Feliz Navidad!
With all the snow back home I am sure it is feeling a lot like Christmas! We have no snow here but lots of rain instead. The weather is constantly changing from day to day and from hour to hour. This past Sunday Dave and I ran near the beach in shorts--- with the sun beating down on us. It was a beautiful day! However, tonight it is chilly outside with lightning and pouring rain. The forecast looks promising though with Sunday back to normal---sunny and in the 60's. We do not have a heating system in our home so the inside of our house can get quite chilly. We did purchase electric heaters for all our bedrooms to use at night.
We are having fun learning about Spanish traditions at Christmas time. Here is what I have learned from my Spanish friends......On Christmas Eve families get together and share in one of the most important meals of the year. Fish, lamb and other meats are served as well as the traditonal turron and marzipan desserts. It is a big celebration in honor of Christ's birth and it can go on all night long. Many people attend midnight mass as a large majority of the people in Spain are Catholic. However, Christmas day is one of the quietest days of the year. No stores are open and gifts are not usually given or exchanged until January 6th. January 6th is called "Los Reyes Magos," which means Three Kings Day. This is the day when children awake to find three presents from the Three Kings. The Three Kings are like Santa Clause in the States. Children write letters to the Three Kings just like Americans write to Santa Clause. The Three Kings are Gaspar, Melchoir and Balthazar. Gaspar brings Frankincense and is King of Sheba. Melchoir brings Gold and is King of Arabia. Balthazar brings myrrh and is king of Tarse and Egypt. Most towns have what is called a belen, a nativity display. We are going to visit a town this week to see a belen. I have been told that they can be quite elaborate and big in size. Not only do they have the stable scene but a village scene as well. They have the entire village to show that life was happening normally as Jesus was born. On January 5th there are big parades and fiestas celebrating Three Kings day. The Three Kings are in the parade for all the kids to see. We are planning to attend the Three Kings parade in Malaga on January 5th. It should be fun and interesting! All towns also have christmas light displays although almost no one decorates their own homes with outside lights. I will post photos of what we actually see in a few weeks.
Tonight we were so excited because our friends, The Rosner's, were suppose to be arriving here. However, their flight was cancelled and they will have to wait until December 24th to leave. Does this sound familiar? The same thing happened to us on our first attempt here. Let's pray the rest of their trip goes smoothly. The one positive outcome of their delay is that they will get to ring in the new year with us! They will be staying longer, until January 3rd. Hooray!
I have posted photos from our last trip to England and Paris. We had a great time even though it was bitter cold in London. We visited the usual tourist sites in London and went to see the play "Oliver Twist". The younger boys really enjoyed the show as it was the first live production they have seen. We then took a train to the city of Oxford to see Christ's Church. Christ's Church is where some scenes from The Harry Potter films were shot. We saw the dining hall and the stairway. Oxford is a beautiful town full of many universities. We then spent one amazing night in Thornbury Castle, near the town of Gloucester. This was defintely the highlight of our trip. All our kids loved it and wanted to stay longer at the castle! It was better than any Disney castle, this was the real thing! We had a lot of funny moments at the castle. Our meals were very formal with the waitress placing our napkins for us etc.. At our first dinner after our waitress left our table Alec said in an irritating voice..."Can I take this thing off my lap now."There were many other funny occurences but not enough time or space to share them here.
We also visited Warwick Castle which is furnished and has lots of wax figures. We toured the grimy castle dungeon where people were in costume and looked gruesome and scary. Alec kept a tight hold of my hand but loved every bit of it.
From Oxford we took the eurotrain through the Channel to Paris, France. The channel is a tunnel under the water that connects England to France. It was night when we took the train so we could not even tell when we went through the water tunnel. I would take a train over flying any day! Except they are expensive with six travelers.
In Paris we visited Dave's cousin, Sarah. We really enjoyed seeing her and having our own tour guide! The kids loved seeing her as well. She has been living in Paris the last four years so she knows her way around and can speak the language, which was a big help and relief. Dave and I kept saying Hola and Gracias forgetting we were in France! We all went up in the Eiffel tower and it was better than I had anticipated.. It is so massive and at night it is lit up with so many lights---it really is a site to see!. The kids really liked the Eiffel tower and already want to see it again. We also vistied the Louvre museum and saw the Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci. Joshua was so excited to see this painting and I was not sure why? After he saw it he said, "I thought the Mona Lisa was going to be a massive painting but it was so tiny." We had a good laugh over that comment. Oh well, at least we can all say we have seen "The Mona Lisa", whoopee!
Our last day in Paris was spent browsing the souvenir shops--- the kids loved this.
We would love to visit England and France in the Spring when the trees are in bloom and we are not freezing! Overall the kids are getting much better at traveling with less complaining, praise the Lord!
Ethan really liked England --- guess why? The people spoke English!
I will update you on church happenings on the next blog. The coffee shop is now open. I don't have any photos of it yet though.
I can't seem to get the spell check to work correctly so forgive any misspellings.
We wish you all a Merry Christmas and pray that you will have much to rejoice about in the New Year!
We hope you celebrate Christ's birth with excitement, joy and thanksgiving---as it should be!
Until next time,
Feliz Navidad!
Love,
The Hoeft's
Biking in the Sintra mountains and along the coast of Portugal. Beautiful scenery and fun with friends!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!
We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, friends and yummy food!
Here in Spain they do not celebrate Thanksgiving but at the kids school they did talk about the holiday during their English classes. Alec came home from school with a turkey picture that he colored! And Lynsey said they watched last years Macy's Day Parade!
We celebrated Thanksgviving on Friday because the kids get out school earlier that day. We actually picked them up 2 hours before school was finished which made them very happy. They did not have to eat the school food on Friday---I know they were very THANKFUL for that!!! Yes, the food still continues to be a big topic at our house, but never-the-less they are surviving. Lynsey is funny because many days she will ask me "Is fish good for you", or "Are beans good for you", etc.. She says it better be good for her if she has to eat it! It is funny how she now appreciates my cooking!
Shopping for Thanksgiving food was a lot of work this year and quite interesting. Pumpkins, canned pumpkins, canned sweet potatoes, marshmallows, cranberry sauce, and pies were no were to be found! We almost did not have a turkey but Dave perservered and at 10:00pm Thursday night he finally found a turkey in an English store in Malaga . They only had two turkeys in their store so we were THANKFUL that we were able to eat turkey this year!
We celebrated Thanksgiving at our home with some missionary friends from our church and their son Effy. Effy was in town for a week and wanted a traditonal thanksgiving meal. He is a student at a University in Chicago and plays on the school soccer team. He is going to try out for the Chicago Fire which is a pro MLS soccer team. Of course the boys thought that was really cool! Our friends are from Columbia originally but have lived all over the world including Chicago. Since they have lived in the U.S they often celebrate Thanksgiving and asked if we wanted to celebrate with them because they knew the Spanish people would not be having a turkey meal.
Our kids were excited to help prepare the meal and get everything ready before our guest arrived. The younger boys get so excited when we entertain which makes it fun for us adults. Lynsey was a big help with the mashed potatoes, sweet potatoe casserole (we used the real ones!) and homemade noodles.
I woke up Friday morning thinking about "home" and wishing I were there instead of here. I woke from a dream that I was back in Indy and was shopping in an American store. In the dream I was so happy because I could talk to the sales lady and and all the prices were in dollars not Euros! I miss my family, friends and some of the simplest things...like a large hot water heater! However, I am so THANKFUL that we celebrated Thanksgiving because it did make it seem a little more like home. And of course once again we all ate way too much food! Little Alec kept going back for more---he was so happy to have a hearty American meal!
Our thankful list is very full this year---with all of you taking up much of the room. There is so much that God had done for us and continues to do. We are THANKFUL for our safety here and the people God has put in our path. Even though I really like it here I am THANKFUL that we get to return to the States, to our family, friends and our own home.
Last week we were blessed by visitors from the States. Bill and Vi Goodrich stopped here for a few days before heading to the Ukraine. We toured them around Malaga, Nerja, and they attended a Malaga professional futbol game with us and several other friends. Bill also met with the leaders of the church and gave the sermon on Sunday. We were all THANKFUL to hear a sermon in English. Vi and I were able to sit by the beach and enjoy coffeee, fellowship and sunshine! The weather was wonderful during their trip here which always makes the time more enjoyable. Our kids were thrilled to have visitors and had fun showing them their school and our home. We were all sad when they were gone but so THANKFUL they stopped by to see us! We are so excited for our next visitors---Our Best friends, The Rosners! The kids are driving me nuts asking how many days until they will be here! We are so THANKFUL that they were able to get their passport issues resolved and will be celebrating Christmas with us!.
Dave has been very busy working at the church and the coffee shop/cafe. I will post photos when the furniture is placed and it is open for business. The church is also used as community center so the coffee shop will be a great opportunity and outreach to share the message of Christ to those using the facility.
We are very pleased and excited that Lynsey, Joshua and Alec have had great reports form their teachers. Joshua's teachers were amazed how much he already comprehends in Spanish. Lynsey is working hard and Alec teaches me a new word or two everyday. We have decided to pull Ethan out of school and try homeschooling the last semester we are here. We feel good about the decision as he will be able to keep up on his American studies. He has joined a running club in Nerja with a friend from church and he will coninue with basketball at school. Lynsey has decided to run as well because she still is not able to play in her basketball games due to the federation ruling. Ethan will also be working and serving a few times a week at our church. He will take spanish lessons at church with a group of American college students who are coming to serve at the church here for six months. So any prayers with this endeavor would be greatly appreciated ! We hope this will be a blessing in disguise and not the death of us!!
