ok.  sorry some pics are sideways.  i promise i rotated them before i downloaded them here.  oh well!  the above photo is me and the new wife of Timi's brother Riza.  They were married one month before we arrived here.  i missed the party but still got to see her decked out in this formal wedding dress.  She was wearing this for Bajram, the muslim holiday. (( i was standing on my toes))

This lady is Dotchi's new wife with there 5 month old boy!  wow he is a big kid.

You might have guessed it already.  This is the famous Resmia.  We had a wonderful visit.  I am waiting on God to do a miracle in her body.

. Are there really words for this?

Dije (my friend and house help) with her new baby girl, Melina.  Notice that cute guy in the background?

Going to see Resmia!

Tomorrow I am going to see my beloved Albanian sister, Resmia.  She still has cancer but is still living.  I continue to believe God for His plan of healing in her life.  I am really excited.  Naila and I will meet Resmia in Gjakova, another city.  She is sometimes able to have her family take her from her house and meet with us secretly in a town where she will not be recognized.  I'll take pictures and post them soon. 

I love and miss everybody!  ( I'm praying kathi!  It's 2pm your time)

Here I Am

Here I am, back to “real” life!  In some ways, I am surprised at how easily I seemed to fall back into the swing of things.  Shopping, driving, the language!  It all can cause stress and frustration and already I have had days were I felt the fatigue of setting up home in a new land.  I keep rehearsing in my head “it’s ok, take a break, you’re doing fine, you’ve only been in the country for 9 days” but my type A personality seems always to revolt.  I did manage to stay in bed today till 10am then take the longest bath ever, sorta in memory of the newly scorched ( it caught on fire the other morning) Hot Springs in Bozeman, Montana.  I was really sad about this but really glad I got my year there before it burnt. 

The bath seemed to help the sinus infection that is taunting me.  I got sick just before we left the states and having been physically pushing the envelope for weeks.  My lower back was really bothering me the other day but I’m doing better now.  I feel good about having the house mostly set up.  I’ve made several meals in the kitchen now, proving that it is function-able,  the kids room is finished, the downstairs is set up, and I’m back to doing the slow paced clothes washing.  Just David needs his bed and furniture and the office is quite a mess still.  Steve bought 6 meters of wood the other day.  Three gypsy carts with real horse power came to the gate and unloaded a mini forest in front of the house.  Another guy on a cart with a saw blade came and zipped everything into smaller pieces.  Mike, Steve, Timi, David, and the 3 other little kids helped stack all that stuff in the garage.  It was raining that day so the wood is in the garage with the windows open and a huge fan blowing it dry (or at least that is our hope).  Steve and Labinot are shopping for a new door to the garage, some more kitchen cabinets, a lock for the bathroom, and to have a linen closet made.  I always look forward to having everything in it’s place and organized.  I look forward to being DONE! ….ah! but then I will start teaching homeschool.  It’s true, a woman’s work is never finished!

Honey, I'm Home!

We are finally back here in Kosovo now.  The trip was a little rough but we were ok.  It took 3 days, one overnight hotel in D.C.,  5 airplane flights, and one REALLY hot 1 1/2 drive to Peje.  Poor Mike wretched on the side of the road, 20 minutes from our destination. 

It was a difficult "good-bye" in Bozeman.  I sat and bawled on the plane for a while and the further I flew, the more the ache in my heart sunk in.  I did my best not to think about it.  Once we got here I felt excited, relieved, and ready to have a real home agian.

We have worked hard for 2 days to get things set up.  We are all sleeping in beds, eating on a dining table, the vehicle is out of the garage, and Mike even set up the sand box, swings, and play house for the kids tonight!  GO Mike!  This guy rocks!

I love you my friends.  Thanks Becky with all my heart and "Happy Anniversary".  You sure picked the right guy to marry.

I'll send pictures soon.  Timi is huge now.  Almost as tall as Steve.  Dije is married and has the cutiest Albanian baby i have ever seen.  I am Aunt Lisa! Tomorrow I will see Labinot and on Saturday the whole church! yippee!

Just a few fun summer pictures!