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"

Caroling in Budesti and Curcani

As I write this I am feeling a little sick. It could be from not getting more then six hours a sleep a night or the fact I was sick on vacation and haven't had time to recover or that I have been eating sugar and sausage since vacation or it might cause my heart hurts for all my people in the village. 

We woke up bright and early yesterday to carol at the village. It was great. Our village kids loved seeing us sing carols to them and we got to hand out Christmas shoe boxes in Curcani.

This girl was so excited to get her box.  She is smiling with her big "Romanian" smile. She was so happy Kim wanted to take of picture of her.

I wanted to share the picture below. I was secretly laughing to myself. All the ladies were handing out food bags to some of the families and they told Kim and I to stay behind to sing with the boys. So here is Kim and I in the middle of village, two white girls singing gypsy music. You might think me singing Romanian was a big deal but singing Romanian gypsy music is a whole new level of singing. 

One of the families they took a bag of food too was my little girl's family. Her grandma was so sweet. Like many of our people in the village. She only lives in a two room shack taking care of her six grand kids. They have a dirt floor covered with a tiny rug in the room they sleep in and the other room is used to cook and store wood. Jenny said when they arrived the grandma started to cry and said, "Today I prayed for bread because I had nothing for the kids to eat, and look how He responded. He not only provided us food, but a visit from my friends as well. What a wonderful God we have." 

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. But this year it's a little hard. Knowing I am blessed with so much but my little girl in the village might not have anything to eat on Christmas. It kinda makes my heart hurt a lot today. 

Merry Christmas!