Ruthie and I went on a walk today and ended up here. Kilkenny Castle. Kilkenny used to be the capital of Ireland.

Look up at the stars and rest

I noticed the Mom Moment part of the blog for today talks about looking at the stars. I love to go outside and look up at the stars here. Amazingly there have been many clear days and nights (but that does make it colder, as the clouds hold the heat in). Our focus this year in MomCare has been on rest. Our leader, Suzanne Miller talks often about when you want to put things into perspective go out and look at the stars. When I do that I know that God is in control. That He placed the sun, moon and stars in the sky. He created me and loves me. He is the same God as the covenant God in the times of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is the same God that King David prayed to when he was just a shepherd out in the fields looking up at the stars and is the same God that I pray to and He hears and answers my prayers. Wow! How easy it is to rest in Him when you look up at the stars and realize how big He is and that He has everything in control, and that He is a god who is alive, and loves me.

Wow where do I start!

There is so much I want to tell you! I don't know where to start! Mosbach was amazing and a great place of rest for our family. We had been in at least one new place every 2 weeks since Thanksgiving through mid January. I was a bit scared about some things moving back to Ireland. I had gotten so used to transition that I actually feared being in one place that I might have the feeling that I had no escape. There were some other things I was concerned about in protecting my thought life. I voiced this to one of my new friends at OM. She understood exactly what I expressed and gave me Psalm 91 to pray. God did so much work in my life during that time. It was so good as it was the first time we stopped in a long time. There were a lot of lessons He taught me that I knew in my head but had failed to apply them in my heart. I felt like I did in school when I had heard something over and over, but then it finally clicks and makes sense. I wonder if I am making any sense at all.

One of the huge blessings that God has allowed me to see is how he is working in Griffin and growing him. I have been praying that God would make him wise beyond his years and that he would give him a desire for His word. I can see God doing that. Side note: Griffin likes listening to the audio Bible on the internet, however the KJV is just a little much for his age but that is the one that is free. He likes Star Wars. So you ask, what does Star Wars and the Bible have in common? Well James Earl Jones, who did the voice for Darth Vader also has CD's of him reading the Bible. Griffin is very excited about that and we want to get him that sometime.

We are back into our house and settling in. I feel like I am living on Little House on the Prairie but with modern day conveniences. Griffin has the best room in the house. It has room for a bunk bed and his shelving unit but it is cozy! And we have decorated it with a poster of Andy Griffith, Barney Fife and Opie, a poster of the Logos Hope OM ship that just set sail today...and is coming to port in Dublin in May...I can't wait. He has also put up all the post cards his Sunday School teacher Mrs. Pat has ever sent him and is still sending him. And his window sill is about 2 feet deep because of the thick walls of the original cottage to protect against the cold (good hiding space for hide-and-seek). The window sill is where he keeps his lego projects (a good display place but also safe from Ruthie eating them).

We do homeschool in the morning while Ruthie takes her nap. We then have lunch together and then we go for a walk in the afternoon. We find where roads (which are places on you can get through by walking or tractor) go through. We meet the neighbors, go to the playground at the end of our road on the bay, walk to a friend's house, play in mud puddles and Griffin practices riding his bike. Then we come in, Ruthie takes her afternoon nap, Griffin and I read a chapter of The Secret Garden, and then I cook supper while Griffin watches a DVD. We have no tv, no phone and no car. It is great! I do have a cell phone, a "mobile" now in case of emergencies and Lord willing maybe a car soon. Ludie uses the car to go to OM and if I need it I take him to work but I have only done that twice. Ludie does the grocery shopping, and has always enjoyed that.

He has been teaching me how to drive a manual car and I have been learning on the left side of the road. I now feel comfortable driving except for downtown which is on a hill and you have to parallel park with a road that is rarely big enough for two cars to pass but somehow we make it. My favorite road is what we call the Bog Road. It is a road with a bog on each side and is a one lane road. You cannot go off of it because you will get stuck so if you meet a car, one of you has to back up. I have only gone down it by myself once. I had a big sense of accomplishment.

There is a wild hare that comes by our house every couple days. He is huge. He is a big as my dog I had growing up and very fast. It is funny to see him hoping around. He actually came up to the patio outside the kitchen windows. I would give him a name but we might actually eat him someday. :)

I have learned to stop what I am doing at a moment's notice for guests that stop by unannounced and have tea and biscuits. Time together is valued more than tasks that have to be done and I like that.

We had a nice comment made the other day. Some friends came to visit and went to the wrong house. When they asked for us the person replied, oh you want the Christian family... May God help us to honor Him in all we do and say at all times. How humbling and convicting that is.

I will post pics soon but I am in Kilkenny right now and don't have my camera cord with me to download my pictures.

Germany ugh to Ahh!

