My First Week in Hungary

Whew!  What a whirlwind week it’s been getting settled here in Hungary.  I cannot thank you all enough for your texts, emails, messages and comments.  

If you have said even one single prayer for me – THANK YOU.  I have felt the strength of your prayers very strongly.  I know some of you have said many, many prayers for me, too.  The word “overwhelmed” could very easily have summed up this entire week, but God’s strength and sovereignty has given me peace and calm.  

I thought a fun way to do this blog post would be answering some FAQs about what life is like here so far!  I included a few pictures too.  Both my house, bedroom and classroom are in various stages of disarray right now but I promise I will take more pictures soon and post them soon!

Where are you living?

ICSB is outside of the city of Budapest, in a little town called Diosd. I am sharing a house with two other missionaries, one of whom is in the states until the end of the month.  The walk to school is about 25 minutes, but I am hoping to get a bicycle to ride to school when the weather permits.  In this community, many missionaries and teachers live near by and have been willing to give us rides too! 

Desk in my room - total mess! 

Bed in my room 

My house from the front! 

I have a long list of things to buy for my bedroom but I went to IKEA earlier this week and was completely overwhelmed!  I took pictures and need to think about what I want to spend money on.  I need to get a dresser and a wardrobe/armoire (no closet...), bedding and SO much more!  For now I have decided my bedroom is live-able and getting my classroom in shape has taken priority! 

What are you eating?

Within the first week, I have eaten dinner with three different missionary families in the community! Everyone is so hospitable!  At several homes I was able to watch some of the Olympics, which was a real treat! :) 

I also had two friends go with me to the grocery store for the first time.  It went well!  I was surprised at how familiar it felt. The aisles were grouped similarly and I felt like I could find what I was looking for.  My wonderful TeachBeyond member care coordinator had dropped off a bag of food at my house so I didn’t have too many things I needed to buy – what a blessing! 

My first purchase at the store, Interspar

  

My roommate and I made spaghetti and salad for dinner one night! I still need to get a good picture of she and I together! 

 

My friend Zoe and I went out for ice cream after school one day after school (I got chocolate of course)! 

What have you been doing?

All of this week was NSO (New Staff Orientation) at ICSB. The school is K-12 so we have a director, principals for elementary/middle/high school, a curriculum development specialist and a school-wide chaplain.  They led the NSO and did a wonderful job providing us with information and helping us transition into our new roles at the school.  We had morning devotions, sessions on Hungarian culture, language, the school’s safety/emergency protocols, curriculum and instruction, Biblical integration and grade level specific information.

All of next week is ASO (All Staff Orientation). Looking forward to meeting lots of other people that serve at ICSB!

Thankfully with both NSO and ASO we have time to work in our classrooms during the afternoon. I have been arranging furniture, going through cabinets, studying curriculum and handbooks, and just learning the ropes on the Elementary floor.

  

My classroom overlooks our school playground and the busy street that runs through town! 

Little file cabinet near my desk - the rest of my room is too big of a mess for pictures!

View from a balcony at school! 

Church near my school 

What are the people at school like?

The leadership team at ICSB is amazing!  Everyone has been so warmly welcoming. All of the other teachers and staff are awesome too.  They all understand what it feels like to do this – leave everything you know behind to serve God in an unfamiliar culture!  I ask a million questions a day and everyone is so helpful. I am incredibly thankful and excited to serve at ICSB.  It really is a special place.  I cannot WAIT to meet my students (a week from Monday)! :) They are the whole reason I am here!  

What is the weather like?

It’s been sunny every day except on Wednesday it poured rain. It is cooler in the mornings and evenings but warms up to the mid-80s during the day.  To a native Texan, it is not that hot but the catch is that most places do not have air conditioning.  So you open windows and turn on fans all the time!  I am looking forward to it cooling off, hopefully soon!  I have heard the autumn season here is really beautiful! 

How are you feeling about all this?

Pretty good.  I know in my heart that God has called me to this place.  My week of NSO has helped to affirm this calling and remind me that I am not just here to serve God, but to know Him deeper and in a new way.  He has blessed me thus far and I have so much to be grateful for.

On my first day here, I was reading Colossians 3:1-2 and “set your heart on things above, not on earthly things” really struck me.  It is the earthly things here in Hungary that feel SO different and that I am adjusting to.  I have thought about that verse a few times this week and reminded myself to focus on things above!  It is hard sometimes...and by sometimes, I mean every single day.  

