Three Years Ago...

I wasn't planning on blogging today... I have been thinking about it but actually planning on doing it. Yeah right. But here I am writing out this blog post. Mostly because I happen to finish my homework early tonight and instead of going to bed I checked my e-mail. I had a message from Rachael Stoner. It said...

Remember this. I am so thankful for you :)

Attached was the first e-mail I had ever sent to the Stoner's introducing myself. It will be exactly three years on December 10th that I sent that message and it was on December 20th that I started the application process of joining ABWE. 

Reading over that first e-mail I had sent to the Stoner's, I am kinda impress how well it was written. It was definitely a God-thing. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around how much my life has changed in the last three years from moving to France, getting kicked out, going back, moving to Romania, and ending up with my current job as a nanny. 

As I am getting ready to fly across the country to help out my cousin next week, I have really been thinking about decisions and life choices lately. This e-mail was a great reminder that God is in control of everything and he has a much better plan for me then I ever imagined. 

A Year to This Day

This weekend a year ago, I had gotten a message from the Stoner's through a friend saying that Dan's was having health problems and they wanted me to contact them as soon as possible. That call was pretty much life changing. We were in the middle of the last month of camp. I was wore out and tired looking forward to flying back to France in only a couple weeks to see my adorable kids. 

Little did I know that call was going to lead to many more calls via skype with bad internet connections over Starbucks drinks in a Cluj mall. Those calls consisted of the Stoner's explaining Dan's cancer to me and my possible future plans. Over the next month, I made the decision to apply for my Romania visa and see were God would lead me. 

God lead me to stay right there in Romania. It's crazy to think of everything that has happened in just the past year and I am excited to see what else God has planned for life. Even though some days it feels like I am going to be in the same place forever. It's nice to be reminded how far I have came along in the past year. 

It's Pretty Wonderful

I started this blog post with no idea what I was going to blog about but having an urge to write something since I have a little free time for once in my time. I am sure I could find more useful things to be doing right now other then blogging like cleaning my room or getting a head start on that five page paper but I decided to blog instead. 

I will confess to my real motives about blogging. Facebook can sometimes be depressing with everyone announcing their plans of life. There is a part of me that is jealous. So I decided to blog and think about the wonderful things in life like my boys. 

Even though I miss the Stoner's and my boy Josiah telling me I am beautiful, it's pretty wonderful to see these smiling boys faces everyday. 

God is Able

This morning started out rough for me. I had planned to wake up early and go work out but I couldn't get the car out of the garage and blah, blah, blah.... It was rough but I did make it to the gym. 

On my way to the fitness room I ran into Beth. She is a regular at the y she has been going there for as long as I can remember, she knew I had went to France to help the Stoner's. So she asked me about my time in Europe. I told her how I ended up in Romania working in the orphanages. Beth is adoption from China, so as I told her about my time working in the orphanages. She completely understands but not from my perspective but from a perspective as a little kid. 

Beth was adopted when she was eight. She remembers what it likes to live in the orphanage and hopelessness a child must feel. But Beth was lucky enough to get adopted unlike many others. Beth understood when I told her of my wish to adopt all the kids and to give them hope for a better future. 

Talking to Beth this morning, reminded me of how much I still miss Romania two months later and how God does work miracles. I am sure as a kid growing up in a orphanage, she never imagine that she would be blessed by such an amazing family here in the U.S. So instead of putting God in a box I am going to pray for all the kids I work with for God to move in their lives because 

He can do anything!

Triplets

The boys are so cute. I already love them. And the family spoils me pretty bad. For Easter I got my nails and eyebrows done at the Salon. Then Easter afternoon I was visited by Bryson and Bronson with an Easter basket full of chocolate and goodies. Not to mention that the grandma cooks me Thai everyday for lunch. The running joke is that the grandma is actually my nanny and I just take care of the boys ;) 

Bryson, Braxton, and Bronson.

They are adorable, are they not? I love it when Braxton looks at me with his big brown eyes, or when Bryson tries to talk to me, and when Bronson gives me a look like how could I ever think about putting him down. 

In our Sunday Best

So much for that 75* weather. I can't say I was too happy to see it snowing this morning when I woke up but I am sure I will get over it quickly when I go to cuddle with the boys today. Have I mentioned how much I love my job?! Cause I really love it. Anyway so this weekend the weather was so nice it was perfect for Sunday afternoon pictures and getting the first sunburn of the year. Oh Yeah!

Rachel's Outfit: Dress:Banana Republic, Shoes: Goodwill;
My Outfit: Dress: France, Shoes: Target

Nannying

I started my nannying job, so I get to spend my day with these boys. They are pretty cute plus I get awesome benefits like free Thai food everyday at lunch, frozen yogurt starting in June at their new shop, and 50% off on my nails at the salon. My toes will be looking pretty this summer :) I am grateful for a job working with kids and all the time I spent in  in Romania has helped me prepare for this job with the triplets like handing three crying babies all at once, mastering the technic of feeding them all at the same time, and changing diapers super fast to avoid any extra stray. 

Feeling Fancy

I did my hair yesterday. It is sorta a big deal, unless I wear my hair in braids it is usually down. Mercy gave me that black hair band for my birthday in France and I have had it for over a year now unsure of how I was going to wear it. Then I remember all the girls at camp this summer in Romania had their hair pulled back all cute with a hair band and I thought Let's try it. So yesterday morning I asked mama to help me perfect my hair-do for church. I would say it came out pretty good, it might be a popular hair-do for me this summer if I can master it by myself. 