We are planning a trip to London and Paris from December 6th to the 12th. We have a packed and crazy itinerary so I have been consumed with making all the plans. Please pray for a safe trip and that we would all enjoy one another and the sites of England.
We are starting to get ready for the Christmas season even though it is warm here! The stores are putting up decorations but I don't think people decorate their homes here. We will have to wait and see. Dave and the boys purchased a $20.00 christmas tree and we decorated it a few days ago. They had fun finding the decorations at a little chinese store down by the beach. We laughed at the scrawny tree because as you can see in the photo it is missing limbs on the bottom half! However, it gets the job done and does make our home feel like christmas is coming. Lynsey wants cold weather to come so it will seem like christmas! We all thinks she is crazy!
We have enjoyed hearing from many of you. We appreciate your efforts in keeping us updated and a part of your lives. We are THANKFUL for you!
And we are THANKFUL for a God that loves us so much that he would send his only Son, to die for us... so that we would have life! Can you imagine doing such a thing...I cannot even concieve of giving one of my sons! but God did! And if we accept this free gift, realizing that we need a savior, and believe that God raised him from the dead we will have eternal life. Now that is something to be THANKFUL for!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Until next time,
Much love to you all,
Dave, Karen and Kids
Scroll down for more photos! (I am still working on new photos for this post, so check back later as well)
We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, friends and yummy food!
Here in Spain they do not celebrate Thanksgiving but at the kids school they did talk about the holiday during their English classes. Alec came home from school with a turkey picture that he colored! And Lynsey said they watched last years Macy's Day Parade!
We celebrated Thanksgviving on Friday because the kids get out school earlier that day. We actually picked them up 2 hours before school was finished which made them very happy. They did not have to eat the school food on Friday---I know they were very THANKFUL for that!!! Yes, the food still continues to be a big topic at our house, but never-the-less they are surviving. Lynsey is funny because many days she will ask me "Is fish good for you", or "Are beans good for you", etc.. She says it better be good for her if she has to eat it! It is funny how she now appreciates my cooking!
Shopping for Thanksgiving food was a lot of work this year and quite interesting. Pumpkins, canned pumpkins, canned sweet potatoes, marshmallows, cranberry sauce, and pies were no were to be found! We almost did not have a turkey but Dave perservered and at 10:00pm Thursday night he finally found a turkey in an English store in Malaga . They only had two turkeys in their store so we were THANKFUL that we were able to eat turkey this year!
We celebrated Thanksgiving at our home with some missionary friends from our church and their son Effy. Effy was in town for a week and wanted a traditonal thanksgiving meal. He is a student at a University in Chicago and plays on the school soccer team. He is going to try out for the Chicago Fire which is a pro MLS soccer team. Of course the boys thought that was really cool! Our friends are from Columbia originally but have lived all over the world including Chicago. Since they have lived in the U.S they often celebrate Thanksgiving and asked if we wanted to celebrate with them because they knew the Spanish people would not be having a turkey meal.
Our kids were excited to help prepare the meal and get everything ready before our guest arrived. The younger boys get so excited when we entertain which makes it fun for us adults. Lynsey was a big help with the mashed potatoes, sweet potatoe casserole (we used the real ones!) and homemade noodles.
I woke up Friday morning thinking about "home" and wishing I were there instead of here. I woke from a dream that I was back in Indy and was shopping in an American store. In the dream I was so happy because I could talk to the sales lady and and all the prices were in dollars not Euros! I miss my family, friends and some of the simplest things...like a large hot water heater! However, I am so THANKFUL that we celebrated Thanksgiving because it did make it seem a little more like home. And of course once again we all ate way too much food! Little Alec kept going back for more---he was so happy to have a hearty American meal!
Our thankful list is very full this year---with all of you taking up much of the room. There is so much that God had done for us and continues to do. We are THANKFUL for our safety here and the people God has put in our path. Even though I really like it here I am THANKFUL that we get to return to the States, to our family, friends and our own home.
Last week we were blessed by visitors from the States. Bill and Vi Goodrich stopped here for a few days before heading to the Ukraine. We toured them around Malaga, Nerja, and they attended a Malaga professional futbol game with us and several other friends. Bill also met with the leaders of the church and gave the sermon on Sunday. We were all THANKFUL to hear a sermon in English. Vi and I were able to sit by the beach and enjoy coffeee, fellowship and sunshine! The weather was wonderful during their trip here which always makes the time more enjoyable. Our kids were thrilled to have visitors and had fun showing them their school and our home. We were all sad when they were gone but so THANKFUL they stopped by to see us! We are so excited for our next visitors---Our Best friends, The Rosners! The kids are driving me nuts asking how many days until they will be here! We are so THANKFUL that they were able to get their passport issues resolved and will be celebrating Christmas with us!.
Dave has been very busy working at the church and the coffee shop/cafe. I will post photos when the furniture is placed and it is open for business. The church is also used as community center so the coffee shop will be a great opportunity and outreach to share the message of Christ to those using the facility.
We are very pleased and excited that Lynsey, Joshua and Alec have had great reports form their teachers. Joshua's teachers were amazed how much he already comprehends in Spanish. Lynsey is working hard and Alec teaches me a new word or two everyday. We have decided to pull Ethan out of school and try homeschooling the last semester we are here. We feel good about the decision as he will be able to keep up on his American studies. He has joined a running club in Nerja with a friend from church and he will coninue with basketball at school. Lynsey has decided to run as well because she still is not able to play in her basketball games due to the federation ruling. Ethan will also be working and serving a few times a week at our church. He will take spanish lessons at church with a group of American college students who are coming to serve at the church here for six months. So any prayers with this endeavor would be greatly appreciated ! We hope this will be a blessing in disguise and not the death of us!!
We are planning a trip to London and Paris from December 6th to the 12th. We have a packed and crazy itinerary so I have been consumed with making all the plans. Please pray for a safe trip and that we would all enjoy one another and the sites of England.
We are starting to get ready for the Christmas season even though it is warm here! The stores are putting up decorations but I don't think people decorate their homes here. We will have to wait and see. Dave and the boys purchased a $20.00 christmas tree and we decorated it a few days ago. They had fun finding the decorations at a little chinese store down by the beach. We laughed at the scrawny tree because as you can see in the photo it is missing limbs on the bottom half! However, it gets the job done and does make our home feel like christmas is coming. Lynsey wants cold weather to come so it will seem like christmas! We all thinks she is crazy!
We have enjoyed hearing from many of you. We appreciate your efforts in keeping us updated and a part of your lives. We are THANKFUL for you!
And we are THANKFUL for a God that loves us so much that he would send his only Son, to die for us... so that we would have life! Can you imagine doing such a thing...I cannot even concieve of giving one of my sons! but God did! And if we accept this free gift, realizing that we need a savior, and believe that God raised him from the dead we will have eternal life. Now that is something to be THANKFUL for!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Until next time,
Much love to you all,
Dave, Karen and Kids
Scroll down for more photos! (I am still working on new photos for this post, so check back later as well)
Friday, November 12, 2010
Hola!
We are finally back in the world! So sorry for our long delay in updating this blog. We have had no internet at home for the last few weeks---which has been a real challenge. So where do I begin in catching you up on the last month. There's so much to share and not enough time or space on this blog.
But here we go....
Well Dave and I have now become official coffee drinkers! I can say that because a day without a cafe con leche is just not a good day! Here in Spain there are no Starbucks or drive throughs where you can grab a coffee on the go. It is the experience of sitting by the beach or in a cafe with a real coffee cup and enjoying the people you are with. Not to say that we don't ever do that back in the States but it seems to be a everyday occurence for the people here. And of course the serving is only a cup (8 ounces), not a huge serving like in the States. Even though we have become coffee drinkers we have not become smokers. However, I was offered my first cigarrette the other day. A gentleman held out his cigarette pack and offered me a smoke--a polite thing to do here in Spain. I am sure I had a dumb-founded look on my face, but I did reply "No Gracias." Dave was with me so he can vouch for the offer!
Dave and the boys are at a Malaga futbol (soccer) game as I write this. We have season tickets and the game tonight did not start until 10:00 pm! The first game we saw was against Real Madrid! If you are a soccer fan that will mean something to you. Lynsey and I joined the boys for that game. It was very fun to experience the Spanish culture and their love of futbol. My camera was not working the night of the Madrid game so we have no photos, which was a bummer! We are looking forward to watching Barcelona play in May. If this soccer experience does not make Ethan happy I don't know what will---well besides a ticket back to the U.S!
The kids are busy with school and sports and have all made a few friends. I am learning a lot of Spanish because I have to frequently help the kids with their homework. We have to use an English-Spanish dictionary to figure out what the assignment is, let alone how to complete it. Joshua is adapting to the math work as they do division and many other skills differently. All the kids have math class in Spanish and this is probably one of the biggest differences that I did not anticipate. Ethan is completing a saxon algebra cd math course at home so that he will be on track when we return to the States. Lynsey will start a pre-algebra program at home as well. Lynsey has had to do many presentations for her class. She seems to really like and do well with these. She even had to speak in Spanish for one of her presentations! Alec is doing great and full of himself! Very confident and is always asking me if I know what a word means, as if to one up me!
We have had good reports and conferences with all the kids teachers. Except Ethan is still refusing to embrace this experience and is not giving his best effort. The teachers tell us that the students love Ethan and they all want to help him so they speak to him in English! Unfortunatley, this has not helped Ethan learn the Spanish language. We know that Ethan is just "doing his time" but we pray he decides to engage more in his school work and in the language. A recent praise is that he won a race last weeknd in Rincon where we live. He ran against several triatheletes so he did have some good competition. He received his first Spanish trophy and it was good to see him smile! He was supposedly in the local paper for winning--- we are trying to get a copy of the paper. Currently Lynsey is unable to compete in her basketball games because the federation is not wanting to let girls play on the boys team. This has not been a problem for the school in the past so we are praying this gets resolved in her favor. She is still practicing with the team though.