My fellow teachers will understand the challenges of being in a new school and classroom, and learning new curriculum.  My to-do list is growing exponentially, with just about a week and a half left until students arrive.   I know it will all get done, it always does!  But if I could sleep at school to maximize my time in the classroom, I would! 

As far as homesickness, right now I am missing my people very much!  I think about my family and friends constantly and do subtraction in my head to figure out what time it is in their time zone!  Last night I was sad talking to my dad on the phone.  Something about his familiar voice just made me fall apart!  It is weird being somewhere where you don't really have a long history with anyone.  Whenever I get a text or email that someone is thinking of me, my heart soars because God uses them to encourage me!  So please keep it up and don’t be afraid to reach out! :) I want to hear what is going on back at home and be able to pray for you too. 

Thanks again for all the support and prayers!  I love y’all so much!

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IAH -->CDG

Note: This is a bit much but I am trying to write down all the little details that I would probably forget otherwise! :)   Also I don't have any pictures so this is not that exciting of a post!  But thanks for reading (or skimming, haha)! 

My last few days in Texas were an emotional roller coaster! I cried all the tears and had all the crying headaches and gave all the hugs and prayed prayers for my mission, my family and my future school family at ICSB!

 

On Thursday I exercised at the YMCA and then went out for breakfast tacos with my sister and her family. They were so delicious! 

Back at home I opened up all my luggage and did a final run through of my packing list! All throughout the day, I had phone calls, visits and sweet last minute gifts from friends and family. My dad had to work that day so it was nice having people keep me company all day!  

 On Thursday evening my family went out for Italian at one of our favorite Kingwood restaurants, J. Christopher's. It was a wonderful last dinner to enjoy at home! 

That night I got 8 hours of sleep which was such an answer to prayer! I had not slept well the night before. 

On Friday morning, I: 

1. Wrote some cards 

2. Ate a final mug of Blue Bell ice cream (Mint Chocolate Chip)  

3. Cried on the couch with my dad  

4. Spent time with my sister and her kids  

5. Straightened up my bedroom

6. Cried with my sister 

7. Texted and emailed with a bunch of people  

8. Fought the final Battle of the Luggage Weight with my trusty assistant, my dad! (okay to be honest, my dad did most of the heavy lifting!)  

9. Felt thankful that my fundraising was compete in June and that I am able to start the school year at ICSB!  

 Later on my dad and I picked up my sister to come with us to the airport. I said goodbye to her husband, my nieces and nephew, and cried a lot. Then we were off! 

We made it to terminal D and got my luggage dropped off pretty quickly! Then it was time for the final hugs and tears and I-love-yous! IT. WAS. SO. HARD. 

 I made it through security (again, pretty quickly - so grateful!) and then sat down to put away my laptop and put my shoes back on. I felt God's presence with me and thought of Psalm 91 and angels surrounding me! I suddenly thought of all the people who were lifting me up in prayer today. I want you all to know - I felt strengthened by your prayers and your love! I can't explain it but I just felt emboldened with confidence and peace. Thank you so much!

 I got to my gate with an hour to spare so I texted, emailed, ate chocolate and listened to the "In the Heights" soundtrack (current obsession)! 

 When I boarded the plane I realized my seat was not the best. It was in the middle of a row of four, at the front of a new section so...no personal screen to watch movies, no USB to charge my phone, and no seat in front of me to put my backpack under. I would have to store it overhead & get it out each time I needed something. Not the end of the world, but not the best set-up for 8+ hours in the air!  

 I was texting my sister and she said "Can you change seats or is it full?" I'm so glad she said that because it really hadn't occurred to me that I could ask for a new seat. I never want to bother flight attendants or be one of those people making annoying demands! The flight was crowded but I could tell the plane wasn't full. A flight attendant nearby was trying to help a couple with a baby find a way to sit all together. I told her I would love nothing more than to change seats & help that family. As it happened, she ended up moving me to a completely different section closer to the front of the plane! I had an entire row of four seats to myself! I thanked her profusely and sent my sister a text with all the praise hand emojis!!!

The same flight attendant even came by to check on me after we took off to make sure I was good.  

