Hi Everyone,
I posted some pictures today, here are the links:
staycation part 1
staycation part 2
black and white
colorful
Happy November! :)
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Fall Break Wednesday
Last night provided us with a nice Baltic monsoon that lasted into the day today. In true Klaipeda style the weather changed about every 15 minutes from windy and raining to sunny to sunny and raining to complete downpour.
So, in the spirit of today being a Klaipeda weather day, we stayed in. I had to do a small work thing this morning so I quickly ventured over to the academic building, but other than that it was a day to catch up on some home things. While I did the dishes and made a late lunch, Laura did her homework. She has an assignment due tonight and has been reading most of the day so that she can write her paper tonight.
It has been a good break. It was nice to just stay in today, but hopefully the weather will be nicer tomorrow so that we can explore some more and take more pictures to share. I also need some more time away from the dorm, just to get a break.
Write or call us on skype, we have time to talk this week.
So, in the spirit of today being a Klaipeda weather day, we stayed in. I had to do a small work thing this morning so I quickly ventured over to the academic building, but other than that it was a day to catch up on some home things. While I did the dishes and made a late lunch, Laura did her homework. She has an assignment due tonight and has been reading most of the day so that she can write her paper tonight.
It has been a good break. It was nice to just stay in today, but hopefully the weather will be nicer tomorrow so that we can explore some more and take more pictures to share. I also need some more time away from the dorm, just to get a break.
Write or call us on skype, we have time to talk this week.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Fall Break 2009 (so far)
This week is Fall Break. If you're just tuning in, we have to stay in Klaipeda because Steve is on duty. No worries though, it is the perfect opportunity to be tourists and visit some places we've never been. It has also been great to share some meals with students (now that everyone isn't so busy). Here are some pictures from the last couple of days. When break is over, I will make an album with all of the pictures we've taken and put a link to it on here. Enjoy!
We had our Albanian friends over again for Burek. Here Steve is practicing rolling out the dough very thinly; Aina supervises (Eri and Juli in the background preparing the filling).
Yesterday (Monday) we went over to check the mail, as we have been 3x a day for the past month, and were delighted to find a letter and a slip of paper that said we had a package. We immediately went to the post office to pick it up. Here is the funny (not funny haha) thing: the letter was sent a week (or less) ago, and the package was sent a month (or more) ago. It is so great to get notes from home! The candy corn was a bit crunchy, and tasted a little bit like the coffee...we loved it! And we're very excited about the coffee. :)
Last night we journeyed over to Karklu to eat dinner with 2 RAs (Steve's RAs from last year...they are still RAs, but on a different team). It was so fun. We love these girls!
Nadiya, Tania, Steve
Tania, Steve, Laura
We enjoyed each other's company so much, this morning/afternoon we all got up and went to the clock museum together. Clocks have come a long way over the years!
Tania, Nadiya, Laura (reflection), Steve
Steve and me in front of the museum.
After the clock museum, we went our separate ways. Steve and I wanted some lunch, so we decided to go somewhere we'd never been before. It was a good choice! Steve had pancakes with cheese sauce and mushrooms, and I had chicken stew with rice and vegetables. The name of the place means (I think): Central Newspaper Cafe and Bar
After lunch, we walked ALL OVER Klaipeda. It was a cloudy day, but felt warm (I'm guessing upper 40s). Here are a couple of pictures from that:
Steve by a colorful building and some arrows.
Me by a bulding covered in vines.
It is Autumn here! The colorful leaves look good against the grey sky.
Hope everyone is doing well!
We had our Albanian friends over again for Burek. Here Steve is practicing rolling out the dough very thinly; Aina supervises (Eri and Juli in the background preparing the filling).
Yesterday (Monday) we went over to check the mail, as we have been 3x a day for the past month, and were delighted to find a letter and a slip of paper that said we had a package. We immediately went to the post office to pick it up. Here is the funny (not funny haha) thing: the letter was sent a week (or less) ago, and the package was sent a month (or more) ago. It is so great to get notes from home! The candy corn was a bit crunchy, and tasted a little bit like the coffee...we loved it! And we're very excited about the coffee. :)
Last night we journeyed over to Karklu to eat dinner with 2 RAs (Steve's RAs from last year...they are still RAs, but on a different team). It was so fun. We love these girls!
