Picnic Time!

Now that the weather is getting nicer, everyone in this excruciatingly large city wants to get out of their flats and commune with nature.  The locals LOVE their picnics!!  For them, it is an all day production- complete with tons of food, a blazing hot grill, hammocks, soccer balls, and endless tea brewing on the fire all day!

Today we went with some of our closest friends for a picnic.  We met at 1:15 and didn't get home until about 9!  It was such a fun day.  We were all so worn out from the fresh air and dodgeball!  HA!

When you live in the city, it makes you so much more appreciative of nature!  We all just loved the peace and quiet and freedom to run and play.  It was such a great day for all of us!  

Phone Dump

Here are some random pictures that I downloaded from my phone this week...

Noah playing soccer with the boys from our building.

Lucy swinging on the gate to our apartment building.

Playing with rocks.

Women in full burkas sitting by the seaside.

The Maiden's Tower

Callie and her class practicing their traditional dance for the upcoming 

Children's Day holiday.

On a date with my boy!

Bling!  Bling!

In the Midst of Life

Life is in full swing.  Spring is here and we are relishing the time we finally get to spend outside.  I just love to watch creation come to life again after a long winter hibernation.  


Of course, in the city, I have to search a little bit.  The little tree in front of our building has some pretty little buds on it.  The tulips that Lucy planted in a pot in our salon have come and are almost gone.  And the hyacinth that my friend gave me is filling our flat with its beautiful fragrance.


The walks to and from school are so much more pleasant.  Everyone is out in droves (Whatever that really means, I don't know.  Now that I am a language learner, it has made me examine the metaphors and sayings we use with quite the critical eye!).  


It is such a fun and social time.  The picnic season is starting off.  The people here LOVE their picnics.  I guess its a way for people to pretend, albeit for and afternoon, that they aren't stuck in the city.  We have one picnic planned with our precious local friends this coming Saturday and then our annual Easter picnic with our believing friends the following weekend.


We are doing well.  The kids are loving the longer days and warmer weather.  I am loving the extra skip in my step and more upbeat attitude in myself.  Justin is loving riding his motorcycle again.  During the winter he had to layer up with all sorts of gear to try to stay warm.  Now, it's back to his (ultra-cool) motorcycle jacket.   We all took turns taking rides on Saturday.  It's sooo fun!


We have a really nice balance of busy and rest.  I feel like I've found a good groove with visiting.  The Lord has really given me a push towards boldness and intentionality.  With that, I find that I have been able to share snippets of truth a bit more easily.  My goal is to be spiritually conspicuous without being spiritually obnoxious.  It's easier here, I think.  People love to talk about spiritual things, even if their beliefs differ.


Of course, we are still waiting and praying in hope that those around us will hear and accept the Good News we are giving our lives to share with them!!

“My help and glory are in God —granite-strength and safe-harbor-God— So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for him. God is a safe place to be." 

Psalm 62:7 The Message

Yesterday Lucy came into my room in her full belly-dancing outfit, complete with clanging cymbals and a veil and asked, "Momma, you wanna watch a belly-button dance?"

Spring has Sprung!!!

Well, Praise the Lord!  Amen and Hallelujah!!  The sun has once again returned to this cold and barren land!  We are seeing some sure signs of spring and I am loving life as a result!  It is amazing what a little sunlight can do for one's attitude!

As you may know, I personally ushered spring in with a certain home painting frenzy last week.  By the time I had everything painted, the mess cleaned up, and the last picture hung Spring came.  I know that it was not a coincidence.

When I had only finished the painting it was still snowing outside.  When I began this project, I had no idea that Spring could not arrive until I had finished every single last detail- down to getting a few things framed and on the walls.  But, alas, that's what it took.  I hammered the last nail on Saturday afternoon and we awoke to the promise of Spring on Sunday morning.

Another Amen, praise the Lord, and Hallelujah!!