Dave has been very busy at church with the community center. He is helping to start up a coffee shop and they are almost ready to open. Thank goodness---because Dave and I need more coffee! He is also helping in other areas as well. We can't say enough good things about the people of the church here. So many nice and welcoming families who are faithful in their christian walk. I have attended several women's bible studies and have been blessed by the ladies and the teaching. It can be fustrating because I have to ask for translations if I want to really understand what is being said. I can't really converse with the ladies as I would in English but I have still enjoyed the studies. One thing I have learned is to go to the study about one hour later than the time listed. The ladies start showing up 30 to 60 minutes after the designated time and they really don't even start the lesson then. Once you learn how it works it is okay, you just plan on arriving at a later time! I will post pictures of the coffee shop and ladies from church on the next blog.
If you remember on an earlier blog I talked about the difficulties of merging onto the autovia here in Spain. I believe I said I had figured it out---well I was wrong! Yes, I had my first and hopefully last car accident here in Spain. I ran into the driver in front of me. She stopped because she could not merge. Of course I had the kids with me and they were all talking etc... Anyways, the lady I hit was a very nice French women. Her husband was equally as nice and we ended up not turning in the damage to insurance but had it fixed on our own. Of course it was my fault so we paid for both. In the end I guess we were blessed since we were all okay and the couple I hit were very understanding.
On a brighter topic...The weather here has been amazing---sunny and and in the high 70's-low 80's. The temperature does drop quite a bit in the evening and morning. We were able to see some autumn colors on a recent trip to Italy, which reminded us of the fall in Indiana.
We are anxious to have visitors from the U.S and are praying for all the plans to work out for those who are coming. This weekend Bill and Vi Goodrich, the pastor from Horizon Church will be here visiting. They are on their way to the Ukraine and are stopping here until Wednesday. I am excited because Bill will be preaching this Sunday at the church we attend. It will be nice to here a sermon in English! We are also anxouis for the arrival of the Stayton family, also from Horizon church. They are planning to move here for at least 2 years to serve in the same church as us. Please keep them in your prayers as they are waiting on paperwork before they can come over.
Trip to Italy
Several weeks ago we flew to Venice, Italy. We stayed in a little town outside of Venice which was lovely. We were amazed at all the people on bicycles---both old and young. All had baskets on the front of their bikes for carrying bread or other items. These people were not tourist but people who lived there who rode their bikes as a normal part of life. Women and men were nicely dressed as they rode their bikes to the bank, to the bakery, to work, etc... a fun sight for us to see. We loved Venice-- the food, the gondalas, the street artists, the shops, the churches and of course all the water. From Venice we drove to the town of Verona to see the balcony of Romeo and Juliet. The movie "Letters from Juliet" was filmed at this balcony so we just had to stop and see it. A very touristy thing to do, but glad we did. After Verona, on the same day, we headed to the town of Pisa. We were pleasantly surprised at how awesome the Leaning Tower of Pisa was---we were not expecting such a sight. All of us except Lynsey climbed the tower. It was one of the best things we have done so far. The boys all really liked it. Ethan actually came to life during this event! The slant of the tower is very significant, so as you are climbing up it is a strange sensation. The constructiuon of the Tower began in 1174 and after only three floors were constructed it was already leaning. Construction ceased on the Tower for over 90 years due to battles and war. You can google the Tower if you want to learn more--- it is quite interesting. Lots of great photo opportunites at the top. From Pisa we headed on to Rome. The drive from Venice to Rome was about 7 hours but the stops in the towns along the way helped. We spent 2 days in Rome. We did not drive our car in Rome, instead we had to use the metro (subway) and buses. This in itself was an experience. We saw many sights in Rome and will post some photos here on the blog. We ended up using a tour group to see the Colosseum because the lines were so long we would have had to wait for hours just to get in. We also took a tour of the Sistine Chapel and were able to see the work of Michael Angelo. We saw his famous "Last Judgement" mural done over the altar. The chapel was packed with people so it was difficult to really appreciate the art. Rome was impressive but very crowded. We could not really see the Spanish Steps because so many people were covering them! Trevi Fountain was nice but again so many people everywhere. Vatican City was very grand but no sighting of the Pope. Dave and I both really enjoyed the buildings and history of Rome but the kids were done after one or two sites. Even with the hassles of Rome it was still well worth the trip. I think if we went again it would be much easier because it takes a day or two just to learn your way around the city.
Okay I think that about covers it for now. We are hoping to take a trip the second week of December to Paris and England because the kids have a few days off from school. It is exciting to visit these awsome places and learn so much history. However, it is a lot of work and planning with four kids! The photos don't always show the reality of a trip! Sometimes we think we must be nuts! We know in the end it is always worth it.
If you have not emailed us lately please do and update us on what is going on back home in your life.
I am now on Facebook but have not really figured out how to manuever around the site yet. I will continue this blog so check here for more detailed updates.
Thank you for all your prayers and know that you are in ours as well.
Scroll down for more photos!
Until next time,
Love,
Dave, Karen, and family
We are finally back in the world! So sorry for our long delay in updating this blog. We have had no internet at home for the last few weeks---which has been a real challenge. So where do I begin in catching you up on the last month. There's so much to share and not enough time or space on this blog.
But here we go....
Well Dave and I have now become official coffee drinkers! I can say that because a day without a cafe con leche is just not a good day! Here in Spain there are no Starbucks or drive throughs where you can grab a coffee on the go. It is the experience of sitting by the beach or in a cafe with a real coffee cup and enjoying the people you are with. Not to say that we don't ever do that back in the States but it seems to be a everyday occurence for the people here. And of course the serving is only a cup (8 ounces), not a huge serving like in the States. Even though we have become coffee drinkers we have not become smokers. However, I was offered my first cigarrette the other day. A gentleman held out his cigarette pack and offered me a smoke--a polite thing to do here in Spain. I am sure I had a dumb-founded look on my face, but I did reply "No Gracias." Dave was with me so he can vouch for the offer!
Dave and the boys are at a Malaga futbol (soccer) game as I write this. We have season tickets and the game tonight did not start until 10:00 pm! The first game we saw was against Real Madrid! If you are a soccer fan that will mean something to you. Lynsey and I joined the boys for that game. It was very fun to experience the Spanish culture and their love of futbol. My camera was not working the night of the Madrid game so we have no photos, which was a bummer! We are looking forward to watching Barcelona play in May. If this soccer experience does not make Ethan happy I don't know what will---well besides a ticket back to the U.S!
The kids are busy with school and sports and have all made a few friends. I am learning a lot of Spanish because I have to frequently help the kids with their homework. We have to use an English-Spanish dictionary to figure out what the assignment is, let alone how to complete it. Joshua is adapting to the math work as they do division and many other skills differently. All the kids have math class in Spanish and this is probably one of the biggest differences that I did not anticipate. Ethan is completing a saxon algebra cd math course at home so that he will be on track when we return to the States. Lynsey will start a pre-algebra program at home as well. Lynsey has had to do many presentations for her class. She seems to really like and do well with these. She even had to speak in Spanish for one of her presentations! Alec is doing great and full of himself! Very confident and is always asking me if I know what a word means, as if to one up me!
We have had good reports and conferences with all the kids teachers. Except Ethan is still refusing to embrace this experience and is not giving his best effort. The teachers tell us that the students love Ethan and they all want to help him so they speak to him in English! Unfortunatley, this has not helped Ethan learn the Spanish language. We know that Ethan is just "doing his time" but we pray he decides to engage more in his school work and in the language. A recent praise is that he won a race last weeknd in Rincon where we live. He ran against several triatheletes so he did have some good competition. He received his first Spanish trophy and it was good to see him smile! He was supposedly in the local paper for winning--- we are trying to get a copy of the paper. Currently Lynsey is unable to compete in her basketball games because the federation is not wanting to let girls play on the boys team. This has not been a problem for the school in the past so we are praying this gets resolved in her favor. She is still practicing with the team though.
Dave has been very busy at church with the community center. He is helping to start up a coffee shop and they are almost ready to open. Thank goodness---because Dave and I need more coffee! He is also helping in other areas as well. We can't say enough good things about the people of the church here. So many nice and welcoming families who are faithful in their christian walk. I have attended several women's bible studies and have been blessed by the ladies and the teaching. It can be fustrating because I have to ask for translations if I want to really understand what is being said. I can't really converse with the ladies as I would in English but I have still enjoyed the studies. One thing I have learned is to go to the study about one hour later than the time listed. The ladies start showing up 30 to 60 minutes after the designated time and they really don't even start the lesson then. Once you learn how it works it is okay, you just plan on arriving at a later time! I will post pictures of the coffee shop and ladies from church on the next blog.
If you remember on an earlier blog I talked about the difficulties of merging onto the autovia here in Spain. I believe I said I had figured it out---well I was wrong! Yes, I had my first and hopefully last car accident here in Spain. I ran into the driver in front of me. She stopped because she could not merge. Of course I had the kids with me and they were all talking etc... Anyways, the lady I hit was a very nice French women. Her husband was equally as nice and we ended up not turning in the damage to insurance but had it fixed on our own. Of course it was my fault so we paid for both. In the end I guess we were blessed since we were all okay and the couple I hit were very understanding.
On a brighter topic...The weather here has been amazing---sunny and and in the high 70's-low 80's. The temperature does drop quite a bit in the evening and morning. We were able to see some autumn colors on a recent trip to Italy, which reminded us of the fall in Indiana.
