Good food

I know I talk about food alot, BUT it is my love language:) I have said many times since being here that it is a good thing I know how to cook- otherwise, I would be in trouble! Not much in the way of prepared foods or canned goods. Don't get me wrong they have them, but maybe just a few veggies in a can and that is about it. The frozen food section in the largest grocery store here is only small rows of the chest type freezers. No huge freezers with doors. There is more yogurt than frozen foods! Everything is fresh and I love it! It makes me fell so good to feed my family all fresh, unprocessed food. I feel better, and I think my body is responding well to the changes. I haven't had the opportunity to weigh myself but I know I have lost some weight. Now- I know we have an entire aisle devoted to chocolate but you can do that when  you aren't eating crap all day long. I am missing the occasional Raisin Canes and some good Mexican, but I know I will live.

I have attached some pics of my fridge and pantry so you can SEE what I am talking about. It is just amazing to me to think about what my last few pantries have looked like :(

Bread and pastry shelf

Pantry - that big green and white rectangle a the bottom is a flat of milk (6x1Litre)

Fridge! the feezer is only 3 drawers and it has only ice cream:) and meat/seafood.

We eat a bowl of fruit this big about every 4-5 days. Some may not think that is a big deal, but for my girls it is.

What is wrong with this picture?

She was so proud of herself!

Hi all! I know I haven't posted as much personal stuff here lately, but there as just been so much! It is sensory overload at all times. I think I am really going to love life here once I can get around and talk to people. Things still seem really confusing to me right now. Life moves at a much slower pace here, but is super predictable.  You may have heard how things "shut down" for siesta- it is totally true! Trying to find something to eat for dinner before 730 is nearly impossible. You can get some little tapas like things are some of the bars, but mostly nothing. Kids get out of school between 12 and 2 to go home for lunch. My favorite part is that most extracurricular activities for kids take place during those in between hours.  So while your kids go to school from 9-5 they get a nice lunch break AND when they get home at 5 they are truly done. I love that! Grocery shopping has been interesting....they have a store here called Eroski that is kind of like Target. They have everything there and the quality is pretty good.  I just don't know what anything is.  Milk is NOT sold in the refrigerator section, but on a regular aisle. The way the milk is pasteurized is different here so it doesn't have to stay cold until is has been opened. It is also sold only by the Litre and it comes in this plastic box ( like you buy chicken broth). Juice is sold this way also- all to be recycled, of course.

Did you know that chocolate was good for you?? And I am not talking about dark chocolate that is full of antioxidants. I mean good ole milk chocolate. Well, they believe that it is good for you and so they eat it on anything and everything possible. There is no peanut butter, but they have almost a whole aisle dedicated to chocolate spread. Yeah- Yummo!

Driving is crazy- I am grateful for mass transit. I will have to take a video of what has to take place just to get our car out of the garage...pictures will not tell the whole story. Be prepared to be amazed and amused.

 Well, that is all for now...I will try to do better keeping everyone posted on how I am settling in and new cultural experiences.

Our Beautiful new country

Hi everyone! We are here in Spain doing fine. The girls did great in the flight over and have done pretty well getting over the jet lag. This is a very late culture, so they go to bed late, like 9 or so and then sleep late. Not too bad. We are still in our one room hotel and that is kind of a bummer. We thought we had found an apartment, but that fell through so instead of moving in this week we are going to start the process over again. We really need to get in a place in the next 10 days. School starts for us on the 20th and I really wanted to find a nanny for the girls instead of them going to school. There are only about 7 weeks left and that is just hard for them to transition to school and then to a nanny for the summer. I am really praying I can find someone to come to the house. We just need to find a place first. We are moving to a Basque farm house on Monday and that should give us more room and a kitchen, but we are still having a laundry problem. We went to San Sebastian today and did 2 loads at a co-workers place, but every load takes about 3 hours start to finish and the loads are small, so that is hard. BUT- things will be better soon...the Lord is taking care of it all-just in His time and not mine.
Well, here are a few pictures...try not to get jealous:)

Still alive!

Hi everyone,
I am still here! We have just been super busy with our training schedule and life. The Lord has also been teaching me so much I have just been spending time processing it all. We are only 5 days away from leaving this country and my feelings have been all over the place. I am mostly excited and nervous with undertones of sadness and WHAT!!! It is just so wild- all of our prayers and tears over the last year have all culminated into this one huge event- finally leaving the US to make a new home in Europe. I have learned that in many ways I will never be the same. Chances are, that in 3 years when we come back on our stateside assignment I will be a completely different person. That is just so strange to me and awesome at the same time. We have learned what it truly means to live a "spirit led life", been challenged to live a life completely dependent on the Lord, and new ways to make the Christian live relevant in a culture where anything goes. I have been challenged to live a truly authentic life, one that always reflects Christ, even when his name is not known to those around me. I am so curious about this life the Lord has called us to. He has blazed an amazing trail for us all along this process, I can only image what He has for us ahead.
The girls are doing awesome- we cannot wait to get there and get them settled. It seems that we may be in a bed and breakfast for the first week or so we are there. That is fine with us- then I may get to have some choice in our apartment. As soon as we get settled we are taking the girls to Toys R us to fill their new rooms. They have been so long without toys of their own, I don't think they will know what to do with themselves. Bianca has decided that she wants her own room and doesn't want to share with her sisters. I think she has had enough of that! Too bad the little girls will prob. never get that choice...
I will post new pics of our place as soon as we get settled. We are in need of a new camera, so join us as we pray for what to get and that we get a good price!

Mermaids

The girls love to play "mermaids" in the tub. This is so cute!

Good-byes

Hooks and Ana
Bianca and her BFF and cousin Piper
me with Abby and Piper- I love those girls
I am realizing that I haven't posted about my family goodbyes. I am happy to report that it was not that bad. I think the hardest one was my sweet Abby. I guess I never thought about how hard it would be for her. I am hoping that she will turn her sadness into prayers for us. She is only 7 and a new believer, but I am hoping that this will be an early lesson in the blessing of obedience. I cannot wait for her and her sister, Piper, to come and visit us summer of 2010. My sisters both handled things alright. There was, of course, crying-but I know that it is only b/c they love and will miss us. They were both awesome while we were visiting and the girls have asked about them nearly everyday. My parents were amazing. I know that my mom wanted to throw herself in front of the plane, but she was great. She hugged and kissed us all and waved good-bye. I am sure she cried all the way home and even some when she got home, but I KNOW that she turned her tears into prayers and for that I am grateful. My dad, well, he had to go to work from the airport so we got hugs and kisses and he was off. You never quite know with him, but I do KNOW that he loves us and will pray for us. We are so grateful for technology. We have had the opportunity to talk to my family and to the Brous on skype and that is just so fun:) What we would do with out the internet- I don't even want to think about it.

In other news....

I have had some great times with the Lord this week. It has been a struggle to get up at 5 am, but I need to, I have to, or else this just isn't going to work. I need to hear from the Lord everyday and I cannot hear or concentrate if there is complete crazy going on at all times. I feel like I am just growing deeper everyday and I think it shows in my attitude. I have to say that I have been a good bit more patient than I have been in a long time, and that I am just feeling better all around. It is so good to be in the living in obedience to the Lord- if you haven't tried it....you should!