Sarmale

I think I have mentioned a few times how much I love Sarmale. The last five weekends I was in Romania I made sure I ate Sarmale at least once every weekend. That and Papanasi. And that might be the reason why I gained a few pounds before I headed home. Truth be told.

My grandma likes cabbage, I like sarmale. It's a good fit. So last week I convinced my grandma that we should make some sarmale. 

She brought the ingredients and I slaved away in the kitchen for two hours cooking that cabbage. And let me tell you it didn't end up looking this like...

Or tasting as good as this. I was a bit disappointed my sarmale seem to lack some spices. Or maybe it was just missing some mamaliga. Haha. I doubt that was it but you never know. It might be a few weeks before I get the courage to try this recipe out again. 

But here is to trying new things and blogging more often. Cheers!

My Return Home

Leaving Romania for me wasn't that hard. My kids didn't know I was leaving and my schedule was a little hectic the last couple of weeks. So I think that made it easier when it was time for me to leave and I knew I was stopping in Holland to visit Rachel which was something for me to look forward too. 

I got to spend some extra time with my roommates before I left. We visited Peles and Bran Castle. It was pretty awesome and it was on my bucket list of things to do. 

While in Amsterdam with Rachel, I visited the Anne Frank House and got to spend some time with her family. Which was nice and relaxing transition on my way back.

I am not going to lie was a little disappointed with Anne Frank's house. It was just a whole bunch of quotes on the wall. My recommendation is to just read the book.

My transition back home has been a little rough. Not starting my job as soon as planned, not having a car, and lack of money. Has left me at home with not much to do these past few days/weeks except think about Romania and all my kids. But I promise to blog about the little things like new recipes, cute kids, and exciting new movies? And if I get any news on my kids in Romania I wont hesitate to inform you too. 

Hope your week is more exciting then mine!

Break my Heart for What Breaks Yours.

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity

Hillsong United - Hosanna

This was my prayer this morning as I did my morning devotions. Living here in Romania has opened my eyes to so many things. I pray that as I head back to the States, I won't close my eyes just because I am in a comfortable place. That I will continue to see through Christ eyes. 

This became so real for me today when we were at the orphanage. We were informed that one of our orphan boys has HIV. This is one of the boys I spend a good amount of time with. I always joke that the kids on drugs are the ones that speak to me the most because they are too high to realize I don't really know Romanian. But the reason he is high on drugs is not necessarily that he chooses to but that's the only way those people know how to treat it. It broke my heart to hear about this but what disgusted me the most was the way we were informed, Watch out. He has HIV, you have to be careful around him. As if we were being informed of a street dog that might bite us.  

I pray that I never sound like that when describing one of God's children that way and that I always have respect and patience to care for His people no matter the time or place. 

Spitalul de Copii

I try to make it to the hospital every Tuesday no matter how busy my week may be. I love my kids. I don't know if I have mentioned this enough. 

There is Andrei, who is by far the biggest kid even if he is only 8 months. His smile can make the whole room light up. He is leaving for his new foster home this week. 

Then there is Stefan, who always seems to be sick with something which somehow also ends up with him spitting up all over me. But I still find him adorable. 

And the last picture is of Mihai Stefan? I am not hundred percent sure on the name, it seems to change from week to week. He has a lot of family names people like to call him by. But I am pretty sure he is the cutest baby I have ever seen and I have seen some pretty cute babies. And he always has a smile to give.

Every kid has a story to tell it even though might not be as tragic on the next kid's. One of the boy's who was at the baby hospital the first time I visited this summer was back again today. I wouldn't have recognized him. He is almost three. Ana started to tell me how his dad came to pick him up in the fall and how the police found him on the streets this past week. I couldn't get the thought out of my head, how this little boy was surviving on the streets and how a parent could forget there kid like that. It breaks my heart. And I can only pray that God takes care of every single one of these kids and gives them a better life. 

I'm not Ready.

I am not ready to go to bed. I am not ready to finish my Romanian homework. I am not ready to leave and say good-bye to all my kids yet. I brought my ticket home this week. And I am looking forward to seeing my family and cuddling with my dog and cat. Spending time with my friends. 

But I am not ready to say good-bye. 

La Multi Ani?

La Multi Ani can be used for many celebrations in Romanian from New Year to Anniversaries to Birthday's. 

Which can be confusing for someone like me. In Romania, you always wish someone happy new year when it's your first time seeing them in the new year. It doesn't matter if the new year started yesterday or if it was four months ago. If it's your first time seeing them you wish my "La Multi Ani". 

My birthday was this past week and my church family here in Romania is great. They are very encouraging and welcoming. So naturally they announced my birthday to the church this week so for the past few days I have had people coming up to me wishing me "La Multi Ani" and I am confused pretty much all the time when people are speaking Romanian to me but the awkwardness of not knowing if they are wishing me Happy New Year or Happy Birthday is a whole new level of confusing. I just don't know how to respond. So I think I am mastering the reassuring head nod gesture. "Da.. (always say it will a little head nodding action and a smile)" 

Reunion-ed

I have had to much to blog about but just haven't had the time over the holidays but something I had to find time to blog about is my visit with Rachel. She flew all the way in the Holland to come visit me on Christmas day. We spent a week together before she had to fly out on New Year's morning. 

Our week was filled with ice skating, walking the streets of Bucharest, and watching tons of movies. It's a bit hard to describe Romania to a Western European but we had a good time touring the city together. 

As the Romanians say it, 

"La Multi Ani"