We are anxious to have visitors from the U.S and are praying for all the plans to work out for those who are coming. This weekend Bill and Vi Goodrich, the pastor from Horizon Church will be here visiting. They are on their way to the Ukraine and are stopping here until Wednesday. I am excited because Bill will be preaching this Sunday at the church we attend. It will be nice to here a sermon in English! We are also anxouis for the arrival of the Stayton family, also from Horizon church. They are planning to move here for at least 2 years to serve in the same church as us. Please keep them in your prayers as they are waiting on paperwork before they can come over.
Trip to Italy
Several weeks ago we flew to Venice, Italy. We stayed in a little town outside of Venice which was lovely. We were amazed at all the people on bicycles---both old and young. All had baskets on the front of their bikes for carrying bread or other items. These people were not tourist but people who lived there who rode their bikes as a normal part of life. Women and men were nicely dressed as they rode their bikes to the bank, to the bakery, to work, etc... a fun sight for us to see. We loved Venice-- the food, the gondalas, the street artists, the shops, the churches and of course all the water. From Venice we drove to the town of Verona to see the balcony of Romeo and Juliet. The movie "Letters from Juliet" was filmed at this balcony so we just had to stop and see it. A very touristy thing to do, but glad we did. After Verona, on the same day, we headed to the town of Pisa. We were pleasantly surprised at how awesome the Leaning Tower of Pisa was---we were not expecting such a sight. All of us except Lynsey climbed the tower. It was one of the best things we have done so far. The boys all really liked it. Ethan actually came to life during this event! The slant of the tower is very significant, so as you are climbing up it is a strange sensation. The constructiuon of the Tower began in 1174 and after only three floors were constructed it was already leaning. Construction ceased on the Tower for over 90 years due to battles and war. You can google the Tower if you want to learn more--- it is quite interesting. Lots of great photo opportunites at the top. From Pisa we headed on to Rome. The drive from Venice to Rome was about 7 hours but the stops in the towns along the way helped. We spent 2 days in Rome. We did not drive our car in Rome, instead we had to use the metro (subway) and buses. This in itself was an experience. We saw many sights in Rome and will post some photos here on the blog. We ended up using a tour group to see the Colosseum because the lines were so long we would have had to wait for hours just to get in. We also took a tour of the Sistine Chapel and were able to see the work of Michael Angelo. We saw his famous "Last Judgement" mural done over the altar. The chapel was packed with people so it was difficult to really appreciate the art. Rome was impressive but very crowded. We could not really see the Spanish Steps because so many people were covering them! Trevi Fountain was nice but again so many people everywhere. Vatican City was very grand but no sighting of the Pope. Dave and I both really enjoyed the buildings and history of Rome but the kids were done after one or two sites. Even with the hassles of Rome it was still well worth the trip. I think if we went again it would be much easier because it takes a day or two just to learn your way around the city.
Okay I think that about covers it for now. We are hoping to take a trip the second week of December to Paris and England because the kids have a few days off from school. It is exciting to visit these awsome places and learn so much history. However, it is a lot of work and planning with four kids! The photos don't always show the reality of a trip! Sometimes we think we must be nuts! We know in the end it is always worth it.
If you have not emailed us lately please do and update us on what is going on back home in your life.
I am now on Facebook but have not really figured out how to manuever around the site yet. I will continue this blog so check here for more detailed updates.
Thank you for all your prayers and know that you are in ours as well.
Scroll down for more photos!
Until next time,
Love,
Dave, Karen, and family
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Hola de Espana!
We have been here in Spain for almost 2 months and little things like going to the market and driving are becoming much easier. Life is settling in and much of what we do here is the same as what we would be doing at home. Taking kids to school, to practices, cooking, cleaning, shopping, working out, church, etc....except we are surrounded by magnificent views and weather. Unfortunately, the normal struggles of life do not disappear because we are in a beautiful place! Our teens continue to be teens! and our younger boys continue to be adventuresome and excited about new things. Thank goodness we have a mix of ages and all four of our children are not teenagers right now. Nonetheless, I think our two older children are handling the changes better than I would have at their age. We praise the Lord for those moments of happiness and peace among us all!
A difference in Spain: Siestas!
It is true, there really are siestas in Spain. Most stores and banks close down from about 2:00 to 5:00 every week day. Many restaurants stay open but stores do close. Usually the men come home from work during the siesta time and have dinner with their family. Most public schools get out at 2:00pm so this is the time when the families get togther. The men then go back to work around 5:00 or 6:00 and stay until about 8:00pm. The families have a small meal or snack for their evening meal. Here in Spain there are not as many women who work outside the home as compared to the U.S. However, I am told this is changing as families struggle economically. If you are running errands you really do have to get everything done before 2:00 or wait until after 6:00. Many times Dave and I have gone out to find the stores closed. Most stores don't open much before 10:00 so there is not that much time to get errands done. Because our children's school is private their schedule is different from the typical Spanish school. Their school hours are from 8:45am to 5:15pm. They have a break at school from 1:00pm to 2:45pm where they have lunch and then either participate in a club or have free time. The students are allowed to go home during that time for lunch and to be with their families if they wish. Josh and Alec both have basketball and soccer during their break so they stay at school. Ethan and Lynsey stay at school as well. We may bring our kids home once in awhile for lunch since they are not allowed to bring lunches from home. I am sure they would be thrilled to come home for lunch since they hate the food!
Spanish people stay up late as well. They stay up later because they get home later and they can take a siesta the next day! At least that's what I think. Dave and I are both night owls so we like the late evenings especially when we know it is acceptable to take a little siesta the next day! Sundays are also a day when most stores are closed and supermarkets close early. More than once I have had to stop by the gas station for bread and juice because I forgot the markets closed early. Gas stations always have hot bread for sale and you will find a sign hanging on their door that reads, ".hay pan caliente", which means they have hot bread. So siestas are another big difference from the U.S. If you are the one taking a siesta they are great but if you are the one trying to accompish a few errands they aren't so great! Next blog I must tell you about the food differences, that will be fun!
Our trip to Granada
Well we finally made it to the town of Granada this past Saturday. It is about 1.5 hours from our home. Granada is a lovely town with incredible views of the country side. The landscape of Granada is filled with more trees and green lush areas compared to the town of Rincon where we live. Granada is a place right out of the movies, very quaint and charming. We went to Granada to tour the Alhambra, which is made up of three main areas; The Alcazaba fortress, Nasrid palace, and General life gardens. There are many other sites and buildings on the property but these are the main ones that you don't want to miss. Some say the Alhambra should be considerd one of the seven wonders of the world. The fortress was built to protect the palace and the town of Granada.
A little history for those interested....Spain has always been invaded by foreign peoples. The Phoenicians and the Greeks came to trade. The Carthaginians came to conquer and the Roman's ruled the country for centuries. From all these people Spain has inherited many customs, things and laws. At the beginning of the 8th century the Moors arrived whose religon was Islam. The Moors became masters of all of Spain but eventually they began to fight among themselves and against the Christians. The Christians took advantage of this and under the rule of Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinad the Moors were defeated in 1492 and the Alhambra and Granada were once again under Spanish control. Over the years the Christians changed many elements of the Alhambra, usually to suit their own needs. Shortly after conquering Granada Queen Isabella gave money to Christopher Columbus so that he could sail and explore the Americas. He had asked for money from Queen Isabella many times before but she was too consumed with taking back control of Spain.
The complex of the Alhambra is massive. Our favorite area was the Geneal life, which is filled with magnificent gardens. We almost missed this area as it was our last stop and the two older kids were more than ready to leave. The Alhambra has water flowing everywhere as well as many bath houses. The Moors wanted to create a place that resembled heaven so this is one reason it is so extravagent.
I have only touched on a little about the Alhambra but hopefully you will enjoy the photos. However the photos do not do the palace justice. Josh and Alec loved the trip to Granada and thought it was awesome. They found lots of buckeyes on the property and stuffed their pockets full. Whenever they came across a small water tunnel or aqueduct they would put a buckeye in and follow it down stream. They are so easily entertained, which is great. They also loved hiding in the gardens and Ethan actually liked this part too! Overall the trip was well worth it and we would love to go back. We will probably wait to go back when we have visitors from the U.S. On our next visit we will visit the Cathedral where Queen Isabella and Ferdinand are buried.
The kids are doing well with Spanish and are now correcting my Spanish pronunciations! I am amazed how much better they can hear and repeat the sounds correctly than us adults. Here in the Andulusia area Spanish is more difficukt to learn because the people drop letters and pronounce letters differently. We have been told that if you speak Spanish and are not from the area it can still be hard to understand the language here.
Dave continues to build relations with the elders and members of the church. He is learning that Americans move a lot faster on projects than most Spanairds. However, this has proven to be a benefit as we have had more time to explore the area and enjoy the coffee!
I am meeting ladies and have been invited for coffee on several occasions. I am thinking about attending the ladies bible study tomorrow. This will be a challenge for me as I will have to work really hard to communicate.
Please continue to pray for our children especially the older two as this move continues to be a challenge for them.
I think that is about it for now. Many of you who are following the blog have said you are having trouble posting comments. I believe you should be able to click on the word "comments" below the written section and a box should appear. You can write a message there and label it as anonymous. You can sign your name to the message at the end. If anyone has any other tips please let me know or communicate this through the comment section for others to see. I would suggest posting your comments at the most recent blog even if you are responding to an older post. This may help me not miss a comment. My spell check is not working so please excuse any spelling errors in this blog.
Remember to scroll way down for more photos!