Nadiya, Tania, Steve
Tania, Steve, Laura
We enjoyed each other's company so much, this morning/afternoon we all got up and went to the clock museum together. Clocks have come a long way over the years!
Tania, Nadiya, Laura (reflection), Steve
Steve and me in front of the museum.
After the clock museum, we went our separate ways. Steve and I wanted some lunch, so we decided to go somewhere we'd never been before. It was a good choice! Steve had pancakes with cheese sauce and mushrooms, and I had chicken stew with rice and vegetables. The name of the place means (I think): Central Newspaper Cafe and Bar
After lunch, we walked ALL OVER Klaipeda. It was a cloudy day, but felt warm (I'm guessing upper 40s). Here are a couple of pictures from that:
Steve by a colorful building and some arrows.
Me by a bulding covered in vines.
It is Autumn here! The colorful leaves look good against the grey sky.
Hope everyone is doing well!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
No dice
Went to the doctor today...she thought the stitches were not ready to come out yet. She prescribed me some things to properly keep the finger clean. I have to go in tomorrow to get it looked at again, and then on Monday morning, I will go in and get the stitches out. So a few more days with a bandaged finger.
I must say I'm a little relieved. I also didn't think the stitches were ready to come out.
Thanks for the prayers! I could use some more on Monday morning (or...Sunday night for you).
Have a great weekend. It is a blessing in disguise that we have to stay here over break (and that the doctor's office is right across the street (and down a ways) from school).
I must say I'm a little relieved. I also didn't think the stitches were ready to come out.
Thanks for the prayers! I could use some more on Monday morning (or...Sunday night for you).
Have a great weekend. It is a blessing in disguise that we have to stay here over break (and that the doctor's office is right across the street (and down a ways) from school).
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Short post
Hi All,
We are doing well, here in the middle of midterm week.
We will have to stay here in Klaipeda for fall break, because Steve will be the RD on duty. It is the opposite of last year, where we had to leave the country...this time around, we can't leave the city. It will still be relaxing, and hopefully we will be able to get off campus and explore the places in Klaipeda we haven't yet been to.
I can't remember if I've posted it on here yet or not, but this year I still get to participate in Community Bible Study International. It is such a blessing to be able to get off campus and be spiritually fed (also a good place to find some community and fellowship, even if it is only one night a week!). We are studying Ephesians this semester, and it is very encouraging! I had done the Ephesians study with Community Bible Study back in Pennsylvania, but it is always good to study it again!
This week our memory verse is Ephesians 2:8-9 (taken from the NIV...I included verse 10 because I like it and can't hardly recite 8 and 9 without it):
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Tomorrow morning (Thursday), I will go and have my stitches taken out of my finger. Pray for me! I get queasy just thinking about it.
Other than that, we are (along with everyone else) just counting down the minutes until fall break! Hope everyone back home is doing well.
We are doing well, here in the middle of midterm week.
We will have to stay here in Klaipeda for fall break, because Steve will be the RD on duty. It is the opposite of last year, where we had to leave the country...this time around, we can't leave the city. It will still be relaxing, and hopefully we will be able to get off campus and explore the places in Klaipeda we haven't yet been to.
I can't remember if I've posted it on here yet or not, but this year I still get to participate in Community Bible Study International. It is such a blessing to be able to get off campus and be spiritually fed (also a good place to find some community and fellowship, even if it is only one night a week!). We are studying Ephesians this semester, and it is very encouraging! I had done the Ephesians study with Community Bible Study back in Pennsylvania, but it is always good to study it again!
This week our memory verse is Ephesians 2:8-9 (taken from the NIV...I included verse 10 because I like it and can't hardly recite 8 and 9 without it):
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Tomorrow morning (Thursday), I will go and have my stitches taken out of my finger. Pray for me! I get queasy just thinking about it.
