WE BOUGHT A CAR!!!!!!!

It's official. We bought our car today. We won't be able to drive it until later this week (international registration issues) but we are so happy to finally own a car. It's a silver grey minivanish type car. It's called an Opel Zafira. It has 10 airbags and it is just a really good car. Josh took it with the dealer today to the Opel dealer and got a check up. All looks good, we just need to buy some new tires before winter hits hard. The dealer came down 400 marks so we could use that to get new tires, really nice.

Thank you for all your prayers on this! We are so excited! Take a look at the car.

Didn't get a car but...

Drove 7 hours yesterday with our national staff Zeljko. We had a great time with him, and saw some beautiful countryside. The car in Hercegovina was not what we thought it would be, so we didn't buy it. But I wouldn't say it was a waste of time. The leaves looked absolutely beautiful as they are changing for Fall. And we got to spend time with Zeljko, which was fun and we got to speak Bosnian as well.

We saw a car on Tuesday here in Bosnia that we think we are going to buy. Pray for Josh and Zeljko as they meet with the car dealer today and we might get it today or sometime this week! Thanks everyone...

Getting a car...

Please say a quick prayer for us tomorrow as we travel to Hercegovnia (about 3 hour drive) to maybe buy a car. We looked at a car here in Sarajevo today and liked it. Pray for wisdom as we make a decision. Thanks!

Sweet Katie Angel

Yesterday, a sweet little girl Katie Seaman, age 11 went to Heaven after battling a brain tumor. She was dear friends with Josh's little sister Melea and was so sweet. We had the privilege of knowing Katie for only a few months, but her life really impacted ours. Please pray for Melea and the Seaman family during this time.

Singing at church

Today was another first for us. Josh and I lead the worship at our church today in Bosnian! We had sort of informally led it our first Sunday, but this week we actually had worship practice. My keyboard arrived in our shipment, and we keep it at the church because we have no room to put it in our apartment. It's great though. Our worship leader said that he was praying hard for a keyboard. He was actually saving up to buy a cheap one, but now we brought ours. He said he's glad he has ears because if he didn't his smile would wrap around his whole head! Haha. Ivan is funny.

It was a beautiful morning. Worship preceded a very encouraging sermon by an Englishman (reminds me of home...we miss you ChristChurch!) Then tonight we had a date night. Went to a great cafe and got some yummy cheesecake with a beautiful view of the city.

Hope everyone is having a great Sunday!

My Oasis

Here is a picture of my Bible study on Tuesday afternoons. I call it my Oasis because I usually come to this group terribly stressed and discouraged, and leave full. They are all women who serve here in BiH. Some have been here as long as me, others as much as 16 years. Serving with different organizations, having children, having none, single, married....I love these women. We are studying Beth Moore's Esther study. Loving it.

Thank you for praying!!! Quick answer!

I was SO overwhelmed with the response...so many people prayed for Israel! To give you an update: today was the best Vrtic day YET! She went RIGHT in, smiles, and didn't cry the entire time!

It has to be so overwhelming: you are 3, don't understand the language and don't know anyone. Then there's cultural differences as well...

We had our first snow the other day. And it is SO cold now. Praise GOD for our women's Bible study...a lady in the study let me get some of her garage sale items...we got snow pants for Elijah and a snow coat! We got Israel a nice warm winter coat! We got mittens for Israel! And a fellow laborer here gave Israel an umbrella for her very own. Now all we need is mittens and a hat for Elijah. I have no idea where to buy them that small...another adventure. But Izzy is set. We found her some snow pants really cheap too. One thing that has been challenging here is the cost of things...they are so expensive. But God is providing for us. I'm so thankful for these winter clothes. We are so blessed.

thanks for keeping in touch!

Pray for Izzy

Hey all,

To those who love my little girl. Please pray for her regarding her preschool. It is a great preschool. But she still cries every day. It's really hard to leave her. This morning she was in hysterics. Please pray for her to settle in quickly and love her school and learn Bosnian. Thank you.

Elijah's Birthday Party

Elijah putting a spot on the dog
Skyping with Nana and Aunt Lou Lou
Play Dough
Baka playing balloon with Anje and Israel
Notice the pretty sign

Josh reading "The Remarkable Farkle McBride" to the kids
The doggie birthday cake I made!