Within an hour I was relaxed, sipping ginger ale and looking forward to dinner! On long flights I like to do "dinner and a movie" and start something new right as it is served - just for fun! (Maybe everyone does this?) I decided on Finding Nemo because I hadn't watched it in a few years. It still makes me laugh out loud! 

When the movie was over, it was time to *attempt* sleep by:  Listening to the entire Audrey Assad album "Inheritance".......Listening to Audrey Assad song "I See You" on repeat.......Turning on the Disney movie The Princess & the Frog........Reading a new book (The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult).  Reading finally made me tired and I did sleep for about an hour which was better than nothing!  

 My new favorite flight attendant of all time, Priscilla, checked on me throughout the flight. We talked about Disney movies and her 2 year old daughter. She asked about where I was headed and was very interested to hear about ICSB! She was just the sweetest. If I can find a way to write a positive review about her on the AirFrance website, I will! (Note to my dad: I know you will not be surprised by any part of this story!) :) 

When I landed here in Paris, I turned on my phone to find 32 texts and it made me so happy! I feel so loved and so cared for by my people!  The security checkpoint here in Paris took nearly an hour - screening of carry-on luggage was fast but the line for border patrol was ridiculously long.  There were 10 booths and only 3 of them were open.  Lovely!  People in line were furious because they were missing their connecting flights. :(  

It's morning here so I feel like I should be eating breakfast but Houston time is 3:45am??!  And I basically took a nap instead of having a regular night's sleep.  Oh well!  I will try to post again soon once I land in Budapest! Thank you again for all the love, support and prayers! 

My Heart is Steadfast

Yesterday evening my dad and I went on a walk to the lake. The heat index was 109.  What in the world?   I took a few pics to capture the moment - I know I will not see temperatures like this in Budapest! 

I'm honestly excited about some cooler weather in my future but I am not sure how this native Texan is going to deal with a real winter!?!?!  

Later on, I cried to my dad on the couch and just let myself be sad about leaving home and heading out to the unknown. I have never obeyed God like this before. There is so much blind trust behind this leap of faith and it is stretching me in new ways.  It hurts. 

I got teary-eyed but did not truly cry at either of my farewell parties. I just couldn't process each goodbye as it came, and I felt like there was so much going on! I knew it would hit me later on, and yesterday it did - full force. 

I told my dad I wish I was one of those people that didn't get all emotional about things.  He said then I wouldn't be myself, and I would be less than who I was meant to be.  I have never been that tough, stoic person.  I am moved to tears by written words, movies,  and (not even kidding) tv commercials! 

 Sometimes I wonder why God called someone like me to do something like this. I have never been a very adventurous soul.  I love traveling but I would never describe myself as having wanderlust.  I have never found it natural to leave home.  But from the time I was a teenager, I felt God pushing me to new experiences and places, like going to summer camp (which was a big deal for a homebody like me) and studying abroad in college.  

And now, this! 

One of my favorite songs is "My Heart is Steadfast" by Ellie Holcomb. This song is based on Psalm 108: 1 - 6.  I wish I could have found it on YouTube to share here but you can preview it on iTunes if you want to hear some of it!  

 I have listened to it ALOT lately to remind myself of God's presence and His sovereignty when I am feeling uncertain or anxious.  I love the word steadfast. The dictionary defines it as "not changing, firmly fixed in place." It is hard to explain how my heart can feel the ALL emotions of leaving home, and yet feel steadfast in my decision.  

My heart is steadfast, O God

I’ll sing praises up to Thee the among the nations

I’ll give thanks to Thee O Lord among the peoples

I’ll sing praises up to Thee in my soul

For Thy lovingkindness is great above the heavens

Thy truth it reaches to the skies

Be exalted O God above the heavens

And Thy glory over all the earth

That those who love may be delivered

Save with Thy right hand and answer me

Just wanted to share about how I am feeling with all of this.  Thank you to everyone who is encouraging me along this path!  I am so grateful. 

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It's Been a Busy Few Weeks!

I have been meaning to blog for several weeks but life has been SO busy lately! 

First of all, I am completely packed and ready to go, except for those few last minute things!  I will spare you the boring details that go into packing your entire life into 3 big suitcases and 2 smaller carry-ons!  

Here's what else has been happening around here: 

I went to Fort Worth for a weekend in late July and spent time with several friends and my sweet cousin! I only got pictures with my friend Gianna though.  Over the weekend I stopped at Bucee's twice and ate breakfast tacos twice so it's safe to say it was a pretty successful trip.  

