Ivana

As I mentioned in my last post, Ivana just turned 26. We're coming up on the two year anniversary of her moving in with us. There are so many things I want to tell her, but I just don't think it's the right time yet.

I was thinking this morning how, when we were marking the first year since her move in with us, I still couldn't see much change. People around us noticed, and yeah, there were some differences, but not a lot of change. Now I see change, but not just in her.

Having her here has highlighted weaknesses in myself. I've had to face things and come to terms with small issues that I never liked to look at before. I'm really beginning to wonder what I'll do when she leaves.

There are no immediate plans, but she has told us she feels more and more often like she's ready to be on her own. We still disagree. She'd be broke in a month. I've handed over to her the responsibility of our home budget. I want her to see how much it costs to have a family.

This morning at the breakfast table I disagreed with Timothy in front of her. I wanted her to see how you can state your opinion respectfully and honestly without arguing or tearing your husband down. This was the first time we let her in on one of our more private conversations, but she saw right away what we were doing and how it worked. Then we let her witness us throwing our napkins back and forth at each other.

I keep thinking of a conversation I'd had with Barbara Telzerow on one of the days I wanted to put Ivana out of the house (there were many). Barbara told me that if we hadn't taken her in when we did Ivana would probably be back where she started, or at least in a very dark and miserable state. That's not to brag on us, but what an honor to be a part of a life that will change so many others.

Ivana is extremely teachable which has made so much of her time here so easy. I bought her the Spanish edition of Captivating this summer and she's eaten it up. I'll see her in her room making notes; not just reading, but learning and digesting.

Ivana will begin university in October and finish her high school exams this winter. This last year of high school she's learned to plan ahead and to find goals and see them accomplished. She's grown up. I no longer feel like I'm raising some else's 15 year old. I have a peer and I'm beginning to have a new friend.

Kudos to my husband and pastors who made me stick with this girl...excuse me, young woman, when I rather would have thrown her out on her ear!

Regarding Katja

The day my girlfriends and I went to pray for Katja I had an overwhelming sense of peace come over me the moment I stepped into the room. It was almost as if we didn't even need to be there. I didn't understand what that meant, but it makes a little more sense now.

I was talking with Barbara Telzerow about this on Sunday. She told me that they had a similar circumstance a few years ago at the church we're affiliated with in San Antonio. A young mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and they prayed and prayed and prayed and felt as if her healing was just around the corner. When she died the church was devastated. The pastor, Alan Vincent, asked God what they could have done differently or what they did wrong. God told him that this was His plan, but that He couldn't explain it to Alan just then b/c he wouldn't understand. "His ways are not our ways."

On a happier note... We celebrated Ivana's 26th birthday and Thadeus' first on Sunday. We had friends over for lunch and cake. Thadeus is teething so wasn't really up for celebrating, but enjoyed it as long as he could. We got great video of him and his first cake. I made Ivana an ice cream pie for her cake. The Slovene's were amazed and delighted at this new concept.

We've all been pestered by some kind of virus that's going around. I've done my best not to get it, but yesterday it started; sore throat and lots of sinus stuff. Thadeus was up coughing during the night. I got up with him and offered him a bottle, but he wasn't interested. When I first picked him up he was excited, but once he realized we were the only ones up it wasn't that much fun. We rocked and sang and then he gladly laid back down.

In about a week the apples and pears will be ready to start picking. We've been getting lots of rain this month. I think that's typical of August here. September should be beautiful and October gorgeous with the changing colors. "God is in Heaven; all is right with the world."

Bad News

Katja died. (See post/email from 4 August: On Holiday) We've encouraged our friends on the coast to reach out to her husband.

So, don't ya know...

Did I become an international driver when I got my Slovene license or was it last Thursday when I actually drove out of this country on my own for the first time? The turn-around pattern I had started last Monday and Tuesday continued even on this trip. Thankfully, I hadn't gotten to Ljubljana when I realized what I'd forgotten.