Elijah turns two tomorrow (Monday). We had his birthday party yesterday (Saturday) in his room. We had a great time. His guests included Nathan, Joy, Rhesia, and Chad from our STINT team, "Baka" Kristie (our grandmother here in Bosnia) and her daughter Tamra (an adopted Aunt for the kids), Anje (the little 2 1/2 year old girl whose grandparents live downstairs) and her grandmother Medita. We had a great time. Some games we played: I drew a huge dalmatian puppy and cut out some spots and the kids (and Chad) took turns putting spots on the puppy, we played with playdough, we ate "dog food" (really cocoa puffs) from a dog bowl. I read them "Red, Stop! Green, Go! Dog party book" We had pretzels and Napolitanke for snacks, as well as Cedevita (think Kool Aid) for drink and water. Nana and Aunt Lou Lou skyped in for the party, which was great! So thankful for technology...don't know what people did back in the day!

It was fun having everyone join us. Josh and I made a huge sign that says "Sretan Rodendan" (Happy Birthday). We sang the Rabbit Song and Going on a Bear Hunt. Everyone loved the cake. Elijah got a Grover doll (and Izzy got an Abby Cadabby doll). He also got some new trucks, a puzzle, some chocolate, Cars DVD , Ice Age DVD, and some new house shoes. We had a great time!

Thumbelina

We had a great time last night...Israel, her friend Sarah and mom Lejla and I all went to the National Theater's production of "Thumbelina" (Palcica in Bosnian). Neither Lejla or Sarah speak English, so it was a Bosnian adventure. The girls had a great time and the production was truly beautiful. I got in for free (don't know how that happened!) and sat on the 2nd row. Loved it and Sarah and Lejla came over last night after the show to play for about 30 minutes. Had fun!

Israel and Elijah's Prvi Dan...Izzy: Vrtic, Elijah: childcare

Yesterday (Monday) was Israel's first day of Vrtic (pronounced "VER-teech"). We left and she agreed to do three things: not to cry when I leave, smile at one person, and learn one new Bosnian word. I left and she wasn't crying, so that is a good thing! I dropped Elijah off with Merima, our babysitter. While they were there (Elijah from 8-11, Izzy from 8-12) I studied Bosnian then went grocery shopping. I picked up Elijah and he was so happy. He kept saying "Had...fun...Merima" over and over and over again...all the way to Israel's school. Israel was crying when I got there, but her teacher said she had only been crying for about 15 minutes. I asked her if she had learned a new Bosnian word. Israel said, "yes...I learned LIST. It means leaf!" That is true, and I am happy. It's a sweet little school and I hope Israel will be happy there.

The highlight of the day was Ballet class. The previous night we had gone to a park and ran into one of her ballet classmates, Sarah. Izzy and Sarah played the entire time and were instant friends. When we arrived at Ballet, Sarah's mom Lejla said that Sarah had been asking "where's Izzy?" Both Sarah and Lejla only speak Bosnian. We were praying for friends who don't speak English so it will force us to talk! As soon as Israel entered her class, she got a huge smile on her face and ran to Sarah. The two were inseparable and Israel had a smile on her face the entire hour! What an answer to prayer! Tonight, Sarah, Lejla, Israel and I are going to the National Theater to see the ballet's production of "Palcica" (Thumbelina). We are excited!

Thank you all for praying for us. Pray for more good days like yesterday!

Hilarious Post...a must read

So yesterday was cold and rainy so we decided to go to the indoor pool. So we hopped a tram and arrived at the Olympic pool. We changed into our pool clothes and as we were about to get in, a man who works there told Josh that we all needed swimming caps that that it was mandatory for Josh to wear a Speedo. So I left to buy everyone swimming caps. Josh just sat on the bench while we swam. Until the guy came back with one of HIS Speedos to let Josh borrow!!! It was a TINY Speedo, and of course it would have been awkward for Josh to reject his generosity, so Josh went to the bathroom, washed that speedo out with the hottest water he could, and returned to the pool in a swimming cap and a tiny Speedo! It was SO SO SO funny. If only I had the camera. However, Josh said he wouldn't have let me post a picture. In his words, "the world doesn't need another reason to vomit."

On another note, we helped lead worship at church this morning. And "we" being our entire family. Israel on a shaker, Elijah on a drum. Very fun.

We don't have to move!

Praise God. We met with our landlord yesterday morning and he said that he will not pay the taxes. So we were on the lookout for another place. But we were praying that God would do the impossible. That Dino would call us back and say he would pay half of his taxes, and we would pay the rest. He called this morning. He had misunderstood us yesterday morning. He is paying for half, so we can stay! Thank you ALL for praying!