Justin came home late Saturday evening to a new flat!  Lots of color, a new bedspread, new and different pictures on the wall.  When he sent me the text that he was in the taxi on his way home my heart started racing.  What if he didn't like all the things I had done?!  Was the lime green too bright?  Is the orange terrible?

In the end, I could care less.  My beloved had arrived home safely.  He says he really likes all the things I did to spruce up our place.  He is probably just glad I got my rear in gear and brought Spring to this country.  His commute to and from work on his motorcycle is so much more pleasant when snot isn't frozen to his face!!

So, without further ado, here is a bit of my work...

 Our bedroom

The office/ laundry/ catch-all room

The kitchen

Callie was my super helper.  It turns out that this girl is multi-talented.  I know she is smart, can cook, and play the guitar and flute.  But I didn't know she was an interior designer.  She helped me pick out the colors.  In all three cases, she advised me to go a slightly different shade with the color and with each one she was spot on!

The pictures don't do the rooms justice, but they really do look great (if I do say so myself!).  It turns out having a splash of color on the walls is so much fun!

Happy 9th Birthday Callie... a little late

So, my cute little Callie turned 9 a month ago.  I didn't take a ton of pictures, but I do have a few.

We came home from skiing the night before her birthday.  So, I didn't have a lot prepared.  Also, since we were out of town, her birthday packages were not here.  One was at Justin's work and one was at the post office.

Callie chose Krispy Kreme for her birthday breakfast.  There is one down in the fancy part of town.  So, the girls and I headed down there to meet Justin for some yummy doughnuts.  Poor Noah was at school, but we saved him a few!

After a nutritious breakfast of doughnuts and juice we dropped by the post office to pick up Callie's package.  When we got home, Callie couldn't resist tearing into it!  We had some much fun with her new dress up clothes from Grandma!

While Callie was at school I quickly made her a birthday cake.  After school let out, we picked Callie out and headed out to eat at Callie's favorite restaurant.  Then we came home for cake!

After cake Callie opened up the package that Daddy brought home from his office.  Her favorite things were her watch and jewelry box.  She was little Miss Fancy-pants getting all of her jewelry situated while wearing her fancy outfits.

The day went by pretty quickly.  But I think it was really fun for her and that she felt special and loved!

This is SO Our Life

So here's a little video that Justin took.  While Callie is practicing her guitar, Noah is on the phone with Gamma, Lucy is running all around, and I am in the other room with one of my local friends.  It's just a typical Sunday night in the Leonard household!



Isn't she adorable?  Her cheeks are SOOO Pink!  The sun finally came out, so we were at the park all afternoon.  She has her Daddy's skin.  They were both sportin the pink cheeks!

**** See that fabulous orange wall behind her?  That is my kitchen that I painted last week!****

I promise I'll put some pictures up soon.  

(And I still need to post the pictures that I promised from Callie's birthday!)

It Is Finished

I finished painting at 2 am last night.  Exhausted but utterly and deeply satisfied with my work I crashed into bed with the full knowledge that when I woke up Spring would have arrived.

Well, it was quite rainy and cloudy when I woke up, so I decided to give the storm a while to pass.  Then Spring would definitely be here!

It didn't pass.  In fact it stayed rainy, cloudy, and cold all day long.

This afternoon just as I was peeling the last bit of tape off of the baseboards and getting everything back in order I looked outside.

Can you imagine what I saw?

Spring's first robin?

Budding trees?

Baby bunnies?

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was SNOWING!!!!!!!!!!

Painting

I woke up yesterday morning and thought to myself, is there any good reason that I shouldn't paint my room today?!

Now, I have wanted to paint my room blue for at least a year.  But for one reason or another it hasn't happened.  I think the cold temperatures finally put me over the edge.  (Little did I know that by the time I would be peeling masking tape off of the baseboards that evening it would be snowing!!)

I have a firm belief that I can help to usher spring in.  I had done my usual... buy a new colorful purse.  This lets the world know that I am ready for spring.  I think happy thoughts of washing all the heavy coats and winter gear and putting them far, far away.  I start to get a twitch in my cleaning hand.  And with this trifecta of coo-coo spring should come rolling in shortly.  However, the temperatures have actually dropped a bit.  With this, I realized that this year I needed to up the ante.