I went to our village post office, which is actually two villages and about two miles away. I dropped off my letters and the lady helped me put more time on our mobile phone. Timothy has shown me how to do it, but unless I do it on a weekly basis I'm not going to remember. With that accomplished I just needed to get a few items at the grocery store in Kranj and get on the highway which is right near the grocery store! One problem: that highway heads northwest and I need to be going northeast. I realized this when I'm almost to Kranj. I stop in a parking lot and consult a map real quick. No easy way to the correct highway; need to head towards Ljubljana, which is actually southeast.

I get to a town between us and Ljubljana and think; I'll stop at this grocery store. It's smaller than the one in Ljubljana and will be quicker. Get the needed items, a coke for me and mentos for Clay, pack back into the car and it suddenly dawns on me that I didn't have the boys passports. Oops. Back to Jama, then on to Ljubljana and Graz!

Besides that the two hour drive up was very uneventful. Thadeus slept or was just quiet and Clay, who is never quiet lately, kept me entertained with, "Hey Mom, look at this!" He doesn't understand yet that if the driver isn't looking at the road big ouchies can happen.

We stayed at a very nice youth hostel near the center of Graz. The family rooms were new. They had indoor and outdoor play areas. A 100 foot climbing wall, flat panel televisions and pretty good breakfast. All they lacked were swimming pools!

The School of the Word conference was held in the local brewery this year. (I've been waiting to tell everyone in America this!) Yes, a brewery. We were there for Thursday night's worship/intercession time. The boys and I were in an upstairs room that had a balcony looking out over the hall where everyone was. Thadeus had to see what was going on and kept crawling out there to watch everyone.

Friday was pretty uneventful. Timothy was in the session all morning and into the afternoon then we went to lunch and relaxed the rest of the day.

Saturday morning we got up and packed and headed to Ikea. I've been familiar with Ikea for years, but this is the first time I've been to a store. It was amazing! I don't know if all stores are set up the same, but we went in and noticed immediately the place to drop our children off while we shop. Clay said he wanted to go, but then we thought, this is a family time, he needs to stay with us.

We went upstairs and walked a couple miles through show space; like miniature apartments all set up and furnished. The displays were a little more detailed than your regular furniture store. The tags on the items told you what section the item could be picked up in downstairs. If there was a red tag you had to go to a certain bin and if there was a yellow tag you would need assistance when you got downstairs. There were arrows on the floor to keep everyone moving and there were a lot of people!

Specifically, we were shopping for Thadeus' birthday present. There is a small table and chairs set (Mammut) that I'd seen in an Ikea catalog eight years ago and have always loved it. Our pediatrician just got the set in her office and Timothy liked it. Since I'm going to start "home schooling" Clay this year I wanted something just for the boys. We got the blue round table and two green chairs. Next time we go up we'll get two more red chairs since they didn't have any this time. They're not too excited about the gift, but whether they realize it or not we know they'll appreciate it. I wonder if it will be possible to keep it nice enough to give to Thadeus' kids someday.

When we found the kids' furniture upstairs and decided which pieces we wanted we got the bin number and went back downstairs. Everything just fit in our car.

When we got home Saturday afternoon our internet was down. Booooo! We just got it straightened out last night. I have felt so disconnected from the rest of the world!

I had worked outside all day yesterday. I wanted to do it again today, but it's supposed to be rainy I found out this morning.

The rain is good news for Clay. He got the idea in his head yesterday to "play music like at church". He has his little wooden drum, a pot and a couple plastic mixing bowls, I have the guitar and Ivana has a couple shakers. Thadeus is supposed to play the piano, but he doesn't get it. He'd rather chew on puzzle pieces. We put on the kids' worship cd and rock out...two year old style! We'll all get excited and I'll yell, "Drum solo!" The muscles in Clay’s neck tighten and he starts drumming as fast as he can. It's hilarious.

