have a goal each time we are at the beach to cover themselves in sand from head to toe.....they roll in it, they throw it, they want to be buried it and Michael even tried eating it at one point. It is definitely one of their favorite places to go and mine as well. In my off time I spent a lot of time down there. It is such a beautiful, peaceful and calming place where I always feel close to God and reminds me how blessed I am that He has allowed me to be here.
Another thing that the kids really love is artwork. I enjoy seeing each of their little personalities come out during art time. Jonathan can paint and color for hours, we have to make him stop a lot of the time. He can focus on a task that he really enjoys like no other 3 year old I have ever met. Michael on the other hand gets very excited about art time but once he is in his chair he quickly throws together a picture tears it to pieces, getting much enjoyment out of this, and is begging to get out of his seat within about 5 minutes of sitting down. Like Jonathan Sierra has more focus and can sit for a while but she is the meticulous one. Everything is precise and the colors are very specific (purple, pink and red). In the time that she paints one picture Jonathan has painted 5 or 6. They are always very proud of what they have made and their art is taking up more and more wall space almost daily.
As for me I am doing well! My time here has been absolutely amazing and I find myself more thankful each day for having the opportunity to be here. God has been using this year to reveal a lot to me about myself and himself and I feel that I have grown more in my faith than I ever have through this experience. I am truly thankful for all of the support, encouragement and prayers from all of you back home as well as those here in Spain. You all have played a key role in all of this too and for that I am forever grateful!
It is just beginning to hit me this week how little time I have left here and I am realizing just how much I will miss Spain. I have grown to love this place and have made so many amazing friends that it will be very hard to leave in December but I am blessed to know I have an extended family all the way in Spain. With that I am also very excited about heading home and sharing with everyone all that God has been doing here!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Heading Home!!!
Hello all! As I sit and write this I am less than 24 hours away from leaving Spain which is very hard to believe. Six months here have flown by but it has been an amazing six months I must say. Looking forward to more time here when I return in July.
As for this post it will be brief just a couple of prayer request as my travel home begins. First, I would greatly appreciate prayer for safe and relaxing travel tomorrow as I will be flying ALL day. My long flight is almost 12 hours and no part of that sounds enjoyable to me. :) Second, for my time home to be refreshing. It will be a busy month trying to see everyone in Texas as well as working and going to San Diego and Reno to visit family. I am trying my hardest to have enough down time but it is tough when you really want to fit everything in. Lastly and most importantly prayer for my trip back to Spain. As you all know the economy is not doing so well here and bc of that Spain is getting a little more strict with their visas. Please just pray for my entry back into Spain on July 2 to go smoothly and that I would get my new passport stamp with no problems.
I can't wait to catch up with everyone! See you all soon!
As for this post it will be brief just a couple of prayer request as my travel home begins. First, I would greatly appreciate prayer for safe and relaxing travel tomorrow as I will be flying ALL day. My long flight is almost 12 hours and no part of that sounds enjoyable to me. :) Second, for my time home to be refreshing. It will be a busy month trying to see everyone in Texas as well as working and going to San Diego and Reno to visit family. I am trying my hardest to have enough down time but it is tough when you really want to fit everything in. Lastly and most importantly prayer for my trip back to Spain. As you all know the economy is not doing so well here and bc of that Spain is getting a little more strict with their visas. Please just pray for my entry back into Spain on July 2 to go smoothly and that I would get my new passport stamp with no problems.
I can't wait to catch up with everyone! See you all soon!
Saturday, April 21, 2012
What's Up In Spain
Hello once again friends and family! As I sit here writing this I'm reflecting on how incredibly blessed I feel to be here, that God would allow me to be in this place. Though I'm very much anticipating my trip home in 6 weeks He is reminding me of how He has been moving in my life in the time I have had here thus far. I'm amazed at how much He has revealed to me not only about himself but myself as well. I can honestly say that in 4 1/2 short months my relationship with Him has grown more than it ever has in my 12 year walk with Him. I'm continually in awe of His grace and love that is never ending even when we are doing everything we can to push Him away and run from Him. How great it is to serve such an amazing God!
