Visitors from Texas! :)

This past weekend, I enjoyed a visit from my older sister Meredith and brother-in-law Jake!

Can I just tell y'all that these two started dating when I was only 13 years old?  They are celebrating 15 years of marriage this year!  I am thankful to have a bonus older brother for all these years!  It was such a joy to share my life here with them!  In just 4 days we were able to see and do so much.  I do not ever want to take this for granted.  It is amazing to live in Europe and see so many beautiful things! Traveling always brings you closer and gives you wonderful memories (and inside jokes) to look back on. :)

But truly, just enjoying laughter and conversation was my favorite thing of all!  Here are some highlights of their visit:

Just about an hour after they landed - they were hungry so we went out to eat right away! 

We walked across the Chain Bridge and took the funicular up the hill. 

Enjoying the views from Fisherman's Bastion 

Gelato after dinner is always a must!

Parliament Building

St. Stephen's Basilica

Inside the Basilica

Danube River boat tour

The Parliament Building all lit up at night! 

Heroes' Square

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Day trip to Vienna - Imperial Palace

Vienna - beautiful gardens!

Vienna - St. Stephen's Cathedral 

Vienna - State Opera House

Signs of springtime in Vienna! 

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Visiting my house in Diósd! 

Lunch at Johnny's in Diósd

Finally got to try an "After Eight" milkshake (so good)! 

Spent the afternoon at my amazing school!  In March 2016, Meredith and I visited here after I had been accepted through ICSB and TeachBeyond.  It was really special to be back here together one year later, with Jake, too! 

We were able to spend time with my class (pictures of that will be in my newsletter, not on the blog). :) 

I am so thankful that they got to see my sweet 1st graders.  Those kids are the entire reason I am here!  I love them so much.  They are so much fun and they definitely turned up the charm in honor of our special visitors.

We spent our last evening together at my favorite restaurant, Akademia Italia.  (L to R > Pizza > Lasagna > Spaghetti).  I love it because it's so bright and cheerful, and the food is amazing! 

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It was a real blessing to be encouraged by Jake and Meredith in my ministry here, especially because I have committed to serve at ICSB for the next school year!

It was good to talk with them about my sense of calling to this school specifically, to serve these children.  Most of you know that I would have never done this without feeling called by God to do so.  I have never wanted to live overseas, and I would never choose on my own to live thousands of miles from my family.  Only God could bring about something like this!

But what I am doing does not demonstrate any more obedience than others who use their gifts for the glory of God and for building His kingdom in many other different ways.  We talked about how wherever God plants us, He desires that we share His love in that place for whatever period of time He chooses.  Every time we follow His lead to be a light for Jesus, we are acting in faith and obedience.

Sharing my heart with Jake and Meredith, and being encouraged by them was such good medicine for my soul!

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There are only about 10 weeks left in the 2016 - 2017 school year!  And they are going to be incredibly busy but I can't wait to see what all God has in store.   I am so happy that spring is in the air.  We are enjoying more sunshine and warmer temperatures each week.  I am getting excited about putting my heavy coat away (I.Never.Want.To.See.It.Again)! :) 

Thanks for reading all about my long weekend with my family! :) 

February > January

After the whirlwind of the fall semester, January felt incredibly long and cold. Being home in Texas for the holidays caused a fresh wave of homesickness when I returned here.  For me, living overseas means that homesickness is always there but some days it is stronger than others. 

 I have SO much to be thankful for here. I truly love my school and the work I do here. I have good friends who are kind and understanding.  I do not feel alone in this place.  And yet, some days are just hard.  I struggle to share about them here because I don't want people to think I am complaining, or that I'm not grateful for all the ways God has provided for my life here.  So I am trying to share more honestly about the harder times. 

I also got really sick at the end of January, which did not help.  I had not run a fever for years, probably since I was a first year teacher! :(  So many of my students and friends at school had illnesses, so there were lots of absences which always disrupts the flow of things at school.  

 I thank God for reminding me to choose joy on the long/cold/dark/hard days.  I'm not always very good at this but I am trying to get better. 