We are now in Mosbach, Germany for our volunteer training with OM.
The day we traveled, Ruthie missed her afternoon nap. She was so tired her eyes were rolling in the back of her head. She fussed (but not screamed) the whole ride. The plane ride took an hour and a half. We then got off the plane and rode a bus to the terminal. Where we proceeded to immigration. The lines went very fast except it took us longer. Baby and child or no baby and child there was no softening of the officer until after we were let through I got a semi-smile out of him. (Toto-we are not in Kansas anymore). We got our luggage and then I followed Ludie. He is calmness under pressure. I felt as if I were on robot mode…just get through this. I had no feelings one way or another this is just what had to be done and this is what we do.
At this point we are tired, hungry and have to go to the bathroom, and are in a foreign airport in a country where the primary language is not English. We then find out we have to go up stairs to take a train to another terminal where we cannot take the luggage cart so we wheel our luggage (stroller, diaper bag, laptop case and three 40 lb or less suitcases). It turns out that they do not mind strollers on the escalator. I felt like a child running with scissors, getting away with something that was strictly forbidden at home.
Griffin is an expert at pushing Ruthie’s stroller and is such a big young man traveling through airports and helping with Ruthie. He is the best traveler in the world. He listens, stays close, does not complain. I have no idea how to convey to him how extremely proud I am of him and how thankful I am for him.
We then got off the train went back down and to the gates but not the other B1 where we were supposed to be. We then found the correct B1. Some how I feel I am missing going up and down one more time, and somewhere in there was a man singing songs that sounded Arabic and he kept staring at us like he wanted to make sure we heard him and saw him. Maybe there was something weird going on there but all I thought was “whatever”. I don’t even care at this moment (just being honest). Then we saw the most wonderful sight, an OM sign. Oh what sweet girls these young ladies were, to hang out in the airport all day and evening waiting for us and others.
They said a bus was on the way but we had time to eat. So we went to get food, as soon as we sat down they said it was time to get on the bus. So I must have looked panicked when I went to ask the Italian looking guy in a German airport for a to go box. He did not understand much that I said but he was so sweet and kind. He figured it out and helped us get out. We then got on the bus. Ate the food and Ruthie fussed on and off for the 1 ½ hour bus ride. Ludie was so sweet to take her to the back. I praise God that we had the back half of the bus to ourselves. We then drove up into the hills (it was dark so I don’t know if we are in the mountains or not).
I started praying because my heart was not feeling much and lots of times does not feel much because we have been in transition mode so much I tend not to think or feel, I just do what needs to be done. I call it “survival mode”. As you can tell by previous blog entries that I love Ireland and have been having a great time. I have been happy but I don’t feel at times I have the luxury of worrying about things, I just have to find out what needs to be done and to the best of my ability do it, but it is not good to constantly be like this, so I knew I needed God to help get my heart right.
Back to Germany: I was praying that God would just show me that He was there with us even though I did not feel Him. Then I noticed the harvest moon. It was very low to the ground, big and orangey. It reminded me of what the moon was like the night of our wedding. It also reminded me of the song I have been using to sing our kids to bed: “I see the moon and the moon sees me. God bless the moon and God bless me. These are the lights that shine on me. Shine on the one I love.” I know that might not mean much to anyone reading this, but it was a little touch I needed. I also love water and the roadway we followed for a while was along a river. The moonlight on the river in the pitch black night with snow on the ground was beautiful.
We then got here and everyone was so sweet and accommodating. They made sure we were settled, and made sure we had enough to eat or drink and that everything was set for the kids. The beds were already made. We unpacked, and organized, skyped our family and then went to bed by midnight. I had no idea what the place we were staying looked like if we were near anything or stuck in a place where we could not get out and get to diapers or anything. I was glad to be settled but still did not have a very good heart attitude. I tried though.
The first full day here was the adjustment day. People are here from all over the world. There are six families with small children, including us and then several married couples without children or with grown children and then lots of single people. There are so many people here, they have a separate dining room for families with small children. I did not understand why they had that until I saw everybody in the dining hall. I am so thankful that everyone has been so thoughtful and kind in thinking of the small stuff that matters so much but I would not even know to consider.
One of the greatest things so far this week has been to be with one of the ladies from our member care team. She has been with OM since 1984. She was a homeschool mom and understands, as a mom what I am going through. I have not put a voice to what I am going through so as she was asking how I was doing and telling me things that I might be experiencing, I had to fight back the tears. It was not that I was sad but was so thankful to have someone that understands what this transition is like, and to put a voice to what is going on when I am not sure how to express it.
I have had devotional time where I have read the Bible, read devotions and prayed but I don’t feel as if I have felt God’s presence or opened up my heart to Him other than having survival prayers, or necessity prayers (i.e. God help us get through immigration, etc). I know that He is with me despite whether I feel Him or not. He has also shown us evidence several times a day that He is there, and cares about the details, but things just don’t seem right. I am learning to lean on what I know to be true and not what feels true.
One of my concerns as a mom in coming here is that other people I do not know would be taking care of Griffin and Ruthie. I was concerned about how they would do. Would they understand their caretakers? Would their caretakers while at this conference be loving and understanding? Would they understand that Griffin is adapting too and in a foreign country? Well, God took care of that major detail for me. When we arrived there was a note on the door from the lady running the kids programme to him. There were cards from other OM teams with Bible verses on them for us and other special added touches. Griffin has so much fun with the kids activities and cannot wait to go there every day. Ruthie feels right at home and does not even reach for me when I walk in to pick her up. She just sits comfortably with her baby doll in the lady’s lap that keeps her. Oh what a blessing!!!
The first day here we were sent with our fellowship group out into town on a scavenger hunt. I enjoyed being outside, exploring a new town in Germany and talking with other women that were new and going to different places around the world, that I have no clue what we were supposed to be working on . It did not matter. We were walking the streets of Germany in a beautiful snowy town.
We have been in meetings that have been so helpful. I have come to realize how much I have been focusing on me out of necessity but not focusing on God like I wanted to. It reminded me of the story Bobby Tyler of Lifesong Las Vegas told me that he knew a man that had been in and out of the insane asylum. He asked him one day what was it that made him go crazy. The man’s response was, “when I started focusing only on myself”. It is so true. We have had to focus on us to get packed up, to get through illnesses from Thanksgiving to Christmas. We then had the holidays and then on the 29th of December we left our home, comforts and familiarities to come to our new home. I have been downplaying it for a while but now that I sit and think about it. That is A LOT!-I finally admit it. I am tired of focusing on myself and need to take and make the time to put Him as my priority. Otherwise, everything else is meaningless.