Spain is as beautiful as ever. The weather is slowly getting warmer as we approach summer. Today looks like it will hit about 80 degrees. We are all decked out in our summer clothes while the Spaniards are all still wearing sweatshirts and jackets.....apparently to them this is not warm yet. The warmer weather is bringing lot's of tourist. The beach is starting to get more and more crowded and all of the little restaurants, cafes and shops along the beach are starting to re-open after being closed for the off season. We are beginning to see a lot more of the Costa del Sol character. It has been very fun to witness.
All is well here with the triplets and family. All three of the kids have been fighting through some sort of illness that we have not really pin pointed but seem to be doing well now. Easter here in Spain was nice. We went to church then had the pastor and his wife over for dinner as well as another friend who just so happens to be a fellow Austinite. I found myself missing family, friends and my church back home very much but still had a great day. It is very true that holiday's are the hardest time to be away from home.
Last week Sierra, Michael and Jonathan started at a nursery that they will be attending on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. My hope is that they will pick up Spanish very quickly..........then teach me. ;) I don't actually see this happening but know that Sierra would love the prospect because it would mean she has permission to be in charge. Somehow she knows she is the oldest and loves to boss her brothers around, usually taking on the tone of the adults saying such things to them as, "no, no honey" and as I say to her, "no ma'am". Yes, she tells the boys no ma'am not no sir.
As for Johnny he is working really hard on figuring out who is a boy and who is a girl. If you ask him if a stranger is a boy or a girl he is able to differentiate between the two. It gets a little harder when you ask about people or things he is close to. According to him Daddy is a man, not a boy. Mommy is a mommy, not a boy or girl. I am an Anna, not a boy or a girl and his little cat doll who is sometimes named Kitty, Meow or Gato is a gato, not a boy or girl. This last one he is very adamant about so when someone asks him if it is a boy his response in a very serious tone is, "Kitty is NOT a boy, Kitty is a Gato!" We have learned not to question this any further.
Michael is the little flirt in the family. If there are girls around that is normally where you can find him. He has this little smile and hand wave that can win over any girls heart, mine included. It has actually been really fun over the past month or so to watch him come out of his shell more and more. When I first arrived in Spain he was the least verbal but now he seems to be talking like crazy. He has even started standing on the front balcony facing the park below and yelling down to the people "hi peoples!" or just simply "Hola". Also something that is fun to just sit back and watch.
Well, I think this pretty much catches everyone up. I know I say this each post but I will say again how grateful I am for all of your prayers and support. This truly has been and continues to be an amazing experience on so many levels and knowing I have the support of loved ones back home is an awesome feeling. Thankful for each of you everyday for the roles you have played in this experience and in my life.
Can't wait to see you all in June!!
Spain is as beautiful as ever. The weather is slowly getting warmer as we approach summer. Today looks like it will hit about 80 degrees. We are all decked out in our summer clothes while the Spaniards are all still wearing sweatshirts and jackets.....apparently to them this is not warm yet. The warmer weather is bringing lot's of tourist. The beach is starting to get more and more crowded and all of the little restaurants, cafes and shops along the beach are starting to re-open after being closed for the off season. We are beginning to see a lot more of the Costa del Sol character. It has been very fun to witness.
All is well here with the triplets and family. All three of the kids have been fighting through some sort of illness that we have not really pin pointed but seem to be doing well now. Easter here in Spain was nice. We went to church then had the pastor and his wife over for dinner as well as another friend who just so happens to be a fellow Austinite. I found myself missing family, friends and my church back home very much but still had a great day. It is very true that holiday's are the hardest time to be away from home.
Last week Sierra, Michael and Jonathan started at a nursery that they will be attending on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. My hope is that they will pick up Spanish very quickly..........then teach me. ;) I don't actually see this happening but know that Sierra would love the prospect because it would mean she has permission to be in charge. Somehow she knows she is the oldest and loves to boss her brothers around, usually taking on the tone of the adults saying such things to them as, "no, no honey" and as I say to her, "no ma'am". Yes, she tells the boys no ma'am not no sir.