 (Reminds me of my dad's favorite answer to "How are you?" 

 "I'm not good...but I'm better than I used to be." Haha!) 

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February has been a MUCH better month for me, physically, emotionally and spiritually.   I have enjoyed going into the city a few times and even caught some sunshine along the Széchenyi Bridge (also known as the Chain Bridge).

Journaling and reading with spiced berry hot tea and a caramel muffin. Yum! 

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Last week was one of the most anticipated of the entire year at ICSB - Tournament Week!  Our school hosts a big basketball tournament every year.  I was so excited to experience this event for the first time.  It begins with some fun spirit dress-up days during the school week! 

The Elementary team went with a 101 Dalmatians theme for Character Day.  Our amazing principal agreed to be our Cruella De Vil! 

For Wacky Tacky Inside Out Day, a few of us went with a theme that will only make sense if you are familiar with the movie "Inside Out." :)  

The Tournament weekend kicks off with an all-school pep rally.  It was so fun! They introduce the Varsity Girls and Varsity Boys basketball teams and get the students pumped up for the big weekend ahead. 

A group of teachers (including me) did a short performance as glow stick people and it was hilarious! We danced to snippets of songs like Eye of the Tiger, Ku Fu Fighting, and the Cotton Eye Joe. The kids loved it!

The tournament itself was awesome.  If there is a highlight video posted by the school on Facebook, I will definitely share it because I want all of you to get a glimpse of what a special weekend it was! 

I snapped these pictures of the ICSB teams praying with the opposing teams before games. The other participants in the tournament were international schools from the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Russia.  There was such a spirit of fellowship and camaraderie among all the players and spectators.  The teams played so hard and gave their best effort in every single game.  

I can't believe I didn't take a picture of the American candy table.  It was a glorious sight!  There was only one candy I stocked up on though - Peanut Butter M&Ms.  Soooooo good!  

The tournament ended with championship games, a 3 point shoot-out, awards to teams and players, and an awesome reminder that what really brings these schools together is faith in Christ.  Parents, teachers, coaches, and students all coming together to enjoy a wonderful weekend of competition and fellowship. 

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The day after tournament was over, it was time to relax at the Széchenyi Baths.  I had been wanting to go here for so long!  

It is definitely a unique experience and the baths felt so good in the 35 degree weather!  There are huge pools outside and many smaller ones inside.  There are also steam rooms, saunas and many spa services.  

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This weekend I enjoyed dinner at the Balna! This complex is shaped like a giant whale and it is right along the Danube river.  It's really pretty all lit up at night! The inside feels like an upscale mall. I hope to go back when the weather is warmer and enjoy the views of the river. 

So fun to enjoy a dinner with friends on Friday night! 

I also enjoyed my first ice skating experience at Varosliget which is is a huge park in the city.  Can you believe the castle behind it? So beautiful!  

The weather was perfect, I was so happy to skate without my coat and enjoy the sunshine! 

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Thanks for reading my latest update!   I will be working on a newsletter soon to share more about my students and my ministry at ICSB. So let me know if you would like to receive it and learn more about what I am doing all the way over here in Hungary! :) 

The Blur of December/January!

Happy 2017!  Can I still say "Happy 2017" when January is almost over?  Hmmm, not sure! The past six weeks have been a total blur of:

• The joy and excitement of the holidays! 
• The frenzy of being home in Texas!
• The readjustment of life in Hungary as I begin my second semester! 

I was so grateful to come home for the holidays. God blessed me so abundantly with time to share with family and friends.  I went to the grocery store and didn't feel stressed out even once! I was able to worship at both of my church homes.  I cried SO many grateful tears at FPCK on Christmas Eve. My friends at Grace set up a gatherings for me to catch up with people and spend time together.   I soaked in being surrounded by English and signs/text that I could read.  I ate breakfast tacos as often as possible!  It was glorious!

