our May

As I type this my kids are playing with my landlord's grand daughter.  

Play-doh crumbs are flying everywhere.  

My kids haven't played with play-doh since December. Noah recognized the container, 

but said, "Mom, I forgot what this stuff is called."  

Funny the things they miss, but have completely forgotten about until they see it again.

May has been a month of growing & growing up!

Our kids are getting so tall!  Every pair of pants they put on are more like capris than pants. 

Thank goodness it is summer and they don't have to wear high waters.

Growing up....

Noah is now giving himself full out showers!  He is so proud of himself that he wants to take them multiple times a day.  He can do everything by himself.  I just can't believe it. I didn't know kids could do this by four years old. He doesn't just play in the shower either or pretend to be cleaning himself.  He takes it very seriously and really bathes himself and washes his hair.  

Paige is now potty trained! WOO HOO!!

The best part was that she did it herself!  I tried to potty train her a month or two ago and she wasn't ready.  She was waking up dry, but only wanted to potty on her terms. So instead of getting frustrated with her I just decided to wait until she was.  Then three weeks ago, on a Thursday morning she decided she was ready and we haven't touched diapers since.  She goes all night long without pottying and wakes up dry. She tells when she needs to go.  I am in awe!  We have some amazing children!!  My heart is full and I am so proud of them!!  

Our kiddos have gotten so close since moving to Romania.  It has been one of the best things ever for our family. We've all gotten closer, but Noah and Paige have just become best friends.  Noah is super protective of Paige.  They play really well together most of the time!  

We've had lots of games of Old Maid!  Noah loses every time. His goal is to try to get the old maid.  Here he is dressed up as the "Old Maid."

little Mozart & Beethoven....

This last weekend we took a little road trip to go visit a zoo in Hungary not too far from here.  

My kids got to play in a bath tub, which they haven't done in five or six months.  They were overwhelmed with joy as they went "swimming."  

They LOVED the zoo and aquarium we went to.  This was the first time we have done anything like this since being here and it was a blast.  Such fun memories we made!   

Salcam

Last Thursday, I discovered Salcam.

Romanian honeysuckle!!!!

It smells AMAZING!  

I am thinking about bottling this sweet goodness up and wearing it as perfume.  

Took me back to my childhood and reminded me of how the edge of the woods in our backyard was lined with tons of honeysuckle bushes.  Same smell, maybe even better, and even got that tiny drop of honey from the end!

beautiful spaces

It is so beautiful here.

These pictures don't do it justice.

Trust me...it's gorgeous.

la multi ani alexandria

La Multi Ani Alexandria

On Tuesday our family drove out to Salucea to celebrate Alexandria's 10th Birthday!

This is the family that we sponsor. 

We had a surprise party...literally! 

They had no idea we were coming.

It was such a great birthday party!

We brought party hats and kazoos for everyone!

They all got brownies and treats.

This was the first time Steve and I had been in a gypsy village alone....no translator.

We did pretty good with our two year old sounding Romanian vocabulary.  We spent about three hours with them and had so much fun!  It was one of my favorite days so far!

This is a Hungarian village so some people do not even speak much Romanian. So we would speak in our broken Romanian and then someone would translate that in Hungarian to those who didn't know Romanian.  SO NEAT!

It was hard to leave.  So many were barefoot and those that did have shoes, they had so many holes in them.  Empty cupboards with no food, except some flour and sugar.  Lots of hungry dirty children.  They are trying to provide for themselves though.  The men go out fishing to have something to eat for dinner and they pick mushrooms.  

They all have huge gardens and chicks walking around from the seeds and baby chicks the ministry gave them a few weeks ago!  

rege si regina

Rege si Regina= Kings & Queens

This last week in Sumugiu & Mierlau we began a character study.

The first week we talked about COURAGE.  

We shared the story of Esther and the great courage and risks she took to save her people.

Here are a few pictures of the kings and queens. :)

Julianna

as of late....