As for Johnny he is working really hard on figuring out who is a boy and who is a girl. If you ask him if a stranger is a boy or a girl he is able to differentiate between the two. It gets a little harder when you ask about people or things he is close to. According to him Daddy is a man, not a boy. Mommy is a mommy, not a boy or girl. I am an Anna, not a boy or a girl and his little cat doll who is sometimes named Kitty, Meow or Gato is a gato, not a boy or girl. This last one he is very adamant about so when someone asks him if it is a boy his response in a very serious tone is, "Kitty is NOT a boy, Kitty is a Gato!" We have learned not to question this any further.
Michael is the little flirt in the family. If there are girls around that is normally where you can find him. He has this little smile and hand wave that can win over any girls heart, mine included. It has actually been really fun over the past month or so to watch him come out of his shell more and more. When I first arrived in Spain he was the least verbal but now he seems to be talking like crazy. He has even started standing on the front balcony facing the park below and yelling down to the people "hi peoples!" or just simply "Hola". Also something that is fun to just sit back and watch.
Well, I think this pretty much catches everyone up. I know I say this each post but I will say again how grateful I am for all of your prayers and support. This truly has been and continues to be an amazing experience on so many levels and knowing I have the support of loved ones back home is an awesome feeling. Thankful for each of you everyday for the roles you have played in this experience and in my life.
Can't wait to see you all in June!!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Morocco
First off I would like to say thank you for all of the prayers for my trip to Morocco. Other than missing a bus and having to purchase a new ticket once back in Spain everything went very smoothly. I did not encounter any issues with my passport coming back into Spain and am now "legally" here for another 90 days. Mission accomplished!
The bus I was taking left for Morocco at 515am Wednesday morning. This was a two and half hour ride from Torremolinos to Algeciras Spain. In Algeciras you take a half an hour shuttle to Tarifa Spain where you actually take the ferry across to Morocco. Once in Tarifa the shuttle drops you off roughly a mile from the port so I also got a nice walk in that morning. After all of this there is a relaxing 40 minute ride on the ferry into the port of Tangier.
Once in Tangier I was greeted by Helen who is a missionary there and whom I was staying with. Helen and her two roomates live in the old part of Tangier so it was very interesting to weave through all of the tiny cobblestone streets taking in the sites. We first went by the house to drop my bag off then headed to Le Creche or the orphanage. The children there range from infants to about 16 years old. On this particular morning we were helping care for the infants, about 20 of them. We spent time holding and playing with them, then helped with feeding time and diaper changes before putting them down for naps. Of course I fell in love with all of them! On Thursday we headed back to the orphanage this time hoping to take some of the babies and older kids out for a walk. Helen has been trying very hard to get the children out more, but is never sure if these outings will be okayed or not. Thankfully we were able to bring 3 babies and 3 older children out on a walk. It was myself, Helen, a young German girl and a French couple who are adopting a little boy that walked with the kids. This, for me, was such an eye opening experience.
As we began our walk I was holding the hand of Ismeal, a little boy who I think was around 4 or 5 years old. He was trying with all his might at some points to get his hand out of mine so he could take off running. At other points he would stop dead in his tracks and stare in awe of something as simple as a car driving by. This is when I realized how little these children get out of the orphanage and why these walks are so coveted by Helen. It is something so simple that is all to often taken for granted all over the place. We walked the kids to a park where we played for about 30 minutes then headed back to the orphanage for lunch time. Again Helen and I headed upstairs with the babies to help with feeding and getting them down for naps. Just these few short hours spent at the orphanage those two mornings was the highlight of my time in Morocco. I felt tremendously blessed to have the opportunity to spend time with and love on these kids!
The rest of my time mostly consisted of checking out Tangier. I was able to see the old city, which I was staying in, as well as some of the new city. It is truly like two different worlds colliding together! I enjoyed my time in Tangier, but was also happy to be heading back to Spain. There was definitely a lot of culture shock being in Morocco. On Friday morning I got back on the ferry to Spain and upon arrival was given my new passport stamp which this whole trip was for.
Thank you again for the prayers for my travel and renewing my visa. Until the next update, Adios!