But being home was more challenging that I was expecting because I took a real Clark W. Griswold approach to it. (Not wise...have I learned nothing from that movie?)  I was going to see eat all the food! Watch all the Christmas movies! Sing all the songs in the car! (I miss singing in the car so much, since, you know, I don't have a car here)!  See all the people! Complete all the puzzles! Read all the books!  Drive around and see all the lights!

About two-thirds of the way through my time in Texas, I found myself:

• really sick with a sinus infection 
• really stressed about the fact that I could not do all the things! 
• feeling like I was letting people down because I didn't get to spend more time with them (no one said this or made me feel bad. I do this to myself!)   
• feeling like I never actually got any rest

It was a good learning experience for the next time I come home and how I need check my Griswold-level expectations and set some reasonable boundaries!  As God would have it, my flight back to Hungary got completely cancelled and could only be re-booked the next day in the evening.  I ended up with an extra day and a half to SLEEP and just enjoy being home.  Thank you God for knowing what I needed!

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Here are some pictures to capture some of my favorite moments of being in Texas! 

Of course, my family greeted me at the airport 

with balloons and a sign because what else? 

Note: My sister, niece and I did not plan to wear the same shirt! 

 I love when little coincidences like that happen! 

Enjoying multiple trips to the new H-E-B in Kingwood!  It was such a happy time!  Non-Texans, this is the grocery store of my heart.  There will never be another that compares! 

Seeing my dear friend Alexis and meeting her beautiful daughter for the first time! 

My sister and celebrating our yearly tradition of making oyster crackers! We listened to the "In the Heights" soundtrack and danced around the kitchen the whole time, it was fantastic! 

My one nephew and five nieces together for Christmas for the first time ever! My heart could just burst! 

Little everyday moments during the week, like my sister reading to the quadruplets (the quads are the triplets plus their cousin Sarah who is close in age).  :)  

Note: These girls run around in costumes and dress-up clothes pretty much all the time.  It is the cutest thing! 

Houston Zoo Lights with nearly 20 of us!  

It was so many kids that....

Every grown-up buddied up with a kid to keep an eye on!  

Mine was Katelyn. :) 

We also enjoyed time up at my sister and brother-in-law's land. 

 The kids had the best time on the tractor rides! 

This picture is blurry but it captured a moment I wanted to remember. One night between Christmas and New Year's, my dad and I were just relaxing at home, watching Sister Act 2 on tv (how can you not stop what you are doing and watch it when it comes on?)  I was eating Blue Bell ice cream out of my new mug that my dear friend Emily gave me for Christmas. It was so nice to sit down, enjoy our Christmas tree, watch a movie I have seen a thousand times and just soak in being home. 

The best way to end my time in Texas was celebrating the wedding of my baby cousin Maggie and her now-husband Chaz! 

Such a joyful celebration!  

The sweetest dad in the world! 

An assortment of cousins and siblings! 

Me and the beautiful bride!  

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I am so very thankful for the time I had in Texas.  Making it to this (almost) mid-way point of the school year felt like a huge accomplishment.  Adjusting to life here again has been interesting. Teaching my kids each day is a joy - an exhausting joy, but still.  I love being a classroom teacher and feel energized by a planning a new semester.  I am honored to serve at my amazing school with such an incredible faculty and staff. But the pace of daily life here is so different.  There are so many things about living here that I enjoy and so many things that I don't (just being honest).  The fact that it is the dead of winter does not help....I am praying through it all and God is meeting me right where I am! Thankful for His word and that I can come to Him with every need.  

The number of wool socks I own at this point is astounding! 

My first-ever experience shoveling snow!  

(Before this, I have lived my entire life less than a hundred miles from the Gulf of Mexico.  What on earth am I doing with snow shovel in my hands?!?!?!)

Blue Bell ice cream has been replaced with hot tea! 

This is right when I arrived in my classroom the other day.  I am accepting my new reality, that I look like a snowman every single day of my life.   (Snowwoman?) 

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Thanks for reading about the blur that was my December/January season!  I am so very grateful for the support of all of my friends and family.  I feel the strength of your prayers so keep them coming!  I love y'all!