Here We Go Again

Our moving day has finally arrived.  The movers will arrive in the morning to pack our things and we will head to Porto on Thursday.  We are excited to finally be on our way, but we will miss Lisbon.  We have made so many friends and come to love this city.  This week has been full of goodbyes and that is never easy.  It seems packing, moving and saying goodbye have been much to frequent in the last few years.  Please pray for all of us that the transistion will go smoothly, we will connect with people in our neighborhood and that the boys will be encouraged as they start a new school, find a new soccer team and make new friends.

We will be off-line for a few days, so we will let you know when we are back up and running - and in PORTO!

Sintra, Portugal

We are trying to visit some of our favorite places before moving next week.  Yesterday we visited Sintra and a beautiful palace - Palacio de Pena - that sits on top of a mountian.  It was breath-taking.

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Caracóis & Sardines

This is a caracóis (just a  fancy name for a snail). One of the families that have been meeting with us on Sunday nights brought caracóis for us all to try.  Unfortunately I have this shell fish allergy and could not try them:)  However, all the kids tried as well as some other colleagues that joined us for the evening.  It was funny because no one sat down to eat.  They all hovered over the bowl and popped the snails like popcorn.  You have to take a tooth pick and pull the meat out.  Kind of reminded me of crawfish boils, especially when they started sucking the juices out.  I took some pictures of the kids' expressions as they tried them, but something wierd was happening with my camera and they all turned out fuzzy - you will just have to imagine it.  Most of the kids actually liked them once they finally tried them. 

These are grilled sardines and they are nothing like what you get in the can. They are salted and grilled and they are amazing.  One of the first people we met in Lisbon invited us to his mother's house Satrday afternoon for her birthday (she turned 83) and this is what we ate.  I was a wonderful evening (8 hrs) of food, fellowship and celebration.

Abundant Blessings

(arrival to Portugal - Jan 2009)

When we arrived in Lisbon almost 1 1/2 years ago, I had many concerns.  My biggest concern was for Micah & Ethan.  We had decided that public school was the best option, but it was not an easy decision.  The first day we left them, I cried all the way home - how would they function when they couldn't understand anything going on around them?  However, I had to trust God that He was bigger than all of my worries and that He would be with them every step of the way.  I must admit, those first few months were not easy. Communication with the school and teachers was difficult for all of us.  There were days of tears (for everyone) and days were we had to almost kick them out of the house. 

All that said, I must share some wonderful news.  After completing their first full year in Portuguese public schools, both boys have recieved passing grades for this school year.  It looks good on paper, but the true significance of it is so much more.  Micah and Ethan have both managed to learn a second language AND pass their academic classes as well.  They have also made friends and  adapted to the culture quite well.  Today when we entered the school building the security officer greeted us with, "Congratulations.  Have you seen Micah's grades?  He did so well."   The Father has blessed us immensly and we are so proud of our boys.  Now as we approach a new move, please pray for a smooth transistion to a new school and new friends.

(a few months ago at an anciet ruin - March 2010)

Our Own Mini Bar-B-Q

We had seen these cute ceramic pigs, but we were not sure what they were for. After asking our neighbors, we learned that they were small grills. All you have to do is pour rubbing alcohol (yes plain old rubbing alcohol) into the dish, light it with a match and tada - you have a nice little grill. They are mainly used to cook sausage and it smells so good cooking. YUM!

This is a video made by a church in Budapest, Hungary.  It is so bold and a wonderful idea.

365 Promises

I found the best link today and wanted to share it with you. 365 Promises This site has a Biblical promise for everyday of the year and you can print them out by the month.  This is a great idea for morning or evening devotions. 

Art Lessons

Ethan loves to draw, so when one of our friends offered to give him some art supplies and a few pointers, he was thrilled. So Sweet C came over to the house the other night and spent some time with him and an art pad. It was so sweet. The hardest thing for Ethan was when she would give him an instruction and then say, "you have 3 minutes." Those of you who know Ethan know he is a perfectionist and his drawings have to be just so. Needless to say, I think it helped him to see another perspective of how he can express himself through his drawing. THANKS C! WE LOVE YOU!

FORCA PORTUGAL

World Cup Soccer is finally here. We have enjoyed the hype as well as the endless clothes, decorations and dodads that show support for the Portuguese National Team. The boys are decked and ready to cheer the team on.  FORCA PORTUGAL!!!!

GOLD MEDAL WINNER!

A few weeks ago Ethan's soccer team played in a futsol tournament (its like indoor soccer) and they tied for 1st.  He was so excited that they actually recieved medals.

Look Who Has A New Tattoo

A few days ago Andy awoke to a huge red place on his leg.  A few days later when his leg began to swell, he decided he better head to the doctor.  Our wonderful American doctor (yes I said American - he is here becuase he has a Portuguese wife) agreed that Andy had been bitten by something and drew an outline of the area so we can see if it spreads anymore.  We all thought it was hilarious.  Thankfully, the place has not grown and the swelling has gone down.

My Attitude

ATTITUDE

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearance, gift, or skill. It will make or break a company…a church…a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our attitudes.”


- Charles Swindoll