Until the next time,
Buenas noche mi amigos,
Love,
Dave, Karen and Kids
We have been here in Spain for almost 2 months and little things like going to the market and driving are becoming much easier. Life is settling in and much of what we do here is the same as what we would be doing at home. Taking kids to school, to practices, cooking, cleaning, shopping, working out, church, etc....except we are surrounded by magnificent views and weather. Unfortunately, the normal struggles of life do not disappear because we are in a beautiful place! Our teens continue to be teens! and our younger boys continue to be adventuresome and excited about new things. Thank goodness we have a mix of ages and all four of our children are not teenagers right now. Nonetheless, I think our two older children are handling the changes better than I would have at their age. We praise the Lord for those moments of happiness and peace among us all!
A difference in Spain: Siestas!
It is true, there really are siestas in Spain. Most stores and banks close down from about 2:00 to 5:00 every week day. Many restaurants stay open but stores do close. Usually the men come home from work during the siesta time and have dinner with their family. Most public schools get out at 2:00pm so this is the time when the families get togther. The men then go back to work around 5:00 or 6:00 and stay until about 8:00pm. The families have a small meal or snack for their evening meal. Here in Spain there are not as many women who work outside the home as compared to the U.S. However, I am told this is changing as families struggle economically. If you are running errands you really do have to get everything done before 2:00 or wait until after 6:00. Many times Dave and I have gone out to find the stores closed. Most stores don't open much before 10:00 so there is not that much time to get errands done. Because our children's school is private their schedule is different from the typical Spanish school. Their school hours are from 8:45am to 5:15pm. They have a break at school from 1:00pm to 2:45pm where they have lunch and then either participate in a club or have free time. The students are allowed to go home during that time for lunch and to be with their families if they wish. Josh and Alec both have basketball and soccer during their break so they stay at school. Ethan and Lynsey stay at school as well. We may bring our kids home once in awhile for lunch since they are not allowed to bring lunches from home. I am sure they would be thrilled to come home for lunch since they hate the food!
Spanish people stay up late as well. They stay up later because they get home later and they can take a siesta the next day! At least that's what I think. Dave and I are both night owls so we like the late evenings especially when we know it is acceptable to take a little siesta the next day! Sundays are also a day when most stores are closed and supermarkets close early. More than once I have had to stop by the gas station for bread and juice because I forgot the markets closed early. Gas stations always have hot bread for sale and you will find a sign hanging on their door that reads, ".hay pan caliente", which means they have hot bread. So siestas are another big difference from the U.S. If you are the one taking a siesta they are great but if you are the one trying to accompish a few errands they aren't so great! Next blog I must tell you about the food differences, that will be fun!
Our trip to Granada
Well we finally made it to the town of Granada this past Saturday. It is about 1.5 hours from our home. Granada is a lovely town with incredible views of the country side. The landscape of Granada is filled with more trees and green lush areas compared to the town of Rincon where we live. Granada is a place right out of the movies, very quaint and charming. We went to Granada to tour the Alhambra, which is made up of three main areas; The Alcazaba fortress, Nasrid palace, and General life gardens. There are many other sites and buildings on the property but these are the main ones that you don't want to miss. Some say the Alhambra should be considerd one of the seven wonders of the world. The fortress was built to protect the palace and the town of Granada.
A little history for those interested....Spain has always been invaded by foreign peoples. The Phoenicians and the Greeks came to trade. The Carthaginians came to conquer and the Roman's ruled the country for centuries. From all these people Spain has inherited many customs, things and laws. At the beginning of the 8th century the Moors arrived whose religon was Islam. The Moors became masters of all of Spain but eventually they began to fight among themselves and against the Christians. The Christians took advantage of this and under the rule of Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinad the Moors were defeated in 1492 and the Alhambra and Granada were once again under Spanish control. Over the years the Christians changed many elements of the Alhambra, usually to suit their own needs. Shortly after conquering Granada Queen Isabella gave money to Christopher Columbus so that he could sail and explore the Americas. He had asked for money from Queen Isabella many times before but she was too consumed with taking back control of Spain.
The complex of the Alhambra is massive. Our favorite area was the Geneal life, which is filled with magnificent gardens. We almost missed this area as it was our last stop and the two older kids were more than ready to leave. The Alhambra has water flowing everywhere as well as many bath houses. The Moors wanted to create a place that resembled heaven so this is one reason it is so extravagent.
I have only touched on a little about the Alhambra but hopefully you will enjoy the photos. However the photos do not do the palace justice. Josh and Alec loved the trip to Granada and thought it was awesome. They found lots of buckeyes on the property and stuffed their pockets full. Whenever they came across a small water tunnel or aqueduct they would put a buckeye in and follow it down stream. They are so easily entertained, which is great. They also loved hiding in the gardens and Ethan actually liked this part too! Overall the trip was well worth it and we would love to go back. We will probably wait to go back when we have visitors from the U.S. On our next visit we will visit the Cathedral where Queen Isabella and Ferdinand are buried.
The kids are doing well with Spanish and are now correcting my Spanish pronunciations! I am amazed how much better they can hear and repeat the sounds correctly than us adults. Here in the Andulusia area Spanish is more difficukt to learn because the people drop letters and pronounce letters differently. We have been told that if you speak Spanish and are not from the area it can still be hard to understand the language here.
Dave continues to build relations with the elders and members of the church. He is learning that Americans move a lot faster on projects than most Spanairds. However, this has proven to be a benefit as we have had more time to explore the area and enjoy the coffee!
I am meeting ladies and have been invited for coffee on several occasions. I am thinking about attending the ladies bible study tomorrow. This will be a challenge for me as I will have to work really hard to communicate.
Please continue to pray for our children especially the older two as this move continues to be a challenge for them.
I think that is about it for now. Many of you who are following the blog have said you are having trouble posting comments. I believe you should be able to click on the word "comments" below the written section and a box should appear. You can write a message there and label it as anonymous. You can sign your name to the message at the end. If anyone has any other tips please let me know or communicate this through the comment section for others to see. I would suggest posting your comments at the most recent blog even if you are responding to an older post. This may help me not miss a comment. My spell check is not working so please excuse any spelling errors in this blog.
Remember to scroll way down for more photos!
Until the next time,
Buenas noche mi amigos,
Love,
Dave, Karen and Kids
Monday, September 27, 2010
Recuerdos de Espana,
Hola, okay I admit I had to use my Spanish dictionary for the above words, which mean Greetings from Spain! Those of you who know Spanish must get a good laugh over my limited vocabulary--it will be a miracle if I ever learn to really communicate in Spanish!
Dave and I have Spanish lessons tomorrow and I can't say we really look forward to going---it is very difficult and somewhat overwhelming! Then I think of our children who have to spend all day communicating mostly in Spanish! They are quite brave--I guess they don't have a choice but they are still handling it amazingly well. The kids have all been pulled out of their English classes and are receiving one on one tutoring in Spanish ---to help them along.
A difference here in Spain:
Before we came to Spain we were told that Spaniards love to smoke, but we did not really understand that statement until now. We feel like we have traveled back in time to the 1960's, in regards to smoking. It is amazing how many people smoke here and that there are few places where smoking is prohibited. Smoking is really a way of life here, so if you are a smoker you would love it here in Spain. All ages smoke--young teens to the elderly. I wonder what the cancer rates and health problems are as a result of so much smoking? The beach near our home is littered with cigarette buds, not as much now that the vacationers have gone but still it is quite noticeable. At a birthday party for one of Joshua's classmates I was one of the few parents not smoking. Joshua even mentioned to me that the tent was so smokey! Coffee, vino, and smoking, are the Spaniard way. I think that is why most Spaniards are thin, because they smoke! Anyways, nothing against those who smoke--- it is much more accepted and normal here in Spain as opposed to the U.S.
We did not make it to Granada on Saturday as we had hoped because once again the tickets were sold out. So instead of Granada we drove to the town of Benalmadena which is about 30 minutes away. We took a gondola ride up the mountain. Dave did not enjoy this much but the boys and I did. Dave is not fond of heights and the trip was indeed very high.. Once you were at the top there was a steep path for hiking even higher up--- where the views were incredible. There was also a little restaurant as well as a bird habitat site. We were able to see huge falcons, vultures, and a bald eagle. The facility is used for training falcons and as a recovery site for injured birds. Lynsey missed out on this trip but she did not mind as she is like her father when it comes to heights. Instead she attended a big youth gathering at the church. There were over 200 youth from the Andalucia area who attended the event. The youth hung out, attended a praise and worship concert, and listened to a message. Lynsey's friend translated the message for her since it was in Spanish. She came home happy so I think she had a great day.
Well Ethan finally had to wear the swimsuit! Ethan and Joshua are swimming several times a week with the triathlon club team. Ethan's suit is not as bad as we thought---- we ended up buying a bigger size. Josh actually likes his suit because he says it is easier to swim fast in. Both boys have never swam seriously so this is something really different for them. They seem to be liking it--we will see how long it lasts.
Ethan's big adjustment right now is not being able to watch American sports---particularly the colts! He is having major withdraws and is missing ESPN and all his sports channels back home. We may look into how we can get those channels here. We think it is possible but quite expensive, so we will see.
Dave was not too busy at church this past week. He is learning how things work in this culture and getting to know the elders better. The church is in the process of choosing a new pastor so things have been slower than usual. This is a big prayer request here in the church--to find the right pastor.
I put some pictures up of some areas of the beach which are not so nice. I don't want you think everywhere here in Spain is beautiful, although most places are!. The sand on the beach near our home is quite ugly--kind of a dirty color and feel.
It is amazing how your eye does get use to it---although it could never compare to the sand on the beaches in Florida or Michigan.
Even though we are enjoying our experience here we do miss all of you back home. And even though it is so pretty here I still think Indiana is beautiful with all the green grass and big trees. ( Lol Jill B. if you are reading this) Knowing this is only for a year does make it so much easier and more fun. We are really looking forward to visitors though. Our kids are constantly asking when someone is coming to visit and we have only been here for about 5-6 weeks! If you are planning a trip here let us know some tentative dates, that will make our kids happy and maybe they will stop bugging me.