All that nonsense brings me to yesterday.  I woke up feeling like if I didn't start painting soon spring would NEVER come!  But once I got to thinking about it I figured, yes, a blue bedroom would be perfect... and so would an orange kitchen and a lime green office.

I had concluded that the colorful purse was not enough.  To show the world my true passion for spring I had to go whole hog and have a colorful flat!  And I can tell you that once that idea was planted in my head nothing could stop me.

It did not matter that we were supposed to go to our team worship time.  It did not matter that we weren't even able to do that because Lucy is sick (puking in the night and running a fever, thank you very much.)  It did not matter that my husband is in the UK.  Or that we didn't have any painting supplies.  Or that I had other things that I needed to do.

Like I said there was no good reason I shouldn't paint my room blue this very instant!  There were reasons, but not good ones.

What can I say, by this point I was delusional from overexposure to winter!

So, the second Lucy fell asleep for a nap, Callie and I jumped in the car and rushed off to the paint store.  We got all the things we needed and got home just in time for Lucy to wake up.  (Don't worry, Noah was with her.)

We got Lucy settled in my bed, shoved all the furniture, including our huge wardrobe (did you know that they don't make closets in apartments here?), against the bed in the middle of the room and got to work.

Callie was ultra-excited about the painting.  She was a major help the whole time.  Having a little person to do the grunt work means I get to do all the fun stuff!  (That is a joke!)  She taped off the baseboards while I laid out the plastic drop cloths.  Lucy just sat there wearily watching the whole show.

Once Callie and I had everything prepped, Noah popped in to help a bit.  He did the big roller, Callie used the small roller around the baseboards, outlets, etc, and I cut-in around the ceiling and in the corners.  We had a great system going until Noah pooped out on us after two walls.

But, alas, Callie and I endured until the bitter end- two full coats and all.  And I am pleased to tell you that my room looks beautiful!!  I am so excited!

By the time Justin gets home from the UK he'll think he showed up at the Easter Bunny's house!  Unless we are buried in snow.  Then he may be showing up to a crime scene, because I am going to go postal if it snows again!

I do have to tell you as I was touching up the last little bit (letting a 9 year old tape off the baseboards may have been a mistake) I looked out the window.  To my shock and horror it was snowing.  I died a little inside.  I guess spring can't some until all the rooms are painted.  I am busy tomorrow, but my plan is orange kitchen on Tuesday and lime-green office on Wednesday.  By Thursday I will be basking in the full glory of SPRING!!!

Interview

Computer: Elizabeth, how do you feel about the fact that it is March 11th and it is snowing outside?

Me:  UGH!!  I told my agent to tell you not to ask me about this subject!  It is extremely sensitive and highly volatile!  Ahem... but, since you asked, I will tell you.

Computer:  Thank you so much for your willingness to shed some light on this subject.  All the world is curious as to where exactly you fall on this particular subject.

Me:  I HATE it!!!  It makes me want to run naked through the street screaming and shaking my fists- weeping and gnashing my teeth.

Winter should be over!  Finito!  Ancient history! A bygone afterthought!  A twinkle in Santa's eye!  I SHOULD NOT be pushing its way into spring.  It is March for Pete's sake!!  And that's how I feel about that!

This HURTS So SO Bad!!

taken from ESPN.com 

Let's take them in the tourney, CATS!!!

Sunday Sneak Peek

See this little bit of cuteness?

She turned 9 a few weeks ago.  

I've got some cute pictures from her birthday that I'll show you this week!

Rambles

My washing machine died.  She fought the good fight, but in the end, it was time to let go.  They just don't make machines here that will stand up to an American family's constant clothes washing.  I have to say our water bill is consistently twice what our neighbors' bills are.  All the bathing and washing of clothes add up.  But, our gas bill is typically about half of our neighbors' bills, so there's that.  Unlike our neighbors, we don't keep our flat approximately 10 degrees cooler than the sun.