Maternity Center:

Last week at the Maternity Center we talked about the parable of the sower who planted seed on many different types of ground.  I explained the parable to them and had them think about how they relate to this parable. I got some whacked out thoughts, but it was good discussion.  I took little flower pots and they got to plant flowers. They had never done this before!

This Thursday when I went we had a game day and they seemed to enjoy it a lot! It was a beautiful day outside and we played volleyball, soccer and board games.  I brought snacks for them. They were happy!  I think we are going to have game day once a month just to do something different for them.


Sumugiu:

We went to Sumugiu this week for the first time in a month. School was out for two of our days due to Easter and then two more weeks because of school testing/inspection.  We LOVE it here! The children are so sweet and respectful.   We cannot wait until the summer and we will get to spend so much more time there.  In June-August we will go there twice a week to spend some time with them.  School doesn't end for another month and we have some fun things planned for them.  We are going to have a "Field Day" for them at school on the last week.  Remember field day?  They don't do that here so we think it will be a lot of fun!


Abandoned Baby Hospital:

Next week I am going back to the abandoned baby hospital.  Hoping to find out more about how to get Cassandra her surgery.  We are planning on doing a little renovating of the room the babies stay in...and some cleaning!
GREAT NEWS!!! The twins who were abandoned here were taken home yesterday.  The mom and dad got back together and they came to pick up their girls and take them home! What a relief!  BUT, God led us to this family for a reason and to this hospital.  There are three other babies there still that need a home! Please pray for them and for loving families to take them in.


The ministry is about to buy land in Cherichu. It is a huge lot and they will begin building a church here on the land as soon as they can.  Lots of paper work and permits first.

Steve continues to do work at the land and house in Sintelec.  In a couple of weeks they hope to start the building for the transition home there.  Still waiting on permits.

LOTS going on!  Summer mission trips start in two weeks and go through the end of July!  CANNOT WAIT!

a second visit

A couple of weeks ago we made a second visit to the abandoned baby hospital.  I would go here everyday if I could.  It is a long drive, but hopefully soon I can go once a week.

Here is a glimpse of our visit.

Lanie holding Madelina, Emese & Sorena

Madelina & Sorena are the twins that led us to this place.

meet Paul

He's a sweet little guy!

Cassandra

My heart breaks for all of them and I want all of them to find

a forever family that will love them as Christ loves them.

I don't want any of the other babies to be in her situation. 

She has been here since she was an infant.  

In this room.

In this crib.

Alone.

Sorry for the blurry picture, but it shows you just how badly

she needs surgery.  She is now two years old and no one has

taken the time to make sure she gets the needed surgery.  

Hopefully in the next week or two a social worker and I will go talk to

the doctors to see when and how we can make this possible.  

She still drinks out of a bottle and drools constantly.  It makes

me so angry that someone can see her everyday and not try to help her so 

she can have a normal life.  

Don't get me started....

I want Cassandra to be my daughter.  If only Romania was open to international adoption!

I just don't see how anyone here will want her, especially with her needs.  

Praying God would do the unimaginable (even a work?) here!

Please continue to pray for each of these babies and their future families and for adoption to re-open.

Cassandra, Emese, Madelina, Sorena, Paul & another boy who we don't know the name of.  He was there last time and his family abandoned him temporarily due to sickness. They will come back for him when he is better. Not sure the logic there, but that's what they do?!

a few of my favorite things.....

a few of my favorite things in Romania.....

1. PEOPLE

2.  Every time I hear the police siren (or fire truck?) I automatically feel like I am a main character in the Bourne Trilogy.

3.  I just can't get enough Michael Jackson and Tina Turner (slight hint of sarcasm)

   

4. My fridge is always full of fresh eggs, milk, cheese or some kind of dessert someone made for us.  The food isn't always the best, but it is nice to feel so loved and it always makes me desire to be more generous.

5.  the thrill and fear of driving the joker right alongside, in front of or behind a tram. The tram tracks run along the road so you can't really avoid it.

A couple of my not so favorite things...

1. Most meats

2.  The poverty, hunger, abuse and oppression