Until next time,
Love to you all,
Karen, Dave and Kids
Don't forget to scroll all the way down for more photos!
Hola, okay I admit I had to use my Spanish dictionary for the above words, which mean Greetings from Spain! Those of you who know Spanish must get a good laugh over my limited vocabulary--it will be a miracle if I ever learn to really communicate in Spanish!
Dave and I have Spanish lessons tomorrow and I can't say we really look forward to going---it is very difficult and somewhat overwhelming! Then I think of our children who have to spend all day communicating mostly in Spanish! They are quite brave--I guess they don't have a choice but they are still handling it amazingly well. The kids have all been pulled out of their English classes and are receiving one on one tutoring in Spanish ---to help them along.
A difference here in Spain:
Before we came to Spain we were told that Spaniards love to smoke, but we did not really understand that statement until now. We feel like we have traveled back in time to the 1960's, in regards to smoking. It is amazing how many people smoke here and that there are few places where smoking is prohibited. Smoking is really a way of life here, so if you are a smoker you would love it here in Spain. All ages smoke--young teens to the elderly. I wonder what the cancer rates and health problems are as a result of so much smoking? The beach near our home is littered with cigarette buds, not as much now that the vacationers have gone but still it is quite noticeable. At a birthday party for one of Joshua's classmates I was one of the few parents not smoking. Joshua even mentioned to me that the tent was so smokey! Coffee, vino, and smoking, are the Spaniard way. I think that is why most Spaniards are thin, because they smoke! Anyways, nothing against those who smoke--- it is much more accepted and normal here in Spain as opposed to the U.S.
We did not make it to Granada on Saturday as we had hoped because once again the tickets were sold out. So instead of Granada we drove to the town of Benalmadena which is about 30 minutes away. We took a gondola ride up the mountain. Dave did not enjoy this much but the boys and I did. Dave is not fond of heights and the trip was indeed very high.. Once you were at the top there was a steep path for hiking even higher up--- where the views were incredible. There was also a little restaurant as well as a bird habitat site. We were able to see huge falcons, vultures, and a bald eagle. The facility is used for training falcons and as a recovery site for injured birds. Lynsey missed out on this trip but she did not mind as she is like her father when it comes to heights. Instead she attended a big youth gathering at the church. There were over 200 youth from the Andalucia area who attended the event. The youth hung out, attended a praise and worship concert, and listened to a message. Lynsey's friend translated the message for her since it was in Spanish. She came home happy so I think she had a great day.
Well Ethan finally had to wear the swimsuit! Ethan and Joshua are swimming several times a week with the triathlon club team. Ethan's suit is not as bad as we thought---- we ended up buying a bigger size. Josh actually likes his suit because he says it is easier to swim fast in. Both boys have never swam seriously so this is something really different for them. They seem to be liking it--we will see how long it lasts.
Ethan's big adjustment right now is not being able to watch American sports---particularly the colts! He is having major withdraws and is missing ESPN and all his sports channels back home. We may look into how we can get those channels here. We think it is possible but quite expensive, so we will see.
Dave was not too busy at church this past week. He is learning how things work in this culture and getting to know the elders better. The church is in the process of choosing a new pastor so things have been slower than usual. This is a big prayer request here in the church--to find the right pastor.
I put some pictures up of some areas of the beach which are not so nice. I don't want you think everywhere here in Spain is beautiful, although most places are!. The sand on the beach near our home is quite ugly--kind of a dirty color and feel.
It is amazing how your eye does get use to it---although it could never compare to the sand on the beaches in Florida or Michigan.
Even though we are enjoying our experience here we do miss all of you back home. And even though it is so pretty here I still think Indiana is beautiful with all the green grass and big trees. ( Lol Jill B. if you are reading this) Knowing this is only for a year does make it so much easier and more fun. We are really looking forward to visitors though. Our kids are constantly asking when someone is coming to visit and we have only been here for about 5-6 weeks! If you are planning a trip here let us know some tentative dates, that will make our kids happy and maybe they will stop bugging me.
Until next time,
Love to you all,
Karen, Dave and Kids
Don't forget to scroll all the way down for more photos!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Buenas tardes amigos y familia en estados unidos,
We pray that you are all well and good back in the estados unidos.
It has been good to hear from many of you. It is nice to feel connected to Indiana and your lives back home. If you post a comment on the blog please check back later because sometimes I may post a comment back to you. This is the only way I know how to comment besides direct email which I am doing from time to time. Also, once I post a new blog and change the photos they are off the blog. They do not seem to archive like the writing post. Wish I were more computer literate! If anyone knows how to save the photos let me know.
I thought I would include in each post one thing that the Spaniards do differently than us Americans. It is not bad or good, just different!
Driving in Spain:
I finally understand how to enter onto the autovia (highway) but only after almost being ran over, closely tailed and then honked at! All on more than one occasion! Dave has encountered this nice experience as well. When you try to merge onto the autovia the oncoming cars will not move over so that you can safely enter. The merging lanes are very short and narrow so if you can't merge you have to almost stop and then it is hard to get your speed up to safely merge. I could not understand why people would not let me in, until I finally asked a Spanish friend who informed me how it works.
On the plus side---once you safely get onto the autovia beautiful views of the sea and mountains await you. Lots of hills and curvy roads as well. Dave and I really love driving here! Of course I had to buy an automatic because there was no way I could mange a stick on these hills. It was not easy finding an automatic--we only had 2 choices.
I will post another difference next time.... there are plenty to keep me writing!
Well all the kids are now in school! Dave and I are enjoying are time alone! We start Spanish classes tomorrow, which I am looking forward to but it is also intimidating. We are taking separate classes because we learn differently and we are too competitive together!
Ethan seems much happier since he has started school and is involved in basketball. His team is really good so we hope he gets some playing time, he will definitely get good experience. He will start futbol (soccer) in October. Still don't know how that swimsuit is going to work out because he won't try it on. I think he has swimming this week, so it should be interesting! They are mostly reviewing at school so he hasn't really had a lot of work yet. Keep praying for him because the prayers are being felt!
Lynsey is doing good and started basketball as well. She is the only girl on her team, at least right now. She does not seem to mind and it will definitely challenge her skills! Pray for her as well, she is missing her friends.
Josh is doing great and seems to keep coming out of his shell, so to speak. He is becoming quite the show boat and entertainer. His and all our kids biggest complaint is the school food. They do have different food but we love that they are trying new things.
Alec is Doing well. He had one rough day last week with a few tears in Spanish class but he has since recovered and says school is easy. We will see when those grades come out--it is never quite as they say!
The uniforms seem to be okay with all the kids now-I am the one keeping busy washing them.
I am learning that each day is unpredictable here, with no one happy at the same time! When one family member is happy or doing well another is not, and so and so on...I am sure many of you can relate. But no matter what kind of day occurs I am reminded that it is a day to rejoice, because it is a day the Lord has given us. And sometimes I can't rejoice until all those heads are fast asleep on their pillows!
This past weekend we did not make it to Granada as planned. I did not realize I had to get tickets online well in advance. So we took a short 20 minute trip to the town of Nerja. I just love this town, it is heaven on earth! The shops,sea views, food, beach, and people are all wonderful. We visited the caves of Nerja which are quite impressive. The caves were discovered by a group of boys in 1959, they are massive inside with huge stalactites and stalagmites. They are definitely worth seeing if you come to visit us. The boys had fun shopping in Nerja because they found Barcelona jerseys, and they were much cheaper than at home.
Dave is working late tonight at the church. We are amazed how God has placed us here and Dave is able to use his business skills to help the church. There are many wonderful people at the church and they have made us feel very welcome. This past Sunday I understood the main idea of the pastors message but not all the details. I guess that is a start and it can only get better! Even though the music is good I really do miss praise and worship in English. I don't know that this will ever change.
It is late as I finish writing this even though your evening is just beginning. Need to get to bed, the sun will be coming up in no time.
Until next time,
Hope you enjoy the photos and don't forget to scroll all the way down for more!
Many blessings to you all!
Love,
Karen, Dave and Kids!
We pray that you are all well and good back in the estados unidos.
It has been good to hear from many of you. It is nice to feel connected to Indiana and your lives back home. If you post a comment on the blog please check back later because sometimes I may post a comment back to you. This is the only way I know how to comment besides direct email which I am doing from time to time. Also, once I post a new blog and change the photos they are off the blog. They do not seem to archive like the writing post. Wish I were more computer literate! If anyone knows how to save the photos let me know.
I thought I would include in each post one thing that the Spaniards do differently than us Americans. It is not bad or good, just different!
Driving in Spain:
I finally understand how to enter onto the autovia (highway) but only after almost being ran over, closely tailed and then honked at! All on more than one occasion! Dave has encountered this nice experience as well. When you try to merge onto the autovia the oncoming cars will not move over so that you can safely enter. The merging lanes are very short and narrow so if you can't merge you have to almost stop and then it is hard to get your speed up to safely merge. I could not understand why people would not let me in, until I finally asked a Spanish friend who informed me how it works.
On the plus side---once you safely get onto the autovia beautiful views of the sea and mountains await you. Lots of hills and curvy roads as well. Dave and I really love driving here! Of course I had to buy an automatic because there was no way I could mange a stick on these hills. It was not easy finding an automatic--we only had 2 choices.
I will post another difference next time.... there are plenty to keep me writing!
Well all the kids are now in school! Dave and I are enjoying are time alone! We start Spanish classes tomorrow, which I am looking forward to but it is also intimidating. We are taking separate classes because we learn differently and we are too competitive together!