Day Four of our Five Days without Timothy

We can't stand it anymore. Timothy called this morning. I'm packing the boys in the car and we're heading for Austria. We'll be back Friday night or Saturday.

Day Three

Are you sick of my whiney pity party yet? Even though I'm not exactly social I hate being alone. It was ten times worse before we had kids.

One thing I forgot about yesterday. Sally gave Thadeus a grape to try. We were both on edge watching him with it and a couple times she tried to stick her finger in his mouth and retrieve it. He stopped her both times, but she kept her hand right there ready to grab if he should gag. After what he thought was sufficient chewing he took her finger and put it into his mouth and gave her the skin, empty of grape meat, with his tongue. Clever boy.

Today was uneventful. It was a beautiful day with a little rain to keep things interesting. I tried to get the guys outside as much as possible. Clay has grown enough to reach the pedals on his tricycle. The first time he tried it coordination was a bit of a problem, but today he's been zooming right along.

Timothy didn't call today so I'll take the phones to bed with me...just in case.

Day Two as a TSP

This morning was a little bit of a repeat of yesterday morning. I was driving to Ljubljana this time and couldn't accomplish two of my three errands since banks, post offices and stores were closed. I was just getting into city center when I realized I'd left Timothy's office keys at home. There was no getting around it. I have no plans to come into Ljubljana again so I had to go back. Ah well.

When we were just about to the office I told Clay where we were going but that Daddy wouldn't be there. He didn't say too much, but as soon as we arrived he immediately tried Timothy's office door. Clay just stayed quiet and then when we got to Sally's for lunch he announced that Daddy was playing basketball. Oh. Poor guy thought he had it figured out.

Sally made cauliflower and potatoes with garlic, ginger and other herbs; rice and a lentil soup to go over the rice for us. Oh my goodness! It was wonderful! Clay had the soup and rice, but not the ginger dish; too spicy. Thadeus ate rice out of Sally's fingers and loved it! So far there doesn't seem to be anything that he doesn't like. After I had about five servings (no joke) she tells me she also made cheese cake!

The boys had such a great time playing there. They have one of those low sofas that you find in the Muslim world. Theirs is a little higher since they're not Muslim. The boys climb and play on that with Sally's many throw pillows. When I went to the grocery store on the ground floor of the apartment building (it's the only place I know of to get the good peanut butter) Clay didn't want to come with me! He wanted to stay with Sally.

We got home just in time to get Timothy's phone call. The boys were both asleep in the car. They woke up to talk to Grandpa though. We also had to go get Ivana's father and step-mother from the airport and play with the neighbor kids and then it was time for bed.

I'm tired. I didn't sleep all that well last night. I kept waking up for no reason other than Timothy just wasn't there. I'll be so glad when he's home.

Day One as a Temporarily Single Parent

Today went pretty smoothly. Timothy and Ivana left around 8:00 to pick up two guys from church and head to Graz. I realized last night before going to bed, while making my rounds and picking up things that needed to be put away, that with Timothy out of the house I'll have a lot less to do! He creates more work for me then Ivana, Clay and Thadeus combined! He laughed at me when I told him that.

The boys and I went to Kranj to get groceries. We only needed about six items, but the trip took an hour and a half. When I got to the road to turn on for the store I realized I didn't have any money or any way to pay. Poor Thadeus fell asleep on the drive back to the house to get the money. I should have also gotten an umbrella, but I was in too big a hurry by then. I don't know why. We got rained on a little, but nothing bad and I think the boys enjoyed it.

I can't wait until school starts again; the stores are always busy during the summer.

The boys took naps after lunch and I cleaned up the office. It's such an amazing feeling for a picky housekeeper such as myself. I can clean a room and know it's going to stay that way the whole week! WOW! Timothy and Ivana both are very bad about not putting things away.

The rain cleared by the late afternoon so the little men and I headed outside to soak up some vitamin D while it's free. We cleaned up the garden, harvested all the onions and picked up the apples and pears off the ground.