My new washing machine came today.  Boy, were those guys sad when they realized that we live on the 7th floor and our elevator is too small to hold a washing machine!!  I did offer them a glass of water once them had make the long hike up the stairs.

The new washer is humming away, trying to make up for 3 days of a broken washer!  It is going to be sad it ended up in my flat!  No rest for the machines here!


In other news... Noah goes for an English proficiency test tomorrow at his new school.  This should be interesting.  Although it is his native language, his grammar and vocab are only so-so, and his spelling STINKS!!!  It's the product of being educated in a second language that is extremely phonetic!


Justin leaves for the UK on Sunday.   He has been traveling a lot lately.  My only requests are: if you see Kate or Adele get your photo with them and bring me some cheddar cheese, peanut butter, brown sugar, and M&Ms!!  Oh yeah... and have a safe trip!


I got a screw in one of our new tires!  UGH... now to figure out how to get that patched!  Where is the Wal-Marts when you need them?


Praise the Lord that the washer died and the tire popped while Justin is in town.  If it were next week I would have REALLY been up a creek!!


I am dying to have this!


I spent 4 hours with my neighbors drinking tea today.  I lost count after my 5th (tiny) glass of tea.  I guess that explains why I am still awake!  No it doesn't!  I'd be awake regardless of what I drank.  I am a confirmed night owl.  I cannot wait for the day (i.e. the kids have left for college) when I can keep a 2 am bedtime and wake up at around 10.  Sounds like bliss to me!  I cannot help it.  No matter what I do, my eyes just pop open and I get a burst of energy every evening.  Trying to force myself to sleep does not work.

The downside to this terrible habit is that if I am feeling particularly froggy, as one is prone to do in the wee hours of the morning, I start to mess with Justin.  The poor man is happily snoring away next to me and I will take his picture or poke him or talk to him to try to get him to mumble something incoherent and hilarious.  Oh the list of my evilness is long.  I am sorry, Justin.  I really am.  I love you and I promise this is the last time!!  No really... I promise!


Well, I guess that about sums it up for this lovely, although unseasonably cold, Friday.  I hope that your weekend is great!!

Don't Rain on his Parade

Today in the car on the way home from guitar practice the following things were said...

Noah:  "When I grow up I'm going to drive a Lamborghini because a Ferrari is just too obvious!"

Me: "Well, sure.  That's why I drive this sweet Renault.  I don't want the extra attention that a Ferrari brings."


Noah: "Mom, who sings better, you or Taylor Swift?"

Me: "Me."

What Ministry Looks Like

I grew up in a dynamic church.  I was in EVERYTHING!  If the doors were open, I was there.  We did VBS, youth camp, choir, choir tour, service projects, small groups, mission trips, etc.  There were so many different ways to do ministry.  But, between the hard work and the heart to grow in Lord and share the Good News there was often one commonality.  And this commonality has often been the highlight of most of my church experiences.

FUN!

That's it.  We had fun.  Maybe that makes me shallow, but next to Jesus, that was the drawing factor.  When the tears dried or the song was sung there was still fun to be had.

The weird thing is, that I wouldn't call the ministry that I am in at this stage of life fun.  It's hard work and it's definitely not comfortable.  I have to push myself to learn language, to get the guts to speak up when all the women ate talking at once (literally), to shake it off when the punky middle-schoolers are throwing snowballs at the foreign lady. 

But, I'm a big girl and I know that life is more than fun and games.   Now, certainly with three brilliantly funny kids, a sarcastic husband and a great team, there is fun to be had.  That is for sure.  I even have fun with many of my local friends even though they rarely get my jokes.

(Rabbit trail... My latest major joke flop was when Callie's teacher invited us over for tea.  I answered, "My daughter's teacher (him) gives her too much homework so we'll have to do it on the weekend."  He just said, "Ok.  Our apartment is number 8.  We'll see you at 7."  GONG!!!!)