Gianna and me at Kent & Co. 

My dear friend Carolyn threw me a Houston farewell party the last weekend in July! It had a "Blue Bell" theme because Blue Bell ice cream is one of the things I am going to miss most.  Carolyn did SO much to make my party special and I was so grateful!  

Carolyn and me 

My family in Kingwood threw me another farewell party this past weekend, headed up by my sister and her mother-in-law Ellen.  The food was amazing!  At both parties, I was able to chat with and hug so many people that I won't see for a long time. It was such a blessing!  

Me and Ellen 

My sister's mother-in-law Linda gave me the sweetest gift I have received in a long time. She created a personalized prayer journal for me!  It gives me a prayer for each day of the week and journal paper to write my own prayers.  She also gave me a copy of the book Fervent which I had been wanting to read all summer (and she had no idea)!  It is all about prayer.  

Also, I sold my car ("Gracie") to Linda and her husband Varner.  I love when a car can stay in the family! 

This was taken right before they drove away with Gracie! 

My last pic with Gracie!  

She has been a wonderful car for the past 2.5 years!

My brother, his wife and kids came to town for a week of family fun. It was the BEST!  

Me and my sister-in-law Kelly with our matching glasses! :) 

And my brother photobombing us as he ate chips and salsa.  

My sister's daughter + the triplets = The Quads

These girls were big fans of chips and queso! 

Lot of dress up when they are together! 

Ice cream sandwiches for dessert on the porch swing! 

TONS of pool time together! 

We enjoyed a family beach day with cousins in Galveston.  

Matching headbands with my oldest niece! 

There is nothing better than seeing kids have fun at the beach.  Of course, per family tradition we enjoyed fried chicken, cherries, chips and sodas for lunch!  

My sister, brother and me! 

My sisters and me!

My dad is retiring in the fall so my siblings decided to throw his retirement party a little early so we could all celebrate together!  

Y'all.  My dad has been practicing pediatrics for 41 years!  I am so proud of him of him for serving this community with excellence in his profession. 

But more than anything, I am proud of his character, how he lives out his faith each day, and the way he loves and cares for his family and friends. My dad always puts himself last and everything he does is for other people.  He is simply the best and I am so grateful to be his daughter! 

I am so blessed that my brother and sister married people that I love so much because I feel like there are five "kids" in our family.  We all love our dad so much!  My dad and brothers make me laugh more than anyone else in the world! 

Also my 4 siblings are the only people on this planet that fully understand what it means to be a daughter/son to my mom.  I know that even my siblings' spouses feel this way - to be loved, nurtured and parented by her is a blessing that none of us can adequately  put into words. We miss her each day but at these important moments (like my dad's retirement or me moving across the world), I think of her more than ever.  I could never explain how God makes it possible to experience my mom's love even more strongly now that she is in heaven.  All five of us do our best to live our lives individually and as a family in a way that honors God and honors the parents who made us who we are.  

God has blessed my summer so abundantly and there is a part of me that is sad to see it go.  But I always love this back-to-school time of year.  It is just going to look very different this year! 

I have had a lot of people ask how I am feeling lately and the best way to describe it is that I am ready to get this adventure started!  I have been praying about it since November 2015 and talking about it since February 2016.  It is now time to GO!  

I am excited, nervous, happy and ready!  I know there are challenging days ahead but I have an abiding sense of peace that comes with being in the center of God's will and following in obedience.  

Every hug, email, text, card, phone call, Facebook comment or message has meant so much to me!  I feel so cared for and supported by both of my church families, and all of my family and friends! Thank you to everyone who has showered me with your love, prayers, support and encouragement this summer.  More updates to come soon! 

1000 Gifts

For a couple of years now, I have been practicing the habit of a daily gratitude journal.  I just recently finished my second journal of 1000 gifts! This concept comes from a book I read a few years back by Ann Voskamp called One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are.

Between 2011 and 2013, I lost my job, my mom died and I had a major back surgery.  All of these were completely unexexpected, but losing my mom by far was the most painful of all and made me feel like I no longer recognized my own life.  In the midst of all this, there were wonderful things too: I got a great new job that I loved, my sister had her youngest daughter, my brother and his wife welcomed triplet daughters and I finished graduate school.  Then, between 2014 and 2015, both of my grandmothers died. So many ups and downs, but way more downs than I had every experienced in my life before.