I think someone's been praying for our "nasty" neighbors; the ones that gave us the apple pie. Not only was the apple pie NOT poisoned, but she came over and made small talk this evening! I was very surprised and was on my friendliest behavior.

The boys are in bed, it's early and I'm ready for bed. Maybe I'll take the laptop upstairs and watch a movie in bed!

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

In random order...

Dahlias from my garden and ripe, juicy plumbs.

Clay, the great fly hunter, catching flies and killing them with his bare hands. Before you thinking that we're disgusting, let me inform you that we have a lot of soap at our house. Also, he's a boy. The Creator made him with this drive inside to conquer something. I was proud and told him so.


I also love the way Clay takes care of his little brother. He's always encouraging him to follow after us, or not to play with something that might hurt him. They're starting to play together and I get caught up watching them.

Thadeus chubby little body. He has a t-shirt from his Aunt Spanky that reads, "I'm definitely up to something". It's too small around the belly and always rides up exposing him mid section! It's adorable. I don't have a picture of it, but trust me, it's cute.

Thadeus' bump is gone! He's pulling up on anything and everything. He's gotten the concept of hats and seems to enjoy them. He's gotten the hand-me-down train engineer hat that Clay used to wear all the time.

I could go on and on about these guys' daddy, but I doubt any of you have that kind of time and it'd probably make you a little queasy after a while! Timothy leaves Monday morning and won't be back until Friday night for the conference up in Austria. Ivana will be going as well so it will just be the little men and I. Pray for us!

On Holiday

Timothy, the boys and I are at our friends' house on the coast enjoying the beautiful Mediterranean. Actually, it's been raining, but we have been enjoying ourselves. Matjaz and Magdalena live in a small, one bedroom apartment with their two daughters, Zarja and Naza. They're not selfish with the space. We have thoroughly invaded their space and have been loved all the more for it. At least, I hope so.

Thadeus' bump is much smaller as of this morning. We did take him to get x-rays on Monday and they found nothing, but did agree with the EMT that had seen him initially that it was probably a broken blood vessel.

When we arrived here Wednesday afternoon Magdalena told me about a lady named Katja who just found out a few weeks ago she has cancer. She is only 29 and has a husband and three young children. Magdalena, Tatjana and I went to see her in the hospital. Tatjana is her co-worker and said she would go in first and ask the husband if we could come in and pray. He's also been approached with bio-energy and stuff like that and he said he doesn't believe in anything but medicine. It's good he's at least rejected the bio-energy stuff.

Tatjana went into her room and found Katja alone and sleeping. The cancer is all through her body and basically she's been medicated to make the dying process easier. The three of us went in and shut the door. The husband never did show up so we had a great time of prayer there in that room.

Katja came to a couple times, the first to just mumble something and touch Tatjana on the face in acknowledgement. That's when we realized how heavily medicated she was. We started praying that the drugs would wear off just enough that we could talk to her. A minute later she opened her eyes again and Tatjana tried to talk to her about Jesus. Katja told her it was no use because she couldn't hear anymore. So we prayed for her ears to be open.

The third time she roused Magdalena wrote in large letters a note asking if she wanted to accept Jesus in her heart. She didn't understand and Magdalena wrote out a five word sinners' prayer. Katja read it once to herself and then understanding came. Her eyes opened wide and she said the prayer as loud as she could.

The rest of the short time we had with her she was all smiles, but still very groggy. She hadn't smiled in days. We were also able to talk right into her ear and her be able to hear us. She told us she was tired and asked if we could go.

Now, I've decided that God has to heal her or no one but us will know of her salvation. While it's encouraging for us, her husband and children need to know. At this point it doesn't sound like her husband would believe us if we told him.

Timothy and I wanted to go shopping in Italy and also drive down to Pula, Croatia to see the big amphitheater, but with the rain it's been impossible. Tomorrow is our last day here so I guess we have excuses to come back. Well, the shopping we did get done here because the local stores were having some good deals. I'm sure I can find something I need though... :)