Lately the word intentional is ringing in my head.  I am living life all day every day smack dab in the middle of people with no hope.  But, I've got it!  I've got the peace that passes all understanding.  I've got assurance of my salvation and don't have to strive to earn it.  I've faith that Jesus is walking right beside me and often carrying me.  I have the Holy Spirit inside me to guide me.

I've got it!  That's better than fun.  That's the secret to life!

I just struggle with how to let it out.  I often beg the Lord to cause Himself to ooze out of me onto those around me.  I ask Him to shine so bright right through me that others will see Him.  I implore Him to show me how to serve by being His hands and feet.

But ministry does not look like it once did for me.  It doesn't look like the time when I was in Peru serving street children.  The local pastor bought some bananas from a street vendor and for a few extra coins he was allowed to use the vendor's bullhorn.  As he called through the speaker like a seasoned carnival barker children came running from every nook and cranny to hear the  message.  Their smiles went from ear to ear.  Hundreds of them came running, hungry for the Word.

It's not like when we would break up into two groups, men and women, during small group and share and pray and love on each other for hours.

It's not like when we had the square dance in the tiny ancient cabin out on the banks of the Kentucky River.  The laughter and sweat steamed out into the cold night air.

It's not like that.

So what is it like?

Ministry is taking my elderly neighbor for her radiation treatments so she won't have to ride 2 buses and a minibus to get to the distant hospital.  In the car I share the second greatest commandment- "Love your neighbor as yourself," in answer to her question about why I would take and entire afternoon to go through this with her. 

Ministry is relating one of Jesus' parables to my women's group or saying yes to tea guests when I want to scream no.

Ministry looks like yesterday.  I had a full morning with the girls before scooting them off to school.  (They go to afternoon school that starts at 12:45).  I talked with Noah for a few minutes as he was released from school.  (He has morning school, in the same building as the girls, that starts at 7:30.)  I handed the keys over to Noah and cautioned him to eat something decent for lunch as he headed home.

I walked over a few blocks and caught the minibus up to the central part of our slice of town.  There I met my team leader.  She and I discussed life, faith, kids, husbands, and so much more over a bowl of soup.  Then I stopped in to the market to pick up a few things before boarding the minibus back down to my neighborhood.

When I got home I hod tons to do.  A weekend's worth of laundry, picking up, emails, and of course dinner doesn't make itself.  I greeted Noah and busily began my tasks.  He told me that my neighbor had come up to visit.  No big deal, it happens all the time.  She had missed me.  I'll catch her next time, I thought as I folded laundry.

But I just kept thinking about her.  Finally, I put my laundry basket down, told Noah I was headed down to the 3rd floor for a bit, and grudgingly pushed the elevator button.  This is not what I had planned for the rest of my afternoon.

She invited me in and we exchanged pleasantries.  The conversation began to flow and before I knew it we were in deep waters.  My sweet friend was in tears.  You see, she has a newborn, and a two year old, and a school-age child.  All boys.  Her husband works the evening shift.  She has no family.   She feels alone and overwhelmed.

In that moment I was able to speak words of life into her.  I was able to tell her that the Lord had laid her on my heart.  That I why I ended up coming over.  I was able to encourage her that she is doing a great job.  She can do it.  And that we are happy to help her with anything she needs.  I think most of all I was able to simply distract her from the prison that being a mother a small children can sometimes confine us to.

I didn't say anything special or extraordinarily spiritual.  I just encouraged her.  Told her my funny stories from when I was serving my time in mommy cell block #9. 

I did tell her that the enemy wants her to feel this way.  He is desperately trying to fill her head with isolating and depressing lies. 

What I pray that I was able to do was offer her a bit of hope, truth, and at the very least a sounding board and distraction for an hour.

So, that's what ministry looks like for me.  it's not pretty.  It's not easy.  It's not in English (darn!).  And the confines are quite blurry.  But I have a new resolve to be more bold and more intentional.  To weave truth and Scripture into every conversation.  To be a light in my dark neighborhood.