Ethan seems much happier since he has started school and is involved in basketball. His team is really good so we hope he gets some playing time, he will definitely get good experience. He will start futbol (soccer) in October. Still don't know how that swimsuit is going to work out because he won't try it on. I think he has swimming this week, so it should be interesting! They are mostly reviewing at school so he hasn't really had a lot of work yet. Keep praying for him because the prayers are being felt!
Lynsey is doing good and started basketball as well. She is the only girl on her team, at least right now. She does not seem to mind and it will definitely challenge her skills! Pray for her as well, she is missing her friends.
Josh is doing great and seems to keep coming out of his shell, so to speak. He is becoming quite the show boat and entertainer. His and all our kids biggest complaint is the school food. They do have different food but we love that they are trying new things.
Alec is Doing well. He had one rough day last week with a few tears in Spanish class but he has since recovered and says school is easy. We will see when those grades come out--it is never quite as they say!
The uniforms seem to be okay with all the kids now-I am the one keeping busy washing them.
I am learning that each day is unpredictable here, with no one happy at the same time! When one family member is happy or doing well another is not, and so and so on...I am sure many of you can relate. But no matter what kind of day occurs I am reminded that it is a day to rejoice, because it is a day the Lord has given us. And sometimes I can't rejoice until all those heads are fast asleep on their pillows!
This past weekend we did not make it to Granada as planned. I did not realize I had to get tickets online well in advance. So we took a short 20 minute trip to the town of Nerja. I just love this town, it is heaven on earth! The shops,sea views, food, beach, and people are all wonderful. We visited the caves of Nerja which are quite impressive. The caves were discovered by a group of boys in 1959, they are massive inside with huge stalactites and stalagmites. They are definitely worth seeing if you come to visit us. The boys had fun shopping in Nerja because they found Barcelona jerseys, and they were much cheaper than at home.
Dave is working late tonight at the church. We are amazed how God has placed us here and Dave is able to use his business skills to help the church. There are many wonderful people at the church and they have made us feel very welcome. This past Sunday I understood the main idea of the pastors message but not all the details. I guess that is a start and it can only get better! Even though the music is good I really do miss praise and worship in English. I don't know that this will ever change.
It is late as I finish writing this even though your evening is just beginning. Need to get to bed, the sun will be coming up in no time.
Until next time,
Hope you enjoy the photos and don't forget to scroll all the way down for more!
Many blessings to you all!
Love,
Karen, Dave and Kids!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Buenas dias amigos and familia,
The week has gone by fast--I meant to update this blog sooner.
Joshua and Alec started school on Friday and did very well. Joshua ended up with the teacher we were hoping and praying for. Her name is Maria and she is very sweet and fun--at least so far! Teachers are addressed by their first names here. A boy who speaks good English sits next to Joshua and helps with translations. Joshua said the boys on the playground told him he was a good futbol player--that made Joshua feel good. Joshua said that they are all really good at futbol (soccer)l. He loves having boys to kick the ball around with!
Alec went right into his class the first day with no tears. This morning he told us he knew how to get to his class so we did not need to walk him in. He says know one in his class can speak English. They are just learning English in 1st grade, but of course his teacher can speak English. Alec's teachers name is Noemi, which is pronounced no--amy! Today some boys came up to him on the playground and were talking to him in Spanish but he had no clue what they were saying. He told us he responded with "I speak English," and then he ran off! He already has a birthday party to go to tomorrow night. I can't rsvp because I don't think the mom will understand my Spanish on the phone. These are the little things we deal with everyday--trying to communicate.
Both boys swim in P.E this week and you should see the little swim suits they have to wear. They are very European! Ethan has to wear them as well---but he is refusing at the moment. Not sure how that will work out.
Alec told us the food at school is barf! I guess they had fish and soup today and he was told to go back to his seat to finish his yogurt. They make the kids try everything and eat 75% of their food. This will be a challenge but I think very good!
Lynsey and Ethan start school Wednesday. They are ready as they are getting very bored at home.
They are ready to start some sports as well.
The two younger boys and I visited two castles in Malga on Saturday. The Gibralfaro castle and the Alcazaba palace/fortress. The Gibralfaro is situated on the highest point in the city center. It is connected to the Alcazaba, which is lower. They are both Moorish castles---The Gibralfaro was completed in the 11th century by the Muslim King Yusuf. It was built as a fortress to protect the Alcazaba. The Alcazaba was built by king Badis of Granada. We also saw a Roman theatre next to the castle that was being restored.
The boys had a great time exploring these fortresses and I know any young boys that come to visit from the U.S will love them as well---lots of fun.
Dave continues to have many meetings at church and says there is lots of work ahead. Church Sunday was good. A friend translated for me so that was helpful. The younger boys go to Sunday class and the older two stay in the service with us. The church has Wednesday night youth group and sometimes Friday nights.
We finally bought a used automatic car, we should get it Friday. We only had two choices for automatics and those were hard to find.
Dave and I finally went for a jog on the beach today. We have not been working out but today we started!
Can you believe I have not had a taza de cafe yet! I will have to make up for it and I am sure I will!
I think that's it for now.
Please scroll down for more photos!
Buenas Noche,
Karen
The week has gone by fast--I meant to update this blog sooner.
Joshua and Alec started school on Friday and did very well. Joshua ended up with the teacher we were hoping and praying for. Her name is Maria and she is very sweet and fun--at least so far! Teachers are addressed by their first names here. A boy who speaks good English sits next to Joshua and helps with translations. Joshua said the boys on the playground told him he was a good futbol player--that made Joshua feel good. Joshua said that they are all really good at futbol (soccer)l. He loves having boys to kick the ball around with!
Alec went right into his class the first day with no tears. This morning he told us he knew how to get to his class so we did not need to walk him in. He says know one in his class can speak English. They are just learning English in 1st grade, but of course his teacher can speak English. Alec's teachers name is Noemi, which is pronounced no--amy! Today some boys came up to him on the playground and were talking to him in Spanish but he had no clue what they were saying. He told us he responded with "I speak English," and then he ran off! He already has a birthday party to go to tomorrow night. I can't rsvp because I don't think the mom will understand my Spanish on the phone. These are the little things we deal with everyday--trying to communicate.
Both boys swim in P.E this week and you should see the little swim suits they have to wear. They are very European! Ethan has to wear them as well---but he is refusing at the moment. Not sure how that will work out.
Alec told us the food at school is barf! I guess they had fish and soup today and he was told to go back to his seat to finish his yogurt. They make the kids try everything and eat 75% of their food. This will be a challenge but I think very good!
Lynsey and Ethan start school Wednesday. They are ready as they are getting very bored at home.
They are ready to start some sports as well.
The two younger boys and I visited two castles in Malga on Saturday. The Gibralfaro castle and the Alcazaba palace/fortress. The Gibralfaro is situated on the highest point in the city center. It is connected to the Alcazaba, which is lower. They are both Moorish castles---The Gibralfaro was completed in the 11th century by the Muslim King Yusuf. It was built as a fortress to protect the Alcazaba. The Alcazaba was built by king Badis of Granada. We also saw a Roman theatre next to the castle that was being restored.
The boys had a great time exploring these fortresses and I know any young boys that come to visit from the U.S will love them as well---lots of fun.
Dave continues to have many meetings at church and says there is lots of work ahead. Church Sunday was good. A friend translated for me so that was helpful. The younger boys go to Sunday class and the older two stay in the service with us. The church has Wednesday night youth group and sometimes Friday nights.
We finally bought a used automatic car, we should get it Friday. We only had two choices for automatics and those were hard to find.
Dave and I finally went for a jog on the beach today. We have not been working out but today we started!
Can you believe I have not had a taza de cafe yet! I will have to make up for it and I am sure I will!
I think that's it for now.
Please scroll down for more photos!
Buenas Noche,
Karen
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Hola amigos y familia,
It has been 2 weeks since we arrived here in Spain and it has finally cooled off! Praise the Lord!
We have been busy getting the house organized and more functional for a family of six. Ikea has become our new friend---a store that has lots of inexpensive items to help with organizing. Dave has had to put together many items such as bunk beds, dressers, shelves etc...he wasn't able to call Phil! (Our good friend back home who takes care of us!)
Joshua and Alec start school on the 10th and Ethan and Lynsey on the 15th. The kids were able to tour the school last Wednesday. They were excited with all they saw except for the uniforms! I must say that I love the uniforms! My kids actually look like they are ready to learn and I won't have any struggles as to what they are wearing in the morning. We did have a few good laughs as they were all trying on the uniforms. Joshua said "Are you serious!" when seeing his uniform, and Lynsey said she was in prison! You should have seen the pile of uniforms we had to purchase for four kids. We had to have at least 2 of many of the items. The name of their school is "Colegio Anoreta," and it goes from kindergarten through 12th grade.
This past weekend from Thursday through Sunday we went camping with 15 other people that we know from our church. We never dreamed we would be camping in Spain on labor day. The past several years we have gone camping in the states with our good friends--the Rosner's---so we were bummed we would not get to go this year. We have always celebrated Alec's birthday while camping so it was a blessing to be able to have some friends to help us celebrate his birthday again this year. We spent the weekend toward the southern tip of Spain--near "Tarifa," which is located at the Strait of Gibraltar. This is where the Atlantic and the Mediterranean sea meet. We also visited a town nearby called "Baelo.'' It had a beautiful beach with massive dunes that we all climbed. We felt like we were in Africa when the sand started blowing! We could actually see the outline and mountains of Africa from where we stood on the beach in Baelo. There were also Roman ruins near the beach that were dated from the 1st century. I will try to post photos of them. We also spent one day in a town called "Cadiz." It is located on the Atlantic coast and up around the corner from Tarifa, heading in the direction of Portugal. It is supposedly the oldest city in Europe---3,000 years old.