The bus I was taking left for Morocco at 515am Wednesday morning. This was a two and half hour ride from Torremolinos to Algeciras Spain. In Algeciras you take a half an hour shuttle to Tarifa Spain where you actually take the ferry across to Morocco. Once in Tarifa the shuttle drops you off roughly a mile from the port so I also got a nice walk in that morning. After all of this there is a relaxing 40 minute ride on the ferry into the port of Tangier.
Once in Tangier I was greeted by Helen who is a missionary there and whom I was staying with. Helen and her two roomates live in the old part of Tangier so it was very interesting to weave through all of the tiny cobblestone streets taking in the sites. We first went by the house to drop my bag off then headed to Le Creche or the orphanage. The children there range from infants to about 16 years old. On this particular morning we were helping care for the infants, about 20 of them. We spent time holding and playing with them, then helped with feeding time and diaper changes before putting them down for naps. Of course I fell in love with all of them! On Thursday we headed back to the orphanage this time hoping to take some of the babies and older kids out for a walk. Helen has been trying very hard to get the children out more, but is never sure if these outings will be okayed or not. Thankfully we were able to bring 3 babies and 3 older children out on a walk. It was myself, Helen, a young German girl and a French couple who are adopting a little boy that walked with the kids. This, for me, was such an eye opening experience.
As we began our walk I was holding the hand of Ismeal, a little boy who I think was around 4 or 5 years old. He was trying with all his might at some points to get his hand out of mine so he could take off running. At other points he would stop dead in his tracks and stare in awe of something as simple as a car driving by. This is when I realized how little these children get out of the orphanage and why these walks are so coveted by Helen. It is something so simple that is all to often taken for granted all over the place. We walked the kids to a park where we played for about 30 minutes then headed back to the orphanage for lunch time. Again Helen and I headed upstairs with the babies to help with feeding and getting them down for naps. Just these few short hours spent at the orphanage those two mornings was the highlight of my time in Morocco. I felt tremendously blessed to have the opportunity to spend time with and love on these kids!
The rest of my time mostly consisted of checking out Tangier. I was able to see the old city, which I was staying in, as well as some of the new city. It is truly like two different worlds colliding together! I enjoyed my time in Tangier, but was also happy to be heading back to Spain. There was definitely a lot of culture shock being in Morocco. On Friday morning I got back on the ferry to Spain and upon arrival was given my new passport stamp which this whole trip was for.
Thank you again for the prayers for my travel and renewing my visa. Until the next update, Adios!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
What's Been Going On
Hello friends and family! So sorry for the long delay in my blog update. It has been pretty busy here. As I am writing this I am reminded that I'm just about half way through my first six months in Spain. The time sure is flying by!
Since my first three months are almost up I will be leaving this week, on Wednesday, for Morocco to make a "visa run". I am here on a tourist visa which means I can only be in Europe for three months at a time then I have to leave and get my passport re-stamped. I will be leaving Wednesday morning bright and early for the 7-8 hour bus/ferry trip to Tangier. Once there I will be met at the port by a YWAM worker named Helen and will stay with her until Friday when I begin my journey back to Spain. Please pray for safe travels and for there to be no issues with my passport being re-stamped.
On to what has been going on at home. The triplets are doing great! They continue to be very fun and it has been great watching them grow and become much more verbal. All three of them love to pretend that anything is a guitar or drums. They will grab their prefered instrument and go stand behind a little kitchen they have to play church. They strum their guitars and sing anything from "Jesus Loves Me" to simply Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah. It is very fun and cute to watch! They love being outside and especially love the park that is just across the street from our apartment.
As most of you know from my Facebook I had the opportunity last weekend to spend a few days in Germany. It was a nice little mini vacation and I discovered a new found love for Germany. I was hosted by a wonderful family who are friends of friends and had a great time with them seeing the sites in Heidelberg and Bernkastle-Kues. It is such a huge blessing to be able to see some of Europe while I am here! Now that I have been to Germany I would love to go back at some point for a more extended time frame.
Last month I had the opportunity to join the current YWAM team in training in one of their week long classes. We were blessed with an amazing speaker who clearly loves what he does and truly has a heart for God. The class was called the Father Heart of God, it was a great reminder of who God the Father truly is and His love for us no matter what. The team (3 Americans, 2 Canadians and 1 Dutch) is great and I was so thankful to be welcomed into their group with open arms. It was a heavy week but a great opportunity to be really focused on God.