We found a house

We found a house and should be moved in, Lord willing by Monday. We leave Tuesday though for Mosbach, Germany for training. Things are great and we will happy to finally start settling and having a place to settle. It is in a nearby town called Portrunny wich is on the tip of Lough (Lake) Ree. Portrunny Bay, Marina and Playground are all within walking distance. The property is adjacent to a sheep farm. This could not be a more perfect home. Our house is actually called Pear Tree Cottage. It is a newly renovated cottage with personality but modern conveniences. The walls of the house are 2 feet thick. There is plenty of space for the children to run and we hope to plant a small garden. There is a woodstove that we cannot wait to light. We are also within walking distance of another homeschool family with a child a little older than Griffin. We will post pictures soon.

Tomorrow, Saturday, we are going to the garda (police) to apply for a visa. Please pray that there are no complications, as none are expected. I am finally getting to know my way around town and a little out of town.

We thank you for your prayers as we know that God has his hand on us. Please pray for our continued good health and time in Germany. It is going to be very hard for me to be seperated from the kids while they are in childcare at the conference as we have been together 24/7 for weeks.

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Prayer Request

Lisa Brookshire is in my MomCare group back home. Her 6 week old son Aiden is in the hospital with RSV. Please pray for him.

Outing with the kids yesterday

Griffin, Ruthie and I walked to town yesterday so that I could get to know the area. Ruthie took a nap in the stroller while Griffin and I went on an "adventure exploring the new area". We found a wonderful bakery where you can get smoothies, and fresh breads, soups and sandwiches (like a family run Atlanta Bread company), then we found a family run grocery store (although they have chain ones that are like publix). We also found the train station and watched the train. We got to see one come in and the people get on and off. Then we found the local police station, the public library-which we are excited about, the butcher shop, fish market, barber shop, hair salon and then got to main street. There is a great book shop and art supply store. It has great supplies and I figure we will be in there often. There are great books to supplement the kid's schooling.

Griffin's legs were tired and he was cold so we turned around and came back. We are going to get some hot water bottles to put in bed with the kids to keep them warm. We have an electric blanket, but are going to get Griffin one. (We won't use the water bottle if we are able to get him one obviously). They have neat water bottles here and you fill them up with very hot water and then put the cover on them so they don't burn the kids. They have fleece covers with spiderman, etc.

You have to turn on the electricity at each outlet on the wall before using something and then turn it off when you are done. Electricity and gas to heat the house cost A Lot!

We did laundry yesterday. It takes about 1 hour to wash and 3 hours in the dryer to dry. We will be spacing that out as well as possible :)

I practiced driving Mary's car around the neighborhood and out on the road going away from town. I would like to go at night when the parking lots are clear to practice parking in the spaces are so small and you have to go back and forth a couple times to get in and out of the parking space. I am sure I will look like Austin Powers trying to turn the cart around.

We leave Monday to go to Germany and will be there through the 24th. I am excited because there will be kids for Griffin to play with. They will even have programs for the kids including how to adjust to a foreign country, how to make new friends, etc. The people here are nice.

Things are going well. I will be happy to get settled and make friends.

Could I possibly jump around more with details? I am mainly writing these for my sake because I know it will be a blur to remember. This way I have the journey recorded.