Other than that, we are (along with everyone else) just counting down the minutes until fall break! Hope everyone back home is doing well.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Some Things We Did in Vilnius
On our trip to Vilnius last weekend, besides visiting the Hill of Crosses, we were toured through the Museum of Genocide Victims. This museum is located in the former KGB headquarters for the Vilnius region. The tour was fascinating and heartbreaking all at the same time. When most of us Westerners think about WWII we quickly think of the gruesomeness of the Holocaust and often forget about the genocides that took place involving non-Jewish peoples.
Most of our tour of the Genocide Museum took place in the basement of the building where the KGB prison was located. The prison has changed very little from the time it was used (from 1940-1991). The prisoners brought to this prison were political prisoners who had in someway resisted the Soviet way.
We had been told that going to this museum was "essential" to a visit to Vilnius and I think that I agree. I feel like I have a much more informed perspective on history and culture having visited this museum.
For more information check out the museum's website here: The Museum of Genocide Victims
I have currently been reading a book in which the two main characters are discussing the topics of Jesus, the message of the Gospels, heaven, hell, etc. As I finished a chapter today, the characters were continuing their conversation as they were walking into the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. As they are entering the museum one of the characters asks what Jesus is doing or trying to accomplish by "using language of hell, plus all the other negative outcomes" in his parables. The other character replies, "He's trying to get us to repent so that places like this will no longer need to be built."*
That is my prayer. Not only is that our mission while we are in Lithuania, but for where ever and to whomever we are called.
*McLaren, B.D. 2005. The last word and the word after that: a tale of faith, doubt, and a new kind of Christianity. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Most of our tour of the Genocide Museum took place in the basement of the building where the KGB prison was located. The prison has changed very little from the time it was used (from 1940-1991). The prisoners brought to this prison were political prisoners who had in someway resisted the Soviet way.
We had been told that going to this museum was "essential" to a visit to Vilnius and I think that I agree. I feel like I have a much more informed perspective on history and culture having visited this museum.
For more information check out the museum's website here: The Museum of Genocide Victims
I have currently been reading a book in which the two main characters are discussing the topics of Jesus, the message of the Gospels, heaven, hell, etc. As I finished a chapter today, the characters were continuing their conversation as they were walking into the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. As they are entering the museum one of the characters asks what Jesus is doing or trying to accomplish by "using language of hell, plus all the other negative outcomes" in his parables. The other character replies, "He's trying to get us to repent so that places like this will no longer need to be built."*
That is my prayer. Not only is that our mission while we are in Lithuania, but for where ever and to whomever we are called.
*McLaren, B.D. 2005. The last word and the word after that: a tale of faith, doubt, and a new kind of Christianity. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
tuesday's adventures
Today was a busy day. I had planned on it being a busy day anyway, but there was some added adventure.
Here's the rundown, since my typing is limited:
9-10am - go to office, print out grocery list, and recipe for salsa.
10a-12p- Go grocery shopping for first year night (big event for first year students)
12-1p - Go to a First Year Seminar presentation.
1-2p - lunch with Steve
2-2:15p - start chopping up tomatoes for salsa, and chatting with one of my orientation leaders
2:15-4pm - slice chunk of finger instead of tomato, bleed everywhere, go to hospital, get 3 stitches, get all bandaged up, see other people in far worse shape than I am in, drive to a clinic, drive to another clinic, register at that clinic, make appointments to go get the bandages changed and stitches removed, go back to LCC.
4-7p -- continue to help with the set-up for first year night (my leaders finished the salsa, it was amazing)
7-9p - host Addam's family theme party for first year students, me dressed as pugsley and steve as uncle fester.
9-10p - clean up
can you guess which part of the day wasn't planned? I will work on posting a photo album of first year night...there are no photos of the injured finger...too graphic.
Here are some to hold you over:
left to right: Ulyana, Ana, Steve, Laura (Ulyana is the SOS leader that Steve teaches first year seminar with, Ana is the SOS leader that Laura teaches first year seminar with. They are both pretty great!)