Lastly, for those of you who do not already know, after much prayer I feel that God is definitely calling me to stay in Spain with the Smith family for a longer time. I will still be coming home in June for the month, as it falls right when I will need another passport stamp. I will spend most of my time in Austin and also make some rounds to see all of my family on the West Coast. I am very much looking forward to the time at home! Once returning to Spain I will stay until atleast sometime in December but again am praying to see where God is leading me with this. Please pray for me to continue to seek God in this decision and also again for my visa coming back into Spain. There is a very small chance that I could get here and be turned right back around. I really do feel that this is where God wants me so I am not worried about that but the prayers are greatly appreciated!
I hope all is well with everyone back home and I will try hard not to wait so long for my next update! Thank you for all of your prayers and support!
¡Adios!
Since my first three months are almost up I will be leaving this week, on Wednesday, for Morocco to make a "visa run". I am here on a tourist visa which means I can only be in Europe for three months at a time then I have to leave and get my passport re-stamped. I will be leaving Wednesday morning bright and early for the 7-8 hour bus/ferry trip to Tangier. Once there I will be met at the port by a YWAM worker named Helen and will stay with her until Friday when I begin my journey back to Spain. Please pray for safe travels and for there to be no issues with my passport being re-stamped.
On to what has been going on at home. The triplets are doing great! They continue to be very fun and it has been great watching them grow and become much more verbal. All three of them love to pretend that anything is a guitar or drums. They will grab their prefered instrument and go stand behind a little kitchen they have to play church. They strum their guitars and sing anything from "Jesus Loves Me" to simply Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah. It is very fun and cute to watch! They love being outside and especially love the park that is just across the street from our apartment.
As most of you know from my Facebook I had the opportunity last weekend to spend a few days in Germany. It was a nice little mini vacation and I discovered a new found love for Germany. I was hosted by a wonderful family who are friends of friends and had a great time with them seeing the sites in Heidelberg and Bernkastle-Kues. It is such a huge blessing to be able to see some of Europe while I am here! Now that I have been to Germany I would love to go back at some point for a more extended time frame.
Last month I had the opportunity to join the current YWAM team in training in one of their week long classes. We were blessed with an amazing speaker who clearly loves what he does and truly has a heart for God. The class was called the Father Heart of God, it was a great reminder of who God the Father truly is and His love for us no matter what. The team (3 Americans, 2 Canadians and 1 Dutch) is great and I was so thankful to be welcomed into their group with open arms. It was a heavy week but a great opportunity to be really focused on God.
Lastly, for those of you who do not already know, after much prayer I feel that God is definitely calling me to stay in Spain with the Smith family for a longer time. I will still be coming home in June for the month, as it falls right when I will need another passport stamp. I will spend most of my time in Austin and also make some rounds to see all of my family on the West Coast. I am very much looking forward to the time at home! Once returning to Spain I will stay until atleast sometime in December but again am praying to see where God is leading me with this. Please pray for me to continue to seek God in this decision and also again for my visa coming back into Spain. There is a very small chance that I could get here and be turned right back around. I really do feel that this is where God wants me so I am not worried about that but the prayers are greatly appreciated!
I hope all is well with everyone back home and I will try hard not to wait so long for my next update! Thank you for all of your prayers and support!
¡Adios!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
First Five Weeks
Hello again friends and family! I hope this finds you all well and recuperated from the always busy holidays. Christmas here in Spain was very nice, so cool to be able to walk on the beach in beautiful weather on Christmas Eve. I was missing friends and family, but had a very enjoyable Christmas nonetheless. We unwrapped gifts with the triplets bright and early that morning. A fun time since they are old enough to be really excited about the experience. Hard, though, to get them to understand that they could not tear open any gift they wanted. That afternoon David and Rosa had invited over a few of the other missionary families for dinner and games. We had an excessive amount of delicious food and a dessert table that could have fed an army. It was a great day but the highlight was being able to talk to some of my family on skype that evening. Hearing their voices was definitely the icing on the cake! As for New Years...it went out with a bang, quite literally. I learned that you are able to buy fireworks here that you could not dream of purchasing in the U.S. I'm talking about fireworks that you can only see at a fireworks display. It was amazing to see and hear what people were shooting off.