The kids had more fun on the beach than sightseeing. However, Josh and Alec liked climbing through tunnels and exploring the ruins. Having other kids to hang out with really helped. Of course our Ethan did not like the beach or the ruins and says he does not like Spain. He loves Indiana and his friends back home. He has never be one for change and this is certainly stretching his limits. Please pray for him--- and that he meets some nice boys at school who help make this year a good experience. Of course Dave and I could use prayers for patience and understanding.
I am constantly challenged here as well, even by just going to the market. One day I came home from running an errand in Malaga and Dave said I looked a little stressed, not relaxed. I said "I can't imagine why!"
I was happy to make it home in one piece---although I did get lost a few times!
Even with all the challenges-- God is good--- and has blessed us by surrounding us with many new friends who are welcoming and accepting of our American ways. I only wish I could learn Spanish at a quicker rate but I guess I will have to be like Dave....who says it's the journey, the climb, that really matters.
By the way, Dave has had several meetings at church and is excited about his role here. He has met and is working with several awesome men who are very solid in their faith.
We look forward to hearing from you and pray all is good back home. We miss you all and thank God for your friendship and your prayers.
Until next time,
Blessings,
Karen
Scroll down for more photos!
It has been 2 weeks since we arrived here in Spain and it has finally cooled off! Praise the Lord!
We have been busy getting the house organized and more functional for a family of six. Ikea has become our new friend---a store that has lots of inexpensive items to help with organizing. Dave has had to put together many items such as bunk beds, dressers, shelves etc...he wasn't able to call Phil! (Our good friend back home who takes care of us!)
Joshua and Alec start school on the 10th and Ethan and Lynsey on the 15th. The kids were able to tour the school last Wednesday. They were excited with all they saw except for the uniforms! I must say that I love the uniforms! My kids actually look like they are ready to learn and I won't have any struggles as to what they are wearing in the morning. We did have a few good laughs as they were all trying on the uniforms. Joshua said "Are you serious!" when seeing his uniform, and Lynsey said she was in prison! You should have seen the pile of uniforms we had to purchase for four kids. We had to have at least 2 of many of the items. The name of their school is "Colegio Anoreta," and it goes from kindergarten through 12th grade.
This past weekend from Thursday through Sunday we went camping with 15 other people that we know from our church. We never dreamed we would be camping in Spain on labor day. The past several years we have gone camping in the states with our good friends--the Rosner's---so we were bummed we would not get to go this year. We have always celebrated Alec's birthday while camping so it was a blessing to be able to have some friends to help us celebrate his birthday again this year. We spent the weekend toward the southern tip of Spain--near "Tarifa," which is located at the Strait of Gibraltar. This is where the Atlantic and the Mediterranean sea meet. We also visited a town nearby called "Baelo.'' It had a beautiful beach with massive dunes that we all climbed. We felt like we were in Africa when the sand started blowing! We could actually see the outline and mountains of Africa from where we stood on the beach in Baelo. There were also Roman ruins near the beach that were dated from the 1st century. I will try to post photos of them. We also spent one day in a town called "Cadiz." It is located on the Atlantic coast and up around the corner from Tarifa, heading in the direction of Portugal. It is supposedly the oldest city in Europe---3,000 years old.
The kids had more fun on the beach than sightseeing. However, Josh and Alec liked climbing through tunnels and exploring the ruins. Having other kids to hang out with really helped. Of course our Ethan did not like the beach or the ruins and says he does not like Spain. He loves Indiana and his friends back home. He has never be one for change and this is certainly stretching his limits. Please pray for him--- and that he meets some nice boys at school who help make this year a good experience. Of course Dave and I could use prayers for patience and understanding.
I am constantly challenged here as well, even by just going to the market. One day I came home from running an errand in Malaga and Dave said I looked a little stressed, not relaxed. I said "I can't imagine why!"
I was happy to make it home in one piece---although I did get lost a few times!
Even with all the challenges-- God is good--- and has blessed us by surrounding us with many new friends who are welcoming and accepting of our American ways. I only wish I could learn Spanish at a quicker rate but I guess I will have to be like Dave....who says it's the journey, the climb, that really matters.
By the way, Dave has had several meetings at church and is excited about his role here. He has met and is working with several awesome men who are very solid in their faith.
We look forward to hearing from you and pray all is good back home. We miss you all and thank God for your friendship and your prayers.
Until next time,
Blessings,
Karen
Scroll down for more photos!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Hola amigos!
We finally arrived here in malga,Spain on Friday the 19th. If you did not hear it took us three attempts to get to Spain. We flew out of jfk on Wednesday--but around 3.5 hours into our flight we hit some very rough turbulence. It was vey scary as we thought our plane was going down. It was so bad Dave flew up and hit his head on the ceiling. Some passengers ended up in the aisle and I ended up covered in wine! The people around me were drinking wine when it hit so their wine flew everywhere--ended up on the ceiling and was dripping down all over me. The pilot came on after a bit and reassured us everything was okay--but then a little later came on and said there had been damage to the plane---to the ac aunit. We could not fly into Spain and continue across the ocean with only one ac unit working so we had to turn around and fly black to jfk. So basically we flew 7 hours and ended up right where we started. We were never so glad to land. Our third flight was much better. When I get frustrated here because of lack of American comforts---such as clothes dryer, no internet at our home, no ac, I remember how good it feels to be on solid ground!
Lynsy has met some friends from church and the boys all like it except Ethan of course. I think he will adjust once he meets friends from school.
It is very beautiful here, quite amazing! The toughest thing right now is our sleep schedule. I watched the sun rise Sunday morning!
We went to our church Sunday--it was nice and the sermon seemed very good but we had no clue what he spoke about! We did understand the music better because they put the words up on a screen. It was very very hot with no ac in the church. We bought little hand fans for next sunday! We met many people and some could speak English---praise the lord! The youth group seems it will be good.
The boys played around in the gym afterwards. The service is held in a gym much like horizon.
Dave has his first meeting at church on Wednesday so it wil be interesting to see how it goes.
We have no phone right now and no cell phones either. We have to go the mall for wifi. Do not know about the free phone now since we cannot get Internet at our home. We will let you know as we find out more.
Sorry so long will keep the rest shorter if I can.
Hope all is good back home and you and your families are well.
Thank you all for a nice send off and for your prayers.
Adios amigos!
Karen
We finally arrived here in malga,Spain on Friday the 19th. If you did not hear it took us three attempts to get to Spain. We flew out of jfk on Wednesday--but around 3.5 hours into our flight we hit some very rough turbulence. It was vey scary as we thought our plane was going down. It was so bad Dave flew up and hit his head on the ceiling. Some passengers ended up in the aisle and I ended up covered in wine! The people around me were drinking wine when it hit so their wine flew everywhere--ended up on the ceiling and was dripping down all over me. The pilot came on after a bit and reassured us everything was okay--but then a little later came on and said there had been damage to the plane---to the ac aunit. We could not fly into Spain and continue across the ocean with only one ac unit working so we had to turn around and fly black to jfk. So basically we flew 7 hours and ended up right where we started. We were never so glad to land. Our third flight was much better. When I get frustrated here because of lack of American comforts---such as clothes dryer, no internet at our home, no ac, I remember how good it feels to be on solid ground!
Lynsy has met some friends from church and the boys all like it except Ethan of course. I think he will adjust once he meets friends from school.
It is very beautiful here, quite amazing! The toughest thing right now is our sleep schedule. I watched the sun rise Sunday morning!
We went to our church Sunday--it was nice and the sermon seemed very good but we had no clue what he spoke about! We did understand the music better because they put the words up on a screen. It was very very hot with no ac in the church. We bought little hand fans for next sunday! We met many people and some could speak English---praise the lord! The youth group seems it will be good.
The boys played around in the gym afterwards. The service is held in a gym much like horizon.
Dave has his first meeting at church on Wednesday so it wil be interesting to see how it goes.
We have no phone right now and no cell phones either. We have to go the mall for wifi. Do not know about the free phone now since we cannot get Internet at our home. We will let you know as we find out more.
Sorry so long will keep the rest shorter if I can.
Hope all is good back home and you and your families are well.
Thank you all for a nice send off and for your prayers.
Adios amigos!
Karen
Monday, August 16, 2010
Hola, we're back! Yes that's right--- we are still here in Indy! The morning started off well-- we headed to the airport , got checked in etc... but as we approached our gate the schedule monitor read cancelled! From the time we checked our luggage, to the time we approached our gate, our flight was changed to cancelled.
So we are now leaving for Spain on Wednesday morning. We were all disappointed except Ethan. He was grinning from ear to ear and said "Yes, one more day at home!"
One more thing....as we headed down to the baggage claim to get our luggage Dave noticed an email from the Spain consulate office in Chicago. The email was notifying us that our children's visas were now ready to be picked up. So staying a day longer here in the states will allow Dave to drive to Chicago on Tuesday to pick up the visas. Now Dave will not have to fly back from Spain to Chicago to pick up the visas---this will save us money too! So I guess God is good and knows what he is doing!
So we will do it all over again on Wednesday!
Blessings,
Karen
So we are now leaving for Spain on Wednesday morning. We were all disappointed except Ethan. He was grinning from ear to ear and said "Yes, one more day at home!"
One more thing....as we headed down to the baggage claim to get our luggage Dave noticed an email from the Spain consulate office in Chicago. The email was notifying us that our children's visas were now ready to be picked up. So staying a day longer here in the states will allow Dave to drive to Chicago on Tuesday to pick up the visas. Now Dave will not have to fly back from Spain to Chicago to pick up the visas---this will save us money too! So I guess God is good and knows what he is doing!
So we will do it all over again on Wednesday!
Blessings,
Karen
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