 During all of this, I had to make peace with the fact that my life was NOT going as I had planned. There was no changing it, and no going back to how things used to be. Intentionally counting the gifts God gave me each day was one way I could remember His goodness and kindness in the midst of sorrow and pain.  I realized I had to choose joy and choose gratitude each day. I truly believe that this practice has help keep me from letting seeds of bitterness take root in my heart.  The goal is to do it each day but I often fail in that.  Sometimes it is just a few times a week.  If I drop off for a week or so, I start to notice a difference in myself and I realize that I need to get back to it.  I hope to become more disciplined with each journal and keep this up for the rest of my life!

The best part about finishing a 1000 gifts journal is going back to read each gift.  There are always things I know I would have forgotten if I had not written it down.  I thought it would be fun to share the gifts from this past year that are specifically about God calling me to serve Him in Budapest.  I apologize for the messy cursive! :)

               

                                            

It is such a blessing to look back and see God's gracious gifts to me through this past year!  I count ALL of my friends and family among God's most abundant gifts for all of the love and support you have given me throughout this whole process!  

I hope you are able to look around and count some of God's gifts to you today as well! :) 

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Ten Things I'm Loving About Summer 2016!

This is such a wonderful but unusual summer for me - living in Kingwood for the first time in 10 years!  It has been fabulous so far and I am soaking it all in before I depart for Budapest in August!  Here are my top ten things I'm loving right now (in no particular order)!  :)

10. Life without GPS because I know where everything is!  I lived in Houston for 8 years and it was a rare week that I didn't have to look up directions on the map on my phone.  I love being in my hometown and knowing where I am going!

9.  One of my cousins started weekly family dinners this summer and it has been so much fun!  Thank you Maggie! Spending time with my aunt, uncle, cousins, and my sister's family is just the best!

8. This has nothing to do with living at home and everything to do with the fact that it is summer: NO MAKE-UP! See also: WORKOUT CLOTHES EVERY DAY! (whether I work out or not...) See also:  NO HAIR FIXING! I am throwing my hair in a messy bun every day and loving every minute of it!

7. My summer birthday!  I absolutely love having my birthday in June and I always have!  The past few years I have gone with my sister and her kids to Galveston for a beach day on my birthday so this year we continued the tradition.  And my dad had the day off from work so he got to join us!  That evening we had cake and ice cream back at the house.

Me and my sister Meredith!  (Thank you to my sweet friend Amy for my fun new shirt!) 

Matching t-shirts with my cousin Christina!  Love them both with all of my heart! 

Sidenote: I didn't mean to wear only Texas shirts on my birthday but I am more than okay with the fact that it happened! :) 

6. The Kingwood Library! It is two stories and so pretty.  The last time I went it started thundering and raining while I was looking at books and it made me so happy! Few things are better than rain + reading a good book!  Sidenote: If you aren't on GoodReads, get on it.  We can be friends and see what each other is reading!

My stack of books checked out from last week.

5. Spending time with my dad!  He's pretty much my favorite person.  My dad is never in a bad mood - ever.  He literally whistles while he works.  I have had a few minor meltdowns about moving to the other side of the world (just keeping it real, y'all) and my dad always listens with understanding and offers encouragement.  I have cooked dinner a few times and he is always so complimentary because he is the least picky eater on the planet.  I could go on and on!

This was on my birthday beach day in Galveston! 

4. The view out the back windows of our house! My current desk space is the kitchen table which looks out the patio and forest behind my dad's house.  It's so green, and there are always birds chirping!  My favorites are the cardinals and hummingbirds. :)

3. Catching up on my podcasts!  I got way behind throughout May/June and I'm finally getting back to all my old favorites.  If you are a podcast listener, let me know if you have any recommendations!

2. Summer Bible study!  I'm doing this at my hometown church, FPCK!  We are studying the gospel of Mark and I'm really enjoying it!  I'm learning not just about Mark but also more about how to study the Bible and apply it to my life. I love studying God's word with a group of ladies - we are all on a journey together to know God more!

1. My Summer Bucket List!  I have done this the past couple of summers.  I love having a list of things I really want to do (and need to do) while I have the chance.  I still have a lot left to do on it but thankfully I still have about 6 more weeks! :)

I hope all of you are having a wonderful summer so far and that all of my Texas friends are staying as cool as possible! :)




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