Well, as of this past Thursday I have been here in Spian for five weeks! It is hard to believe that much time has already went by. In these five weeks there has been a move to our new apartment, potty training and tons of exploration and sightseeing. The apartment is very nice with a view of the Mediterranean Sea from both balconies. It was nice to get settled in two weeks ago and finally unpack my suitcases. Felt much more like home then.
The past two weeks have been spent potty training the triplets. I know this is the subject everyone has been dying to read about! I can honestly say I have never spent so much time in the bathroom. With three of them there seems to be a never ending revolving door to the bathroom. Obviously there have been accidents, but they have done amazingly! Friday was an accident free day and today was another milestone as Micheal, the last hold out, finally did a #2 on the potty. Johnny has loving named this a BOOM!, so when they do go they run around proudly saying "I made a BOOM!". Luckily, we are spending less and less time in the bathroom as they are grasping how to recognize when they need to go and are able to vocalize this more often now.
The sights here are absolutley amazing! They don't seem to stop coming either. Every time I think I can't see something more beautiful I'm shown otherwise. Exploring is definitely my favorite thing to do here, there is so much to see. Of course I love the beaches, incredibly clean and well kept, but my favorite sight thus far has been Downtown Malága. This is a real taste of Europe with the building architecture, Cathedrals, cafe's, shops, fountains and little side streets that weave through the city like a never ending maze. I have been twice now, but the first time was just before Christmas. A friend took us all down to see Christmas lights and enjoy churros (nothing like what we have at home). The most amazing sight was the Cathedral here. It is breathtakingly beautiful and an even more incredible sight when you realize this was built entirely by human hands. While standing outside of the Cathedral I was overwhelmed by God's presence and in complete awe of Him. It is crazy to stand in a place you have only seen in movies and never thought you would be knowing that He is the reason you are there. What an amazing feeling! It is hard to describe how incredibly blessed and thankful I felt in this moment.
I am truly thankful for the support of my friends and family and am so happy to have the ability to share this time with you all! Until the next update, Adíos!
Well, as of this past Thursday I have been here in Spian for five weeks! It is hard to believe that much time has already went by. In these five weeks there has been a move to our new apartment, potty training and tons of exploration and sightseeing. The apartment is very nice with a view of the Mediterranean Sea from both balconies. It was nice to get settled in two weeks ago and finally unpack my suitcases. Felt much more like home then.
The past two weeks have been spent potty training the triplets. I know this is the subject everyone has been dying to read about! I can honestly say I have never spent so much time in the bathroom. With three of them there seems to be a never ending revolving door to the bathroom. Obviously there have been accidents, but they have done amazingly! Friday was an accident free day and today was another milestone as Micheal, the last hold out, finally did a #2 on the potty. Johnny has loving named this a BOOM!, so when they do go they run around proudly saying "I made a BOOM!". Luckily, we are spending less and less time in the bathroom as they are grasping how to recognize when they need to go and are able to vocalize this more often now.
The sights here are absolutley amazing! They don't seem to stop coming either. Every time I think I can't see something more beautiful I'm shown otherwise. Exploring is definitely my favorite thing to do here, there is so much to see. Of course I love the beaches, incredibly clean and well kept, but my favorite sight thus far has been Downtown Malága. This is a real taste of Europe with the building architecture, Cathedrals, cafe's, shops, fountains and little side streets that weave through the city like a never ending maze. I have been twice now, but the first time was just before Christmas. A friend took us all down to see Christmas lights and enjoy churros (nothing like what we have at home). The most amazing sight was the Cathedral here. It is breathtakingly beautiful and an even more incredible sight when you realize this was built entirely by human hands. While standing outside of the Cathedral I was overwhelmed by God's presence and in complete awe of Him. It is crazy to stand in a place you have only seen in movies and never thought you would be knowing that He is the reason you are there. What an amazing feeling! It is hard to describe how incredibly blessed and thankful I felt in this moment.
I am truly thankful for the support of my friends and family and am so happy to have the ability to share this time with you all! Until the next update, Adíos!
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