The Addams Family...with 2 Wednesdays
No wedding ring for a while (also now needs to be cleaned).
Here's the rundown, since my typing is limited:
9-10am - go to office, print out grocery list, and recipe for salsa.
10a-12p- Go grocery shopping for first year night (big event for first year students)
12-1p - Go to a First Year Seminar presentation.
1-2p - lunch with Steve
2-2:15p - start chopping up tomatoes for salsa, and chatting with one of my orientation leaders
2:15-4pm - slice chunk of finger instead of tomato, bleed everywhere, go to hospital, get 3 stitches, get all bandaged up, see other people in far worse shape than I am in, drive to a clinic, drive to another clinic, register at that clinic, make appointments to go get the bandages changed and stitches removed, go back to LCC.
4-7p -- continue to help with the set-up for first year night (my leaders finished the salsa, it was amazing)
7-9p - host Addam's family theme party for first year students, me dressed as pugsley and steve as uncle fester.
9-10p - clean up
can you guess which part of the day wasn't planned? I will work on posting a photo album of first year night...there are no photos of the injured finger...too graphic.
Here are some to hold you over:
left to right: Ulyana, Ana, Steve, Laura (Ulyana is the SOS leader that Steve teaches first year seminar with, Ana is the SOS leader that Laura teaches first year seminar with. They are both pretty great!)
The Addams Family...with 2 Wednesdays
No wedding ring for a while (also now needs to be cleaned).
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Vilnius
We had a long but wonderful day today!
We were some of the lucky staff that got to go along on the intercultural trip (for the second year in a row!). This year, we went to Hill of Crosses again, and then on to Vilnius! Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and it is also the Capital of Culture of Europe for 2009.
We were hoping to be able to carve out some time in our schedule to sneak away and go visit a distant cousin of mine who was in Vilnius this week for a conference, but unfortunately it did not work out.
It was a full day though, with wonderful weather (cold, but no rain...and even some blue sky!), and wonderful company.
As usual, we took millions of pictures.
They are here.
Enjoy!
Hope all is well....heard through the grapevine that Minnesota saw some snow already!
We were some of the lucky staff that got to go along on the intercultural trip (for the second year in a row!). This year, we went to Hill of Crosses again, and then on to Vilnius! Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and it is also the Capital of Culture of Europe for 2009.
We were hoping to be able to carve out some time in our schedule to sneak away and go visit a distant cousin of mine who was in Vilnius this week for a conference, but unfortunately it did not work out.
It was a full day though, with wonderful weather (cold, but no rain...and even some blue sky!), and wonderful company.
As usual, we took millions of pictures.
They are here.
Enjoy!
Hope all is well....heard through the grapevine that Minnesota saw some snow already!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
A Fun Gift
As most of the United States knows by now my beloved Minnesota Twins topped off a great weekend of Minnesota sports with and epic victory last night (or for me, very early this morning).
If there is one cultural thing that I miss by living in Eastern Europe, it is the fact that it is difficult to watch the sports teams that I love...or really any sports at all. I am blessed to have a wonderful internet connection and access to espn.com, twins.mlb.com, nfl.com, bethel.edu, and other websites (I could even follow my cousins' high school football, soccer, basketball, and hockey scores last year). This whole internet thing is nothing new and you all know that.
However, it is very much a treat when I can follow a game live and share in it with my fellow fans. Last night, our friends, the Yockeys, who spent last year here at LCC with us, emailed me and to see if we were going to attempt to follow the Twins game (they are from Illinois and are Cub fans, but also baseball fans). Then they offered to help us listen to the radio feed of the game via the internet. It was very generous of them and it was so great to talk to them for a while as we made the arrangements.
Being the game started at 12:00 midnight our time and lasted 4 1/2 hours, I was exhausted, but so glad I stayed up to witness a great game.
The long night also gave me time to think of all of the people who are supporting us to be here working at LCC. I am amazed at all of generosity and creativity of all of you in the ways you support us. Thank you so much. Even though I may not have time or space to mention each one by name, know that have been a blessing to Laura and me.
