Weekly Jerry and I mention how much we have been blessed in Spain.   How much we love it here and love our neighbors, our school, teachers, other moms, our landlord.  And that's even with our limited Spanish!

Then I started thinking about how much we have been sick.  Ok, so maybe Spain isn't as excited about us as we are about it?!  Ha!!



flu
Karis 2
Reegan 2
Brennan 1

cold
Brennan 3
Karis 1
Reegan 1

strep
Reegan 1

bronchitis 
Brennan 1
Tina 2
Jerry 1

eye enfection
Tina 1

fevers & coughs
Ugh, too numerous to count

Our doctor says we've got 6 months to a year of this.  New place, new germs, first time in school.  We went about 1 week recently without sickness.  One week!  Spain, I hope we can soon come to a mutual love/love relationship!  Heh, heh!

We could sure use your prayers!

I've been asked about the camera situation (thanks for reminding me Renee Ann =).  We submitted a claim to our insurance.  A week later we were questioned more about it and I got a little scared thinking they might deny us seeing as it was our mistake.  But they wrote back and said they would start processing!  I'm so ready to get a new camera.  I'm already a little embarrassed tired of fuzzy pictures!

Have you ever had so much sickness you just wanted to cry?!

Hi friends!  I'm linking up with Kelly's Korner to share our story of adoption.

We had always been open to adoption.  After a few years of infertility we felt led to look into adoption in Prague, Czech Republic where we had been living for the past couple of years. We had a Czech colleague help us contact a social worker and fill out the paperwork. We were told that the process can go fast if a couple is willing to adopt a Roma (Gypsy) child, which we were. It took 6 months to get approved. Of course we thought it would go fast by this point, but little did we know that our wait would take another year and a half!!!

Adoptions are done through the Czech government and is only available to nationals or foreigners on a long term work visa. In talking to a friend of a friend about a possible adoption (that didn't go anywhere) we learned about another non-profit organization that does private adoptions. In a few months they matched us with a birthmom.  She wanted to meet us. She was due in 2 months, at the time. We took our Czech colleague to help with translation. After talking with her we were eager to go forward, but we had reservations.

The due date came and we were getting anxious to know something. Within a few days we found out that the birthmom took off on her own to have the baby. It was later discovered that she was actually trying to sell the baby on the internet!!  She had strung us along!  The organization found out about it and tried to have her caught through a set up by the police! They got her but she was not charged with anything. It became a national story running on the news in Czech Republic.

I was devastated!!

Through this loss I found a wonderful online ministry called Hannah's Prayer that helped me through this time.  What a blessing!

In April 2005, 6 months after our first adoption loss the private organization contacted us about a Roma baby boy that was being placed for adoption.  It was the day before I was to leave for a 3 week trip to Texas for a retreat & conference.  I was so excited and we were assured that it was a 99% chance. Because of paperwork, etc. it would be the following week before it would happen, so I decided to go to the States for the retreat and return in a few days. I got back and the parents changed their minds.

Once again, I was devastated!!

We were able to work it out for me to go back to the States with my husband for the conference. It was a nice diversion to the loss, but the pain surfaced upon returning to Prague. This really spiraled me into a state of depression and I was ready to throw away our calling to missions overseas and just go back to the States. I was mad at God for putting me through this.....TWICE!!

peanut butter chocolate chip that I've been craving since my friend posted it on her blog!  Thanks Michelle!  They are great!!


I should have added some study time in there but oh how I find that next to impossible while the kids are whirling around me!!  I can cook and clean and even work on the computer.  But something that takes brainpower is near impossible.  And with Jerry's work schedule right now I couldn't ask him to watch the kids, although I'd hoped to.  My teacher will be none too happy with my performance tomorrow.  *Sigh*

This past Friday I learned about the famous Brazilian football (soccer for you US folks) player, Kaká.  Currently he plays for Madrid's football team, Real (pronounced Ree-al) Madrid.
Some of our colleagues were together in Madrid for a meeting and one of them has connections to Kaká's wife, Caroline. They asked through his wife if he would do an intro for a video our colleague was doing in Milan, Italy.  Being the media guys that they are, Jerry & our team member, Steve got to go along to shoot the video.  Why would they interview a football player?  Kaká is a born again, believer in Jesus Christ!  Take a look at this photo!

How awesome is that?!  Until Friday I had never heard of him.  I better get educated since I'm now living in football country!  So, I did a little internet searching to find out more about this guy.  Wow, am I impressed!  I found his testimony (below) here and bit more here.

 And I also found this article about how he and his wife saved themselves for marriage!  Just awesome!

What an incredible testimony and witness to what the Lord Jesus Christ is to this athlete!

Aris (pronounced like Ah-reece, but ya gotta get a good, but light rolling "r" in there!  Ha!) is a kind of mascot for Karis' class.  There are pictures of Aris in their workbooks taking the kids through their lessons.  Each weekend one of the kids gets to take the stuffed Aris home and they have to take her everywhere with them.  This was Karis' weekend!  She was so excited!

The picture above cracked me up because Karis didn't think Aris needed to go to the bathroom with her!  Ha!

We shared our weekly Friday night tradition of pancakes and movie night with Aris!

We didn't do too many exciting things with the kids this weekend.  I was home most of the day Saturday baking this cute little cake with my friend, Amy for a baby shower on Sunday!

A colleague of ours was celebrating his birthday and invited everyone to come bowling.  It has been months since we've been able to hang out with colleague friends due to Jerry's insane schedule and the sickness our family has experienced.  Jerry was actually sick, but was determined to go.  He is laid out on the couch even now.
Our kids have never been bowling.  I wasn't sure if they would be able to, but we found a small ball, got them some bowling shoes and were even able to put up the bumpers (although we didn't realize we could play a game with some using bumpers and others not until half way through the game).  They had a good time and it wasn't that expensive.  I would love to do it again. 
These are ITouch pics, so excuse the quality.