The children aren't running at me with smiles on their faces, hanging on my every word.  It's different.  But it is Kingdom work.  And God's kingdom is big, and diverse, and messy.  It's not always fun, but it is always worth it.  And I have found that there is nothing better than Jesus.

Ski Trip... the End :(

Down the mountain we go...

After 24 ours of beautiful sunshine and no snow they were able to get the roads cleared.

Once we reached a point where there was no more snow or ice  on the roads we stopped so Justin could take the chains off of the tires.

 

Not so much fun

LuLu!

These girls will take any chance they can to play in the snow!

Waiting for Daddy to get the chains off the tires.  

 

We cannot look at the sun,
      for it shines brightly in the sky
      when the wind clears away the clouds.
 So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God.
      He is clothed in dazzling splendor.
 We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty;
      but even though he is just and righteous,
      he does not destroy us.

Job 37: 21-23

Sunday Sneak Peek

This is one of my best friend's mom.  She was working' it!!

Ski Trip Day 3: The Best Day Yet!

Today we woke up to this:

SUNSHINE!!!

So we ate a quick breakfast, threw on our gear, and headed out to the slopes!

This is Callie showing how much snowfall we got the day before.

This was my partner for the chairlift.
Yes, she is adorable!

The storm had passed and the Lord was just showing off by giving us the most beautiful blue sky.

It was an incredible contrast to the bright white snow.

I love the beach, but I seriously think the Lord did his most creative work on the mountains.

Above the clouds

My precious family starting their descent down the mountain.

Callie striking a pose

Here comes Lucy with Justin close behind

Noah making it look easy

It took us forever to get ourselves lined up for this picture.  Justin had to take off his skis and help us out!
Not my best idea!  But I wanted a bit of photo evidence that I was on this trip!

My snow-bunnies!

After skiing all morning we headed back to the hotel to eat some lunch.  Our hotel had a children's room where younger kids could play, do crafts, etc.  Basically a babysitter.  We had gone up to look at the room on our first evening with the expectation of dropping Lucy off there the following afternoon(s).  But, of course, it snowed all day so she didn't go.  For some reason she was so excited to get to go to her own special kids' room.  So, after lunch, we dropped her off.  Then we hit the slopes again with the big kids!

Towards the end of the day we ended up here:

Notice how you can basically see the ledge and then not the run?  Well... yeah.  It was that steep!  Pictures don't do it justice!

We ended up taking the kids down a black (very advanced) run!  YIKES!  Things are not marked as well here and there are very few maps.  But, once we were at the top there was only one way to go...

DOWN!!!

The kids had a bit of a panic.  Justin and I did, too.  But we are much better at hiding our emotions while lying to encouraging the kids that they could do it.  I was talking to Jesus, that is for sure!

Callie, chief Drama Queen, threw a fit and decided to just slide down on her bottom. Meanwhile, I was working with Noah to teach him how to carefully go back and forth, easing his way down the steep slope.  By the time he got the hang of it and built his confidence a bit, Callie had reached us.  So I let Noah work his way down and began to teach Callie the same thing.  She also got the hang of it quickly and did a great job going down the rest of the slope on her skis, not her bottom!!

They realized that on this steep of a slope, falling was no big deal... if you fall backwards!  The hill was so steep that you were still practically standing up even if you had fallen.  So it was easy to just get back up and try again!

Here are Noah and Callie after they conquered the huge slope behind them.

The picture doesn't do it justice.  It was quite a challenge.  But we were all so pumped when we arrived at the bottom alive and in tact!

We skied until they closed the lifts.  Then of course we picked up Lucy, found ourselves a spot in the lobby, and started on the hot chocolates.  We played a few games of Skip-Bo (Thank you Jennifer!) until dinner.

This was one of my favorite days with my family.  We all had a good time doing something together.  The older kids conquered some major fears and by the end of the day we were all wiped out!