Thank you for you prayers. And all you Minnesotans now have to cheer extra hard during the playoffs.
If there is one cultural thing that I miss by living in Eastern Europe, it is the fact that it is difficult to watch the sports teams that I love...or really any sports at all. I am blessed to have a wonderful internet connection and access to espn.com, twins.mlb.com, nfl.com, bethel.edu, and other websites (I could even follow my cousins' high school football, soccer, basketball, and hockey scores last year). This whole internet thing is nothing new and you all know that.
However, it is very much a treat when I can follow a game live and share in it with my fellow fans. Last night, our friends, the Yockeys, who spent last year here at LCC with us, emailed me and to see if we were going to attempt to follow the Twins game (they are from Illinois and are Cub fans, but also baseball fans). Then they offered to help us listen to the radio feed of the game via the internet. It was very generous of them and it was so great to talk to them for a while as we made the arrangements.
Being the game started at 12:00 midnight our time and lasted 4 1/2 hours, I was exhausted, but so glad I stayed up to witness a great game.
The long night also gave me time to think of all of the people who are supporting us to be here working at LCC. I am amazed at all of generosity and creativity of all of you in the ways you support us. Thank you so much. Even though I may not have time or space to mention each one by name, know that have been a blessing to Laura and me.
Thank you for you prayers. And all you Minnesotans now have to cheer extra hard during the playoffs.
Friday, October 2, 2009
ch-ch-ch-chain
Last January when Guy came and visited us, it was a blast. Months before he came, I made a paper chain to count down the days until his arrival (I honestly thought that I had blogged about this, but I've searched high and low and can't find the blog to link to).
Shortly after Guy left, we thought it would be fun(ny) to make a chain to countdown the days until Eva and Hannah visited. They are coming in February of 2010. So I made a year's worth of chain links and linked them all together. Up until May, it served as a dual countdown, because that is when Steve's parents came to visit.
For over the summer, we packed it up with all of our stuff and left it behind. It was really a relief to be able to tear away that many chain links when we got back after the summer was over.
Anyway, the chain is so big, and our apartment is not, so it has been living on top of the counter with lots of other goodies...until now. It is finally a manage-able length...which is exciting, because that means that we will have visitors soon! February 2010 is right around the corner...and in honor of that, we've relocated the chain to a more prominent area of the apartment.
Here is the current length...it now fits in our living room! The beginning of the chain is touching the camera (hence why all of the flash got soaked in to the links), and the end of the chain is hooked on the bathroom door. There's Steve in the background!
Here is where we used to keep the chain, among some of our other favorite things.
And here is its new home. Steve thinks it looks like Pippi Longstocking.
Well, I'm on my lunch break and need to get back to the ol' office. If you would like to come and visit us, we now have a hide-a-bed, we are pretty good cooks, and we will make you a paper chain. Just some things to consider :)
Shortly after Guy left, we thought it would be fun(ny) to make a chain to countdown the days until Eva and Hannah visited. They are coming in February of 2010. So I made a year's worth of chain links and linked them all together. Up until May, it served as a dual countdown, because that is when Steve's parents came to visit.
For over the summer, we packed it up with all of our stuff and left it behind. It was really a relief to be able to tear away that many chain links when we got back after the summer was over.
Anyway, the chain is so big, and our apartment is not, so it has been living on top of the counter with lots of other goodies...until now. It is finally a manage-able length...which is exciting, because that means that we will have visitors soon! February 2010 is right around the corner...and in honor of that, we've relocated the chain to a more prominent area of the apartment.
Here is the current length...it now fits in our living room! The beginning of the chain is touching the camera (hence why all of the flash got soaked in to the links), and the end of the chain is hooked on the bathroom door. There's Steve in the background!
Here is where we used to keep the chain, among some of our other favorite things.
And here is its new home. Steve thinks it looks like Pippi Longstocking.
Well, I'm on my lunch break and need to get back to the ol' office. If you would like to come and visit us, we now have a hide-a-bed, we are pretty good cooks, and we will make you a paper chain. Just some things to consider :)
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